Page 16 - Simply Vegetables Winter 2022/23

Mulching fruit
Beauveria bassiana they are used within commercial horticulture and should soon be available to the gardener and some companies will sell larger packs that you could split with fellow growers.
Traps are a useful method to both monitor and control some pests, there are pheromone traps to catch pea, plum, tortrix and codling moths. These are hung in the vicinity of the crop at the appropriate time and give off a scent which attracts the males, they land in the trap and get stuck on glue. This prevents mating with females so there are not so many pests to attack the crop. If used to monitor a pest only
one or two traps will be required if used to control them more will be needed.
I have not mentioned companion planting as I am not convinced it works but some gardeners claim it does but I meet many who say it does not! The idea is to plant plants that either grow well together or that confuse the pests, the best example is sowing or planting carrots and onions
in rows next to each other and the claim
is that the two plant scents confuses the female adults when trying to find the plant to lay her eggs. It may be worth giving it a go but don’t blame me if it does not work! Repellent crops work on a similar principle in that a plant gives off a scent that repels the pest.
Physical methods of pest control includes handpicking or squashing the eggs and larvae, this works well on small areas or if only a few pests but is very time consuming if a lot of either. Vacuuming flying pests works well with whitefly and similar pests and using a jet of water
will usually knock off aphids. One newer method that should be worth a try is to lay aluminium foil on the soil as a mulch this apparently confuses some insects and they do not settle on the crop, I am told it works for aphids, whitefly and thrips so worth a
try in the greenhouse and it also reflects light up to the crops so increasing the photosynthesis giving a bigger crop.
Finally looking at chemicals, there are not many but the following are approved for use by organic gardeners, soft soap, refined plant oils, plant invigorators, garlic sprays, and pyrethrins.
Moving onto diseases there are a number of cultural methods to reduce or prevent disease attacks, these includes not wetting plant leaves when watering
as many diseases need a wet surface to germinate, grow and infect the plant. Keep leaf surfaces dry and also reducing the humidity in greenhouses and polytunnels helps. Avoid stressing plants by either under or over watering as stressed plants are more prone to disease attack. Do not over feed plants with too much nitrogen as soft growth is more likely to be attacked especially late in the season.
Remove any infected growth as soon
as seen and dispose, once a disease has produced fruiting bodies the spores will spread it. Do not leave piles of plant waste or weeds in the garden, greenhouse or polytunnel as this is a breeding ground for diseases such as botrytis. Avoid sowing too thickly as the seedlings are easily attacked by damping off both indoors and outside. Damping off is a common and severe
disease of seedlings in seed trays. Thin out any thickly sown plants outdoors as soon as possible. Keeping the soil moist around the roots can avoid many of the mildews that attack crops.
Looking at other growing operations, use water wisely, not all crops require watering unless the soil is very dry, and some are better watered at certain stages of growth. When watering always apply plenty so
it soaks into the soil and then leave for a few days before watering again. Container grown plants will need watering every day especially in the summer. If possible, water early morning especially in the winter to allow the leaves to dry off quickly. Use efficient watering methods like trickle hose, leaky pipe, or drip irrigation.
Organic growers do not use peat but some form of peat free compost of which at present there does not appear to be many decent ones! If making your own compost use partially sterile soil to help prevent disease. Also always use clean or new seed tray, modules, or pots.
If sowing in modules sow one seed per module unless you are multi sowing for crops like beetroot or onions. Whether sowing in trays or modules put them in
the correct temperature as this gives the best and quickest germination and is less stressful for the seedling. Prick them out or plant out as soon as the plants are the right size and if outdoors the soil is the correct temperature.
When outdoor sowing generally sow in shallow drills of the depth recommended on the seed packet and sow thinly,
check the soil temperature as if too low germination will be slow and low and the seedlings will be prone to disease attack.
The growing on of crops is very similar to conventional growing but chemical free and minimum use of plastics; any feeding will be using organic feeds. When planting or sowing try to follow a rotation and not put the same crop in the same area two years running, try a four-year rotation so there is a four-year gap before the same plant is back in the original area.
The above covers many but by no means all the basic organic growing methods and can easily be used by anyone. Organic growing is not trouble free or a panacea, but it is possible to produce good quality crops to feed a family.
Sticky traps in orchard
Protecting Brassicas
16 Simply Vegetables