Small landholder seasonal activity list

Page last updated: Wednesday, 13 December 2017 - 1:32pm

Please note: This content may be out of date and is currently under review.

As a landholder it is important to plan ahead for the coming season.

Whether it be livestock, crops, pastures or weeds and diseases it is vital to monitor changes and address issues to maintain your property.

This list is an example of some of the potential seasonal activities on your property and is a tool to assist you to build resilience into your farming enterprise and manage seasonal challenges.

January

Keep on top of the following issues during January to ensure your property is well prepared for the coming months:

Topics	Issues to consider
Livestock	As temperatures remain high hold stock in paddocks which have shade available. Heat stress can be fatal to livestock. Keep monitoring stock water supplies, as increased evaporation will increase salinity and algae levels. Check pets and monitor livestock for grass seeds. Grass seeds can cause sores in between toes and in ears, eyes and nasal passages. In particular, check animals which are behaving strangely.
Crops and pasture	If you have not had your soils tested for a couple of years now is the ideal time. Soil testing kits can be purchased through local rural suppliers. Once you have your test results you will need to get them interpreted by an agronomist or consultant. They will be able to help you understand what action needs to be taken.
Fresh produce	Irrigation lines will need to be checked and pumps monitored as soil moisture is important to maintain. If the soil dries out too much, plants will become stressed and may die. With stone fruit coming into season parrots and other birds will start to cause damage in fruit crops. Netting will keep the birds away from your trees and decrease the damage they cause. Netting can be expensive to erect so it is important to do it right the first time. Mulch around vegetables and other garden plants to cut down on soil moisture loss and to prevent shallow plant roots from overheating. Exposed ground can quickly heat up and damage the roots just below the surface.
Land and infrastructure management	Firebreaks should already be installed and you should have cleaned up around your sheds and house. It is also important to ensure that you have notified your local fire brigade and neighbours, by providing them with contact numbers and information of your absence, if you are going to be away from your property during the hotter summer months. It is also good practice to have your firefighting tanks filled and loaded onto your vehicle. If you do not know the number for your local bushfire brigade find out by phoning the local fire brigade directly. This can speed up the response time. Being fire ready is everyone’s responsibility.
Pests and weeds	Control blackberries now before seeds spread.

February

Keep on top of the following issues during February to ensure your property is well prepared for the coming months:

Topics	Issues to consider
Livestock	Pastures are becoming less available and stock will be at greater risk of eating poisonous plants. Many garden and native plants are toxic to stock, so it is important to make sure that animals cannot reach over or get through fences to lush green plants. Sheep owners will need to make sure they have supplies of ear tags for new lambs. Check out this years’ colour NLIS sheep ID. Monitor pasture quantity and quality if you have stock grazing. This will help you decide how much supplementary feed is required. It is important to monitor ground cover, if it falls below 50% coverage then there is an increased risk of soil erosion by wind and heavy rain. Stock should be moved out of paddocks which have eroded areas to prevent the problem from getting worse. Pinkeye is a bacterial infection that can cause blindness in sheep and cattle. Pinkeye will cause the eye to water profusely, increase blinking and redden the membrane. There are several factors that increase the likelihood of pinkeye occurring; these include dusty conditions, flies, bright sunlight and physical irritation. If you are concerned and think your stock may have pinkeye contact your vet.
Crops and pasture	To reduce the risk of erosion occurring on your property leave 80% pasture cover on paddocks to provide protection against wind and water erosion.
Fresh produce	Prune apricots and cherries after harvest on a warm dry day, rather than in winter, as both types of fruit tree suffer from disease invasion. It is also important to destroy (burn when season re-opens) pruning if disease presence is evident. Ensure adequate irrigation to reduce plant stress. Cover susceptible fruits with netting to prevent bird damage. Pick figs, beans, capsicums, cucumbers, eggplant, grapes, melons, passionfruit, pumpkins, stone fruit, tomatoes and avocados (in the south-west). Maturing crops of cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, squash and zucchini may be affected by powdery mildew disease, which is seen as a white deposit under the leaves. Preventative sprays are available. Pick up fallen fruit and control Mediterranean fruit fly in crops with baits or traps. Remember to keep baiting for a minimum of 4 weeks after harvest. Baiting is the best way to control fruit fly in citrus; early varieties are very prone to attack.
Land and infrastructure management	Now is a good time to undertake any maintenance on your earthworks (contour banks, dams, level banks etc) before the first winter rains. Make sure your banks and dams can handle the new season’s rain.
Pests and weeds	Monitor crawlers, scale, aphids, and snails on your citrus trees. Spray main leaf flush of trees less than 3 years old for citrus leaf minor. Start baiting and copper sprays for snails. If you have declared weeds on your property now is a good time to plan for controlling winter growing weeds. One method of being able to monitor the success of your weed control is to map infested areas or take regular photographs. Now is the time to monitor and control feral pigs. Pigs are omnivorous and can damage crops or prey on livestock. These animals can be aggressive, especially during breeding season or when threatened. For appropriate control methods search pig control on our website.

