It’s the run up to spring in Australia and this signals acceleration of insect activity. We need to check temperatures, especially daily minimums, because as these rise, so do pest numbers.
Dont rush to chemical methods to control aphids, scale, mites and caterpillars, agrochemicals can poison your food and destroy beneficial insects like bees.
Use insects and biology to control pests and disease. You can buy tiny wasps to stop aphids and scale dead in their tracks. These are around 1mm in size and will not sting you, they are also cheap and convenient to buy and use. You can get them from www.goodbugs.org.au and these guys have a brilliant website to instruct you on release and care of your good bugs.
I can supply the biology for disease control on www.agrisense.com.au as well as attend to your plant nutrition, a vital aspect of plant health and disease resistance.
CALCIUM NUTRITION is another key technique in the battle against pests and diseases. Good calcium levels = great soil conditions and dense cellular pectin levels. Pectins don’t just make jams, they make cells tough and unattractive to pests and diseases. (Like a tough steak) Lime your soil, 100 grams per square metre, use compost, find a good calcium Chelate…I sell one called Fert Cal…get it into your plants 1 gram per square metre monthly
, don’t neglect mulch and water as these are also crucial factors in plant health, (don’t overwater) and watch things romp!
Remember the best fertiliser and pesticide is a gardeners shadow. Keep a daily eye on your crop, write things down as you see them happen and if you are in doubt ask me! Don’t let weird changes turn into garden failures.
Tag: soil testing
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Spring menace can be foiled with IPM
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What is Agrisense
Agrisense is a small business based in the mid north coast of New South Wales focussing on plant nutrition, soil health and ultimately plant health.
My name is Marc Percival. I run the business out of Raleigh Industrial Estate and visit farms, golf courses and gardens, sampling soils, plant material and assessing sites and crops, pastures and orchards in order to optimize plant health, through soil health.
I am a qualified Horticulturist of 32 years standing, a member of the Australian Institute of Horticulture and a registered consultant with Australian Certified Organic.
In 2003 I qualified as a Soil Foodweb Advisor with the Soil Foodweb Institiute under Dr Elaine Ingham.
I am strongly focussed on sustainable horticulture/agriculture techniques and an Independant advisor.
I am a plant nutrition specialist and work for conventional and organic farmers in a wide range of horticultural crops including hydroponics.
I am able to advise on farm change to Organic Horticulture, improving your farm or enterprise practices either for organic conversion or just to improve your yield, help to solve problems and move your conventional farm toward best practice.
I use accredited laboratories to provide reliable data for decision support enabling farmers to improve plant growth. I interpret soil, leaf and water analysis, prepare programs based on your farm, crop and situation to give you a simple and customized program.
I work for you…not for a sales manager, so get in touch and let’s get started