HOME GARDENING

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33064, 3 November 1972, Page 11

HOME GARDENING

>by

M. LUSTY

Adequate moisture essential for satisfactory crops

Although the warm conditions which have prevailed over the past few weeks are I conducive to growth, mois-i ture is essential as well. ' The very strong winds, thus have accentuated the dryness and the need for; adequate watering has be-| come most necessary, particularly in exposed positions. , However, to wait until the tell tale signs of wilting or I very slow growth become' fully evident is leaving it tool late. Growing plants should' not be allowed to receive] such a set back. Instead the| moisture level in the soil: should be maintained at an: adequate level by periodic! watering, as conditions die-, tate. Heavy, quick dousing; can be damaging in several ways and a light sprinkling is almost useless. The objective should be slow penetration to below the root zone of the plants. In this respect trickle irrigation is a very useful way of applying water to plants. This particular system of watering will be dealt with in a separate article on this page in due course.

Vegetable section Many vegetables have critical periods, from which time onwards sufficient water

at all times can greatly influ- p ence crop yields. From petal ii fall onwards such crops as i] i legumes (peas and beans), h potatoes, tomatoes and cucur-11 bits (cucumbers, marrows, 11 melons, squash and pumpkin) will readily respond to irriga[tion. Salad crops are now much iin demand. To maintain ‘ supply successional sowing of i such vegetables as spring ' onions, lettuce and radish > i should be made with the idea l|of growing them quickly and 11 using them whilst they have : still got their maximum freshl ' ness and tenderness. To i ensure supply meets demand at two to three • weekly intervals should be ; | made. I Endive provides a suitable ' alternative to lettuce and is ■particularly recommended • for those "places where birds : tend to cause a lot of damage. Although this plant has f been in cultivation for hun- . dreds of years it is still not fi widely known and grown, II particularly in this part of sjthe world. Two distinct 'varieties are grown — the

green curled and the broad leafed Batavian. Batavian endive is best cooked but can be eaten raw if blanched. This is achieved !by tying the leaves together lin a bundle above the roots. Curled endive can grow ■ into quite a large plant but as with the Batavian, is ! superior in quality if harvested before fully mature when it is also milder in flavour. In common with all salad crops, superior flavoured endive is only obtainable if grown without check and never allowed to suffer from ; dryness. I Early-sown onions will I begin to bulb up now and ■ care must be taken when I weeding or hoeing not to damage them. Where little or no growth has been evident | for a while a side dressing of (sulphate of ammonia or nitrate of soda can be given ias a booster. Sweet corn can be sown now even though it is susceptible to a late frost should : it occur. To assist in satisfactory pollination rows should be short and numerlous rather than long. Pumpkin choices

I The increasing diversity of I types of pumpkins and squashes now available will 'enable the growers of these

vegetables to pick and : choose for flavour, maturity period and for storage purposes. Some of the more out- ! standing varieties include Queensland blue, red warren, butternut and buttercup. Although the germination rate from seed of cururbits is high there is a growing tendency for gardeners to avail themselves of the well developed plants readily obtainable from nurseries, most of which have been grown in peat pots. It is a common but mistaken belief that any plant bought in a peat pot can be planted out as it is in the pot. It is most important to thoroughly soak the pot first and/or preferably to pull it apart before planting. Failure to do so could cause the death of the plant if the pot does not get sufficient moisture to eventually cause its disintegration.

Summer is still a month or two away yet and already it is time to be thinking about sowing the seed of winter brassica crops, which could be done towards the end of this month. Apart from making the usual sowings of successional winter cabbages and brussels sprouts, give consideration to the numerous other varieties available such as broccoli, curly kale and borecole. Failure to get these winter vegetables well established before the onset of less favourable weather is a main reason for indifferent crops.

The worst enemies of cabbage, cauliflowers and kindred types are aphides and caterpillars — predominantly the larvae of the cabbage winter butterfly, although the lesser known young of the diamond back moth are also responsible for much leaf damage. These pests must be destroyed immediately they are noticed. This applies particularly to newly set out plants which should be completely immersed in a lindane dip beforehand. Lindane can also be used on older plants as it is effective against both sucking and chewing insects. Alternatively menazon or maldison and carbaryl can be used against aphides and caterpillars respectively. Sprays are preferable to dusts.

The following seeds can be sown this month — beetroot, beans, borecole, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, cape gooseberry, capsicum, carrot, celeriac, cucumber, endive, kohlrabi, lettuce, marrow, parsley, peas, pumpkin, radish, salsify, silver beet, New Zealand spinach, spring onions, squash, sweet com, swedes, turnips. Plants of the following can be set out — artichoke, cabbage, capsicum, cauliflower, cucurbits, shallots, garlic, tomatoes, and silver beet. Kumera and potato tubers can still be put in, too.

Fruit section Grafts which have taken will be in full leaf now while those which have shown no sign of movement have failed. Lack of response from the scions is due to several things. (1) Poor scion wood which might have been dried out or dead at the time it was used. (2) Unsatisfactory grafting technique which resulted in a failure of cambial contact. (3) Poor sealing of the cut surfaces particularly around the graft which has led to subsequent drying out of both cambial surfaces of stock and scion. Examine the graft carefully to determine the cause of failure so that the same thing can be avoided next time. Watch for incidence of powdery mildew, particularly on apple trees. This disease can have a crippling effect on young shoots and becomes particularly prevalent during warm, dry weather periods. Apply benlate or karathane for control and protection.

Ornamental section be troublesome and have a habit of congregating around unopened buds which are difficult to spray unless care is taken. For this reason menazon, a systemic aphicide, is strongly recommended. However, it must not be used once the flowers have opened up. Disbudding is a task which encourages better quality blooms although it also reduces the number. The job must be done with care, especially if it is intended to exhibit, as points are lost if it is obvious where side buds; I have been growing. I Summer bedding displays! will have to be given priority. now if it is desired to achieye a timely display. Delay in planting out causes the plants to become drawn and yellow and when they are finally put out they often do not come away well. Gladioli should be growing up strongly during this month. Staking is advisable as they are easily broken off by strong wind. The support should go in behind the emerging flower spike where it will eventually be hidden by the developing plant. Tying must be done carefully to avoid constricting the stem. These plants are susceptible to thrips damage, as well as being hosts to aphides, so lindane may have to be applied. Bulbs which have finished ' flowering should not be lifted or have their foliage cut off as at this stage of the season they are busy storing up food for the following year. If the foliage looks untidy it can be bunched and tied but most definitely not removed.