THE HOME GARDEN

Hutt News, Volume 17, Issue 18, 29 September 1943, Page 7

THE HOME GARDEN

WORK IN THE HOME GARDEN FOR OCTOBER In vegetable production as well as general agriculture, there are certain basic principles concerning the soil, which at all times should be observed. As healthy nutritious crops cannot be grown upon impoverished soil, it is necessary for those engaged in vegetable production to take every precaution to ensure that the best possible environment is provided for the crops which may be grown. This has been recognised by agricultural authorities in Great Britain, who have this season decided to return to pasture considerable areas of the farming lands previously broken up and used for the production of vegetables. Increase Production More and still more vegetables are considered necessary to enable the Government to meet the probable* immediate and future ments, This means—in the home garden—that production must be substantially increased so that consumer demand ; shall be lessened upon whatever supplies of vegetables may be available. Aowards achieving this, additional efforts to increase vegetable production must be made, and, if pi*acticable, more land brought under cultivation. As previously stated, laws may be temporarily utilised, and there is no doubt that many of these would show subsequent improvement by a change for a short period, to cultivated crops. A special appeal is made to the home gardener to maintain, and, if possible, increase his tomato production of the previous season. As dependence to any appreciable extent on surplus market supplies may result in disappointment, every effort should be made to produce sufficient tomatoes for family requirements, and, perhaps, scane to spare. October, generally, is the month when planting for outside production begins. Many gardeners consistently meet disaster by taking the risks which are always associated with early planting. If plants have not been grown at home, those which it is intended to buy, and which may be exposed for sale, Should be closely observed for the following points: 1. They should be standing erect in the boxes, in dark coloured soil, which should be absolutely free from weeds —enquire whether the soil has been sterilised, if it has, so much the better. 2. The plants should not be less than 6! to 8 inches tall. 3. The foliage must be healthy green colour, free from disease, particularly small yellow, rusty spots, and moist dark patches; nor must the leaf edges be dark coloured and shrunken. 4. The plants v should be closely examined from the base to a height of at least 3 inches. At soil level the stems should be a dark purple colour which, as it extends upwards, should gradually become paler, until ultimately it emerges with the natural green colour of the plant. This particular characteristic will determine the degree of "hardening off" to which the plants have been subjected The absence of purple colouring on the stems will indicate that the plants have not been properly "hardened off" and consequesvly may not be vigorous enough to withstand the changed conditions which will obtain after they have been transplanted. This condition is likely to exist if the plants are overcrowded in the seedling box in which they have been grown. Vegetable Marrows. Preparations for sowing seeds of this early gourd may now be made. A hole 12 inches deep and 8 inches wide may be dug and half filled with some well rotted stable or farmyard manure. After treading this down to a firm condition the hole should be filled with some good friable loam and levelled off. Into the soil and around the edge of where the hole j was dug 8 seeds should be pressed ! 2 inches deep and covered with some I properly made compost —if available A mixture of soil and moist sand will also be suitable. When the seeds have germinated, only four plants—the strongest —should be permitted to grow. "Long White f ßush" or ''Long Green Bush aie the varieties recommended for growing in the home garden. These do not produce trailing vines, but grow like a bush under which the fruits develop, and, properly cared for, will provide excellent croppers. The remarks relating to vegetable marrows are appropriate for all gourds—pumpkin and squash except that lor these a larger hole in the soil should be dug. No seed of these varieties should be sown until danger of frost is past. Varieties recommended are: Pumpkins, "Triumble" and "Queensland Blue"; squash, "Warren" (early), "Golden Hubbard" (main crop). Potatoes During the prevalence of humid weather conditions a sharp lookout should be kept for the appearance of late blight on the foliage. The disease is easily distinguished by the appearance on the leaves and stems of the plants of dark, water-soaked spots that soon develop into a condition that will threaten the whole

(By D. K. Pritchard, Instructor of Vegetable Culture, N.Z. Department of Agriculture, who writes for the Horn© Gardeners' column in the "N.Z. Journal of Agriculture. >

crop with destruction. If preventative measures have not been taken, the plants should be well sprayed with Bordeaux mixture as soon as the disease is observed. Provided immediate action is taken, the spread of the disease to unaffected plants may be prevented. If, however, the disease appears to be spread over the whole drop, the foliage should be cut off at surface level and destroyed by burning. The tubers, if not dug immediately, are best kept well covered with soil. This will prevent greening which would render them unfit to eat, and will protect them from the depredations of the potato tuber-moth. Rhubarb During the present month, September, supplies from the summer varieties should be available. As har vesting proceeds, it is advisable to remove only the mature stalks. The removal of short, undeveloped growth is unprofitable, neither is the full value of the product being obtained. At all times it should be remembered that this plant is a gross feeder, and one which it is hardly possible to over-supply with fertilising agents. Applications of organic manures are specially recommended, and, in addition, rich humus-forming material. During active growth, liquid manure, applied after copious watering, is recommended. Spring Cabbage Harvesting of the autumn-planted bed of spring cabbages should be nearly completed by the end of October, and the area of the garden which it occupied would probably be suitable for a bed of leeks. If this is contemplated, and well-rotted stable or farmyard manure is available, a heavy application should be made and dug in as soon as it is convenient to do so. When digging is completed the soil may be allowed to remain fallow until required ior setting out the young leek plants.' Peas To assist in the prevention of the development of mildew and slug damage through periods of wet conditions, it is desirable to have the early sown dwarf varieties banked as high as practicable. The pods should be picked just as soon as they fill out. Neglect of this will result in the development of the remainder of the crop being restricted through the vines becoming stunted in growth. Beans Preparations may be made for an early sowing of a dwarf -variety. The best of these that can be recommend ed is "The Prince" Danger oi frost however, should b& considered puat before the seed is actually put Into the ground. Action otherwise niuy lead to disappointment, as this crop is particularly sensitive to extremely cold conditions, and frost will destroy young or matured vines. Onions During the recent periods of wet weather onion seedlings will have been difficult to keep entirely free from weed growth, and few plants will suffer more from weed competition for plant food. The early development of the bulbs may have been prevented by the undesirable weather conditions experienced, and should this have occurred liquid manure will assist to bring th 6 growth back to normal. This, however, may easily be overdone, as excessive nitrogenous stimulation of bulb growth will destroy their keeping qualities when maturity has been reached. Weeds should be consistently destroyed, and this may be effectively done by shallow hoeing between the rows. CAeiieral Work September and October will be very busy months for those gardeners who are desirous of ensuring adequate supplies of green vegetables for autumn winter. Seeds of most late-maturing varieties will require v to be sown and preparations made to follow on with root crop seeding. For several months following September seeds of peas and beans, with succession of silver beet, lettuce, radish, turnips, and spring onions may still be sown. A second and a third setting of tomato plants must not be overlooked. If the vacant spring cabbage area is being used for leeks, the space occupied by the early spinach bed may be utilised for the main crop of tomatoes. Likewise, when harvesting of summer cabbage is completed the space can be utilised for a late setting of tomato plants.

By this succession of planting the areas previously occupied by spring and summer cabbage will be cropped leaving other valuable parts of the garden free for the autumn and winter brassicas, which will be so necessary for family use.