VEGETABLE PLOTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20868, 9 May 1931, Page 8 (Supplement)

VEGETABLE PLOTS.

TREATMENT OF THE SOIL. After th.e rocent heavy rains, one of the first operations as soon as weather permits should be to again loosen up the soil bet ween all growing crops. Such an exceptionally heavy down-pour naturally so batters the soil as to form a hard, solid surface. No time should bo lost as soon as the soil is dry enough to work in well loosening up tho soil. Recently-sown beds should bo carefully examined as such drenching may have displaced, or washed away much of tho seeds from the row, and these may require to bo resown. Young seedling crops, too, will require careful watching to protect them from tho ravages of slugs, for, although up to the present they have given little trouble, it is surprising as soon as moist weather sets in how quickly they make their appearance and begin their ravages upon the young crops, especially upon such varieties as young seedling carrots, lettuce, cabbryje and other colworts and plants of similar character. Occasional sprinklings of lime or other slug preventatives, should bo applied along the sides of the rows.

THE CELERY CROPS. Tho latest planted celery plan& should now bo sufficiently advanced for the final earthing up. Tho earthing, however, is best performed when tho soil is reasonably dry and easily broken up. In performing this operation, first gather the stalks up closely together and place a tie around them, and draw up the soil until sufficient is packed around them for bleaching, when tho tie can be loosened or removed. If simply a strand of raffia is used for tying there is no need to remove it, as this will soon rot and break away as the plants expand. Celery plants should bo well advanced before the earthing is done, as there is a greater risk of rust and decay setting in, especially with the latest plants intended for late winter and spring use, if they aro earthed up before tho plants are well advanced. Tho object in earthing is to form nicelybleached heads, but if earthed up too early root action is to a certain extent checked, as the sun has not the same influence after the soil is banked against the plants.

LEEKS AND TOMATOES, Leeks should have tho soil well drawn up, so that at least six inches of the plants aro well bleached. Make further plantings of cabbages, cauliflowers and lettuce, while any of the more advanced plants of colworts should bo earthed up. Give timely attention to the thinning of seedling crops, as no greater mistake can be made than to allow the plants to become overcrowded during the wet winter season. It is at this time that the plants require as much light and air as possiblo to enable them to develop good root action. Outdoor tomatoes arc now rapidly diminishing. At any rate, tho fruit rarely ripens upon the plants after this time. This season especially, much of tho fruit turns soft and decays instead of colouring. Any of the sound fruit showing tho least sign of colouring should bo picked and placed inside on somo warm dry shelf or bench.

PUMPKINS AND ASPARAGUS. The harvesting of pumpkins, marrows, and similar crops should no longer bo delayed. Already a few frosts have been experienced, so to be on the safe side the crops should be collected and be placed in some dry, sheltered position. Asparagus tops will now have become sufficiently ripened to bo cut down. These should be cut back level with tho surface and the beds cleaned of all weeds, and, if possiblo, carefully forked over between the crowns. This requires special care, as the crowns must not he damaged in the operation, so that if the crowns are too closo together to fork without risk of injury, hand weeding is the best method. Any mulching of the beds should bo deferred until early spring.

GENERAL WORK.

MANY THINGS TO BE DONE. The main requirement at the present time is to place the garden and grounds in the best possible state to commence the rainy season with. To this end the various beds and flower borders should be cleansed from weeds by hoeing if the state cf the, surface soil is sufficiently dry to permit this operation. A couple of fine days will often admit of lightly stirring tho surface and killing weeds in tho seedling stages; otherwise they must be lightly dug under. Clearing off and digging under phlox and other- sunmior(lowering annuals that are past should be attended to as well as stirring the surface around and weeding among seedlings and thinning them, and also stirring and weeding among the different varieties of bulbs that are above ground and coming up. Other work at this time consists of bedding out hardy flowering seedlings such as Iceland poppies, stocks, pansies and others; replanting some of the edging plants; lifting and placing alternantheras in their winter quarters; taking off and putting in cuttings of some hedge plants; sowing a few more hardy seedlings; cutting off flower steins of herbaceous plants; attending to thinning and staking sweet peas; cutting hedges; sowing grass seed on lawns and other places; finally preparing for general planting and digging through the mixed border, at the same time pruning any shrubs and other plants as required.