Know Your Enemies...And How To Defeat Them

Is anybody getting those huge grasshoppers that look like locusts in their garden? I thought the worst I would have to deal with as far as 'freeloaders' amongst the veges were cabbage moths or a few snails. Big rethink! These 6 legged interlopers are not only well camouflaged but they eat like there is no tomorrow. Even if I do happen to snare one (a towel over the offender is the best way), I then have to dispose of it. Being practically the size of a small chihauhau, I find it hard to kill them. I invariably set them free in the park opposite our place (apologies in retrospect  to my neighbours), trying to put out of my mind the fact that it is probably a 100 percent  likelihood that they will return before I am safely inside my front boundary (the park kookaburras seem uninterested in them unfortunately). Enter the giant slayer, aka husband. Thankfully he has been home more often than not when one appears and has disposed of them quickly and humanely.

Nobody said that staying organic was easy, but I have to admit, there are times when the dark side has nearly claimed my soul and I have been seriously tempted to resort to deadly weapons to keep the enemy from my ‘crop’. However, so far, we have managed without the need for pesticides and losing less than 5 percent of a crop is collateral damage I would think.

Over the past four years I have learnt through the kindness of friends and the Internet, some natural ways to deal with the enemy lurking within the greenery. I have listed these under two main headings of What To Do About…. and Companion Planting.

What To Do About…

Slaters

Lovers of dampness, dark places and juicy seedlings, these have been known to attack almost anything but have only really become a huge problem in the last year. Like the influx of sharks in our West Aussie waters, I am still trying to work out why their population has tripled and they suddenly think my garden is a Michelin 5 Star restaurant. I have tried pouring beer into cans at soil level (they love the stuff and end up drowning in there). However, my husband's beer supply was quickly running out as I needed to replenish the 'bait' due to the repugnant smell of day-old beer and dead slaters. Plan B involved oranges and came from a post somewhere on the Internet. No need for Plan C as B works! Here’s what to do:

Hollow out oranges. Place upside down in garden. Wait 24 hours and turn over to find a collection of slaters. Remove and repeat until very few are collected.

Snails
They simply adore my new seedlings, especially lettuce, silverbeet and cucumber, so I surround the new plants with crushed eggshells. They cannot move across the shells due to the sharp edges. Sawdust works as well and this weekend I am going to spread dried seaweed and see if that is an alternative when we are sick of eggs! Coffee grounds spread around lettuce are also good as the smell offends the snails.

Aphids
1 teaspoon of eco friendly detergent, 1 litre of water and 100ml vegetable oil mixed together and sprayed does the job. It is meant to  work on contact, so spray wherever you see the aphids (thanks to Vasili – Good Organic Gardening magazine Vol 3 No 1).

Cats
There is nothing worse than a dug up lettuce with fresh cat poo on it. I'm now trying out tea leaves emptied into the garden beds as the news is that they don’t like it!

Moths, Caterpillars, Leaf Miner and Grasshoppers 

• Neem Oil (10ml to 1L) sprayed in the evening when it's cooler. Just give the veges a rinse before eating. I have forgotten a few times and the veges just have a slightly bitter taste to them. I repeat every 7-10 days if there are problems.
•   A little cayenne pepper sprinkled on broccoli leaves deters caterpillars  but if they are deep in the broccoli head, once picked and soaked in water, they usually release quickly.
• Another way is to use Dipel which is biologically friendly and safe on edibles. It is mixed with water and sprayed on the leaves and is ingested by the catterpillars. It takes about 3 days to kill them so be patient. Needs to be applied again after a few days if more are seen as it breaks down in the sunlight within days.
•  Handpicking is my favourite way to while away my coffee drinking time! I make sure I give a little shake to broccoli and brocollini plants in the morning as it often dislodges caterpillars and they are then easy to see on the soil/mulch.
• Strips of white plastic cut from shopping bags tied to posts work well as they blow in the wind and confuse the moths into thinking there are already enough moths (and much bigger than them) on the plants

Powdery Mildew
This is a real problem when there is high humidity and the plants are damp at night, with undernourished or heat stressed plants being more affected. Try to  water early morning at ground level (so as to keep water off the leaves of  tomatoes and curcurbites such as zucchini, pumpkin, squash, cucumbers). When treating, I first remove the affected leaves and toss them out (not on the compost heap) and then spray with either of two mixtures in the early morning or evening, making sure to do the underside as well as the topside of the foliage. I use  cooled chamomile tea (leave the teabag in for 10-15 minutes before allowing to cool) or a mixture of 10% full cream  milk and 90% water. Adequate airflow between plants is also important in preventing powdery mildew.

Powdery Mildew

Companion Planting

Companion planting increases biodiversity in the garden and hopefully brings some balance between ‘goodies and baddies’. Companion plants work in a few different ways.