March

Keep on top of the following issues during March to ensure your property is well prepared for the coming months:

Topics	Issues to consider
Livestock	Conduct a worm egg count of sheep not drenched in early summer to see if your stock needs drenching. Rams and ewes only need to be joined for 5-6 weeks in late summer-autumn. Remove rams after this period. All livestock owners, buyers, sellers and breeders are legally required to have a brand and a Property Identification Code (PIC). Call the Brands Office to register – +61 (0)8 9780 6207.
Crops and pasture	Grazed pasture paddocks need to be monitored to ensure that ground cover levels do not drop below 80%. Paddock cover less than this will increase the risk of erosion. Consider feeding stock in a small area in a “feed lot” type of arrangement to minimise damage to the remainder of the farm. Soil testing should also be carried out to identify fertiliser and liming needs. Now is also an ideal time to order seed and inoculum.
Fresh produce	Summer to early autumn: apply foliar sprays of liquid fertilisers such as Seasol or Fish Emulsion. Prune cherries and apricots after harvest on a warm dry day, rather than in winter as both species are susceptible to disease. Destroy (burn) prunings if disease presence is evident. Apply a post-harvest scale spray if there has been noticeable scale during harvest (esp. San Jose scale). Maintain baiting and monitoring programs for Mediterranean fruit fly. Ensure any fallen or unmarketable fruit is removed and/or destroyed to reduce pest and disease pressure. Irrigation can be reduced after harvest for stone fruit to a crop factor of 0.4 or 25 to 40 cbar on tension meters, but be careful not to stress trees as this can affect next season’s crop.
Land and infrastructure management	Order soil amendments and fertiliser now to have it ready to apply when you need it. If you are going to employ a contractor to apply your fertiliser or soil amendments book them early as they can become booked out. If you have timber trees on your property thin and prune them to improve quality and shape.
Pests and weeds	Control weeds while they are small after germination occurs from early rains. Correct disposal is important to prevent weeds e.g. Double gee or Caltrop from spreading. Seed pods and plants should be incinerated or deep buried. Copper spray soil and trunk of trees if snails are a problem.

April

Keep on top of the following issues during April to ensure your property is well prepared for the coming months:

Topics	Issues to consider
Livestock	Make sure that your stock are getting enough feed – especially any pregnant animals. Conduct a worm egg count of sheep not drenched in early summer, to see if stock need drenching. Are your paddocks free from rubbish including household rubbish, building rubble, old machinery and agricultural drums? Animals will sometimes consume rubbish either by accident or actively seek it out due to nutrient deficiency. If you have rubbish in your paddocks fence it off or remove to a secure location. Monitor animals and if you notice unusual behaviour seek advice from your vet and read our page on how to prevent lead poisoning in livestock. All livestock owners, including those with pet livestock, need to be registered and have a Property Identification Code (PIC) to help with disease management. Call the Brands Office to register – +61 (0)8 9780 6207.
Crops and pasture	Lime acid soils now as this provides time for the lime to break down, neutralising acid in the soil. Graze perennial pastures quite hard, particularly sub-tropical species like Kikuyu and Rhodes grass, to reduce competition at the break of the season allowing germination and establishment of annual pasture varieties in the stand.
Fresh produce	Stone fruit disease control (fungal and bacterial) can be achieved through copper sprays, contact DAFWA’s Pest and Disease Information Service 1800 084 881 for further details. Plant beet family, broccoli/cabbage/cauliflower family, carrots, coriander, celery, leeks, lettuce, parsley, parsnips, peas, potatoes, spring onions and spinach. Pick apples, bananas, citrus, guava, papaw and pears, almonds, apples, mangoes, pears, persimmons and pomegranates. Also pick and process olives. Control diamondback moth caterpillars that attack the broccoli/cabbage/cauliflower family. Pick last crops of cucumbers, melons and sweet corn. Plant garlic cloves.
Land and infrastructure management	Prevent costly breakdowns and accidents by servicing your farm equipment prior to the start of cultivation. Check all moving parts for seizing, check fluid levels, hoses, tyres, discs or tynes and springs. Clean out and maintain soil conservation works including banks and drains to prepare for catching and directing winter rains. Landholders wanting to learn more about the chemicals that are registered for use in Australia can visit the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority
Pests and weeds	If you have had problems with snails in the past be on the lookout for snail activity after the first big rain event of the season. Baiting stations can be set up prior to large numbers of animals being seen. Also with the cold and wet weather (hopefully) just around the corner baiting for rodents before they move in will be more effective in controlling them.

