Work For December

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30924, 3 December 1965, Page 8

Work For December

The recent spell of fine weather has, I hope, come to stay and perhaps there will also be less wind, thus giving plants generally a chance to grow unhindered. Warm conditions, however, necessitate more regular watering, which should be done thoroughly when required.

Most of the cultivated plants in our gardens, especially fruits and vegetables, respond to it and react not only to dryness but also to spasmodic applications.

Requirements of individual plants differ, soils vary in their retentive capacities and prevailing weather conditions are constantly changing. Together they influence the amount of water that it is necessary to apply. For this reason there can be no prescribed set of rules as to when and how much to water. There are various methods and instruments available, such as tensiometers, which will indicate moisture levels in the soil but a rough assessment can be made by squeezing a handful of soil from one to two inches below ground level. If it is too dry it will fail to hold together at all. When watering apply evenly and thoroughly, rather than a little and often. At this time of the year thoughts will tend to diwell on holidays and the usual reminder is given concerning prior attention to various aspects in the garden, as it is surprising just how out of hand things can get even during a fortnight’s absence. VEGETABLES = Watering will play a most important part in the vegetable garden and can particularly boost leguminous crops if applied with foresight once flowering begins. In con-

juction with watering one associates liquid manuring,

almost a necessity to boost much battered and slowmoving crops this year. Some proprietary liquid foods are

very good and there is considerable response from •treated plants. They should be used strictly in accordance

with the makers’ instructions and not with the thought that twice as much will give a similar result as usually something quite different occurs! As already stated, feeding should be undertaken in association with watering, for it should only be applied after the soil has been watered.

The cutting of asparagus, should be gradually tapered and completely halted towards the middle of the month, to allow for the building up of food reserves for next year. Fem-like growths will already have commenced to appear and from now until April these will continue to grow. As they turn yellow they must be cut down and removed. Weed control should be attended to now and an application of Weedazol T-L may be necessary to dispose of tenacious perennials, such as twitch, which can rapidly take over such an area. Immediately after picking, too, a heavy top dressing of organic matter will prove most beneficial. Tomatoes have not bad the most favourable growing conditions and, although there has so far been an absence of late frosts replanting has still been necessary, particularly because of the very windy conditions. Regular attention to their needs from now on is the only way to ensure adequate crop returns and such matters as pruning or side shooting of staked plants, staking and tying, mulching of dwarf types, watering, feeding, pest and disease control, will certainly occupy a little time. Late blight is one disease which frequently gives trouble at this time of the year and a copper spray, zineb or dithane, at 10-day intervals will give protection where it is, or has been, prevalent. Beans will undoubtedly figure prominently in most gardens and weed control, watering and pest control are vital factors in raising heavycropping plants. Aphids and mites rapidly retard growth if not checked. Malathion may be effective for both, although Kelthane or chlorocide is more advisable to use against the latter. It is a good idea, if growing climbing beans, to nip off the terminal growths when the vines are about three feet high as this will induce greater flowering from the lower regions. It

is sometimes repeated when they are another two feet higher. Early celery, such as white plume or golden selfblanching, could well be planted out towards the end of the month. Thorough preparation of the ground, to which ample organic matter has been added well in advance, must be undertaken but setting out in trenches is not necessary as they will grow just as well on the flat. Seedlings should be well watered before planting out but as they are liable to bolt if given a check, especially the earlier varieties, it is better to refrain from planting until after the holidays if you intend to go away for a while. Wilting is also a common occurrence in planting is done in hot weather conditions and either a delay until evening, or the first cloudy day, is preferable. Apart from keeping an eye open for pest and disease attacks, weeding, hoeing, watering and successional sowings of salad crops and beans are other features of the month’s work.

