SOWING AND PLANTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20254, 14 May 1929, Page 15

SOWING AND PLANTING.

METHODS DURING WINTER.

For fully eight months of tlio year it makes little, difference to tlio success of sowing or planting how particular one is in carrying out the operation. In the winter, however, the method makes all the difference. At. this time of the year ono must be most careful not to sow too deeply. It may bo accepted as a general rulo that the seed should be covered with not more soil than is equal to its diameter. Thus if tho seed is about, l-Biu. in diameter it should not be covered with more than l-Bin. of soil. The exceptions to this rule aro found among the larger seeds such as tho broad bean, bub it will be seen that it is not of such great importance in theso few cases. When planting during wet weather one must bo careful not to press tho soil around tho roots, for tho compacted soil does not allow tho air to get to tho roots and their development is retarded. Furthermore, on drying tho compacted soil will cake into a solid mass and hinder root action. NEW ZEALAND SPINACH. TOLL OF FUNGOUS DISEASE. Although in the last two or tlireo years the New Zealand spinach has become subject to (lie attacks of a certain fungous disease it is still worth while persevering with it. Some who havo not had experience of the disease have become discouraged, but this is a mistake for it may bo some years before one's garden becomes affected bv this disease.

Even where tlio crop has been attacked previously tho writer would not adviso the gardener to give up ifs culture altogether. A trial in a new piece of ground is advocated. Owing to tho habit of growth of I ha, plants and tho rough nature of the foliage spraying is out of the question. Giving the plot, a good dressing of sulphur before sowing or planting should help to ward off attacks of I ho disease. Although it is rather late for sowing now the seed may be still put in. 'lhe seed should be sown in the permanent bed as it is too lato to think of transplanting the seedlings. With winter approaching tho germination of seeds is naturally becoming slower and something should ba clone to assist the spinach seed to grow quickly. Soaking it in warm water for 10 hours before sowing will achieve the desired result. Tho water must bo*kept warm by changing it every now and then.

Tho soil should have been prepared thoroughly in readiness for tho seed. The provision of an abundance of food is one of the chief considerations, this matter being disposed of by working in somo compost. The plants which make a healthy grovyth have more chance of resisting disease than those which are backward in their development owing to a scarcity of food. The seeds should be sown in groups of about six at intervals of 2tt. along the rows which should be the same distanco apart. When the seedlings are advanced sufficiently they should bo thinned out to one phint to each interval. An alternative method of sowing consists of sowing in the ordinary way in a drill. Two or three thinnings will reduce the number of plants to one to every 2ft. of cli ill. The seeds should not be sown deeply, being covered by not more than half an inch of soil. Where plants have been raised previously in a seed-bed and they are big enough they may be transplanted into their permanent quarters. A spinach seedling is big enough to shift when it is 3in. or 4in. across. The plants should be put out at. tho same distances as those to which the seedlings are thinned. On good rich soil in both cases the distance between might be reduced somewhat to, say, 18in. or 21in.

PLANTING FRUIT TREES.

COMPLETING PREPARATIONS

Orchardists should be very busy at present when the soil is dry so that where fruit trees are to be planted the necessary preparations will be completed before the soil finally becomes too sodden. In a short while it is only to be expected that heavy tains will be frequent aild this will mean suspending all operations. Afore particularly will it be necessary to stop work on heavy soils, for these are so casilv "puddled" when wet,_ Even with a 1 light- soil of volcanic origin it is detrimental to carry out any tillage when There should, therefore, be no delay hefore the work is completed. Ihe methods outlined in these columns some weeks ago should he followed as far as possible or else modified to suit one's particular requirements. The importance of drainage cannot be emphasised too much and should be the prime consideration when the preparations are being made. lii order to effect tlie greatest improvement it is essential that, tho work be done when the soil is in as dry a state as possible. The advantage of forming ridges or mounds where tho trees are to be planted is great with respect to drainage improvement.

The question of food supply is another matter to be taken into consideration. If planting is not intended to be carried out until the approach of spring some wellrofted stable nr cow manure may be incorporated with the soil at each spot where a tree is to he put. Where earlier planting is intended, that is, to plant as soon as the trees are available, it will be advisable, to omit the addition of the manure. At this time of the year, when decomposition is slow, the manure would probably be still rather " strong" when the roots begin to develop, which is undesirable.

| The incorporation of manure, etc., to supply food is not of such great importance when tho preparations are being made, for it is a simple enough matter to apply fertilisers in tho spring when the trees have established themselves. As a matter of fact, the writer considers ibis fo be the better practice. For tho first month or thereabouts there will ho sufficient, food in almost any soil to keep the newly-planted trees supplied. Some prefer to supply a little food at (he time of preparing the ground, however. and. as there is no serious objection fo this course provided precautions nien'f.ioned above are taken, some may be worked in. Compost is preferable to all other materials at this stage as, being in a thoroughly decomposed state, it will he properly distributed throughout tho soil by I lie time the trees are planted. If stable manure is used there is always an even chance (dependent on the weather) that the manure will not ho decomposed by spring, but with compost there is the. cerfaiiitv that thorough decomposition has occurred, because it actually occurs before the material is applied. When the holes are being dug one must be careful to avoid mixing the poor subsoil with the topsoil. Tho lower soil is usually of a clayish nature and will not improve the physical condition of the topsoil in which tho roots will bo placed. Furthermore, the subsoil, in practically every instance, is poor in plant food and will'impoverish tho topsoil if mixed with it. Wherever it is possiblo it is a good plan to dispose of the subsoil altogether and fill in the hole with topsoil obtained from some other part of the orchard.