May

Keep on top of the following issues during May to ensure your property is well prepared for the coming months:

Topics	Issues to consider
Livestock	Cattle born on your property need a white NLIS tag before leaving for the saleyards, as well as a brand or earmark and a waybill. Be organised and avoid having animals returned. For help, call the Brands Office on +61 (0)8 9780 6207. Lactating ewes – for at least the first 5 weeks – have higher nutritional needs (approximately 2.5 times their nutritional needs when non-pregnant and non-lactating). Also, watch out for signs of mastitis: lameness, reddened or purplish udder, reluctance to let lamb feed, milk clotted, watery or blood-stained.
Crops and pasture	If you are going to be sowing new pastures or crops make sure that you have achieved good weed and insect control before you plant. Keep a very close eye on newly germinating pastures and crops and be prepared to control insects (like Red Legged Earth Mite, (RLEM)) or they can destroy the tiny new seedlings.
Fresh produce	Prepare your veggie patch for next season’s plants by replacing nutrients. A good quality manure should be incorporated into the soil. Plant broad beans and strawberries. Pick last crops of pumpkins and sweet potatoes and store undercover. If you cut pumpkin stem longer than 10cm they will store for longer. Also, pick last crops of capsicums, eggplants, tomatoes and zucchini. Autumn is a key time for nutrient uptake for avocados as the root system is very strong and is preparing the tree for winter and the development of flowers for spring fruitset.
Land and infrastructure management	After first rains it is a good idea to check any drains around your property. By monitoring your drains regularly you can identify potential areas of erosion and remove any build-up of debris. Now is also an ideal time to check any fencing that may need fixing or replacing. After rain it is often easier to erect new fences. If you are replacing an existing fence this is a great opportunity to realign or redesign.
Pests and weeds	All weed control will require several years of repeated effort to reduce the seed bank and several methods of control will be required. Relying only on herbicide to control weeds, especially if chemical groups are not rotated, can result in a build-up of herbicide resistance and this should be avoided at all costs. Weeds that are common pasture pests in winter include Variegated thistle, Paterson’s curse and Cape Tulip, for further advice on how to control these weeds search our website. Now is an important period in the fight against Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly), reducing numbers now by continuing baiting/trapping programs and cleaning up any unwanted fruit will reduce the numbers of flies carrying over into spring. Remember that cleaning up any unwanted fruit not only benefits the reduction of Medfly numbers but also aids in reducing fungal problems such as brown rot and apple scab. Autumn is the time for phosphite injection/sprays for the control/prevention of Phytophthora cinnamomi in avocado trees. Continue with clean up sprays on stone fruit to help reduce carryover of a range of fungal, bacterial and mite issues.

June

Keep on top of the following issues during June to ensure your property is well prepared for the coming months:

