THE VEGETABLE GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20172, 5 February 1929, Page 15

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN.

lifting the potato crop.

r.y f.s.ts. Tho comparatively thy period during the last threo or four -weeks lias had the effect of causing the main potato crops to ripen off. These will require to be lifted very so6n and stored. Somo crops ■will be ready for harvesting sooner than others, but tlic state of the haulms should help the gardener to know when to start the work. As soon as the majority of the tops have dried off it -jnav l»c concluded that tlic crop is mature. Where tho plants have been badly blighted during the last stages of their growth tho crop should bo lifted before th; fungus passes down the stalks to the tubers. Generally tho potato crops have done fairlv well this year, as comparatively jittle blight was in evidence. The yield this season will, however, be dependent mi the provisions mado for a plentiful supply of food, ns other governing factors have been favourable. If a light crop is lifted, the grower will know that the plants were starved, which is an easy matter to rectify in any future season. Handiness of Fork.

The fork is the most suitable tool for lifting potatoes. It brings all the tubers to the surface and allows the soil to fall through tho prongs. There is also less damage done when- the operator chances to dig too near to tho plants. If one desires to select seed from the crop it will be necessary to place tho produce from each plant in a separate heap so that it may be seen at a) glance which are the most prolific yiclders. It is from the biggest heaps that the seed should be taken so that tho high-yielding characteristics will bo perpetuated in the next crop. Two persons can lift a crop of potatoes easier than one can alone. One can lift with the fork and the other can grasp the haulm and lift the whole clear of the row. The second person can be pulling the tubers off tho roots while the first is digging over the ground again. It may be necessary to fork the ground up two or three times before all the tubers are exposed. One cannot afford to neglect this thorough method for tho tubers which are exposed by it are usually of a fair size. The little " pig'' potatoes usually remain attached to the plant when it is pulled up first. Danger of Exposure. The tubers should not be left lying around longer than is necessary to dry them oft, for there is danger attached to this exposure. The potato moth may be fluttering around in plentiful numbers and these pests will lay their eggs on the tubers. Tho longer'they are exposed, the more chance there is of the tubers becoming infested when in store. Tho grubs, which are the caterpillars of the moth, burrow into the tubers and impart a " wormy" flavour to them.

On the other hand, it is necessary that the tubers be dried off properly or else they will be inclinerl to sweat 111 store. The best method of storage is the one mentioned in these columns some time ago when growers were advised to prepare a place iy readiness for the present time. This consists of boxes about 12in. deep in which tho potatoes are placed -and covered over with fine soil which has been dried thoroughly. The boxes should preferably be placed in a rather, dark place so that, should any tubers be left exposed accidentally, they will not become green. There are certain tubers which should not be put in store with the general lot on account of their liability to rot. Blighted tubers, i.e., those which are jkffecte'd with Irish blight, should be left with the pig potatoes as they will rot in store and are useless in any case 011 account of the blight having spoiled their flavour. Others which should not be stored are those tubers which were pierced by the fork. These should be nut aside for immediate use.

Need for Clearing Up. Iter nil the pood tubers have been stored and the pig potatoes gathered up there stiil remains something to be done, and this is an important part of the work. It includes the clearing up of the plot, a very necessary procedure, especially •where blight was prevalent toward the end of the season. The haulms should all he gathered up and burnt, in order to destroy the spores of the" fungous pest. This should be done whether blight was present or not, for to leave the haulms 011 the compost heap means providing a harbourage for any pest of the potato family.

The ground should then be dug over so that any remaining tubers may be brought to the surface. The digging will also leave the ground in readiness for the next crop, which may not be put in for a short while. As a rule it is a good plan to grow root crops in ground from which a potato crop has been taken, as the soil will be loosened to a fair depth and the fertiliser, if any, which is left over will bo the right kind for root; crops.

THE ONION CROP

PREPARING BULBS FOR STORE. The harvesting of the onion crop is usually carried out about this time, and a word or two concerning the matter will doubtless be acceptable. In the first place it may be said that good judgment is necessary in order to determine whether the produce is ready or not. If the onions have not yet ripened off they should be bent over and after ten days or so pulled and allowed a few days in which to dry off. After tlii* they should be gone over and stripped 1 eforc being stored. A moderately blunt knife should be used for stripping. The necks of the bulbs should be scraped between the knife and the thumb, beginning at Ihe base and squeezing toward the tips. The old leaves may be topped off at any length that is convenient for the method of storage. The stripping is necessary in order to squeezo as much moisture as possible out of the necks. It also removes a lot of loose skin from (lie bulb and allows the necks to dry up. During the stripping operations ail the. onions with inoist necks should be placed aside to be allowed a few extra days in which to dry off. One method of storing onions consists of placing them in an outhouse on a wire netting rack. The conditions in J,he outhouse should, of course, be comparatively cool. If this method be used the necks should be cut off short during tlie stripping operations. If. however, the grower desires to make? a rope of the onions the necks should be left longer. The practice of lying the bulbs together by the neck into a rope is fairly common, but it entails a little more labour than the former method. Strong string is used to gal her the bulbs together and a rope cons sts of about twenty lairsized onions. It is an easy matter to suspend a rope of onions from the roof •>f an outhouse or shed, where the air can circulate freely around them. The free circulation of air among onions in store will help to preserve them. The batch of spring-sown onions will not be ready for harvesting for a while yet. ■i he plants should be encouraged to continue growth as long as possible in order that the bulbs may develop to the maximum size before ripening off. The spring lot naturally has less chance of growing to a gocd size as it has several months' handicap. / Where (he spring nop lias been grown jutli the idea of providing suitable onions tor pickling, however, it is an entirely different matter. Those bulbs which have not, grown too big should have their growth stopped by bending the leaves over, while the larger ones may be allowed to grow on.