Just as prospective mothers are told to stop smoking and drinking during pregnancy, and are then exhorted to provide the best possible nutrition for their […]
Category: HORTICULTURE
Green fingers? Here’s a money-maker for you
An unusual business opportunity in the Little Karoo is up for purchase by somebody with an interest in plant propagation and horticulture, more particularly of […]
World’s Ugliest Lawn: “And the winner is….”
Do you lose sleep at the thought that your lawn is less-than-the-perfect expanse of manicured green of a well-kept sports field? Or spend many hours […]
World Soil Day 2023
World Soil Day is celebrated every year on 05 December. This year the theme is Soil and Water: a source of life. Soil and water […]
Get Watering Right
Many gardeners find watering their vegetable patches a therapeutic activity, but with the prospect of a drier summer, we need to get watering right. The […]
Orphan crops: Sunchoke or Jerusalem Artichoke
The Canadian Truffle, Sunchoke, Sunroot, or Jerusalem Artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) is a very interesting example of a semi-domesticated crop that formed part of the land […]
Orphan crops: The kale family
In Africa there are truly indigenous (from the continent) Brassica crops, and long past introduced Brassica that together can be considered the “African kales and […]
Orphan crops: the Ginger family
The ginger family (Zingibaraceae) is a large one, with about 50 genera and roughly 1 600 species. Many are important ornamental, spice, or medicinal plants. […]
Orphan crops: Blue Agave
Although many species of “orphan” plants are indigenous, there are some which are not. However, they will grow readily in South Africa, and hold great […]
Uses for Old Coffee Grounds on your Plot
Spent coffee grounds, the unappealing dark brown sludge at the bottom of your coffee maker after you’ve poured your cup, don’t need to go to […]