• With Autumn on the
doorstep, it's the time to be on the lookout for the African Black Beetle in your lawn. We
don't always see the beetle itself unless you flood irrigate then the beetle or its larvae
that looks like a small witchety grub surfaces for air.
• You can control the African Black Beetle
in your lawn by using a flock of Muscovy ducks I'm told, if you want the mess that they
generate. You can flood irrigate regularly if you want to invest a fortune in excess water
bills or you can use the 'HorticoŽ Lawn Beetle and Slater Killer Granules' specially
compounded for its control or spray using BaythroidŽ.
• One thing is sure though, if you don't
aim to control the Black Lawn Beetle, they will rip the vigour from your lawn and it will
look pretty sick. Autumn is the best chance you have to control the pest and afterwards...
feed your lawn to repair it.
• In March we start to get a big serve of
publicity from seed merchants about sowing Sweet Peas on St Patrick's Day, 17th March,
however in our climate the best time is from 1st April to Anzac Day, so hold off. Buy your
seed now but hang on to it and don't pre-soak soak it for our clay soils, that's a Perth
perk!
• I've just seen the new release of 'Wild
Silk' Pansies from BPA and they look stunning. The colour range is raspberry and almost
cerise pink amongst others, with the most luscious velvety texture. You won't be able to
resist touching them.
• Plant Chinese Cabbage seed or seedlings
now so they don't bolt to seed, as well as Silver Beet seedlings for the same reason and
of course all the Brassicas, you know cabbage, cauliflower, kohl rabi and broccoli from
seedlings. Sprinkle some superphosphate around the Brassicas and Beets too. |