Topics	Issues to consider
Livestock	This season’s lambs will need to be ear marked and branded with an ear tag. To get a brand, call the Brands Office on +61 (0)8 9780 6207. Lambs should be vaccinated with a 3 in 1 injection and this should be repeated at weaning. Check with your local vet or agriculture advisers if you think there is a problem with trace element deficiencies in stock. It is important to provide stock, particularly those with young, access to sheltered areas from the cold and wet, this will reduce the risk of animals getting hypothermia. New season pasture is low in fibre, which may give sheep and cattle an upset stomach and diarrhoea. To remedy this, provide hay during the first couple of months of pasture growth.
Crops and pasture	Weed control in pastures can be undertaken using grazing management or selective herbicides or a combination. Pasture growth rates will decline as temperatures decrease and it may be necessary to move stock from paddocks with low levels of food on offer (FOO), to protect these paddocks from overgrazing and ensure good growth rates in spring. In some cases supplementary feeding may be required. Through June sowing of oats for hay production can still be undertaken. Match varieties to the season length you have remaining for your area. This ensures that hay cutting occurs at the right stage of the plants development for best quality and quantity of hay.
Fresh produce	Cut down old ferns of asparagus. Apply lime to acidic soils and incorporate into the soil. Start pruning stone fruit and pome fruit once the last of the leaves have fallen. Leaf fall can be hastened by use of appropriate nutrient foliage sprays. It is also important to control winter weeds in your orchard. If you are using mulch as a method for controlling weeds be careful not to put it hard up against the stem of the tree this can encourage collar rot. Avocado growers in cooler locations should be carrying out leaf analysis now to aid next season’s nutrition management programs.
Land and infrastructure management	Are you concerned about safety on your property? Would you like to learn more? Farmsafe WA can assist you in conducting a risk assessment and preparing safety and health action plans. To learn more about Farmsafe workshops visit their website.
Pests and weeds	Common techniques for controlling weeds include: grazing to allow stock to consume weeds before they seed, burning selected areas to destroy the seed bank with fire, and cultivation - an effective way to kill older plants is by physical destruction and burying seed. With cooler, damper nights snails are becoming more active, now is a good time to bait snails. Maintain your Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly) control program until at least 4 weeks after all fruit has been cleaned up. If you have winter fruit crops, then you need to continue a program throughout winter. Avocado growers should be in the final stages of their Phytophthora cinnamomi control/prevention program by now. As the last of the apples are harvested, ensure you clean up any unwanted fruit and start clean up spray programs to reduce carryover of fungal, bacterial and mite issues.

July

Keep on top of the following issues during July to ensure your property is well prepared for the coming months:

Topics	Issues to consider
Livestock	Monitor stock for drop in condition and increase supplementary feed as cold weather slows pasture growth. Monitor first-calvers, consider drenching this group, and feed well. Before lamb and calf marking, check your registered brand details and NLIS requirements to be sure that calves and lambs are given the correct ear tags and that earmarks are made in the correct position. Be on the lookout for grass tetany in lactating cows, especially during hard frosts and when pasture is short. Livestock owners, do you know what a livestock standstill is and what it would mean to you? A livestock standstill is when animals susceptible to a specific disease are restricted from moving for a period of time to prevent the spread of the disease.
Crops and pasture	If you are planning on sowing subtropical perennial pastures in spring this year, order seed now. Perennials require good weed and pest control or establishment may be compromised. If you have wet and waterlogged areas on your property where nothing much will grow consider sowing these areas in spring with more waterlogging tolerant perennials (like Kikuyu) or summer fodder crops (like millets) to take advantage of that moisture and provide some green feed later in the season.
Fresh produce	Continue planting beetroot, broccoli/cabbage/cauliflower family, carrots, celery, lettuce, peas and parsnips. Incorporate organic manures into soil, as there is less risk of fly breeding in July. Last plantings of potatoes and strawberries. Use dormant cuttings to propagate figs, grapes and pomegranates. Collect dormant wood from stone or pome fruit and store in a cool room/fridge, wrapped in damp paper sealed in a plastic bag, until spring if grafting/budding wood is required. Avocado growers need to continue to monitor soil moisture and irrigate as required if extended periods without rain occur.
Land and infrastucture management	Have you checked the quality of your water supplies lately? It is important to monitor water supplies during the year especially in mid winter and summer. Dams can become contaminated with faecal matter, debris and even chemical run-off during winter rains. If you’re interested in learning more about running a horticulture enterprise view The horticulture handbook – a reference guide to establishing a horticulture enterprise in Western Australia.
Pests and weeds	Pretty but poisonous and harmful. The three prime targets which need to be controlled now before they develop flowers and seed heads are cape tulip, Paterson’s curse and arum lily. For information on control methods and management strategies contact the Department of Agriculture and Food on 1800 084 881 or search our website. Ensure that all unwanted fruit from pome, stone or persimmon trees have been removed from the trees and ground and appropriately disposed of. This will not only reduce the number of Mediterranean fruit fly carrying over into next season, but also reduce carryover of brown rot in stone-fruit and scab in pears and apples. Stone-fruit growers who have suffered from bacterial issues should be applying a dormant spray of copper (ideally a Bordeaux mixture).

