Nothing To Be Gained From Premature Planting

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32031, 4 July 1969, Page 6

Nothing To Be Gained From Premature Planting

Unless one h«s a favourably situated vegetable garden there is little if anything to be gained from sowing or planting virtually any kind of vegetable crop for about another four or five weeks. The usual outcome of premature sowing or planting under local conditions at this time of the year, often prompted by a few misleading warm days, is a loss of seed through rotting in cold wet soils. Plants just seem to “sit” and when they do finally move bolting is often the result As has been mentioned many times on this page the use of various forms of soil covers will greatly facilitate soil usage over the unfavourable winter months and crops can thereby be advanced many weeks.

When seasonal conditions again permit full scale activities there is usually a frantic weekend rush to get things done, and many ideas and resolutions cast aside in an effort to get a quick start. There are several items of considerable importance which individually and collectively can help to achieve better results and in various ways also add interest to the raising of crops. The incorporation of organic matter, preferably in a well rotted state and well in advance of seed sowing and planting, helps to build up and maintain the soil structure. Greater moisture reten* tiveness, better drainage and Increased bacterial activity are but some of its additional advantages in the soil. Ideally, it is best applied just as soon as a plot becomes vacant in autumn so that it can be turned in when digging. Fresh or partly broken-down organic matter can and does rob the soil of the very source of its nutrients. Later applications can, in addition to depleting the ground in the same way, induce forking of root crops. Crop Rotation

Crop rotation, a procedure whereby crops of different nature follow each other, should be regularly maintained. In this way the ground is not taxed for particular nutrients and at the same soil level year after year without a break.

In many instances it also assists to reduce build-up or carry over certain diseases and also, but to a lesser degree, pests. Rotation alone will not achieve what rotation plus manuring will attain, while without some rotation regular applications of fertilisers will not achieve the same results from the crops. Crops of the same family preferably should not follow each other. Fibrous and tap rooted plantings are best alternated. Again, some crops are far more demanding in their nutrient requirements than others and in consequence remove more from the soil in which they are grown—cabbage and potatoes are two examples and succession of Ruch is best avoided.

As there is considerable variation between localities and even from garden to garden as regards soil, climatic effects, etc. a notebook to record such details as when

’ seed is sown, plantings, [ emergence, date of maturity . and final harvest and also perhaps yield, together with ' supplementary details such ias sprays used, and when, ; and weather, will in time provide a veritable fund of information for reference. Trials can also enable the ; ideal vegetable cropping pro- ! gramme for one’s garden to be drawn up. Of course it must be realised right from the start that it is important to be accurate and complete with such notes; haphazard methods at any stage soon render such a project quite useless. Planting Rhubarb During this month rhubarb can be planted. It is a longterm vegetable and the ground should therefore be thoroughly prepared and plenty of organic matter incorporated in the process. Established plants should be lifted every four to five years if they have been well looked after If healthy, they can be split up for replanting. Otherwise it is more expedient to buy new crowns which are readily available from most nursuries now. When planting set the crowns just below ground level as the plants tend to rise the longer they remain in the one place. Very little or no picking at all should be done in the first : year for best results. It is a crop which suffers from few pests and diseases and is one that is most responsive to side dressing of fertiliser « before, during and at comple- ; tion of, harvesting.

Asparagus is another longterm crop which, with adequate management, can have a useful life of 20 years, (or even longer). Although appetites for this vegetable vary, 24 to 30 plants should meet the needs of a family of four. One-year-old crowns are best although it is possible to use older plants or even to grow them from seed. Again there is a tendency for the plants to rise upwards over the years and for this reason they are planted a minimum of 6in below soil level in heavy soil and Bin deep in light land. The roots of the crown should be spread out on a small mound of soil on the bottom of the formed trench. Care should be taken to avoid air pockets and only half the quantity of soil put back to cover the individual crowns set 18in apart. As the shoots emerge they should be gradually covered up until the top is reached. As the young plants are susceptible to frbst damage, straw can be used to give added protection over the initial period of growth. No cutting should be contemplated of the first year’s growth and only a limited number of spears taken in the second one. From the third year on a full season’s harvest usually commencing in October, and finishing in early, to mid-December is in order.

Chives, garlic and shallots can now be planted. These are three most useful plants to have, not only as possible substitutes for onions but also to provide a slightly different flavour to food.

