CULTURE OF BROCCOLI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20736, 2 December 1930, Page 3

CULTURE OF BROCCOLI.

VALUE IN EARLY SPRING. Tho time for planting broccoli for the early spring is approaching, and the ground should be prepared without delay. Tho soil requirements of this crop ar« fairly simple and it may bo grown on almost any typo. Virgin soil will give good results where thero is a plot of new ground available. Otherwise a plot that is vacated by an early crop of peas or potatoes may bo used, both of these crops leaving tho soil in a suilablo condition. It is most important to remember that the broccoli must not bo grown in ground in which other members of tho cabbage family have recently developed. The amount of tillage that is necessary to bring the soil into tho condition best suited to broccoli will depend on the type of the soil with which ono is dealing. A heavy soil may be dug deeply in order to loosen it up. and improve its drainage during tho winter. A medium soil may be forked over fairly lightly, as it is not desirable to have the soil in too loose a condition. A light soil should be merely stirred slightly on the surface. As is the case with other cruciferous crops no organic manure should be worked into the soil for broccoli. The supply may be attended to by applying artificial fertilisers. While not being such a gross feeder as some of its relatives, broccoli requires a certain amount of food which is supplied in the fertilisers, A mixture of equal parts of superphosphate and sulphate of ammonia is quito suitable, it applied at tho rate of £oz per square yard. Over-manuring is not desirable, as it produces weakly plants that are not too well able to withstand the severe winter conditions. It must bo remembered that by _ maintaining its growth through the winter that broccoli possesses such an advantage over cauliflower, and nothing must be done to upset this characteristic. The aim should be to promote a healthy development that will produce sturdy plants. Planting Operations. The plants are laised in a seed-bed or may be procured from a seedsman. In the former instanco the plants should be transplanted when they are about Sin. or 6in. high. A distance of 24in. should be allowed between the rows and the plants should be given 21in. of space in the rows If the soil is inclined to be on the loose side, it should be trodden a little after the planting has been completed. As one can expect that the weather will be dry at the time the planting is being done, a good watering should be given to the plants after .the operation has been completed. This will settle the slil around the roots and allow them to establish themselves in the shortest time. In the event of the plants being ready before the ground has been prepared for their reception they should be taken out of the seed-bed and heeled in for the time being to prevent them from growing too big to be transplanted. Lime is of great benefit to broccoli as it is to other colworts, by minimising the risk of infection by the club root fungus. When the ground is being prepared a dressing at the rate of from 4oz. to 6oz. per square yard may be given. Ground limestone only may be used for this purpose, as the other forms of lime will react on the sulphate ot ammonia and release the ammonia gas containing the nitrogen. Protecting the Hearts. I In order to bring tho flower heads to maturity in the best possible condition it will bo necessary to protect them from the weather. If this is not attended to the broccoli may be badly discoloured by the time it reaches maturity. Broccoli is not alone in this respect, as cauliflowers should be given the same protection. The' simplest way is to partly break three or four leaves and bend them inwards to fold over the developing heart, thus covering it completely and preserving it from the effect of the sun and weather. The protection should be provided first when the flower heads are becoming visible down in the centres of the plants. Very little attention is required by broccoli during its development, this being some compensation for the fact that it is in the ground for about nine months. Hoeing is practically all the tillage that is necessary, this being needed to maintain a mulch and keep weeds in check. Until it is broken up soil of a heavy nature is rather hard to deal with by means of a hoe and the fork will be found more useful for carrying out .the tillage. On light soil the fork must not be used, as it is necessary to kefip all but the top inch or so as firm as possible in order to obtain a crop of the best quality.

THE FRUIT SECTION. CURRENT ORCHARD WORK. The chief work in the orchard will always be spraying the whole year round and the orchardist must attend to this bel'oro anything else is attempted. The spraying programme that was given in these columns, and wTucli growers were recommended to keep in a 'handy place for reference, should be followed through the season. TTie successive applications of lime sulphur 1 in 120 or atomic sulphur 1 in 120 should bo made to keep tho stone fruits free from brown rot. It is useless to spray the trees at the beginning of the active period and then neglect them until the fruit is nearly ripe as the fungous diseases in the meantime will have had ample opportunities to infect tho fruit. Tho protection of the pip fruits from the ravages of the codlin moth must be attended to closely as it may be expected that tho moths will bo more dangerous and numerous now that tho weather appears to havo changed for tho warmer summer days. The cold conditions up to the present have kept them fairly well in check even if it has also washed the spray off the trees soon after it was applied. The return to the warmer conditions, however, is just what the moths havo been waiting for, and the orchardist must be doubly careful now. The regular sprayings with arsenate of lead must be made at intervals of a fortnight or so until tho friut is brought to maturity. A high-pressure nozzle, it will be remembered, is necessary for tho effective application of this spray. Although every part of tho treo should be coated, ■particular attention should be paid to the bunches of fruit. Tho addition of a " fixer " will always prove beneficial in helping the spray to stick to the tree. In the small fruits section strawberries havo not been very successful up to the present on account of tho wet conditions which havo prevailed through the latter part of the spring season. If, as present conditions indicate, tho warm weather has at last commenced the beds should bo more prolific for the Christmas season. In order to encourage tho production of largo berries tho beds should be given an application of liquid manure about once every 10 days or so. For this purpose a solution may be made from a mixture consisting of three parts of superphosphate and one part of sulphate of ammonia. The strength of tho solution should be loz. • per gallon. Although bush fruits do not often become affected by any fungous pest it does not take up much of the orchardist's time to give them an application of some fungicufe now and then to ensure that they are not attacked. Lime sulphur 1 in 100 may be used for the purpose and all gooseberry bushes and currants, etc., should be sprayed with this solution. Liquid manure may prove useful to some of the bush fruits, and those which are producing good crops may bo given tho same solution as that mentioned above for tho strawberry beds. Tho planting of Cape gooseberries may still be performed, and a dozen plants will produce quite a number of berries in a few months" time. The provision of support for the plants should bo Been to at tho time they aro planted. f\ '