• they attract beneficial insects like bees and ladybirds
• they repel insects due to their taste or strong scent
• they mask the scent of some plants due to their own stronger smell

Below are some of the plant combinations I use.

Marigold
This deters beetles and if planted near broccoli, the moths will sometimes lay their eggs on them rather than the broccoli heads. Mexican Marigold is said to be the most powerful. French Marigolds release chemicals from their roots that deter nematodes (some species are plant parasites). Check out this article about nematodes.

Dwarf Marigolds

Basil
Plant basil with tomatoes because they not only improve the flavour but are said to repel thrips, flies and mosquitoes

Lavender
Lavender attracts bees and other beneficial insects as well as smelling nice!

Coriander
This herb repels aphids and spider mites but make sure you keep it in a spot where it doesn’t receive the full force of the sun as I find mine bolts quickly and doesn’t get to stay and do the job! Also, slugs and snails are rather partial to it so protect the plants with coffee grounds or crushed eggshells.

Chives
Chives will keep the aphids away and are so handy to add to salads.

Mint
Mint deters white cabbage moths and a variety of nasties such as ants and aphids. The roots are very invasive though, so plant in pots. Mint also attracts predatory wasps and bees, which are great for the pollination of zucchinis, cucumbers etc. Mint cuttings,spread like mulch around brassicas, work well too.

Oregano
Plant oregano near broccoli, cabbages and cauliflower, repels cabbage butterflies, although I still get a few and have to hand pick them off. It also makes a lovely ground cover.

Garlic, Shallots, Onion and Chives
These are great in the tomato patch as they give off a powerful smell disliked by many pests.

Rosemary
Rosemary repels flies and fleas and is also super when planted amongst broccoli and cabbage as it deters white caterpillars.

Nasturtiums
These creeping flowers contain mustard oil and trick the nasties into believing they are part of the brassica family, leaving the other veges alone.

A collection of rosemary, curry plant, chilli, salvia, oregano, mint, vincas, tarragon, parsley and basil in my low-ground garden

Some other useful thoughts/ideas...

•  I grow cucumbers and squash up trellises and over logs as it is easier to keep the slaters and bugs from the fruits
• A bird bath made of any kind attracts birds who in turn prey on insects and caterpillars
• Plants that are strong and healthy tend to have strong immune systems and don’t attract as many pests as weaker plants. So look after your plant health by mulching, watering regularly, fertilising with natural products such as cow poo, fish emulsion, liquid seaweed etc. However, root crops I read, do not like liquid fetilisers! This may explain a few failures I have had in the past where I’ve had great foliage but not a lot happening underground!
• Don’t plant too early or too late in the season as this will inhibit a plant’s growth and tolerance to weather and pests.
• Lizards and frogs are great at keeping pests to a minimum – allow them to coexist and provide them with shelter such as mallee roots and stones
• Crop rotation is so important in keeping soil bacteria and diseases from plants, as growing a crop in the same place the following year or even two years later, can provide the perfect conditions for pests and diseases to build up. Read all you can about it and companion planting as some plants will suffer greatly if planted with others while some will thrive. Rotating crops not only allows a balance of nutrients in the soil rather than one crop depleting what is there and adding too much of another.
• Vigilance is the key in maintaining a healthy garden and I know that so much happens if I miss inspecting for a few days (easy to do in winter when plants don’t need as much attention waterwise).
• Read, read, read all you can - there are so many amazing gardeners out there with a wealth of knowledge.

The end of spring

On every stem, on every leaf,... and at the root of everything that grew, was a professional specialist in the shape of grub, caterpillar, aphis, or other expert, whose business it was to devour that particular part. 

~Oliver Wendell Holmes

It's All in the Soil

When I first started my garden, whatever was in there just grew. The whole patch seemed to be on steroids and I began to refer to my tomatoes as ‘triffids’. The first season I gave away 10 bunches of beetroot (about 60-70 large beets) because I just had so many and being a newbie, I didn’t know what to do with them to make them last. I still curse when I think about my first crop of broccoli as once I’d harvested the heads, I pulled them out, not realising that broccoli keeps producing for some time, just not from where they’d been cut. Carrots grew long and straight, kale began to look like a tree and our garlic provided us with monster bulbs that kept us going all year in the kitchen and we still had left over to plant the next crop with. 

First lot of garlic ready for the pantry

The second year was almost a repeat although by this time, I’d taken over the running of it from Your Patch and it looked a little less ordered but seemed to always be producing well. The third year however, was like that mid-range child at school: well behaved, gets on well with others, progressing nicely…but could voice their thoughts a little more and not really reaching their full potential . The garden was well ordered, pests were down, it was green…but somehow my yields weren’t quite as high and I didn’t need to cut the tops off the tomato bushes as I could still reach them…just. And, some of my carrots had developed warty noses and even worse, split personalities!