August

Keep on top of the following issues during August to ensure your property is well prepared for the coming months:

Topics	Issues to consider
Livestock	Flies start becoming active during August as it starts to warm up, and can be severe in September with warm moist conditions causing flystrike. Worm burdens build up in spring in young sheep and this can cause scouring, which can also lead to flystrike.
Crops and pasture	If you are planning to cut some pasture paddocks for meadow hay, now is the time to decide which paddocks you will use, lock these paddocks up and fertilise appropriately to ensure good production. Remember poor quality pasture will make poor quality hay. Now is a good time of year to assess the composition of your pastures. Assess their weediness and make decisions on paddocks that require some work to improve them. Start initial planning for weed control late this season and into next season. Seek advice.
Fresh produce	First plantings of onion and zucchini seeds and last planting of coriander. Continue picking mandarins and late harvest naval orange varieties. Fertiliser applications for citrus should commence. Prune grapes. Winter pruning of deciduous fruit trees should be nearing completion now ready for the new season. Any planting of dormant bare rooted fruit trees should be completed before the buds start to burst – make sure the soil is moist and irrigation is in place to commence irrigation as soon as required. Check your irrigation set up and ensure repairs or replacements are completed early so you are ready to irrigate when required. Keep monitoring soil moisture for avocado trees and irrigate as required if extended periods without rain occur. Harvesting of Hass avocados will have started in Perth regions – remember to check dry matter before commencing harvest as consumer research has shown that dry matter over 23% is preferred.
Land and infrastucture management	It is important to monitor this year’s tree planting site for weed problems. Weeds can out-compete young trees and shrubs for light, water and nutrients. If weeds are becoming a problem you may need to hand weed or use careful chemical control. Mulching around plants can also reduce the amount of competition from weeds. If you have boggy areas on your property it is advisable to restrict stock access as this can cause soil structure decline and increase the risk of stock getting foot problems.
Pests and weeds	Olive lace bug is an increasing pest of olive trees. It is important to be on the lookout for this bug. The lace bug can cause serious stress to trees resulting in crop depletion if not identified and treated early. Citrus growers need to continue to be vigilant in their control practices for Mediterranean fruit fly – continue baiting and removal of any unwanted fruit to keep numbers of Medfly under control. If you own horses it is important to check your pasture. Weeds like Marshmallow weed, Paterson’s Curse and Cape Tulip are poisonous to horses. Spray stone fruit for leaf curl and shothole with a copper fungicide. Apples and pears should be sprayed with lime sulphur for the control of scab. Be on the lookout for San Jose Scale on apples, pears and stone fruit. San Jose Scale needs to be treated or it will kill large parts of a tree. Dormant oil alone or a dormant oil/insecticide mix can be used.

September

Keep on top of the following issues during September to ensure your property is well prepared for the coming months:

