plant-care Winter-Summer in OZ "Comparison" / Aussie Blabberers

[nuclearDays]

 
Hmm…. 53 here ATM, and I would totally put a pic of me in spandex on the interwebz, as long as it was me in a spandex racing suit getting ready to leap off of a starting block. So yeah, princess, what's your excuse? 

 
My excuse is I'm a wimp and ... apparently a princess , plus I don't wanna give Nova any more 'ammunition'!!! And I'd prolly blush purple, just like my Yaki Blue seedling is doing:

 
So, geeme, since you'd totally put one up on the interwebz, I guess this thread qualifies as the interwebz.
If you're a bit shy you can just PM me the image, I promise I won't share it!

 

[Nova]

Nice yaki mate looks real happy.

Anyone got any advice for using rhizotonic apart from its stupid exspensive?

 

[Micca302]

Hey mate the chart I have says this for feeding rates-
 
Root formation- 40ml to 10L
Vege growth- 10-20ml to 10L
First sign of fruit- 5ml to 10L
Small Fruit develop- 5ml to 10L
Fruit increase in size- 5ml to 10L
final 7-14days- nothing
 
I would follow the chart, seems to work a treat.
Hope this helps
 
Micca

 

[MiLK_MaN]

I found a ladybird larvae this morning. I did have a pretty bad outbreak of aphids a few weeks ago, but it seems a couple of neem sprays and what looks to be significant breeding of ladybirds is now keeping them at bay.
 

 
I also saw a green lacewing larvae the other week. Notice the dead aphid carcasses on its back to use for camoflauge
 

 

[Nova]

Aphids as camo, never seen that before!

Micca thanks for the guide mate, will use

 

[geeme]

Came across Bugs for Bugs while doing a search: https://www.bugsforbugs.com.au
Anyone here ever use them? I am trying to get kind of a catalog of reputable sources together for newbies, regardless of where they are on this marble.
 
nD, no promises needed - that's me in the pink cap:

Not the best pic, but I was a bit too occupied to be manning the camera! 
Yaki is nicely coming along - should do very well for you this season.
 
MM - COOL! Plants look great, too!

 

[nuclearDays]

Came across Bugs for Bugs while doing a search: https://www.bugsforbugs.com.au
Anyone here ever use them?

 
Nah, not me. Thankfully I've not needed any services like that. I seem to have a fair amount of predators in the yard that keep the 'nasties' under control.
But damn, they're lacewing eggs seem very expensive, rest of the products seem to be fairly priced.
 

nD, no promises needed - that's me in the pink cap:

 
Gawd ... I get tired just watching fit people workout, my competitive sporting days are well and truly behind me.
So, did you kick that guys butt?

 

[geeme]

Gawd ... I get tired just watching fit people workout, my competitive sporting days are well and truly behind me.
So, did you kick that guys butt?

 
I just started competing again at the beginning of this year, after a more-than-30-year break. I am really enjoying it. And yep - brought home 4 gold medals that day!
 
We had a really weird year as far as bugs were concerned. We normally get a ton of "buzzy things" - bees, wasps, yellow jackets, etc. - but while we had bees this year we had nothing else that I could see. I was mostly ok with not seeing yellow jackets and wasps, but I was NOT happy about not seeing any beneficial red mites. The red mites usually keep the bad mites at bay, but this year was a mite battle year for me. I really hope next year things return more to normal in that department. 

 

[nuclearDays]

 
 And yep - brought home 4 gold medals that day!
 

 
That's awesome, well done! Haha, maybe you should change your online name to Michelle Phelps.
 
 

 but I was NOT happy about not seeing any beneficial red mites. The red mites usually keep the bad mites at bay, but this year was a mite battle year for me. I really hope next year things return more to normal in that department. 

 
Yeah, that's kinda weird, different weather patterns between the 2years, maybe?

 

[geeme]

LOL about the name change - - - I am so far from being that good, it would be a joke! It just depends on the crowd that shows up at a given meet - some days people are gawking, wondering where the fast chick came from, while other days I feel almost lucky to have placed at all. I am fairly competitive, but I definitely have a live outside of swimming!
 
Different weather patterns? Between the two years, somewhat. But not significant, IMO. We had a large number of very cold days this past year, but it didn't get as cold as I've seen it get. The thing is that I've been in this house about 15 years now, and every year we see the red mites - you can't miss them, really. They're kind of fun to watch if you're just chilling. You know if you watch a line of ants long enough, you'll see that each pretty much walks the same path as those that came before - one veers off in a tangent before getting back on track and all the others do the same. The mites kind of do the same thing when they're on the brick or siding of a house, and also on cement. It's kind of interesting to interrupt their paths and see how they change to accommodate. So you know, they've been kind of part of the landscape here - pervasive little buggers. Now zip? Nada? NADA??? I would think if it was a pesticide thing that it would have gotten not just the red mites, but the other mites, too, though maybe the red mites are more sensitive to some things than the other ones are. Dunno. I just sure hope things return to more normal in the coming year. 
 
In the meantime I got six or eight packs of different pubescen seeds and I'm wondering if I can ever get one to be half as large as Harry's. Starting from scratch this year so it will be a while … I don't think Harry has anything to worry about any day soon!

 

[MiLK_MaN]

I guess the Barry Manilow love music I have playing in repeat in the garden is working...
 

 
Also, what the hell is this?
 

 
Suspect it might actually be a Ladybird going through the pupa stage, if so, that's pretty cool! I have seen a dozen or more ladybird larvae in my garden recently, good times...

 

[geeme]

Yep - looks like it! http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ladybird.pupa.jpg(just a different variety.)