Flourishing Garden

I very quickly came to the realisation that I would have to pay attention to my own advice to passers by when they asked how it grew so well and I would answer, ‘It’s all in the soil’. If they stayed for a chat, I would then add that soil actually wasn’t everything - you needed to check it every day and become aware of its insecurities and odd habits!

So, what have I learnt so far about soil and the part it plays in growing strong healthy plants? Here goes…

• The Green Life Soil Co has amazing organic mixes for our gardens. We use their vege mix and get it made up on the spot. I only need to get it maybe every 12-18 months just to top up our beds. I remember seeing a program mentioning that vegetables only really use the top 8 inches of soil so keeping that up to scratch is most important.

• I compost whenever my bin is ready and I have space to dig it over. We throw in kitchen scraps (except for meats, grains, sugars, onion family, tomatoes and seeds from veges like pumpkin) and any other organic matter such as dog hair, ash from the wood fire, leaves, old plants etc. I aerate it regularly with a spiralled pole from the local hardware. There are plenty of websites the can help you set up different styles of composters

• Before planting seedlings I sometimes dig in some sheep and cow poo mix (depends when I last did it). I have been told that the sheep poo isn’t so good due to the lanolin in it but my dad used it for years in his gardens and they flourished. I then place a few handfuls of Rock Dust from No Frills Fertilisers where the seedling will go and water them in with Seaweed Tonic. About a week later I give them some Hydrofish and when I remember to, I alternate between that and Seaweed Tonic every week or two. No Frills Fertilisers have a great website with info about their products and a step to step guide for home gardening (really nice and simple)  

• On top of all this, I place Dsatco Lupin Mulch. It not only helps with water retention but provides goodies for the soil.

Eggplants with Dsatco Lupin Mulch

I never paid any attention to soil acidity and the ph level which has landed me with some very unproductive seasons in two smaller containers. We had sold some enormous ( I am talking GIANT) limestone pots and put the soil from them straight into our beds . Unfortunately it was all wrong for growing veges and has taken me on a huge learning curve. Two years on and they are just coming good. 

Basil seedlings surrounded by mulch in 'finely-tuned' soil

So, there you have it. Not rocket science but it is a science . Growing up with a family garden that ‘just grew’ no matter how often the dog used it as a toilet, the tennis balls flew in or we crashed the bikes into the tomato trellis, I have now learnt that gardens don’t actually just grow because you stick a plant in some soil. I am still a bit hit and miss when it comes to following my own advice but know that like children, if you want the best ‘product’ possible, you need to invest time, money, love, and effort into it . And just like the feeling you get when your '20 somethings' tell you, “I love you Mum, you’re the best’, there is practically nothing better than the taste of your own delicious vegetables.

You can bury a lot of troubles digging in the dirt. ~Author Unknown

The Sweet Smell of Basil

My freezer is never as full as in summer and the main cause of this is a multitude of different sized containers full of of Basil Pesto. Basil loves the warmer temperatures and the moment my tomatoes go in, so does the basil. Planting it too early has seen some plants die as they really don't enjoy the cold. Last year, when I realised this, I managed to save a few seedlings by cutting the tops and bottoms from plastic drink containers and placing them around the plants to give more warmth.

The young basil plants are also a magnet for slugs and snails so I crush eggshells and place a protective ring around them - not pleasant for the slippery creatures to get across! Sawdust should do a similar job although I am not sure how beneficial it is in the garden. When we first put our raised beds in, we surrounded them with sawdust but the minuscule 'neat' part of my personality couldn't stand how it was tramped through the house and onto paths. It did keep the snails at bay but nowadays I find keep a vigilant eye does just as well.

I have read that basil repels flies and mosquitoes so that might explain my lack of bites in the evening. Think about planting in a pot and having near entertainment areas (as long as it gets plenty of daily sun).

As the basil grows, pinch out any flowers in order to promote growth and once you have a few cupfuls of leaves, it is time to make pesto. Cut the stems regularly and the plants will continue to grow throughout summer and you will have a steady supply for the recipe below!

 Basil Pesto

Picked, ready to wash, de-stalk and spin dry.

2 cups fairly tightly packed basil leaves
1 cup good quality olive oil
4 garlic cloves
1 cup grated parmesan

( In order to make this economical, I leave out the pine nuts that usually go in pesto as they are quite expensive.)

In a food processor, finely chop the basil leaves and garlic. Then add the cheese and oil and buzz it again. I find that sometimes I use less or more oil depending on the quantity of leaves and whether I wish to use the pesto as a dip, spread or sauce. Mostly we use it as a sauce for pasta or zucchini spirals but it can be spread on biscuits and toast, used as a dip, spread over chicken before baking, drizzled warm over cooked vegetables or used in recipes that ask for pesto. I freeze mine for up to six months in small quantities.

