SALADS FOR, SUMMER AND AUTUMN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 17, 21 January 1933, Page 6 (Supplement)

SALADS FOR, SUMMER AND AUTUMN.

From early spring onwards salads arc extensively used. A lettuce plant may be grown to a large size in a few weeks' time or it may be very small months after the seed is sown. A great deal depends on the quality of the ground. Feeding with liquid manure from time to time "will do much good, but no subsequent attention quite makes up for the lack of rich soil. Therefore you should dig the soil deeply and enrich it with rotted manure before sowing. In hot weather a naturally cool border, slightly shaded, is much better than a dry, fully exposed one. In wet soils grow Endive on low ridges then they will not rot in the autumn if it is necessary to leave them out while being blanched. Radishes should be sown broadcast in a fairly rich soil. Sow the seeds moderately thinly, for more tender roots of a large size will be available than from thickly-sown seeds on a given area. Mustard and cress should be fit to cut in 10 days from the date of sowing the seeds. Choose a border on the south side of a wall or fence and make this rich with rotted manure, level the soil and sow the seeds thickly. Then gently press them into the soil with the back of the spade or, with a piece of flat board, but do not cover them with soil. Keep the soil moist; sow seeds every 10 days. Late sown onions are very useful for salads, and save using the main crop onions. It it is not necessary to thin out the young plants. Early celery should be fed with liquid manure, kept clean of weeds, and blanched in due course. Odd plants that were left after the trenches were filled can be planted out, a foot apart in the rows with the rows about 2ft apart, on the surface or in trenches a few inches deep. The soil must be rich, and with light earthing these will be found useful for salads before the main crop is ready When blanching celery place fine ashes and sand inside the paper collar. The celery will blanch beautifully and will, not be eaten by slugs. Tie up cos lettuces while the leaves are dry. Don't tie too tightly. Endive may be blanched by tying up the leaves or by placing a board upon the top of the plant.