Topics	Issues to consider
Livestock	To save yourselves the expense of purchasing tag applicators and earmarking pliers always make sure that you purchase calves that are already earmarked or branded. They must already have an NLIS device in their ear. Consider what facilities you have for the long term handling of cattle (for marking, vet treatments, loading, unloading, etc.) before purchasing. For more information see ‘First-time cattle ownership for the small landholder’. You need secure handling yards but it may be possible to hire or borrow a crush. For more information see ‘Constructing cattle yards for small landholders’. Now is the time to also consider upgrading your bulls or rams to improve your genetics for growth muscle or confirmation. With the selling season starting late September, check your rural newspapers for advertisements if you are looking at buying livestock. Ensure that sheep and cattle vaccinations are up to date before spring. Consult your private veterinarian for details. Plan blow fly control for spring now: this will involve shearing, crutching, worm control and jetting.
Crops and pasture	Sub-tropical pastures should be planted in the first two weeks of September. Prior to planting you will need to have good bug and weed control. Now is a good time to determine the composition of your pastures. Drive or walk through to see which pastures have high weed burdens and will need renovating next year. Pastures which have a heavy weed burden can be effectively controlled by spray – graze option. This is where the plants are treated with a sub lethal dose of herbicide. This mobilizes the sugars within the plant, reducing its ability to regenerate from stored starch and making the plant “sweeter” to stock. Timing is very important for this style of treatment. Correct timing will affect the flower and this can cause seeds to abort and not be viable. Bulb weeds are not suitable for the spray – graze method as they often contain toxins which are not palatable for stock.
Fresh produce	Now is the time for the first plantings of cherry tomatoes in frost-free areas. Continue planting lettuce, parsley, radish, silverbeet, spinach, zucchini and squash. Plant most varieties of potted fruit trees. Start picking asparagus and globe artichokes. Start harvesting broad beans. Control early blight disease in potatoes. Start spraying grapes for powdery mildew from two weeks after budburst. Strawberry crops grow well all spring. To avoid slaters grow them in full sun in hanging baskets. Prune passionfruit. Thin low-chill peaches and nectarines. Maintain a regular fertiliser program all spring. Test-run all irrigation systems to ensure they are operational and ready to go when required. Monitor soil moisture levels and rainfall and commence irrigation as soon as soil moisture reaches critical levels. Monitor for frost events with frost sensitive crops and initiate frost management practices as required.
Land and infrastructure management	If you are going to be irrigating fruit trees over the late spring/summer period, now is the ideal time to check your irrigation system and to flush the trickle lines. This will prevent delays when irrigating is essential. Now is a good time to start implementing your fire management program, reduce fuel load around your house and sheds, install fire breaks and review your fire management plan. It is also important to contact your local council, as regulations vary in some shires. For more information about fire prevention contact the Department of Fire and Emergency Service (DEFS). Now is a great time to clean water troughs to reduce algae growth, which can become a serious problem later in the season as temperature increases. If you own stock which need shearing ensure that your yards and sheds are in a sound working condition to prevent costly delays. Book your contractor early to ensure that your stock are shorn before summer.
Pests and weeds	Mediterranean fruit fly will start to increase in activity and numbers with the warming weather, ensure ALL fallen or unwanted fruit is removed and appropriately disposed of. Ensure your management plans are in place, including monitoring, baiting/trapping and orchard hygiene — start baiting programs early in high risk situations. Control snails in lower parts of fruit trees and around irrigation emitters. Spring is prime time for many fungal diseases in fruit crops so ensure you have an adequate management program in place. Map weeds that need to be treated next winter (e.g. cape tulip, Paterson’s curse) while still visible. Fox cubs are emerging, so ensure your exclusion fencing on your chicken house and gates are working effectively, as young cubs are often not ‘street wise’ and will take easy food. Feral pigs can cause costly damage to hay crops, waterways and sensitive areas. Control of pigs needs to be carried out in a staged manner. Identify areas frequented by pigs and devise a control plan.

October

Keep on top of the following issues during October to ensure your property is well prepared for the coming months:

Topics	Issues to consider
Livestock	Wallowing in mud can be good for your domestic pigs so ensure you provide them with the means to continue doing so as the ground dries out. Pigs will wallow to control their body temperature and protect their skin from getting sunburnt. They also wallow to control parasites on their skin. For more information about owning pigs visit the PigCentral website. Before purchasing any livestock consider the size of the animal when fully grown, their behaviour, the infrastructure needed to keep them contained, the costs of feeding and veterinary costs. Maintain regular worm egg counts to assist you in identifying when you need to drench your flock. It is important to treat sheep early to prevent them from becoming flystruck. The key signs to look for include sheep that are on their own, possibly not grazing; dark stains on the wool, especially on the shoulders, back or crutch; tail twitching, rubbing or chewing at the affected part; and an offensive odour when close to the sheep. If you own alpacas and have not shorn them this year, now would be a good time. If you do not shear them, you run the risk of wool becoming contaminated with weed seeds and the animal suffering heat stress over summer. While your alpacas are restrained check if their nails need clipping.
Crops and pasture	Pastures will be starting to dry off and landholders that are considering buying in hay should be aware that this is a common way for weed species to spread. When feeding out hay over summer this often means that hay is spread across your property, spreading weed seeds with it. When purchasing hay find out from the supplier if Annual Rye Grass Toxicity (ARGT) occurs in the area you are purchasing hay from and, if it does, consider testing the hay for ARGT galls. ARGT is an often fatal poisoning of livestock that may occur following ingestion of annual ryegrass that is infected by the bacterium Rathayibacter toxicus. Be on the lookout for insects in your crops and pasture. Use the MyPestGuide app to photograph and report any insects you are unsure of and to receive identification by a DAFWA expert.
Fresh produce	Continue to monitor soil moisture and irrigate as required. Thin earlier stone fruit and apples as required and shift bee hives to later flowering varieties. Be aware of the bee toxicity rating of any pesticides that may be required during flowering and use with caution. Avocado flowering will have started in some regions so ensure bee hives are evenly dispersed within the orchard when roughly 10% of flowers have opened. Ensure nutrition programs are being implemented. October is the month for mango tree leaf analysis. Ensure any fallen or unwanted fruit is regularly removed and disposed of appropriately. Control scale at the crawler stage — oil is quite effective and does not harm predators. Two oil sprays about two weeks apart gives good control. It is important to monitor and wait for the emergence of the young crawlers as the oil sprays are less effective against the adult scale. Control Powdery and Downy mildew on grapes. Maintain an effective fungicide program as determined by the prevailing weather conditions — brown rot in stone fruit and scab in apples and pears can proliferate if not managed appropriately. If you are a keen gardener and want more information on how best to manage your vegetables, have a look at the Good Practice Guide for Vegetable Production.
Land and infrastructure management	It is best to start your fire preparation well before summer. Start looking at how you can best prepare your property against a bushfire. For more information see ‘Bushfire survival plans for small landholders’. Don’t forget to start checking your stored hay regularly as heat can build up within stacks and start fires. If you are planning on burning off, advise your neighbours of possible smoke hazards.
Pests and weeds	Is mowing the right weed control for you? Mowing is only effective if you can frequently and repeatedly mow the area to prevent seed set. Bulbs species such as arum lily and Cape tulip will continue to survive in the soil after mowing, however mowing can prevent seed set and reduce weed spread. Caterpillars will become active in October, identify species and appropriate control method. Mediterranean fruit fly management practices should be well ramped up by now. Anthracnose continues to be an issue with avocado fruit, while the use of copper as a preventative spray applied during wet, warmer conditions is effective, recent research has shown the value of azoxystrobin fungicides being applied as a final spray in the lead up to harvest.

