VEGETABLE PLOTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20496, 22 February 1930, Page 5 (Supplement)

VEGETABLE PLOTS.

WORK AFTER THE RAIN.

After the late heavy rains all recent sown crops, as weil as seedlings that are above ground, will need to be carefully looked over, as in many instances the seed as well as the plants have been washed out of the soil. In undulating land especially this often happens, a heavy downpour of rain resulting in deep trenches being formed and plants may be washed away with the soil. In such cases an effort should be at once made to remedy such defect by relevelling the ground and by resowing and planting. It is important in any case that the whole of the ground between all crowing crops be again deeply and well broken up, as such heavy rains cannot fail to have beaten and formed a hard surface. The finer condition the soil is in the more quickly it becomes caked after heavy rain.

The season throughout has been an exceptional oue for heavy rains, for from early spring up to the present, few crops have suffered for the want of moisture without having to resort to artificial watering, while frequent hoeing and working has been necessary to keep weeds under control. Such conditions have naturally resulted in exceptionally rapid growth of most crops. Crops, however, that are susceptible to mildew, such as peas, onions and others have in many instances suffered badly from this disease. Every advantage should be taken ot present conditions for sowing and planting out every variety of seasonable crops Seeds sown at this time when there is abundance of heat and moisture in the soil, germinate and grow very quickly. It 13 at this time that moisture is specially appreciated not only for growing crops, and for sowing and planting for autumn and winter use. but as an antidote for cabbage fly, caterpillars and other pests that thrive best during hot dry weather. While a good soaking rain lias a beneficial effect upon most young growing crops, the opposite may be the effect produced upon other crops that are mature, particularly with root crops, the rain causing a secondary root growth, resulting in the roots becoming hardened and in a verv short time unfit for use. This is specially the case with turnips, carrots, beet-root, and other root crops, and is the chief reason why successional sowings should be made to maintain a supply of useful roots.

Root crops are often allowed to suffer through the plants being insufficiently thinned, especially the Summer crops, for late autumn and winter use they may not require the s;tmo amount of thinning, as they soon obtain a useable size, and can be further thinned as required for use.