Category: Tips and News

Lawn Care At Its Best We all strive for a perfect lawn - weed, insect and disease free. Makhro Lawn Protector is a unique product with multiple active ingredients (bifenthrin, bupirimate and propiconazole) that allows you to treat your lawn for insects and fungi simultaneously. In lawn maintenance, differentiating between insect and fungi damage is tricky, but with Makhro Lawn Protector, trial and error is eliminated. It is much simpler with Makhro Lawn Protector, the all-in-one solution - 40 ml to 10 litres of water per 10m2. For those unwanted pesky broadleaf weeds that can quickly take over a beautiful lawn, use Makhro’s Super Lawnweeder. This is a multiple-active, broad-spectrum, selective broadleaf weed killer that will take care of this. Super Lawnweeder contains three active ingredients (dicamba, 2,4D and MCPA) that will help you control most, if not all, broadleaf weeds on your lawn. Just when you think that you have won the battle, remember to get rid of those weed seeds waiting patiently to germinate. A unique product called Lawntyl will control these seeds and winter grass simultaneously. Lawntyl, with its dual actives, will control broadleaf weeds and winter grass and serve as a pre-emergent to your lawn seed bank. It is a pre-and post-emergent herbicide with ingredients (terbuthylazine and simazine). Control those unwanted weeds before they emerge from the soil, which can only be used on Kikuyu, buffalo and quick grass.  It must be washed into the soil the following day to manage the seed control.  If not washed into the soil within 24 hours, you would only get to control the weeds that are already growing. It is also very important to use the right feeding to promote growth.  A good feeding would be 1 for All 13.3.8 with macro and micro trace elements with negligible chlorine levels and water-soluble for quick results with very little water. Following our recommendations, you can make your neighbours jealous by finally having that perfectly green lawn! STILL NOT SURE? Feel free to contact our Cape Town head office for more products or contact information or post on our Facebook page (Makhro Home & Garden).

Psylla on citrus Citrus psylla (Diaphorina citri) is a common problem for gardeners with citrus trees. After reading this article, you will better understand why, when, and how to protect your citrus trees against psylla. An adult citrus psyllid is only approximately 4 mm long and feeds on new shoots of the citrus tree. Their eggs are laid on the tips of growing shoots. The visible eggs are one way to identify if your citrus tree is infected. Psylla can also be identified by malformed new growth or swollen bubbles and dents on your citrus tree leaves. As the psyllid nymphs feed, they produce a toxin that causes the bubble and dent damage to leaves, preventing normal expansion growth of the leave. Sometimes it is hard to believe that something so small can cause so much damage. Even though the damage cause by feeding is not the main concern. Even more damage can be done by the role the psyllid plays in Citrus greening disease (also known as African greening). During feeding, it opens a path for bacteria, causing the Greening disease. When a citrus tree is affected with this disease, is results in yellowing of the leaves and small, lopsided, or asymmetrical fruit. When you have identified that your citrus tree is infected with psylla, you should apply Koinor. Koinor is a systemic insecticide that is applied at the base of the tree’s stem for season long control against most aphids and sucking insects. Make sure that you pick off all visible fruit before you apply Koinor. New formed fruit will be ready for consumption. The best time to apply Koinor is usually mid to end of September, the soil temperature must be adequate for Koinor to be properly absorbed by the tree. Use product only as directed, follow instructions as per label.

Propagating with Makhro Roots It is always exciting to try something new. Why not develop a new gardening skill, like learning how to propagate plants from cuttings? Did you know that every cell of a plant has this amazing ability to duplicate all parts and functions? Intrigued yet? Makhro Home and Garden offers great products that can assist you with this exciting new task. By creating the right conditions, you can easily create new plants from your own existing plants or even from a friend’s. Just make sure that your chosen plant is healthy with plenty of stems, so it won’t be harmed when cuttings are removed. Before we continue to the cutting and planting part, lets just first answer the million-dollar question… What is the difference between soft, semi-hard, and hardwood cuttings? It is not necessarily determined by the hardness of the plants’ stem, but rather determined by the wood’s maturity from the cutting. These illustrations below can be used to easily determine the maturity of the cuttings: SoftwoodSemi-hardwoodHardwood Note: Do not use the newer (greener) growth that lies to close to the end of the stem. Test it by bending the stem, if it is still too flexible that it does not snap, it is still too green to be used as a softwood cutting and will not be able to produce roots. Now that you have identified your cutting, you are ready to cut. Look for a healthy stem that is insect and disease free.  A cutting should measure anything from 8 to 13 cm including the tip with at least two to three leaves attached, but absent of flower buds. Using a sharp knife, cut at a 45° angle about 2 to 3 cm below the second leaf node. By cutting at a 45° angle it allows for maximum rooting area. To allow space for the development of new roots, remove the bottom leaves and dip the lower 10 to 20 mm of the cutting into Makhro Root hormone rooting powder. Make sure to make a hole in your chosen plant medium before inserting the cutting, this will prevent any rooting powder from rubbing off the stem. (Some gardeners prefer to dip the cutting into water before dipping it into the hormone powder to ensure coverage.) Place your new plant in warm and bright light, but not in direct sunlight. Adding humidity might also be beneficial to some plants. After a few days, weeks or in some cases months (depending on the type of plant) the roots will have developed and are ready to be replanted into moist potting soil. Slightly pull on the plants to determine if roots have developed yet. If you feel some resistance, they are ready to be repotted, but if they pop right out without any resistance, they need more developing time. Tip: If you are taking cuttings at a friend’s house, place wet paper towels in the container with your cuttings to keep them moist until you get home. Be sure to always take more cuttings than what you will need, as it is likely that not all of them will root.

