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- This is the time of year when the effect of the cypress borer is most
easily seen. The tell tale signs are the odd branch on a cypress hedge or
tree, which die back to a particular point. Usually the point at which the
borer larvae that resembles a cream coloured witchetty grub, have entered
the branch and eaten a hole up the branch.
- Control of the cypress borer can be as simple as cutting or breaking the
affected limbs off and so exposing the borer, so that you can either make a
tasty witchetty grub soup, that tastes like peanut paste or consign the
villain under foot.
- About the only method of control for this tiny moth and its larvae is to
spray with chlorpyrifos, which was unfortunately recently removed from the
home garden chemical schedule, so ask your stockist what is to replace it.
As of 4th Feb there was no replacement registered in SA!
Chlorpyrifos is still available to primary producers to use and for licensed
pest control companies.
- Another borer that also shows up at this time of year, due to moisture
stress in the tree, is the birch tree borer. It usually attacks the leading
tips of a young silver birch tree, leaving a solitary dead limb in the
middle of an otherwise healthy tree. Use the same control as for cypress
borer.
- This is the time to establish those Brassicas that take a long time to
mature in winter. The cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage seedlings or sow
your own from seed. If you garden organically you will need to lime the soil
first as they all like alkaline soil.
- If transplanting seedlings in this hot weather, cover you new transplants
with a section of shadecloth for a week, as a transition and make sure you
seedlings are in a spot that will still be getting full sun in four to six
moths time when you start harvesting your own cauliflowers!
- When you see the amount of insecticide that gets sprayed on a crop of
broccoli, cauliflower or cabbages, it will make you want to grow your own.
In the main the caterpillars only eat the outer leaves that we discard
anyhow and if you are vigilant, you can keep them pretty grub free, with a
morning inspection. I find a top dressing of superphosphate at planting
time, works wonders too.
- The broccoli ‘Green Dragon’ from F1 seedlings really takes some
beating for a recurrent pick broccoli variety. It seems that you have to buy
seed to get known cultivars of cauliflower, since most punnet growers just
use a generic cauliflower label.
- Only try planting Brussels sprouts if you live in an area that is a frost
pocket. They really need that to form tight heads, otherwise they open like
flowers and it’s like eating grass! All the Brassicas like alkaline soil,
so you will probably need to lime your soil first, especially if you garden
organically and they all like a top dressing of superphosphate after
planting or if you’ve sown seed, when they get to 10cm in height. Organic
gardeners may opt for rock phosphate, phosphate dust or pigeon manure. If
you use pigeon manure, wear a mask and make sure you have current TB
immunisation!
- In the flower garden plant stocks, Livingstone daisy, sweet alyssum,
antirrhinum, lobelia, pansies and even petunias and marigolds, will still
return a great display until April or May. If planting seedlings in this hot
weather, soak the punnets in a solution of seaweed extract for 5 minutes
before planting and use a section of shadecloth over them for a week to
acclimatize them. It certainly cuts your losses. Water their foliage with a
water-soluble fertilizer fortnightly.
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