I don't mean to be disagreeable, but I first learned about Jimsonweed through an article in the Reader's Digest, around 1980. A whole family had become violently ill after eating garden tomatoes for dinner. An investigation revealed that Jimsonweed growing in the garden had crossbred with the tomatoes. Their fruit was highly poisonous! I am here this evening because my husband asked me about a large weed that had sprung up on the edge of our tomato patch and, Googling it, I found it to be Jimsonweed! I will assume that, as it is the first specimen to grow in my garden, it has not had an opportunity to cross-pollinate or graft, but I will call the cooperative extension tomorrow, just to be on the safe side. Cowthree, I see that this post is at several years old. Did you ever have any further issues?

As you probably know, plant food must become available before your plants can use it. Non-available plant food will not help you. You are on the right track with the manure. But, the plant food in "green" or fresh manure is not available and does not become available until it is released by the decay of organic matters inside. Waiting for manure to rot in soil can be a slow process, especially in heavy or clay soils. You want to keep the manure in a compact built up square heap, not a loose pyrimidial pile. It should be turned from bottom to top and outside in and rebuilt every month, and sprayed lightly with the mist of your hose (not soaked). Make sure it is under cover so it does not wash out. Next year you probably should get your manure in the fall if your going to get it fresh, it needs some time to rot. Only use well rotted old manure in the garden itself, because if plant food is not available it is useless. Jamie Wheeler is the author of "Organic Gardening Secrets", dedicated to helping you grow healthy, pesticide free fruits and vegetables at home without spending a lot of time or money. Here is a link that might be useful: Ultimate Organic Gardening Secrets

The white squiggly lines are caused by the leaf miner, they burrow through leaves. Systemic insecticide is the best treatment but they're frowned on now-a-days. You could just pull off the affected leaves depending on how serious the infestation is. As for the rest, well, sub-tropic and tropic gardens are simply awash with bugs this time of years, I try to get all my vegies under way in winter and mostly harvested before the bugs - I'm currently awash with tomatoes I planted as seeds in trays in May. Also, as you are new to all this I'd suggest you invest in a good garden book, Yates Garden Guide is a very good beginning. B. PS. As for your beetroot, I've never found that easy, however a trace of Boron in the soil before planting helps. You might also consider getting your ph tested, most vegies prefer a slightly alkaline soil.

I am currently harvesting: Mulberries Red Strawberries White strawberries Valencia Oranges Lemons Babaco Lettuce (x 3 varieties) Cress Rocket Carrots Chillis Macadamias (just finishing) Perrenial Leek Perpetual Spinach Silverbeet Asparagus are doing great this year Celery ( dissapointing little plants - first time growing these) Rhubarb Capers (just starting to form buds) Tumeric Heaps of herbs( parsely, thyme, sage, lemongrass, dill, coriander, curry leaf, laksa leaf, chamomile, calendula, lemongrass, mint, oregano, marjoram, chives, garlic chives, rosemary, lavender, aloa vera, bay leaf, comfrey. Seeds in for mustard, fenugreek, cumin, mizuka and more coriander) Sugar snap peas have just been pulled Loquat finished fruiting about a month ago Plants in preperation for fruit are: Fig Black muscat grape White nectarine Garlic (regular and elephant) tomatos Potatoes Pepino chili capsicum eggplant rockmelon (hales) watermelon (small shining light and sugar baby) Pumpkin (jap, delicata, golden nuggett) Lebanese Zuccini Cucumber (lebanese and german pickling) Onions (red and white) Citrus (Kaffir lime, tahitian lime, oranges, cumquat, lemonade all small fruit) All my other trees are still too small to fruit: Three guava varieties Fejoa Carambola Lilly pilli Native tamarind Davidson Plum Black Sapote Apricot Yellow and red papaya Granadilla Passionfruit - yellow panama cherimoya Oh and of course my five chookies! (which aren't really vegetables now are they!) And that's about it! All mixed up and couldn't really say they are all in my "Veggie patch" as the two vegie gardens that I started with seem to have taken over the whole yard - plants stuck in wherever I could find space!