Kitchen scraps to compost Most people don’t make their own garden compost, because they think it is going to be a lot of work or they simply don’t know how. This is where we come in… we’re hoping to inspire you to start repurposing your food scraps, turning those scraps into rich humus for your lawn and garden. Compost, not only provide nutrients to your plants, but will help retain soil moisture. Composting is very easy, rewarding and a great way to teach kids the value of repurposing. Composting will not only make a huge difference in your garden; it can also divert as much as 20% of your household waste away from the garbage bin. If more South Africans start to collect their kitchen scraps for composting, it can make a big difference to our landfills. You see, when organic matter is included in your garbage, instead of being used for composting, and it hits the landfill, it creates harmful methane gasses as it breaks down because it is lacking the air it needs to decompose quickly. Now that we have you convinced to start composting, the first thing you need to do is chose your composting site. If you plan on adding a lot of kitchen scraps, chose a site conveniently close to your house and hose, because your compost should always remain slightly moist. You can build your own compost enclosure, but do not stress if you are not feeling up to building your own, there are various of durable composters (made from recycled materials) available to buy. Secondly, place a bucket (with a lid) or a small compost bin in your kitchen, to save yourself the trouble of running outside to the compost heap every time you chop some vegetables or fry an egg, and only empty out when full, which depending on your cooking methods, could be about once a week. Lastly, we recommend that you add Makhro Compost Activator to your compost. Makhro Compost Activator is formulated from 100% natural, live microbes that will convert garden waste into compost in as little as six weeks. This product contains 29 strains of beneficial bacteria that degrade waste, with some strains, able to reduce harsh smells. 500 ml Compost Activator is enough for up to two tons of compost. Enjoy making your compost and thank you for doing your part by reducing the large amount of food waste in our landfills! Tip: What household scraps to include in your compost? All vegetable and fruit waste, even moldy pieces – cores, peels, pits, rinds, and skinsCoffee grounds and filtersLoose-leaf tea and tea bagsCorn husksEgg shells, rinsed and crushedExpired spicesFlowers from bouquetsJuicer pulpShredded, ink-free paper and cardboardHealthy household plant clippings and leaves

What is Magnesium Sulfate? How does it work and why does it work? Magnesium Sulfate (MgSO4) consist of magnesium, sulfur, and oxygen. A water-soluble product to dose your plants with additional magnesium and sulfur. Why is magnesium important? Magnesium and chlorophyll are related. A chlorophyll molecule (the green in your plants), the molecule that changes sunlight into energy for the plant, has a magnesium ion in it. It is essential to have magnesium in your ground available for plant uptake, resulting in healthier and greener plants with excellent chlorophyll production. Magnesium is also involved in the capture of CO² (Carbon Dioxide). When Carbon Dioxide is broken down by the plant, it provides energy to the plant. If your plants have a magnesium deficiency, you may see your plants starting to turn yellow. It is not a full yellow, the yellowing starts between the veins. The yellowing of leaves between the veins is also called chlorosis. What is sulfur for? Sulfur is a nutrient your plant needs. It aids in root growth, helps manage the cold, aids in the production of chlorophyll and activates proteins and enzymes for general plant growth. Not only does Magnesium Sulfate helps with seed germination, it makes plants grow bushier, produces more flowers and, as previously mentioned increases chlorophyll production, it also provides vital nutrients to supplement your regular fertilizer. Apply Magnesium Sulfate as directed to rapidly improve the growth of your plants.

Why plants need potassium Most fertilizers consist out of three major macronutrients, N-P-K. On the fertilizer packaging it is usually displayed as three numbers indicating the percentage of each macronutrient, for example 13:3:8, potassium (also known as potash) is the last number (K). Potassium Sulfate (SOP) contains sulfur, which plays a variety of key roles in optimal growth and development, and when delivered in the sulfate form, as it is with Makhro’s Potassium Sulfate, it is readily available for plant uptake.Potassium is responsible for improving a plant’s water use from roots to shoots, through the regulation of photosynthesis and transporation. Potassium also fosters nutrient uptake, enhances nitrogen use and increases protein production, boosting overall plant health and the plant’s ability to withstand disease, pests and drought stress. Potassium regulates the plant’s waterflow or turbo pressure. Turbo pressure is the amount of water (or pressure) inside of each cell. The more pressure you have the more rigid or upright your plant is, and you need potassium to help manage that function of the plant. As the plant moves into the flowering phase, it will need proportionally more potassium. A shortage of potassium results in a plant that is soft and weak. How to identify potassium deficiency Potassium deficiency will affect sandy or light soil more, as water flushes the soil, and therefor might need more potassium. If you notice curled leaf tips, not a curled leaf where the whole leaf is curled up, just the tips of leaves are curled over, that might be a sign of potassium deficiency. Usually on that same leaf, you will notice yellow edges. The yellowing will later consume the whole leaf and eventually start to turn brown. Another sign of potassium deficiency is Chlorosis, yellowing between the veins of the leaf or purple spotting on the underside of the leaf. Because potassium helps regulate movement up and down the plant. The plant will take the available potassium and send it to the good leaves, so the upper leaves of your plant will look fine and the lower bottom leaves will start getting the above-mentioned signs. So, look for these problems starting in the bottom of the plant and then slowly working its way up. Without a doubt, proper potassium management is critical in ensuring healthy plants and optimizing yield.