FOR A BETTER GARDEN...

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 167, 17 July 1941, Page 19

FOR A BETTER GARDEN...

WRINKLE I turned up the other day on growing carrots reminds me that any day now we can seriously get about the business of growing vegetables for the summer.

So far this season most of us have ' 3 f Plfymg at it; watching a Tow of broad beans making the best of a fairly sticky winter, hoping the sparrows will leave a few of the peas potatoes ll "*tlv-iT ei * the newl >'-sprouted ?hra,t L n •T e wcrc optimistic SbSIJ S SSSSSr- imd srousinK round « time to get really busy. For vegetables were not cheap last vear nor vf re a . n u y - reason why they should be cheap tins year. So those who do a lon ff IS ior,V° s t ° wH h out should take busv 3 spades and get

Carrots have proved a tough proposition in Auckland, although last autumn better results were obtained Here is the wrinkle I unearthed, and soil St 0 cultivation in heavy

" c °nsists merely of taking out a V-shaped cut in the soil with the spade, about six inches wide, tilline Wit l lisht to sandy soil con taming plenty of leaf mould weathered peat or rotted vegetable matter, and sowing the seeds in the middle of the V after it has been firmed down well. m^ d ,, now about the peas that have come through and are standing still in very wet soil. Get out the Dutch hoe, cultivate on both sides and give the plants a top-dressing of sulphate of ammonia at the rate of half an , to . the running yard. A fortnight later give them a handful of superphosphate to the running yard That goes for sweet peas, too. Broad beans seem to be anchored as well as peas. A topdressing ail round with superphosphate (four parts) and sulphate of ammonia (one Dart) will induce them to get a move on.

If the next few days are fine, don't stint a bit of elbow-grease during the week-end. That, plus a spade, provides the best fertiliser. Dig everything that can be dug, and dig it well Go down two spits if you arc equal to it.

Keep the bottom spit in the bottom, of course, but mix with it all the garden refuse you can lay your

hands on. Artificial manures maybe in short supply this year, and the natural manures should be used as much as possible.

Several inquiries to hand during tne week related to potato growing, and this will be referred to more fully m a later article on this page. But m reply to one point raised, I suggest that rather than plant large single tubers, the number of sprouts should be reduced to three. This iioes not increase the yield, but it does contribute to the development ot medium-sized tubers, whose size is m itself a favourable point.

An Avondale correspondent has lVu! i en . to tell - n , le that siugs can be killed by sprinkling a mixture of paits of kainit and one part of finely-powdered copper sulphate over he soil so that it is lightlv covered between but not on the foliage of Plants I haven't tried it out, but it should have possibilities. „. , n interesting query comes from 'tahuliu, a man asking the treatment tor converting rough paddock into

lawn. This may sound the lazy man's idea of a lawn, but there are many occasions when such a lawn is a great success; and, incidentally, there is a Rood deal of work involved. For a start, the area should be treated thoroughly with a stout iron rake. This should remove all dead matter from the base of the grass and also tear out creeping weeds, such as buttercup and clover. If daisies are present, these also should be torn out. Then mix up as good a compost as possible, adding to a base of garden soil some wood ash, bonemeal and well-decayed vegetable matter. After sifting this should be spread an inch or more deep over the grass. Roll frequently with a heavy roller and apply a sprinkling of sulphate of ammonia in September. Regular cutting in summer should produce an excellent lawnf Yours for a better garden. W. GORDON.