The garden has been given a new lease of life after the rains, but so have the pests.
This year the scourge seems to be mealybug, and it is everywhere from salvia to strawberries. The problem with mealybug is that it lodges on the stems and leaf nodes, sucks out the sap, weakening and then killing the plant if no action is taken. For fruiting veggies, the result of an infestation is spoilt fruit and a reduced harvest.
A further problem of mealybug is that it secretes honeydew which attracts ants and they can transmit viruses.
Mealybug usually arrives quite stealthily (white specks here and there) and by the time an infestation is noticed it is usually severe.
Environmental scientist Johan Gerber advises controlling both the mealy bug and the ants, with organic pesticides that are registered for the control of aphids and scale.
An organic spray like Ludwig’s Insect Spray which contains natural pyrethrum will kill the adult mealybugs on contact while the canola oil smothers the eggs. At the same time a mixture of Ludwig’s Insect Spray should be poured down ant nests in the soil.
To get a severe infestation under control spray three times within 10 days: in other words, spray on day one, day 5 and day 10 and then spray once a week for 28 days. It is very important to keep up the programme for at least 21 days to break the life cycle of the mealybug.
Use a good pressure spray pump and drench the plant from top to bottom. Stop spraying when you are satisfied that the plants are clean but keep on checking and spray again as soon as you see evidence of them.
plant killer: mealybug
Other bugs
Aphids are also a problem at the beginning of the season, and it shouldn’t be long before white fly appear on the tomatoes.
These pests can also be controlled by Ludwig’s Insect Spray or the Margaret Roberts Organic Insecticide which contains canola oil and smothers the insects on contact. Preventive spraying once a week will keep the veggie garden and roses free of pests or one can spot spray when the pest is noticed.
Keep on sowing
There are still many vegetables that can be sown or planted out in November. It’s a good month to sow a second crop of garden beans, tomatoes, beetroot, another cucumber or two and a follow up of baby marrow or patty pan squash. This second planting will keep up the supply of veggies well into the new year.
There are also quick crops like spring onions, radishes, basil, coriander, chives and rocket that would be ready for harvesting the first leaves by the time the festive season starts. You could even sow beetroot and carrots and harvest them as baby veggies.
Succession plant: tomatoes
Novelty watermelon
Longer crops that can be sown this month are melons and watermelons. A real novelty is watermelon Sugar Baby. It is a mini watermelon with deliciously cool, sweet red flesh. It is called the ice-box melon because its fruit is small enough to fit into the refrigerator. If sown this month it will be ready for harvest within 90 days of germination, during the hottest months of summer.
Like other watermelons, however, it needs space to grow although plants don’t extend quite as much as normal watermelons. It is only pollinated by bees so plant some bee friendly flowers nearby.
Sow directly into the soil, placing three seeds to one hole because they stimulate each other to germinate. Once the plants have their first true leaves, keep the strongest plant and cut off the other two shoots at soil level.
Water regularly, especially when it starts setting fruit. However, once the fruit is the size of a tennis ball, only water when the soil is dry. This concentrates the flavour. When the fruit is a pale yellow on the underside, it should be ripe.
Mighty cute: Watermelon Sugar Baby
For more information visit www.kirchoffs.co.za
Written by Alice Spenser-Higgs, article published in the Citizen.
