Housefly
Housefly Musca domestica The housefly is a fly of the suborder Cyclorrhapha. They are able to move their wings 200 times per second and can fly at the speed of almost 8kms per hour. Some facts about houseflies: Houseflies live on a liquid diet – they tend to live off a diet based on liquids due to […]
Native Australian Bees
There are around 20,000 species of bees – only one of which is the common honeybee. They come in a myriad of colours, only a few species making honey and contrary to common belief, most bees don’t dance and stinging does not necessary mean instant death – some never sting at all, including native Australian […]
Your Passionfruit Vine is NOT very passionate?
Passionfruit vines and lemon trees are habitual occupants in many backyards Passionfruit vines are a bit like lemons – everyone who has a patch of garden ‘out the back’ would like to have them both growing. Imagery of these wondrous plants can often outstrip actuality – lemons seem to get every conceivable thing wrong with […]
Beneficial Predators
Sun Tzu advocated in ‘The Art of War‘ the best line of defence is attack. This adage has not only been proven to be relevant in Eastern and Western military thinking, legal strategy and business tactics etc, but it could also be an effective method in the management of pests in the garden. What is […]
Exhibiting hints for Regional Shows and Competition Table at meetings
The Coffs Harbour Show is coming up 30th April – 2 May and CHGC Member Ruth is going to present some hints and tips for exhibiting at this Regional Show. For further information about show sections and classes please visit here. Ruth will give guidelines on placing exhibits on our monthly competition table too. If […]
Snail Siesta?
Recently a magazine article intrigued me……. apparently during extended dry periods there are some critters who shut themselves down to survive. This is called aestivation and is a state of dormancy, similar to hibernation characterized by inactivity and a lowered metabolic rate, which is in response to high temperatures and arid conditions. The common snail […]
Growing Zucchini
This post has been made from a presentation from CHGC member Simon (aka the veggie guru). A summer squash that can readily grow to a metre in length. It’s name comes from the Italian word “Zucca”, (pumpkin/squash), and “Ina”, (little). AKA as Courgette in France, UK, NZ, SE Asia and Scandinavia. Botanically, Zucchinis are […]
Prickly Pear
The first plants of prickly pear were brought into Australia to start a cochineal dye industry. At that time, Spain had a world-wide monopoly on the important cochineal dye industry and the British Government was keen to set up its own source of supply within its dominion. The dye was derived from cochineal insects which […]
Organic Fungicides
As the temperature and humidity rises here on the Coffs Coast foliage diseases start to appear. The trick is to try and catch them before they take hold and set your plants back on their heels! Get into the habit of walking around every few days to remove anything that looks a bit dodgy, spotty […]
Christmas Beetle
Christmas Beetle Anoplognathus spp.December in our part of the world seems synonymous with the appearance of the Christmas beetle. They seem to clumsily blunder around external house lights and are a constant source of fascination for many children. Their navigational system is somewhat put off kilter by artificial light and this is why they are found […]
