Highlights In Wartime Gardening

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 35, 11 February 1943, Page 3

Highlights In Wartime Gardening

VEGETABLE seeds to sow from now on are somewhat restricted. Early-maturing crops include garden swedes, white turnips, oval-shaped radish, lettuce, mustard and cress, short-horn carrot, . parsley, early dwarf peas, round VEGETABLES beet and silver beet. TO PLANT Those that will take longer to mature, but which may be sown for early and mid-winter use, are parsnips, leeks, cabbages, cauliflowers, spinach and endive. Continue to plant out leeks, cabbages, cauliflowers, celery, broccoli and,, endive. Established cabbages aVid cauliflowers should be earthed up and fed well and often with liquid manure. An arsenate of lead spray will control caterpillars, while nicotine compounds can be used to combat aphis. Only a small amount of material is required to make animal liquid manure. Put equal quantities of cow manure and sifted soot into a sugar bag filling it to the three-quarter level. Soak in a tub of soft water 12 hours before using. Diluted an amber colour, it can be used every three days. The contents of the bag should be changed every fortnight. In pruning tomatoes a good rule is to retain sufficient leaves to shade the fruit from the scorching sun, but at the same time allowing sufficient light and air to mature the fruit. * * * * is not a success on poor or shallow land, requiring deeply dug, rich soil that will not dry out quickly in fine weather. The mam points to consider are adequate watering and shading until the plants are estabCULTIVATION lished and control OF CELER\ of pests and diseases. The usual .method of cultivation is in trenches, and care taken here is handsomely repaid. The top spit should be removed and the second broken up, incorporating well-rotted manure or any material that will hold the moisture. Some of the top soil should be put back and thoroughly mixed with the manure. The surface of the trench should be about 6in below ground level and the plants set about 9in apart. Weeds should be kept down and soil kept open and offsets and decayed leaves removed. Liquid manure is a sufficient stimulant, but if artificial fertilisers are used, avoid nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia. Earthing-up should be gradual, holding the leaves together to prevent soil getting into the heart of the plant. A flat ridge should be left on either side of the trench to hold water. Should there be trouble from leaf spot, spray regularly with Bordeaux mixture, while as a preventive of leaf miner, spray occasionally with nicotine sulphate. * * » * COW seeds of as many hardy annuals as room can be found for. The young plants come along well, and if transplanted to the garden by April will have time to become well established. Seedlings suitable for planting out FLOWER now include Iceland GARDEN', poppies, stocks, violas, pansies, wallflowers, and dianthus. Although poppies are amiable plants, they do best -if the correct soil conditions are supplied, and as they are among the few plants that can be induced to flower in the late winter a little care in the early stages is justified. Lime is necessary in the soil at all times. The plants are subject to a species of collar rot, and too much organic manure should therefore be avoided. Furthermore, manures of a spongy nature retain too much moisture during the winter months. When the plants are put out a mixture of four parts of superphosphate and one part of sulphate of potash should be broadcast at the rate of 2oz per square yard, and raked in. If the ground has carried poppies before and there is a suggestion of collar rot a wise precaution is to work about a tablespoonful of powdered lime and sulphur, mixed, into the soil around each plant. Like Iceland poppies, cornflowers are perfectly hardy and should be sown in the open garden in soil that has been deeply dug. The seeds should be sown thinly, as the plants grow vigorously and take up a good deal of room. As seedlings they should be thinned to 12in apart, but the. final thinning will take place in the spring, as allowances must be made for winter casualties. The best kinds are double-flowering varieties, and the tj'pical blue is the most vigorous grower and 'prolific flowerer. There are now whites, pinks, purples and lilacs. * * * * r pHE control of weeds in lawns was dealt with in these colums recently. While sulphate of ammonia and sulphate of iron will also dispose of weeds on garden paths, this is rather extravagant, as these chemicals are valuWEEDS ON able fertilisers and PATHS. are in short supply. A home-made weed killer can be produced at trifling cost and will cope successfully with weeds on gravel and. shell paths. Place a quarter of a pound of arsenic and a similar amount of caustic soda in one gallon of water and boil the mixture until the liquid becomes clear. Pour this solution into bottles and take care to mark them "poison." For use, take a small cupful and pour it into a gallon of water, then spray the solution oh the path. Take care that the poison does not reach plant edgings or it may kill them. Salt, scattered on the path or used as a liquid, also acts as a weed killer.