This all signals the return of the preparation for the summer harvest. The coming months are vital in the success of your summer harvest. This is where my diary of sowings, when, the results etc since I moved to Tasmania has become very handy. A review of my diary shows that I had better get moving, and last weekend was the start of the coming months of dedication to the patch.
The weekend past saw the preparation of one bed which will receive the pink eye potatoes. My spud harvest last year was down on the previous two years harvests, likely a result of my lack of irrigation and the driest summer I have seen since arriving (note to self, run that dam pump for irrigation more). However the pink eyes were excellent in yield as they are early maturing are mature nicely before the onset of potentially dry weather post xmas.
This weekend may also see the first sowings of the peas and snow peas. I have opted to go with these varieties this year and I am aiming to sow triple what I did the previous year to increase the amount for freezing.
Other tasks on the horizon (within 2 weeks) is to finalise tomato varieties and pot up to go into hot house for germination (followed by pumpkins/capsicums a few weeks later), sow spinach, lettuce radish and silverbeet.
Currently in the hothouse are broccoli and onions which are growing well ready for late August planting.
FRUIT TREES
This is the time you should look to spray your fruit trees as prevention for various fungal issues seen on peaches (leaf curl)/raspberries (rust)/apples (scab) etc (only if you want to go organic methods that is!!!).
I adopt the burgundy mix as recommended by Peter Cundall. I found the lime method much weaker in years past and moved to burgundy which i have stuck with since (plus the mix does not get stuck in the sprayer). It is important to get this onto the buds before they burst into life. Once they burst into life do not spray. If your too late tell yourself to try and remember the next year. The down side at the moment is all the showers we seem to be getting on a daily basis down in the Huon. Rain can dilute or wash off completely the mix, but any is better than none so don't delay. Plus the washing soda does seem to help the mix stick unless the rain pours!.
extract from Gardening Australia website
Bordeaux Mixture:
1 Dissolve 100 gram of builders’ (hydrated) lime in half a standard (plastic) bucket of water. (About 5 litres).
2 Dissolve 100 grams copper sulphate (available at garden centres) in a separate half bucket of water.
3 Keeping the lime mixture agitated to prevent settling, pour it steadily into the half bucket of dissolved copper sulphate.
4 If necessary add enough extra water to make up a total of 10 litres. This is Bordeaux mixture. It is at its most effective strength when freshly mixed so must be used immediately or within a couple of days.
5 It is sprayed to completely cover the main (bare) branches of peach, nectarine and other stone fruit trees to help control leaf curl and brown rot disease. It is also sprayed over raspberry canes in late July for control of raspberry rust.
Bordeaux mixture colours the sprayed plants blue. The spray can withstand light rain. However a disadvantage with this mixture is that it tends to quickly settle so must be constantly agitated during spraying operations. The lime content also tends to easily block the fine nozzles of sprayers.
Burgundy Mixture:
This is virtually the same except that lime is replaced by washing soda (cheaply available at supermarkets in 1kg packets as a water softener).
The amounts are the same, as is the method of mixing. Always use non-metal buckets – standard 10 litre plastic buckets are ideal. If the water is slightly warm the washing soda and the copper sulphate dissolve more rapidly.
Slowly pour half a bucket of (100 grams) dissolved washing soda into half a bucket of (100 grams) dissolved copper sulphate and add more water if necessary to make up 10 litres.
The advantage of Burgundy mixture is that it does not block sprayer nozzles. It is also a little stronger and must never be used on plants in leaf.
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| leaf curl on peach tree |
