Plenty To Be Done In September

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31154, 2 September 1966, Page 6

Plenty To Be Done In September

Generally, the weather has permitted gardening throughi out the winter to be coni tinued without the customary ; delays so common for this | time of the year. Work should Ibe well in hand, enabling everything to be tackled at the right time. Vegetable Although occupiers of land lin warmer areas will un- ; doubtedly have already sown (several kinds of vegetable : seeds, many of which will posi sibly be well advanced seedlings by now, for most of us i sowing will just begin. . I As usual one is faced with ! the predicament of last year’s seed remnants and whether or not so sow them because of the risk of germination failure. Various factors enter (into the viability or otherwise of such seed. Much depends on how old it is, how it has been stored and whether pests have had access to it. Some indication of seed viability can be got from the 'I following list: Cucurbits i (pumpkins, cucumber, etc.), (4-5 years: cabbage. cauliflower, brussels sprouts. 4-5: years; parsnips, onions, sweet corn, 1-2 years: lettuce, tomato, 4-5 years: carrot, asparagus, leek, peas, beans, 2-3 years. Seed sowing also raises the j question of how much space (to allot to each vegetable. (This, of course, can be ini itially governed by the size of the vegetable plot and the family ’ preferences. Therel after the endeavour should be to maintain a succession of sowings so that, theoretically at least, as one crop finishes the next is reaching maturity. Use of Manure Lately there have been a number of gardeners’ queries (concerning maturity failures j of certain vegetables, especially brussels sprouts, and all ! have been connected with the use of organic manures or compost. These materials should preferably be applied in a decomposed state in advance of the main sowing or planting programme. Fresh manure can cause foliage burn and also a temporary nitrogen deficiency in the soil as it utilises available nitrates to aid in its own breakdown. Decomposed manure on the other hand contains the mineral elements, so essential for satisfactory plant growth, in a more available form and in greater concentration than fresh manure. If it is properly prepared, there is little danger of damage through scorching, or nitrogen starvation due to competition of the microorganisms contained and crop plants for nitrates. Harvest Root Crops It is at this time of the year, as seed sowing begins once more, that there is little variety left to harvest. Root crops remaining should now all be pulled, up. Even if they have retained much of their original flavous and succulence they will soon commence secondary growth. Broad beans should be kept well weeded and given early support before they are flattened by wind. Watch for the presence of black aphides which will quickly overrun them if left to themselves—malathion or menazon are examples of suitable controls which could be used. Spring cabbage, lettuce and cauliflower will benefit greatly from a side dressing of nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia, a small pinch sprinkled around, not on, each plant, will suffice.

Silver beet also is likely to derive benefit from similar treatment. This vegetable is often considered to be the same as spinach when in actual fact they belong to different families and are quite dissimilar in taste. Silver beet is higher yielding and withstands summer conditions better. Spinach is quicker yielding and primarily a cool weather plant. New Zealand spinach is yet again of another family and not a spinach at all. It (is a sadly neglected vegetable. Though not as hardy as spinach it thrives in hot weather and could profitably be sown later in spring. Birds find silver beet irresistible at the moment, and at the same time every year they literally shred existing plants then suddenly leave them alone. Bird Problem

The bird problem varies from place to place, but as yet 1 have not seen an effective and simple means of keeping them off our plants. Cotton, wire netting, bottle caps, tin foil, are but some of the many well tried homemade methods, whilst the trade offers such devices as thin metal strips which “glitter and bang” when moved by the wind and also a netting made of material which enables it to be wrapped up in a small packet yet unfold to cover a surprisingly large area. As potatoes and asparagus shoots are frost tender these should be earthed up on cold nights over the next few weeks.

Seeds which can be sown this month include asparagus, beetroot, carrots, cabbage, cape gooseberry, cauliflower, celery, celeriac, endive, kohl rabi. leeks, lettuces, onions, parsley, parsnips, peas,

potatoes, radish, rhubarb, salsify, scorzonera. silver beet, spinach, turnips. Cucurbits and tomatoes can be sown under glass and plantings of artichokes, cabbages, chive, lettuce, onions, spring onions and silver beet can also be made. Fruit

With the dormant season over it will not be long before fruiting subjects are in leaf and blossom and spraying once again becomes a regular chore. However blossom time presents a danger period when insecticides must not be used because of the likelihood of poisoning bees. Applying insecticides to trees in full or part flower will not only kill visiting bees but also cause death among those in the hives to which infected nectar is carried. Their movement in the orchard during this period is essential, for without them there may not be a fruit set, although of course there are many natural factors involved in this aspect too. Grafting

It is not too early to prepare for grafting, a task which should be tackled just as the sap is beeinning to rise into the tree’s framework. Bv grafting, space can be saved, perhaps allowing for another kind of fruit to be grown for suitable pollinators can be grown on the same rootstock or several varieties of the same kind of fruit. It is necessary for the scion wood to be fuliy dormant and, if reworking a tree completely to another variety, to leave at least one leader uncut so that the grafts do not draw too much sap which ■would result in rather weak growth. Weeds tend to grow among berry fruit, often overgrowing them and thus robbing the soil of moisture and plant nutrients and generally -locking unsightly. A clean up at this stage by hand and hoe. followed by a good mulch of well-rotted sawdust, or old straw, will help to alleviate the problem. Alternatively, or as well, pre-emergence weedkillers could be applied to established canes and bushes. These substances, although expensive and as yet not available in very small packets, will , give

surprisingly good results on annual weeds for up to and even more than six months if properly applied. They will not suppress perennials or established plants.

Ornamental Sowing, and resowing, of lawns can be done now. recent weather conditions having been helpful for initial preparations, too. Bare patches on existing lawns should be forked over, removing weeks in the process, and firming well before resowing. Areas that were not sown down in autumn should be well but not deeply worked over, firmed by treading, given a final smoothing over with the rake before dividing into manageable strips of known area, and sowing. As the early flowering bulbs finish blooming remove the spent heads but do not remove the leaves. Some, such as gladiolus corms, can now be planted. Herbaceous borders will need preparing in readiness for planting. A good border involves a considerable amount of work but, well planned and carefully maintained it is always a major attraction in any garden. As herbaceous plants are gross feeders organic matter should be liberally forked into the ground. In planning the layout some points should be observed. Taller plants should be kept to the backs of borders or the centre of beds. Allow sufficient room between plants to give access for staking and tying, etc. Include two or three foliage plants here and there to give height and contrast. Mark the positions beforehand. For summer bedding schemes the following are some of the seeds which could be sown now: ageratum, alyssum, balsam, calendula, celosia, cineraria, delphinium, verbena, salvia and tropaolum.