This episode covers flea beetles, tree borers, climbing pumpkins and melons, soil health, stink bugs, fruit fly, worms, wicking beds and a struggling magnolia.
Plants Mentioned
Vegetables & fruit
- Eggplant — Solanum melongena
- Apple — Malus domestica
- Rockmelon — Cucumis melo
- Pumpkin — Cucurbita spp.
- Butternut Pumpkin — Cucurbita moschata
- Potimarron Pumpkin — Cucurbita maxima
- Wee Be Little Pumpkin — Cucurbita pepo
- Jack Be Little Pumpkin — Cucurbita pepo
- Tomato — Solanum lycopersicum
- Broccoli — Brassica oleracea var. italica
- Cauliflower — Brassica oleracea var. botrytis
- Capsicum — Capsicum annuum
- Chilli — Capsicum spp.
- Passionfruit — Passiflora edulis
Trees & ornamentals
- Elm — Ulmus spp.
- Oak — Quercus spp.
- Pepperina — Schinus molle
- Fig — Ficus spp.
- Magnolia — Magnolia spp.
Questions Covered
• Flea beetles: Managing infestations on eggplants using Eco-Neem, sticky traps and soil treatment.
• Tree borers: What to do when borers attack mature trees, including pruning, aeration and soil health.
• Growing over arches: Delicious rockmelon and pumpkin varieties suited to vertical growing.
• Soil health: pH, compost, rock dust, broadforking and building healthy soil biology.
• Stink bugs: Simple methods to control these persistent pests.
• Worms: Why worms may come to the surface after adding soil amendments and how to distinguish earthworms from compost worms.
• Brassicas: Why broccoli and cauliflower can remain netted throughout the growing season.
• Queensland fruit fly: Netting, attractants and identifying fruit fly damage.
• White grubs: How to distinguish beneficial orange/yellow-headed grubs from damaging black-headed grubs.
• Magnolia: Helping a mature tree recover after extreme heat and drought.
Products & Resources
Plant Runner giveaway: Congratulations this month's winner.
Live Q&A: Join Elizabeth and Keith at Frankston Library at 1pm on Wednesday 21 October.
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