The following seeds can be sown this month:—Beans, beetroot, cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, endive, kohlrabi, lettuce, peas, parsnip, radish, silver beet, spinach and swedes. Cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucurbits, endive, silver beet, lettuce and tomatoes can be planted. FRUIT SECTION Fruit-thinning, soft fruit harvesting, watering and spraying are probably the major preoccupations in this section. Many young fruit trees, bushes and brambles will be coming into fruit for the first time and, although there is available on the market a fruit set inhibitor, the most usual procedure in the home garden is either to remove unwanted blossom or pull off the tiny fruit. There should be no hurry to let any fruit trees bear during their first two or three years of existence in their permanent sites. As they are likely to remain in the same place for perhaps at least thirty years, consolidation of the root system and the building up of a strong framework of branches is of paramount importance and until such a stage has

been reached cropping should be regarded as secondary. After they have been in two or three years some fruiting may be permitted. (The amount left on can be gradually increased tat subsequent yean but win primarily ba

dependent on the vigour of each individual subject.) With berry fruit the position is different as many of them, such as black currents and raspberries, fruit on one-year-old wood only. The procedure with them is to avoid allowing them to bear fruit during the first year only and to let them fruit thereafter. Mature trees will also require to be thinned of excess fruit and this is particularly applicable with stone fruits, such as apricots and peaches, and grapes. Pears, with the exception of one or two late varieties, for example, winter cole, seldom require such treatment, but apples are generally the better for it. Regular picking of soft fruits will greatly assist in sizing up of immature fruit and is best done early in the morning before the sun has climed too high. Where chemicals are used, either for pest or disease control, check on the period of time which must elapse before treated fruit is again safe for consumption.

Two to three weekly interval spray schedules are still necessary on fruit trees if such troubles as codlin moth, leaf hopper, leaf roller, pear slug, black spot, mildew and brown rot are to be kept at bay. ORNAMENTALS Considerable damage will have been wrought on many ornamentals with the galeforce winds of the past weeks and stakes and ties should be checked, finned and retied if necessary.

Fresh growths from climbing plants will need tying in, too, so that they do not become broken or grow in the wrong direction. Old wistaria plants often benefit from shortening back of some long growths to within about six buds of the older wood as this helps to keep them more compact and frequently .induces close-growing flowering spurs. As soon as the brooms have completed their display of flowering they can be pruned by shortening back the spent shoots to within one or two inches of old wood; new growth will subsequently arise from these stubs.

Other spent spring flowering trees and shrubs such as deutzias, flowering currants and philadelphus should also be pruned now. Bearded irises respond to lifting every three years, and again this is a job that can be attended to now. Immediate lifting, dividing and replanting can be contemplated as soon as flowering is over as late replanting may delay flowering next year. In so doing avoid covering more than half the rhizome with soil and cut back the leaves by one third. Plant in a sunny, warm situation and add lime, if it has not been applied recently, and superphosphate to the soil. Long-established clumps of narcissi and tulips can likewise be lifted as soon as the tops have died down. However, only the healthier and best-looking bulbs should be retarded dried, dusted with D.D.T. and stored in a cool, dry and well-ventilated place until required.

Continue removing spent flower heads from annuals but use a pair of scissors or shears instead of pulling them off, as the latter method often causes the whole plant to come up out of the ground. Roses will need to be watched for continued occurrences of pest and disease troubles such as aphids and black spot. Spent heads should be removed by cutting back to a healthy bud as random cutting often leads to die back. New growth can be expected from this bud within a few weeks under satisfactory conditions.

Christhmas lilies always so popular at this time of the year will shortly be coming in to flower and as with most lilies required for decoration purposes they should be picked as soon as the bottom flowers open so that falling pollen does not spoil the appearance of the blooms. Progressive opening can be expected when picked at this stage and thereafter kept in a water-filled vase.

Layering of carnations can be done by splitting the stems down the centre some six inches from their tips and pegging them down into the soil with a fairly shallow covering of soil.

Pot plants will need a little more attention to their needs. Watering and liquid feeding may be increased, the former every few days before the soil gets dry and the latter at 10 to 14 day-intervals.

Propagation of fleshy-leaved plants, such as rex begonis and African violets, la worth doing this month and can be done quite easily by leaf cuttings. These should be taken from well grown leaves which are removed with one inch of stem and either laid flat and pegged down on sand after slitting the main veins with a blade, or else they can be plunged upright into the rooting medium. Humidity is essential for success and a polythene bag can be used for maintaining a reasonably constant level.

Continued regard for the need far water and ventilation are the prime factors in management of the glasshouse. Avoid dramatic flucteattooa aa much aa poMiMa,