About Antonius

I studied agriculture at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa in 1984 and completing my M.Sc Agric. in 1998. . My love for "Controlled Environmental Agriculture" (CEA), started in my third year when I was exposed to the Welgevallen Research Station. There Prof. P.C.Maree showed us what hydroponics and vegetable farming consisted of. It was awesome. There were no large tractors involved, no dusty fields, no uncontrollable storms to destroy your crop (well that is what I thought). Since then I put hydroponics and other aspects of horticulture to much better use, not just farming. We solved pollution problems by cleaning mines effluent with hydroponics and permaculture. They were used to remove toxic metals to produce clean water (which we sold and make more money of than the produce). What I learned from 1987 I tried to compile in this website and I hope it is from some value to the serious commercial farmer that wants to take the journey into Commercial Farming.

Lettuce fertilizer application tables according to soil types

By |2024-12-23T14:24:03+00:00December 23, 2024|Fertilizers, Lettuce|

Lettuce fertilizer requirements can be calculated if you know your soil type and have a good idea of the yield potential of your land and climate. So these tables are not really suitable if you have no experience in lettuce or you have not done a soil analysis. These are [...]

Foliar fertilization – Is it worth it?

By |2024-12-21T07:45:54+00:00December 20, 2024|Fertilizers|

Foliar feeding is not new, farmers use this method since the early 50's on large scale to alleviate iron, copper, zinc and manganese deficienciesH. J. MederskiGarth W. Volk. 1 January 1956. Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station . The question is, is it worth applying for small scale farmers. There are pro's [...]

Plants that bugs hate

By |2024-12-19T15:37:54+00:00August 28, 2024|Crop Protection, Pest and disease control|

There are many plants that repel insects. Most insect repelling plants can also be used commercially. see the list below. However, any monocrop field will attract various insects that will cause damage. Just because lavender repels certain moths, it does not mean that lavender will be moth free and not [...]

sweet potato hawkmoth – Agrius convolvuli

By |2024-12-18T11:27:42+00:00August 26, 2024|Insects, Sweet potato|

Agrius convolvuli is commonly known as the sweet potato hawkmoth or hornworm. Hawkmoths are big, with wing spans between 80–105 mm, grey to black with pink abdominal segments. Sweet potato weevil is the most destructive of all sweet potato pests as it destroys stems, leaves and fruit from the field [...]

Does plant phytoestrogen have an effect on humans?

By |2023-10-17T11:51:46+00:00October 17, 2023|Crops, General|

There exists a misconception surrounding phytoestrogens, suggesting that they may have adverse effects on humans, particularly in men. Nevertheless, it is important to clarify that certain plant compounds, known as phytoestrogens, can have a positive impact on human health. These naturally occurring compounds bear a structural resemblance to the hormone [...]

Weed Control in Field Grown Tomatoes

By |2023-02-22T11:50:20+00:00February 22, 2023|Herbicides, Weeds|

As a tomato farmer, you know that weed control is a crucial aspect of successful tomato production. Among the various limiting factors that affect the growth of tomatoes, weed competition is a major contributor to yield loss. In fact, research has shown that the critical period during tomato production in [...]

Is there a difference between commercial processing carrots and fresh bunching carrots.

By |2023-02-19T13:50:10+00:00February 19, 2023|Carrots|

Commercial processing carrots are grown specifically for processing into products such as juice, baby food, and frozen or canned carrots. They are usually larger, thicker, and less uniform in shape than fresh bunching carrots. They are also harvested at a mature stage when they have higher sugar content. Fresh bunching [...]

Chickpeas, a growing food source in the world and Africa

By |2023-02-18T12:59:46+00:00February 15, 2023|Chickpeas|

The world's consumption of chickpeas has increased significantly in recent years. Garbanzo beans sometimes referred to as chickpeas, are a wholesome and adaptable legume that is frequently used in a variety of international dishes. A variety of reasons have contributed to the increase in chickpea consumption. Animal based protein is [...]

What can you do to reduce the burning effect of Capsaicin?

By |2023-02-19T13:56:49+00:00February 15, 2023|Chillies|

If you find that the burning effect of capsaicin is too intense, there are several things you can do to reduce it: Drink milk or eat dairy products: Capsaicin is soluble in fats, so drinking milk or eating dairy products can help to neutralize the heat. Dairy products can help [...]

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