THE GARDEN.

Northern Advocate, 29 September 1920, Page 1

THE GARDEN.

EARTHING UP GROWING CROPS

The practice of giving additional supplies of fresh earth to the roots of growing crops is of considerable value when properly carried out, and ,for the information of those who have not had much experience in the matter it would be just as well to make some seasonable remarks on the subject. The value of earthing up all growing crops is only to be .measured by th c subjects under cultivation, and the purpose for which £hey are required, as, for, instance the value of repeated applications of some fine dry earth, gently shaken over small seedlings at this time of the yeai-, such as the seed-beds of the fbrassica tribe, can never be estimated at its proper value except by those who have worked it out in previous years, as very few will credit the stout plants it creates, to say nothing of the increasing number of young rootlets that are formed by encouraging young shoots to spring forth higher up the stem. This is 'more especially in stiffish clayey soils Where the young plants hav e nothing 'beneath them to induce a downward tendency to roots. These remarks apply with equal force to the same plants when removed to quarters. Spring planted cauliflowers, for inistance, are greatly benefitted by the addition of some fresh soil drawn up to their roots two or three times during their active season of growth. Th e same may be said of the autumn and spring .planted cauliflowers and cabbages, and indeed, of any of that •class that are supported 'by a stem only a few inches high, for besides encouraging a greater root action the additional supply of earth serves to steady them against the wind, and prevents that rocking that all such plans ar e subject to if there is not enough weight against the stem to keep them firm and in their -proper place. Peas are greatly benefitted by constant earthing as it serves during th e hot weather to prevent 'evaporation that would otherwise take place. All kinds of 'beans will 'keep on bearing longer if they receive two or three fresh earthings during the season of growth, but the most successful of all 'crops that we have dealt with was vegetable marrows. This delights in fresh soil and in fact does much the best when about every three feet of the stem is layered, as it were, and a good 1 shovelful of earth placed* on e ach joint. Cucumbers and pumpkins are strengthened in this way, especially when they have 'been in bearing some time, and it is well known that when water melons are grown in ordinary frame beds the young fruit swells much faster when the fruiting .shoot was covered with earth than when exposed to the direct action of the sun. Tomato growers all know that it is most useful to the young ■plants to have roots well up 'the stem and therefore before they are ready to put their plants out in the ground they fill the boxes right up to the top level with nice fine soil to induce roots to form on th e P a ?t that is covered. This is not a new thing by any means, but is one that that has been in use for many years. Try it for yoμrself you will goon (find that th e improvement is so good that you will always do it.

So much for the vegetable section of the garden, there are plants, in the flower section that benefit equally with this treatment, Stocks and asters ai'g improved if the stems are earthed up once a fortnight while they ar c making their growth, so alao iare all the 'border annuals if .previously thinned out, and about two .sprinklings of fine earth shaken j round their roots; it will do more ! good than four times would do. In early spring old strawberry beds, When the crowns have risen above- thy soil, receive a fresh stimulus if somerich fine soil is laid round their roots, j The same may be said of rhubarb. A man who does these things has not ,so much to fear from mildew or rust as on c who does not take these ordinary precautions and it is a sure preventative against their getting long-legged and spindly. Last year ;an experiment was tried with soma .radishes that were being grown in ta fram e for early use, and it was .found that thos« that were earthed up were much the best for the pur,pose that they were intended. A little sifted wood ash was worked into the t soil and it was at once seen where this had been used by their better icolour and growth.