November

Keep on top of the following issues during November to ensure your property is well prepared for the coming months:

Topics	Issues to consider
Livestock	Assess your livestock’s health now. As spring draws to a close, your livestock should be in their best condition. Condition scoring as a measure of animal health allows you to assess the amount of tissue and fat covering the backbone and the short ribs of each animal. The Department of Agriculture and Food, WA recommends that livestock on small landholdings are maintained at a score of 3 or the “healthy” condition, where animals are neither fat nor underweight. To learn more search our website or visit the app store to download the ‘Sheep Condition Score’. Regular condition scoring of animals throughout summer will allow you to monitor any weight loss as pasture becomes less nutritious with summer. Don’t forget to check sheep for flystrike while you're checking their condition. Buyers should ask vendors to provide a National Sheep Health Statement in which the status of the vendor’s flock in relation to footrot, lice, Johnes disease, vaccination and worm drench practices and ovine brucellosis will be described. Make sure stock water systems are ready for summer. Spring is a high-risk period for blackleg in cattle and enterotoxaemia (pulpy kidney) in sheep. Make sure your vaccination program is up to date. Your vet or rural supplier can supply vaccines and advice. If you intend to sell some stock prior to summer, make sure they are correctly identified and that you have National Vendor Declaration (NVD)/waybills organised.
Crops and pasture	Assess food on offer (FOO) in your paddocks and plan supplementary feeding. At this stage most plants have set seed and are starting to dry off. If you have excess paddock feed, a late hay cut may be better than leaving a standing fire hazard. Unless irrigated, pastures will senesce and the food value will begin to drop. Knowledge of the decline rates of dry pasture can aid the estimation of remaining grazing days. This knowledge can be used to begin planning supplementary feeding. Visit Lifetime Wool for easy-to-use feed budget tables. All hay should now be cut so make sure to collect and stack small bales or store under cover because quality will drop if left in the paddock to get rained on. If you don’t have your own equipment to harvest crops, make arrangements to book a contractor. Check irrigation systems for leaks and ensure the correct distribution of water.
Fresh produce	First plantings of eggplant, sweet potatoes, rockmelons and watermelons should be carried out. Select banana suckers for new growth and remove surplus suckers, this will encourage the plant to focus its energy into selected new growth. Harvest mulberries and freeze excess. Harvest last crops of potatoes and garlic. Trapping for fruit fly should begin in November and continue until April. Baiting for fruit flies should also begin when flies are recorded in traps. Search our website for more information. November and December are a great time to prune stone fruit and pome fruit trees. By summer pruning you will prevent the tree from becoming top heavy and improve the shape. Monitor soil moisture carefully for avocados to avoid stress that might increase early fruit shed. Manage nutrition to encourage healthy spring flush to replace the old falling leaves, to protect the fruit and start the development of next season’s flowers.
Land and infrastructure management	Don’t forget to check, clean and prepare your stock watering points for use this summer. During the drier months when pasture is starting to hay off and the ground is dry it is easier to detect any leaks in you pipes, it is important to check pipes regularly to ensure your stock don’t go without water. Continue to check water quality over summer. If you are going to be ordering native trees now is a good time to contact your local supplier and place your order. If you planted trees or are rehabilitating an area this year, it is important to undertake weed management at these sites to reduce competition in the critical establishment phase.
Pests and weeds	The warmer weather will start to see pond plants develop new growth as water temperature increases. Landholders should be aware that many pond plants have the potential to become serious weeds. Water plants such as Salvinia, Hydrocotyle, water lettuce, water hyacinth and Cabomba are all noxious weeds. If you have any pond plants which are able to rapidly cover a pond and regularly need to be removed then it is possible that this plant is a declared water weed. If you are unsure about any water plants please take a sample for identification. Want to use an organic method of insect control in your orchard? Guinea fowl, a medium-sized grey bird, is proving to be an effective way of controlling insects in and around the orchard. Alternatively use bantams for insect control. If kangaroos are causing damage to your property, seek advice on control methods and appropriate fencing or gates from your local Department of Parks and Wildlife. Be on the lookout for declared plants. Cotton Bush, Apple of Sodom and Blackberry are some of the plants that you need to control. Keep on top of fruit fly control, your success in controlling these early populations is critical to the overall success of fruit fly management.

