THE sun is shining - today - so it's time to get down to real gardening, starting with tomato growing.

By now many gardens will have tomatoes starting to fruit. They should be well staked and given a dressing of Searles Garden Vegetable & Plant Food, which will encourage larger and more tomatoes.

But, don't let fruit fly ruin your crop. Early fruiting tomatoes such as Rouge de Marmande generally evade the onslaught of this pest, which is now difficult to beat since Rogor and Lebaycid have been eliminated from home garden usage.

It is therefore necessary to trap the flies before they begin attacking the ripening fruit. There are several good traps available which are hung in fruit trees or near tomatoes.

Searles Fruit Fly Trap will attract the males from up to 500 metres away - its wick system requiring a replacement wick each three months.

CeraTrap lures both male and female fruit fly with the smell of a unique protein based solution which is organic and doesn't contain any pesticides. Male fruit flies require protein to become sexually active, while the females need constant protein to continue to lay eggs - hence their attraction to the CeraTrap.

I have noticed this year that home-grown asparagus is becoming popular. Planting should be done in winter and spring in a trench about 20 centimetres deep with the crown being covered with 5 centimetres of soil.

As the plant grows gradually add soil, but never cover the tip.

Asparagus will grow in full sun to semi shade, requiring regular watering - after harvesting re-fertilise in preparation for the new growing season.

Although the male plant produces more spears, the female plant produces slightly larger spears.

One of the most often asked questions is about the lack of red in rhubarb.

Firstly a hint or two - it isn't a good idea to harvest stalks in the first year and do not eat the leaves as they are toxic.

Rhubarb likes full to part sun, well drained soil which is enriched with organic matter.

Be careful not to use fresh manure as this is too acidic and will burn the plant.

Now back to green stalks - I don't really have an answer which solves this problem. One method is a shadier spot keeps the stems red.

HAPPENINGS

The Hunter Valley African Violet Society will meet this Sunday, September 28, at The Adamstown Club at 2pm.