Some good pics and explanation: http://www.bugsandweeds.co.uk/ladybirds.html#7SpLdyBrd

 

[MiLK_MaN]

Holy crap, I go away for a few days to Sydney and come back to an almighty plague of Plague Soldier Beetles.
 

 
And then I found them all over my pepper plants as well
 

 ​

Luckily all literature online points to them being completely beneficial with aphids being a favourite. Looks like my early season aphid problem might go away fairly quickly!

 

[Valo]

Holy crap, I go away for a few days to Sydney and come back to an almighty plague of Plague Soldier Beetles.
 

 
And then I found them all over my pepper plants as well
 

 ​

Luckily all literature online points to them being completely beneficial with aphids being a favourite. Looks like my early season aphid problem might go away fairly quickly!

 
Holy shiiiiiiiiiit !
 

 

[gasificada]

Far out, can't wait for autumn. It's nice today because it's raining (finally!) but stuff QLD summer. I don't know why I expect it to be any different each year but every damn summer it's the same... every plant just gets fried. And fruit fly. fruit fly. So easy to forget what summer is REALLY like when everything grows so beautifully under the nice winter sun and the fruit fly have P.Oed for a bit. Seriously gotta stop aiming big for summer and really focus on growing in the cool season...

 

[Valo]

Just about to sow some seeds: Fatalii, Orange Jonah 7 Pot, Carolina Reaper (Wildfire), Chocolate habaneros.
 
Got some seedlings: Cayenne, Jalapeno, Black Rumba. All will go into my grow tent soon

 

[Micca302]

Far out, can't wait for autumn. It's nice today because it's raining (finally!) but stuff QLD summer. I don't know why I expect it to be any different each year but every damn summer it's the same... every plant just gets fried. And fruit fly. fruit fly. So easy to forget what summer is REALLY like when everything grows so beautifully under the nice winter sun and the fruit fly have P.Oed for a bit. Seriously gotta stop aiming big for summer and really focus on growing in the cool season...

 
 
I'm with you Gas bring on Autumn   It's the best time of the season.
Hope you get lots and lots of poddage Mate
 
Micca

 

[gasificada]

I'm with you Gas bring on Autumn   It's the best time of the season.
Hope you get lots and lots of poddage Mate
 
Micca

Hell yeah it is. I forget too sometimes that it's just not QLD...
 
The only real poddage I'm getting ATM is from the smaller fruiting varieties I got going (pequin/small birdeye/wild types, etc). All the bigger fruiting types are just magnets for fruit fly and the bastiges won't spare a single pod, aye. Not that that's totally bad, I'm big into Annuums anyway and at least I'm getting something. Perhaps the smaller types may just have to be the future of my grows....
 
How are things over that side? Dry as all shit? It's been so humid here, aye. I can't stand the shit. At times it feels like I'm suffocating in slime....

 

[Micca302]

Hell yeah it is. I forget too sometimes that it's just not QLD...
 
The only real poddage I'm getting ATM is from the smaller fruiting varieties I got going (pequin/small birdeye/wild types, etc). All the bigger fruiting types are just magnets for fruit fly and the bastiges won't spare a single pod, aye. Not that that's totally bad, I'm big into Annuums anyway and at least I'm getting something. Perhaps the smaller types may just have to be the future of my grows....
 
How are things over that side? Dry as all shit? It's been so humid here, aye. I can't stand the shit. At times it feels like I'm suffocating in slime....

 
Weather wise we have been having a milder Summer so far Mate but we haven't gotten into Feb yet. Now that iv'e said something we will probably have a heatwave
We will get a few days 37+ and a 41Deg.C one thrown in too but not the 4 odd days of 40+Deg.C like we have had in the last few years. Summers not ended yet so I better shut up Hahaha
Have been getting a few humid days too and really SUCKS!
Unfortunately I have been the culprit this year so far for the miss treatment of my plants. Been spending all my time trying to get my project Boat up n running before I run out of Summer.
Man I have found out I am a pretty lousy painter but it is coming along and I am definitely learning a lot as I go along.
 
Sounds like you suffering with the Weather Mate. I really hate the humidity too, specially when it's hot and humid Aaaargh!
Hang in there I'm sure it will get better! Go and have a few Beers, might not fix the problem but always makes me feel better(specially when they are icy cold).
 
Micca

 

[gasificada]

Ha! Yeah, stop talking about it! You'll get a heatwave for sure now. Kinda same sorta thing: was hoping for a decent rain for so long, and nothing, nothing, then wasn't until I gave up hope that we finally got a good downpour. Should start giving up hope on things more often!
 
Have to admit, some neglect thrown in the works here too. Was heaps crook a few weeks back and outta commission for two weeks. Couldn't water anything, nothing. Worst shit I ever been though. But yeah, on top of that, being uber healthy these days and being heaps strict about it so that's taking up so much of my time. Cooking proper dinners every night so deffo no quick Maccas runs or anything regardless of how lazy I'm feeling. Packing proper lunches before work so no just grabbing a pie or anything while I'm a work. Stuff like that. Feel heaps good for it but damn I wish it didn't take up so much time!
 
The boat project sounds fun! Close to finishing up or still got a bit to go? Never done anything like that myself. Sometimes wish I did stuff like that but never really get in and just learn how. Laziness is a huge flaw of mine.
 
As far as beer goes, it's pretty much off the menu too with the whole health kick thing. I'll have one on the odd occasion I go dine at a restaurant or whatever, but yeah, so you can imagine just HOW MUCH I am suffering especially without that icy cold relief! haha