GARDENING NOTES

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 March 1939, Page 4

GARDENING NOTES

IMPROVING the soil By "Wellwisher.” | The Summer season is Hie best time tor manuring, deep digging, or trenching; all ground from which spi nl. crops have been ri'inoveil can be improved in this way. Any kind Hint has become poor and worn out by successive cropping requires this .reutment. In all gardens <>i limited .ins. where lire land litis been cropped year a,ter year, thorough manuring and trenching - is absolutely necessary u, admit of cropping being carried on uccessivcly. When the ground is simply turned over at the same depth limo after time, even if well manured, the surface soon becomes exhausted by cropping, while, a hard, unbroken crust is, formed immediately below shore the ground is dug. This crust can only be broken up by deepen working, hence the necessity lor tienching. The benefits of trenching can til ways bo seen in the future crops ,rown. The ground for gardens should lie broken up Io a depth of 2 feel if practicable, though much will depend upon the- nature of the .subsoil. The simplest method of trenching is to work the ground in sections so that the soil from the first trench taken oul is removed to the. most conviction!, place for filling up the last trench. The trench should be opened up al least 2 feet wide and the depth regulated according to the nature of the subsoil. Remember that the fertility of the soil turns greatly on the tillage, and proper digging has a great inilucnco. Annual weeds can he buried as the work proceeds, and perennial weeds can be forked out, dried and burnt. If the garden consists of good alluvial soil it may be brought to the surface; this done, another trench of the same width can be opened out, .he top spit, being turned over to take 11)0 place of the soil removed, ami the I ot.tom in its turn being forked up and tieaed the same as the first. Where ho subsoil is of a good friable nature, and good enough to allow the bottom pit. to bo brought to the. surface, the .irf.t. trench must then be taken out to its full depth, that is. at least two

• pa.des deep as well as having the Imltom of the trench well broken up and manured.

IMPORTANCE OF MANURE Liberal manuring' is important and the maintenance of the suflicienl and even depth and the proper utilisation of the manure are both matters worthy of consideration. Depth can be positively ensured by working on a .•'.ystematic. method and keeping a fairly large strip open. With respect, to applying the manure, the average gardener likes to spread it evenly on ihe ground at the rate of about three barrow loads per square rood, and turns it. under as he digs. The drawback to this plan is that loose greasy manure has to be trodden on continuously as the work proceeds. Perhaps a more congenial, method is to keep the manure in heaps and fork it into the trenches; by adopting this method all manure can be covered up and hidden from view and the birds will not be the same, nuisance in scratching over the seed beds in spring and autumn. Of course, for those who cannot procure farm manure their labour will be reduced by using artificial manure because is need onl?/ be dusted on the ground and dug in.

If the subsoil is of poor quality, it should in no case be brought to the surface, but should be deeply broken up and well manured. Once the soil is well broken up deep digging and after cultivation will soon bring tiie •übsoil into a fertile condition. One thing is certain that in soils that are deeply worked evaporation is prevented, enabling plants to better withstand the dry weather, as the roots naturally have a more extended sphere, enabling them to penetrate deeper into the soil in search of food and water. When the soil has been properly treated it becomes less exhausted by succeeding crops. The chief purpose in trenching is. to deepen the soil by breaking into the subsoil and improving that, as well as bringing pait of it at each operation of digging near the surface and amalgamating it. with the soil. EARLY CROPS In raising early crops, a. good deal depends upon the condition of the soil, and discretion must, be exercised .0 obtain the best results. Early crops naturally succeed better in soil of a light porous nature than in land of p. stiffer nature, and for this reason raised beds for the latter lurid of soil are still desirable. To grow crops successfully, there is no part of Die garden that requires more attention to manuring and cultivation thnn the vegetable garden. In a comparatively "mail garden especially, where succcssional cropping is practised

throughout the spring and summer months, the use of organic manures is essential if success is to be attained. Hood stable manure when obtainable is the best for this purpose, but failing this, green vegetable manure is an important and use’ul fertiliser, as is contains much organic matter in addition to other fertilising properties, when dug in while in the green irate. Ground that has become exhausted with cropping can (by sowing in heavy gieen crops in autumn and digging ii under during the winter tor early spring) bo in a. great measure renewed by this treatment. Materia! such as grass that is taken from the lawns, leaves, weeds and other vegetable refuse that often goes to waste would msist to add humus and food for future crops. Green crops should not be buried 100 deeply, or fermentation will tie delayed by the absence of air. toils naturally vary in character ami in the amount of manure required while plants too vary in their requirements.

In every instance, however, the soil mm-i be supplied with sufficient, food ■ n mmiire healthy growrli from the im<- ilm plants are raised until they are re >dy for use. Where weetls are burnt the dry ash should be scattered < venly over the ground, and I.his will add potash to the soil, whereas rhe green crops add nitrogen. A’itruto of soda win be used to ad vantage us it is t he. quickest at ting' of the nitrogenous manures in common two.