Processed and ready to spoon into containers.

A double batch all ready to seal and freeze.

Marvellous Malabar

Malabar spinach, also known as Ceylon or Indian Spinach and a host of other names, is to date, my best find for the garden. I chanced upon some seedlings at the nursery I frequent and when I asked staff about it, they knew very little as it was in its first season there. A few months after I started growing it, almost every time I would visit the same nursery, staff would point me out to customers and tell them I was the lady to ask about Malabar!

I read whatever I could find about it, because this vine literally grows before your eyes….and it multiplies like rabbits! Perfect for our summer conditions, it thrives in hot, humid climates, just when our regular chard and spinach are wilting and turning bitter.

Early December

Two Weeks Later

Another 10 Days On

I pick the small, new leaves for salad – these have a slight lemon pepper taste whereas the larger, older leaves are fantastic in stirfry, omelettes, soups or cooked in a little garlic as a side dish (there are plenty of recipes on the Internet). I sometimes add Ras el Hanout, a North African spice mix which gives a wonderful flavour. Just be careful not to overcook it as the fleshy leaves turn slimy! Also, the leaves are tastier before the white or purple flowers blossom so eat while you can. Cutting the buds off before they blossom encourages more growth, as does picking the leaves. I wear food handling thin plastic gloves when picking the leaves as the berries, which grow in clusters, give fingers a delightful deep maroon stain!

Make sure you use a trellis or some kind of climbing frame as Malabar is a vine and always on the move! It makes a beautiful, lush hedge and can provide cooling shade for plants more susceptible to damage from direct sunlight.

Malabar Climbing

This year, all my plants have come from berries that dropped from the vines last year and lay dormant through the colder months. They popped up below my tomato bushes and at first I was pulling and throwing them out, not realising what they were. Darn, I could have made a fortune selling the hundreds of seedlings that made their way into the world in my garden! Any readers in Perth who’d like some seedlings for free, let me know and you can come and take as many as you like although a few, go a long way. I planted just four seedlings last year and grew ‘walls’ of Malabar! They are extremely easy to transplant and although initially, may look sad when moved, their displeasure lasts only a few days and then they are ‘off and running’!

'One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it provides.' ~W.E. Johns, The Passing Show

The Heat is On

As much as I look forward to summer vegetable growing, there is also that element of dread as I envisage the long hot days playing havoc with my plants. The last two weeks have been particularly bad with lettuce going to seed 'overnight' and tomatoes ripening too quickly for us to eat them all. 

This is the first year we have grown Costoluto Genovese

For the  last two years, I have made Green Tomato Chutney from my larger varieties such as Beefsteak and Grosse Lisse, while they were still green. However, I mixed some seeds up that I had kept and instead of planting plenty of large varieties this season, I have many small fruiting bushes such as Tommy Toe and Sweet Bite.  What to do, what to do….? 

One morning's pick

Sometimes my creative instincts take over!

Once again, I turned to the Internet to solve the problem of an abundance of tomatoes (even with 24 people here on Christmas Day, there are only so many tomatoes each individual can eat). As we consume plenty of pasta and the girls are quite partial to pizza, I decided to make  the most basic of pasta sauces/puree. Small tomato varieties are perfect for this as the fruit doesn’t need peeling and as long as the tomatoes have a nice taste, this recipe is fabulous! Frozen, the sauce can be thawed when needed and you can then add fresh herbs, garlic,mushrooms, olives etc and tailor it to what you need the sauce for. Last night when making pizzas, we ran out of commercial paste and as I had just cooked a batch of sauce, we used some of that.  I was told it was the best ‘paste’ they had ever used and how did I make it? I was stunned. I did nothing but grow, wash, zap in the Thermomix for a few seconds and simmer till the quantity was reduced by half. Looks like we will no longer be buying tomato paste! Check out the simple recipe 'Tomato Paste/Puree' below.

Tomato Paste/Puree

 Step 1

Place washed, diced tomatoes into a food processor making sure the 

stem area has been cut out. Blend until liquidised.

 Step 2

Place in a heavy based pan and bring to the boil.

 Step 3

Turn the heat down and simmer until the liquid is reduced by roughly half.

 

Step 4

Allow to cool and place in containers. Once they are cool, place lid on, label and store in freezer. According to notes on the Internet, they should be fine for up to 12 months. Once defrosted for use, add whatever herbs, spices, garlic, vegetables you desire.

On a brighter note, summer is fantastic for growing basil which loves being near tomatoes when growing and on the plate! To see my Basil Pesto recipe, click here. 

Unemployment is capitalism's way of getting you to plant a garden.  ~Orson Scott Card