Shallots are actually much easier to grow than onions and are more delicately flavoured. As it grows it divides into a cluster containing maybe 15 or more seg-

, meats. Allow 6in to 9in between plants. Garlic is ideal for flavour- , ing and seasonings though it may not appeal to everyone. , It is surprisingly hardy and tolerant of below average conditions, although responsive to nutrient rich soils. Close spacing—2in apart is recommended. Chives are easy to grow and ideal for adding to sandwiches. However regular cutting is most necessary, even if the “grass” is not used, to avoid rankness. Space the clumps 12in apart. Seed potatoes shoud be set out in trays to green and harden the tubers. This procedure also induces sprouting and thereby helps to eliminate weak samples. Choose a light, airy, cold but frost free place. Fruit Section Pruning, planting and the application of a clean-up spray are the tasks confronting would-be orchardists for this month. Fruiting subjects when purchased are rarely if ever pruned to shape. It is therefore most necessary to attend to this task if it has not already been done. In every case shaping is the vital requirement to build up a strong framework capable of adequate carrying and supporting maximum crops with ready accessibility to permit cultural attention and facilitate picking.

Winter oil is a suitable general purpose spray to apply to all deciduous fruiting subjects to dispose of lichens, red mite eggs and scale insects. Lime sulphur is an evil smelling substitute of even wider properties as it is a very good fungicide as well. It should not be mixed with any oil sprays. The presence of woolly aphides requires the use of lindane. While in the process of pruning, good healthy one-year-old shoots of named varieties can be retained for making cuttings or grafting purposes later on. Black and red currants and gooseberries are particularly easy to strike from hardwood cuttings but there is a difference in how they are made. Black currants are grown as a stool and the fruiting wood is replaced each year. In consequence all buds on the cub ting are retained. Red and white currants are best grown on legs or a short stem to raise them off the ground. Therefore it is necessary to rub out all but the top four buds. In all cases cutting is to a bud immediately above (tip) or below (heel), a bud. Grafting material should be selected from pencil thick, disease and pest-free one year old shoots from both pip and stone fruit It should be labelled and bundled up intact immediately until required. A moist shady but frost-free plot of soil is as good a place as any to heel them in. Alternatively they can be retained in a polythene bag and stored in a refrigerator. Suckers from raspberries provide a good means of replenishing existing stock. Again only sound canes should be utilised, but equally important is a good root system on them. Ornamental Section

Indiscriminate, unskilled and ignorant pruning of orna-

mentals is often evident. There are far too many plants to give individual advice oh each one, but the many excellent horticultural publications available now will usually yield the desired information. The manner in which most shrubs are pruned is largely dependent on when they flower. Some are best done immediately after flowering such as forsythias. Others are left until winter, for instance Buddleia. Again there are plants which carry their blooms on new season’s growth, roses for instance, and these must be given very heavy annual pruning. Many evergreens, such as specimen conifers, rarely require cutting and either resent it or can thus be mis-shapen. However, in all cases, irrespective of the kind of plant, diseased, badly placed or damaged limbs should always be promptly sawn or pruned off. Suckers should also be pulled out before they crowd out the specimen.

As in the vegetable garden the condition of the soil will greatly influence the amount of activity possible in the ornamental section.

Cloches can again play a more than useful role, in protecting and forwarding bulbs, especially where the intention is to have cut flowers from them. Daffodils, tulips and freesias immediately spring to mind in this respect It is also possible to have gladioli flowering by November either by starting them in this way or by planting them in a suitably warm, sheltered and well drained part of the garden.

The planting of trees and shrubs can continue whenever soil conditions permit. Small gardens necessarily restrict choice very much and unless very slow-growing specimens are selected very careful thought should be given to incorporating any tall growing specimens in confined areas.

Many ornamentals, in particular deciduous subjects, will be found to suffer from similar ailments to those found on fruiting stock, such as mites, scales and lichens in particular. Similar chemicals can be used on them. However evergreens must on no account be treated with winter oil as it is too heavy and will block the breathing pores on the leaves. Summer or white, oil should be applied instead. Louisiana, Japanese and Siberican irises can be lifted, divided and replanted now. Seed or half-hardy annuals such as marigolds, zinnias and asters can be sown in the glasshouse now providing that it is possible to transplant them to a sheltered area of the garden when ready and hardened off. Hardy annuals and perennials present less of a problem. Delphiniums, violas and pansies, are but some which can be started off now.

Where heat is available chrysanthemum cuttings may be put in. Asparagus fern, tuberous begonias, cyclamen, gloxinias and streptocarpus can all be sown now. A thin layer of finely sifted soil will suffice as a covering for these very small seeds which are frequently left uncovered by many plant raisers. The tray or pot holding them should be covered with a sheet of glass.