Do you love to grow vegetables and to share your knowledge?

More Questions

When I was kid working in the nurseries, that was so long ago we use to sell dinosaur eggs too, we sold "manure". We always laughed when someone bought it, as it was from the feed lots with cows in very tight quarters, meaning it was sh*t out and pissed on for days. The salt content was so high it was almost poison to plants, but it was sold as fertilizer.

I am go into the neighboring fields in Bacong and get cow manure that that has not been pissed on for days, and use it for mulch, but I did not think it has much nutritional value, just partially broken down organic mass. The local chicken spread the manure out, consequently it dry out. Any commments of knowledge on the subject.

Has anyone used coco wood saw shavings or Mahogany sawdust shaving as a mulch?
here? Is there any chemical inhibitor to plants in either of those.

When I plant from containers to the ground, I usually drop a couple of dead fish (4 inches) in the bottom of the whole. I also buy fish and drip them in a pail of water for a couple of days to make my own fish emulsion. If you go to the central market you can buy "junk" small fish for 40 P a kilo if you look around. West side of fish market area seems to have the most junk. There really is a difference in the grown of the plants with dead fish under them. It is my system of slow release fertilizer. Later I use the 16-20-0 that I mentioned in my previous posts.

Anyone have any experience in Mealy bug control other than Malathion? For those who do not know, mealy bug are those little spots of cotton like looking balls on your plants. They seem to prefer certain plants like hibiscus. They can be a reall problem to get rid of because contact solutions do not stick to the cotton like exterior. They do spread through out the garden if not controlled. Malathion is a little too strong for the cats.

 

Excellent thread!

 

dave...
exactly where is that seed company? i attached a map of the area.

hey... remind imp to contact me about getting together

norm : ))~

 

>I am go into the neighboring fields in Bacong and get cow manure (snip) Any comments of knowledge on the subject.

we make manure tea from dried cow poop the little woman gathers from the area. 3 parts water to 1 part poop, soaked for a few days. we then dilute it about 10 pts water to 1 part tea and water it around the plants about once a week. there's quite a bit on the web about manure teas; some authors say wear white gloves and a surgical mask and soak the manure for a minimum of 3 weeks, some say 3 days, i dunno but i've done 1 day soaks, barefoot an wearing shorts, in the past and survived.

>Has anyone used coco wood saw shavings or Mahogany sawdust shaving as a mulch?
here? Is there any chemical inhibitor to plants in either of those.

i haven't used coconut wood but i used mahogany sawdust/planer chips on ornamentals and never had any problems. i recently mulched a couple of newly made beds with acacia millings and nothing wanted to grow so i let it rest for 3 months and redid the bed with greenbase, copra meal, dried manure and rice hulls mixed in, smoothed it up and mulched with peanut shells. it's only been planted for week or two but seems to doing fine.

>When I plant from containers to the ground, I usually drop a couple of dead fish (4 inches) in the bottom of the whole. I also buy fish and drip them in a pail of water for a couple of days to make my own fish emulsion.

ah... we just started successive sweet corn plantings so i'll look into the fish thing.

>Anyone have any experience in Mealy bug control other than Malathion?

in the states, i've applied rubbing alcohol/isopropyl alcohol, with a cotton swab, to mealy bugs on house plants and it killed them. we recently had a white fly invasion on some pepper plants so i sprayed an alcohol/water dilution on them and it killed them and also burned the leaves. i mighta made it a bit strong or maybe the horrible smelling perfume used in alcohol here had something to do with it.

i tried several homemade pepper sprays on the bugs and none worked, then i made a dish soap/ cooking oil spray that seems to kill most of the critters that live on the underside of plant leaves, worms included.

cut from post #30
1 part soap to 16 parts oil by volume
if that doesn't work, increase the soap a bit

we had a battalion little green worms attack a lacinato kale we're letting go to seed and i doused it with our oil/soap spray, it killed the worms but now the plant is cloaked in oil so i guess i overdid it a bit. still learning, ya know...

norm : ))~

 

Hi kelpguy, i got here in Dumaguete last week and immediatly planted some of the seeds from Italy, melon, squash, pepper and beef tomato... The melon and squash got sprouting 3 days later and i was so pleased then it started rain almost daily... I improvised by covering the poor little things by placing some upside down bowls to protect them.... We'll see, hopefully the weather will improve by the weekend. About the peppermint seeds... where can i get them, and any other herb for that matter?

 

https://www.cannabis-seeds-bank.co.uk/

 

Nijosa store has many seeds including Basil. I am not sure about other herb seeds there.
Previous post list the location.

 

I'm not a big fan of bags…certainly here in Oz they can't take the intense sun and breakdown quick. We use cheap plastic….tubs…any colour but black…cheap plastic large pots…any colour but black…usually light brown…As we have grown hotter and humid down here last several years - and closer to Philippine conditions….We have been experimenting a little…Cherry tomatoes…too easy - they grow and grow….no matter what. Cape gooseberries..south african variety which we have a lot success with…Goji berries….some produce more than others…no idea why….but happy with them…best cooked steamed and added to stir fries….Cucumber….the 'Muncher' variety from the US has been doing well for us lately. Lettuce….It's hard…no chance for us in summer….we try the usual varieties in winter…Peas, definitely winter….cabbage too….Looking forward to see what actually works near Bacolod when we make the move….

 

union jack...
i'm pretty sure i saw peppermint at nijosa's but if you're not in a hurry, i plan to be in duma next wed, thurs or fri and have seeds or i could bring you a rooted start from our plant. i could also bring my seed stash and you can pick thru it. PM me with your eddress if interested.

norm : ))~

 

Just out of idle curiosity….Does Dumaguete have a decent garden centre where one can buy plants, seeds, fertilisers, soil conditioners, pest control products etc - all in one place? I saw plant sellers along roads and downtown - but nothing I would call significant. I tried a few 'garden centres' in Bacolod and they were a joke (one owned by a relative LOL)….If not maybe one enterprising expat could seize the market…there are plenty of good sources of all these materials in the Philippines and abroad…even eBay…Honestly, I would much rather grow my own than have some half-wit providing vegetables with god knows what sprayed on them….
Not to mention it's a great hobby and provides some exercise that almost every expat needs…..plus the genuine satisfaction of providing beneficial foods to the family. We have had a bumper year down here of bitter melons….grown many in this heat we are having…the wife smiles…and I have developed a fondness for them too…mixed with eggs, cucumbers, spring onions (eggs from my chickens, cucumbers and spring onions grown in the backyard too)….Great way to pass the time and gain knowledge and experience for the following seasons...