December

Keep on top of the following issues during December to ensure your property is well prepared for the coming months:

Topics	Issues to consider
Livestock	With the summer temperatures starting to increase you will need to increase your checks of troughs, dams and other water points. Water quantity, volume and quality will need to be closely monitored to ensure that stock are not going thirsty. Cattle and horses can drink up to 68 litres per day, depending on size and the weather conditions. It is also important to make arrangements early for a caretaker to look after stock if you are going on holidays as stock need regular monitoring. Correct identification can assist in the return of your animals should they decide to go ‘on holiday’ (get out/stray) while you are away as well.
Crops and pasture	Protect your valuable top soil. If you are starting to get bare patches on your property you may need to consider keeping stock stabled or isolated in more stable paddocks to reduce the risk of erosion by wind. Pasture nutritional value will be dropping off, so you might need to start hand feeding to meet stock nutritional demands. If you can store feed in a dry area, free of excessive rodents, buy grain and hay now rather than later. Alternatively, reduce stock numbers. Ensure drying grass seeds, especially barley grass, are slashed to prevent seeds contaminating wool and getting into animal ears and eyes.
Fresh produce	Tomato spotted wilt virus is spread by thrips insects and may cause severe damage to tomatoes, capsicums, lettuce and herbs. Remove infected plants and control weeds. Use preventative sprays to control powdery mildew in apples and grapes. Further spraying for powdery mildew may be required so it is important to monitor crops. Cover susceptible fruits with netting to prevent bird damage. Monitor soil moisture and irrigate as required, remembering to irrigate within the effective root zone to reduce water wastage. Nutritional programs should be well underway, remember to adjust based on crop load – higher crop loads require higher nutrition.
Land and infrastructure management	Start monitoring the progress of this year’s revegetation work. If you only planted a few trees, extra time watering may increase the survival of these plants. Alternatively, if you want to increase moisture left in soil and decrease weed competition, mulch around existing trees, remembering to leave a gap around the trunk to prevent disease and rot. If you have no stock, tall weeds may become an issue. Slash or mow tall grasses, but only at low fire-risk times of day when the air is still and cool. If in doubt, check with your local fire officer. Check and maintain irrigation systems and upgrade if necessary. Make sure you create a bushfire survival plan for all your family this summer, including your pets and livestock to keep them safe. Decide whether you will stay to defend your home in the event of a bushfire or leave early.
Pests and weeds	Animal manures left to build up on farm can support outbreaks of stable fly over the next few months. Manure should be either broken up and incorporated into pasture or composted in fly proof structures. Stock should be monitored for any signs of pest or disease outbreaks. Paddy and Afghan Melons can be sprayed, spray grazed, manually removed or grubbed. Juvenile foxes are out and about. Now that lambs are big they are at a lower risk so poultry is more likely the target. Total enclosure, including a roof is the best protection. Fruit fly activity increases and life cycle periods shorten as the weather gets warmer, so keep up your fruit fly management program – make sure you clean up after any early harvests and maintain baiting/trapping in harvested blocks for a minimum of 4 weeks after harvest.

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