THE VEGETABLE GARDEN

Evening Star, Issue 23189, 11 February 1939, Page 23

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN

Owing to the climatic conditions in and around Dunedin, wc can produce vegetables all the year round-, that is, if we keep our plots busy producing crops. . The ground should.be made to work full time. By sowing at intervals small quantities of seed the crops mature in 'succession and there is always a good supply on hand.: There is’ time yet to sow the following seeds for late-autumn use and mid-winter:—Turnip-rooted beet' (early varieties), silver beet, carrots (Early Krop and Early Horn). These carrots should be allowed to remain in the ground when matured, and can be pulled as required. In this way the flavour is retained.

Another important vegetable which should bo grown by every gardener is spinach. This valuable vegetable can be-grown in nearly every kind of soil if the drainage is right. To produce good, succulent leaves, plenty of wellrotted manure should be dug in, and when growing moisture overhead should be frequently applied. For cutting in succession sowings should be made at intervals of three to lour weeks. A packet of seed should sow about 40ft. VVe are told by the medical profession that no vegetable contains as much mineral salts as spinach. One of the most valuable of these salts is iodine, which is valuable for health reasons. There am several varieties on the market, but the following produce good crops in this district:—Monstrous Viroflay grows rapidly and produces very large dark green arrow-shaped leaves. This variety carries its crop over a long iperiod. Long-standing prickly is a very fine spinach, being dark green in colour and will carry its leaves for a longer period than any other kind. This variety contains more mineral salts than any of the others: One of the best for dry districts is the native spinach (New Zealand). This spinach is distinct from all others, as it will thrive and produce good crops where other varieties do not succeed. If the leaves are kept picked off. and plenty of moisture applied, this variety will crop for a considerable period. If the seed is soaked in hot water before sowing germination will tako place very quickiy. This variety should be sown in a border or a bed away from other vegetables, as the plants have a tendency to spread all over the ground.