Feeding plants using natural resources is the most effective way to grow plants in the natural habitat. The ingredients are natural and utilised by natures creatures to help grow healthy plants. It is a manner of organic gardening that utilises Read more…
Adaptation and resistance to chemicals (natural and synthetic) are normal and natural processes. It’s what Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution is based on. When faced with an inhibiting environment, we adapt to overcome it. It’s the basis of all addictive Read more…
Companion planting – what is it? Companion planting refers to a style of inter-planting that results in a beneficial outcome to the gardener usually in the form of higher crop yields and to the plants. Inter-planting is planting different types of plants Read more…
Passionfruit (Passiflora) is a sweet fruit that grows on a vine. It’s native to the southern Brazil, Paraguay and northern Argentina and grows well in subtropical and some warmer temperate areas. There are many different types of passion fruit and Read more…
Aphid insects are small insects that extract the sap from plants. Depending upon the specie, they measure up to 3mm in size. Aphids are often found on or under leaves, on soft stems or in crevices between leaves. Despite their status Read more…
Aphid predators are awesome insects that we should encourage into our gardens. We do this by learning about our gardens and trusting nature. To learn more about aphids, read this blog. Aphid predators include: Lady beetles and their larvae. Note Read more…
If you want to grow Graptophyllum ilicifolium (aka Holly leaved fuchsia) you’ve come to the right place! Within months of propagating this plant, you’ll be rewarded with these lovely magenta coloured flowers. Graptophyllum ilicifolium has holly shaped leaves that are Read more…
A leafminer is the larvae (baby) of the adult moth who lays eggs underneath young leaves. When they hatch the larvae burrow into the leaf and start feeding between the lower and upper leaf surfaces. Their feeding habits make trailing marks on Read more…
What is aerobic soil and how to create it? Aerobic soil has air circulating through it. Anaerobic soil has a lack of air circulating and tends to be water logged. Therefore, at a simple level, creating aerobic soil Read more…
There are five ways insecticides affect insects. This category is one of the five. It’s always interesting to look at the unknowns and how they’re used. In contravention of the precautionary principle using a chemical with an unknown action is Read more…
Stomach and midgut insecticides are one of five classes of insecticides. They come from microbes. Some microbes release toxic compounds. When some insects eat these microbes, they get poisoned. Their stomach is the part of their body affected. Bt or Read more…
Respiratory disrupting insecticides Respiratory disrupting insecticides are one of five ways insecticides work. The lungs and respiratory system are targets of respiratory disrupting insecticides. Many of these insecticides are based on microbes or microbial compounds. They can be fast acting. One Read more…
Growth inhibitors are one of five groups of insecticides. Growth inhibitors affect the growth and development of insects. There are applied at a particular stage of an insects development. Growth inhibitors are designed to prevent metamorphosis thereby preventing maturity and Read more…
Muscle and nerve affecting insecticides The most common insecticides are those that affect the muscles and nerves. This is one of five ways insecticides work. Muscle and nerve affecting insecticides tend to be fast acting. Technically, systemic insecticides refer to Read more…
It’s important we know how insecticides work. If we don’t know how insecticides work we may be contributing to global insecticide resistance. Insecticides are a subclass of pesticides aimed to kill insects. Pesticides is a class of chemicals that also Read more…