Your comments and tips

22 Aug 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I'm in sub tropical. I have zucchini plants about 4-5 weeks old - planted from seedlings. I have other zucchini plants - from seeds just coming up now. I have the round white cucumbers seeds germinating now also. I have capsicum seeds germinated for 3 weeks or so and they are hardly growing. Temps here in August should be like 10-11 at night and 23-24 in the day. This year we are about 2 degrees above both. Been 28-29 a few days in the last fortnight. Very mild winter. Seeds germinate differently during the year. Quite a few seeds were germinating in 48-72 hrs in early Feb. Now they are taking 7-10 days. All to do with soil temp.

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21 Aug 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Read the notes about each plant on this website. Different planting times for each.

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14 Aug 17, Marie Groizard (Australia - tropical climate)

Bindis just seem to be growing on our block, we have used all kinds of killers but cannot get rid of it.....what would you suggest? Thanks Marie

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16 Aug 17, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

All spraying should be done when the weeds are small before flowering - early in the morning or late in the arvo - no wind. It is a waste of spray if the weeds are not in a growing stage - as in, if it has been dry for awhile. Plants need to be growing to be able to move the chemicals through the plant. Use some dishwashing liquid in the spray - helps to stick better to plant leaves. If in a lawn mow regularly before it seeds and mow lower than normal to gather more seeds up if seeded already. Use Kamba M or a Bindi and clover weedicide. Or pull it out by hand after rain or watering. Have to keep at it to get on top. "The trick to stopping bindii from spreading is to spray them in winter as soon as you see them, before the prickles develop, and continue to repeat spray every 3 weeks until they are gone. Repeat spray is important as this will control weeds that have germinated after prior spraying."

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15 Aug 17, Alison Sizer (Australia - temperate climate)

Look at deep mulch no dig for at least a year. Plant mature seedlings into mulch. All weed seeds should die. Much will improve your soil. Thick layer of newspapers is critical.your goal is to eliminate light.

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12 Aug 17, Marie Groizard (Australia - tropical climate)

Can I grow zucchini in Townsville from packet seeds...in a pot....in the shade or in a sunny spot, I have grown pumpkins and how and when should I prune a papaya tree, because I don't want it to grow too tall, it is fruiting at the moment and it is getting too tall for me to reach the fruit....when is the best time to prune. Thanks Marie

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13 Aug 17, Mike (Australia - tropical climate)

The notes here say August is the latest month you can plant (too hot after that). Would have been preferable to have planted seeds 1-2-3 months ago. You could try seedlings - that would have you a couple of weeks ahead of seeds. Probably some shade during the middle of the day might help. Plenty of water at the root zone and not the leaves. Read the notes on this website for zucchini. I would say you have given your papaya trees too much nitrogen. I doubt if you can prune it. If you cut the top off it probably would die.

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30 Dec 16, Chris (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

As soon as my zucchinis flower and produce fruit they quickly seem to die off, stop growing and die off before they are even 120mm long?

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31 Oct 17, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Pollinate by hand with a cotton bud or break off the male flower and rub it on the female flowers. Check if bees are about in the morning - put some water out for them. Plant some flowers near by to attract the bees.

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03 Jan 17, John Mauger (Australia - temperate climate)

Sometimes early female flowers don't set as they haven't been pollinated. It could also be water stress but I rather think the first. Give them a bit of time and they should settle down.

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