ENSURING GOOD CROPS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19508, 11 December 1926, Page 5 (Supplement)

ENSURING GOOD CROPS.

FIGHTING WEEDS. With a favourable change in the weather, there will be abundance of work in every department of the garden that will Deed attention. For some time past, owing to the excess moisture in the soil, it has been no easy matter to keep weeds under control, es-' pecially in land that has been manured and prepared for sown crops. Under such conditions, weeds invariably grow much more rapidly than most of the sown plants, and if neglected, soon extract much of the food provided for the crops. WEEDING AND THINNING. Weeding and thinning should be the first operation. Crops are often injured, and their growth severely checked, by being allowed to grow too large before thinning, whereas, by early trimming and allowing reasonable space for development, the plants take far 'less time to reach a stage of usefulness. From this time onward, during the hot summer months, the success attained will depend largely upon the treatment given to the soil. PRODUCING GOOD CROPS. In ground that has been well provided with humus, either by the free use of stable manure or other decayed vegetable matter, their should be little difficulty in producing healthy crops. Food, of course, plants must have, and if they cannot be supplied with the materials mentioned, artificial fertilisers, judiciously applied, can be used with advantage. Dp to the present, the season has been anything but favourable for early sown crops, peas and other vegetables most in demand at this season, being scarce and expensive. THE VALUE OF BEANS. Next to peas, the young, tender pods of dwarf and runnef beans are among the most popular ol summer vegetables for table use,, and by judicious sowing crops can be maintained throughout the summer, and at a time when peas aire often difficult to produce, lo maintain a supply, particularly wheio the tall, or runner varieties are not grown, sowings should be made at intervals of about 3 weeks.

RUNNER BEANS. Where scarlet or other free podding runners are grown, the sowing of the dwarf varieties need only to continue until the runners are ready for use. Two sowings of the latter made at an interval of about 4 weeks, should provide a supply until well into the autumn, providing they are sown in deeply worked, well manured ground, and provided with plenty of moisture. In small gardens, where space is limited, runner beans, ii sown around a circle about sft. in diameter, and trained to stakes or wire so as to form a pryamid, will provide sufficient pods for any ordinary household supply. CROPS TO SOW. In addition to sowing peas and beans, succession ai sowing should still be made of spinnach, beet, carrots, parsnips, sweet corn, ieek, garden swede, and also lettuce and other plants for salads. It is when the garden is well stocked with summer crops that growers are prone to? overlook the fact that sowing and planting is still necessary if a supply of vegetables is to be maintained. A SYSTEM OF ROTATION. ■ : - J In sowing or planting crops, a system of- rotating the varieties should be followed as much as possible. Certain plants fcak? from the soil certain essential elements, while others remove other essential elements, so that if the same crop is grown upon the same plot, year after year, the sou becomes exhausted of the food properties necessary for the complete growth of that, particular crop, and, unless the loss is made good, the crop most deteriorate as the soil robbing goes on. RESTORING ELEMENTS. The elements of fertility may be restored by the addition of fertilisers containing them, but the most economical way is by a systen of crop rotation. Some crops are deep rooting, others are surface feeders, while others have a root system, which feed;- both deeply and near the surface. A proper rotation ensures that all parts of the soil are drawn upon for their plant food. PLANTING LATE TOMATOES. Tomatoes can still be planted with every chance of success, while those earlie'r planted should be frequently looked over and ali side branches removed, and the main or leading stem tied to their supports. Cucumbers, melons, marrow, and pumpkin, that have been raised in the open, should be thinned out, leaving not more -tha,a three plants to each plot.