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Thursday 23 Feb 2012

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Mara de Bois strawberries - berry and red spider mites

On 18th December 2011 Mara de Bois strawberries are yielding fruit in the Catalan Barcelona. These strawberry plants, which I call Dioulettes, belong to Fragaria x ananassa, they are not alpine strawberries.

But there is also bad news. The absence of cold in Barcelona also allows less desirable things such as the arrival of red spider mites, which I show in the right picture. I will sprinkle these strawberries with 0,5% NEEM oil suspension, especially on the back side of the leaves and during the next days I will observe if the oil proves effective against the mites as well as non-phytotoxic against the strawberry plants.

maduixes mara de bois en ple desembre aranya roja en maduixera mara de bois

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Parsley in mid-December

Two of my parsley plants look gorgeously. These plants belong to the zero-generation. This curly parsley breed is called Mooskrause 2. Its seeds come from Gartenland. I have already tasted them and they are not only ornamental thanks to the curls of its leaves, but also with an intense flavour.

julivert Mooskrause 2 julivert Mooskrause 2

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Dill in mid-December

In this autumn a large amount of dill seeds have sprouted. These seeds had been produced by dill plants from the former generation at the end of spring. These new dill plants germinated in mid-October. I grow them in coco coir (left pic) and garden soil (right pic).

anet en test anet en terra

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Tomatoes in December

December is not typically the best time for flowering of tomato plants. But this is the panorama I have outside, without any type of protection or greenhouse:

tomaquera cherry gran brix

If the weather in Barcelona keeps benevolent and I get tomatoes, these will be of the Gran Brix cherry breed. Most of these tomatoes have a size and shape similar to that of acorns or dates, they are very tasty and have a good post-harvest conservation. These tomato plants belong to second generation (in relationship to commercial seed). The zero-generation consisted of tomato plants whose tomatoes I bought at the supermarket.

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Meikoningin lettuce - mid-december

The Meikoningin lettuces have sped up their growth. I think in about 2-3 weeks I'll be able to harvest them, especially those located in the square pot, which otherwise would not have enough room there.

In the square pot I have 3 lettuces growing in standard garden soil. I have 2 other lettuces in round pots in coconut fiber. Lettuces in coco coir are being watered with hydroponic nutrients. 

enciams reina de maig enciam reina de maig en fibra de coco

 

After treatment with NEEM oil I have observed only 2 leafhoppers messing around (they have been eliminated pinching them with my fingers). NEEM oil seems to repel them. I have not observed eny fitotoxic effects of NEEM oil, the leaves do not display stains after NEEM sprinkling. I will proceed to carry out a second sprinkling with NEEM. This one only to the 3 lettuces in the square pot.

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