VEGETABLE CROPS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20982, 19 September 1931, Page 8 (Supplement)

VEGETABLE CROPS.

SEASONABLE WORK. Although unsettled weather has been still prevailing, a few fine days at. this season soon effect a change in the soil, allowing it to be worked and brought into fine tilth for sowing. In preparing the ground for spring and summer crops every means should be taken by judicious manuring and working to place the soil in such condition as will ensure rapid germination of seed and growth of plants. The ground in every case should be deeply and wc*ll broken up and placed in good order for the reception of the seeds. Failures with summer crops are invariably the results of shallow working, simply digging over the ground time after time to the depth of the spade only, leaving a hard, unbroken path beneath which the roots cannot penetrate. Where the subsoil is of a clayey nature the most effective means of treating it is to bastard trench, thoroughly breaking up and manuring the subsoil. But, failing this, penetrate a little more deeply each time when digging, breaking up and incorporating a portion of the subsoil with the surface soil. By this means almost any kind of soil may in a short time be brought into a productive condition by deeper digging and liberal manuring. When stable or farmyard manures are not obtainable, decayed vegetable refuse, such as grass clippings, leaves, weeds, mixed with wood ashes, lime or soot, assist to break up the tenacity of stiff soils and render it more easy to cultivate. STIRRING UP THE SOIL. One of the first operations as soon as weather permits should be to loosen up the ground between all growing crops. This is not only necessary for the destruction of weeds and checking tho ravages of slugs and snails, but is an effective means of inducing healthy, vigorous growth. Xo observant grower can fail to notice the contrast between crops growing in well-cultivated soil, where the air and warmth that is so essential to plant growth can freely penetrate, and those growing in soils with a hard, unbroken surface, and deprived of the elements that aro so essential to healthy root growth. Most market growers are fully alive to the advantages gained by frequent and good cultivation. Many amateur growers, however, fail to realise the beneficial effect of frequent soil stirring, and to such some timely advice may be offered. Firstly, weed between the plants and well stir the ground between the rows as soon as the plants are well above the surface. Secondly, continue stirring until the crops are matured, or until the work cannot bo clone without injuring the foliage or plants. This practically means keeping the soil well loosened from the time the plants are raised until they are ready for use. As the season advances and drier weather sets in, next to mulching, a fine, loose surface is a means of arresting too rapid evaporation, and it assists to retain moisture at a time when the crops arc most in need of it. VARIOUS SOWINGS. As soon as more settled weather prevails, further sowings should be made of peas, broad beans, carrots, parsnips, beef, lettuce, spinach, leeks, turnips, onions, cabbage, radish, mustard and cress, for, even though earlier sown crops of these may have been successfully raised, they have had little chance to succeed. With such crops as dwarf and runner beans, ljiarrows, cucumbers and other tender subjects, it is better to defer sowing in the open ground until the weather is more settled, and there is greater warmth in the soil. In sowing lettuce, better results will bo obtained if the seed is sown in wellprepared and manured ground and upon slightly-raised beds, and tho plants allowed to develop where sown. A certain amount of thinning will, of course, be necessary, and, if carefully lifted and transplanted into well-manured soil, the surplus plants may produce good heads. Quickness of growth is what is required for these salad plants, and when grown without check more crisp and betterflavoured heads are obtained. DEPTH OF COVERING. When sowing seeds, if any doubt exists as to tho depth the seeds should be covered, the following rule can be applied at this season, when there is plenty of moisture in the soil. For small seeds such as cabbage, cauliflower and other of the cabbage family, turnips, lettuce and others of similar size, a covering of four of five times the diameter of tho seeds is sufficient, while for larger seeds such as peas and beans an inch to an inch and a-half, according to tho nature of the soil, will be an amplo covering for the earlier sowings. As the season advances and the evaporation is more rapid, a slightly deeper covering may bo necessary. Continue to plant out autumn-sown onions in well-prepared ground. Before planting shorten back any straggling roots and tops, and plant just deep enough to cover the roots, and tread tho soil firmly. Planted in this way they rarely fail, if the soil is good, to produce good bulbs..