VEGETABLE CROPS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21467, 15 April 1933, Page 7 (Supplement)

VEGETABLE CROPS

SOIL AND CULTIVATION During the recont dry weather the importanco of keeping the ground deeply and frequently worked, as so often advised in these columns, has been again amply exemplified. While this applies to all classes of soil it is even more essential in dealing with land that is of a stiff, retentive nature. Such land, if left unworked during dry weather, soon becomes parched, large cracks being formed that cannot fail but to have a detrimental effect upon plant growth. Where, on the other hand, good cultivation is practiced and a nice loose surface maintained, moisture is longer retained, while the air and warmth can penetrate to the roots unchecked. In well-worked soil, too, slugs and snails aro more easily~kept under control, though small birds at this season often play havoc with some varieties of seeds and seedling plants unless protected by strands of black cotton stretched along the rows. PREPARING THE LAND Every advantage should be taken of favourable conditions for breaking-up and preparing land for future use. Land that has become impoverished by successive cropping will need to bo thoroughly manured and deeply worked or trenched to bring it again into a fertile condition for cropping. It is during the autumn, after the ground has been cleared of its crops, that the work can be best performed. It is at this time, too, that the condition of the soil and the success previously attained is most in evidence, as well as the treatment required to place the ground again into a satisfactory condition for future cropping. I METHODS OF TRENCHING In breaking up the soil to a greater depth the method termed bastard trenching or double digging generally proves quite sufficient for the average class of soils. It consists in breaking up the soil two spits in depth without reversing the position of the surface soil and that immediately beneath. This is the best and safest practice in all cases where the subsoil is of a stiff or of an unfavourable nature. In trenching, open out a trench from to 2ft. in width, taking out the whole of tho surface soil and wheeling it to the opposite end of the plot whore it is intended to finish. The subsoil should then be broken up to tho full depth of tho spade or fork and a good coating of manure applied and worked into it. Another width should next be marked out and the top or surface soil turned over to take the placo of the soil wheeled away, the bottom soil being broken up and treated like the first, and so on until tho wholo plot is completed. CABBAGES AND LETTUCES When the soil becomes sufficiently well moistened sowing and planting should bo at once resumed, cabbages cauliflowers and lettuces, especially, being planted in well-manured ground. Lettuces planted in well-manured and prepared soil at this season come along very rapidly and soon produce crisp, useful plants. These certainly require a fairly rich soil, but failing stable or other animal manure artificial fertilisers have to bo applied. Superphosphate and nitrate of soda are the most effective, mixing 2oz. of the former to loz. of tho latter to every square yard, applying the mixture to the soil a littlo timo in advance of planting or sowing. r THINNING OPERATIONS Attend well to thinning previously sown crops, as it is especially necessary that this operation is performed before the plants become crowded and weakened. The reason for this is obvious, for at this season the more sturdy and hardy tho plants are encouraged to grow the better condition thoy are in to withstand the colder and changod weather conditions. With short-horn carrots an exception is ofton made in thinning, the plants being only partially thinned until they aro about half-grown, when they aro thinned as required for use. At this stago they are sweeter and more palatable than when full-grown, but they must not bo left too long crowded together or thoy will damage the whole crop. CONDITIONS FOR TURNIPS Turnips, so far, unless where water has been freely supplied, have not been a success. They aro essentially a winter and spring vegetable and always succeed best during moist, cold weather. By making sticcessional sowings from this timo onward, howover, useful crops can be obtained throughout tho whole winter. In summer and during dry weather thoy quickly become stringy and unfit for use, while tho fly attacks tho foliage and checks the growth. Tho soil for turnips should be fairly rich, as they aro never better than when quickly grown. Spinach, too, requires a good rich soil to encourage quick growth. For present sowings the winter spinach is moro hardy and more certain to succeed. Continuo to earth-up celery, and* leeks as they advance m growth^