CROPPING THE ALLOTMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21621, 16 April 1932, Page 7

CROPPING THE ALLOTMENT

AVOIDING WASTE The value of the produce harvested from an allotment will be determined partly by its quantity and quality, and partly by its actual serviceability to .the grower and his household. No space need be occupied in labouring the point that Sly-grown vegetables and salads are of worth, but (writes “ Mac ” in Amateur Gardening) the holder of a ten-rod or twenty-rod plot will need to watch closely that what he grows will be serviceable, and that every square yard of ground yields its share of crops that have a real value. „ A point of first importance is to make sure what the family really likes in the way of vegetables, salads, and herbs. It is no use, for instance, growing artichokes, broad beans, and swede turnips if nobody at home eats them.- If the family consists of three or four members, and they only appreciate cabbage as an occasional dish, it is a great mistake to plant a batch of 50 or 60 ol one kind, at one time. One may reckon that at the start just one or two will attain size and solidity that will justify cutting, but after about half a dozen have matured in ones or twos the whole batch will come in at once, with the result that the greater proportion will be either given away or wasted. The better plan would be to purchase just a few plants each of early and late cabbage, kale, savoy, Brussels sprouts, and sprouting broccoli. These will mature at different seasons, and between them will provide something in the “ greens" line through summer, autumn and winter, and onward till spring. The reverse of this particular precaution is to guard against sowing mere driblets of such crops as spinach and peas, broad beans, etc.' These should always be sown in sufficient quantity to enable an adequate quantity to make a serviceable dish to be gathered at one time. It is a great deal better to have two rows of spinach, 30 feet long, or the equivalent in shorter rows, from which to cut moderately day by day, than to have a smaller quantity and have to denude the plants of all their leaves to make up a dish when wanted. In the same manner, a row of peas long enough to yield a good gathering by removing just - the largest pods almost daily, will go on cropping far longer than a short row_ on which pods have to hang a week waiting for sufficient to develop to make a dish. Furthermore, the peas can never be so enjoyable when some are old and some young when cooked. It must be remembered that it will take more plants of a dwarf early pea to make a good gathering than will be required of the tall, maincrop varieties. A pint of seed of the latter, well grown, should yield enough at a time to put before half a dozen people, but a quart of dwarf

early Variety would be wanted to achieve the same purpose. The same may be said of; dwarf, and runner beans. Several rows of the former will be needed where one of the latter will meet the family’s requirements.

Broad beans ’are most profitable when sown in autumn or early spring, as they then escape the black fly bane, which only too often cripples the spring-sown crop, and Unis causes waste of time, labour, and space.

Lettuces, turnips, and early beetroot are crops that should be sown in small batches at frequent intervals. When they attain usable size, they require to be removed from the ground quickly, otherwise they lose quality. On the other hand, crops like onions, shallots, carrots and parsnips, and also the mairicrop beetroot, and turnips for winter storing, should be grown in good-sized batches, for they will constitute the backbone of supplies for the long period when there is little else to rely upon.

Do not slip into the error of trying to economise space by planting or sowing closer than is advised in books and articles of instruction. Generally speaking, these by no means err on the side of liberality of space, and crowding is never prudent. In mapping out a plot, it is always better to arrange the ground so that all rows shall run from' north to south. Very long rows are not desirable, because they involve a deal more walking backwards and forward than is good for the land in wet weather. It is not waste of space to leave a few 18-inch footpaths across a plot of ground. < Contrive to get such things as tall peas, beans, and artichokes along the east side, and across the north end. That will give these crops the benefit of western and southern exposure, and will avoid their shading the dwarf crops from sunlight. If there is a' tool shed or hut on the allotment, scarlet runner beans may be planted around it and given strings up which to climb, and so provide a useful adornment. In deciding the proportion of ground to be devoted to potatoes, the part they play in the household menus must be a deciding factor. Those who have only a small allotment may find it will answer best to grow only first early varieties to be dug and used whilst new potatoes are on the expensive side. Often, limited ground space may be more profitably, filled with, summer vegetables that will reduce the greengrocer’s bill for a lengthy period, rather than use the ground for potatoes that will not last the household a month.

Do not forget to sow parsley as, an edging to' paths, and see that such things as' mint and sage are grown and a few other herbs, if seasonings and flavourings are used in the kitchen.