<div>Yes it takes time and each season rolls around so quickly.

</div><div>

Something we are trying this next season is Frass – it’s the shells of soldier flies, bred for larvae commercially which I’ve read is supposed to build up some sort of immunity against insects when applied early in the season.

I have no proof, no idea if it will work, but the specs I seemed interesting, the outcome was not detrimental to plants if not successful, and the cost was not high. So I thought – why not try and see if we can make the plants less appealing to insect pressure.

We have issues with Rutherglen bug, a pest that comes in on the northerly winds and likes the flowers leaving us with deformed fruit. There does not seem to be any predator for them, so I thought I’d give this product a try, but I also will look at planting away from the fields, a small section of flowers/plants that are also appealing to the Rutherglen bug after another grower told me that don’t seem to have the same pressure as the bugs prefer the flowers planted near their fields.

Or do I focus on making the plant even healthier as I’ve heard in more than one place, insects do not eat healthy plants, but what about flowers? Is that part of the story? So much to learn.

Which then makes me think… if I’m not careful, I’ll create an environment that fosters the pests, like we had when we couldn’t keep on top of a particular weed which had a good run a couple of years ago.

Truly I’m just looking at strawberries and you’re looking at a whole gamut of food, so I would love to know how you go throughout your next season.

There is so much to think about and I’ve learnt something else – how much you invest on the ‘low value’ crops but they are still important.

</div>