RHUBARB, SEAKALE, AND MINT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23529, 18 June 1938, Page 26

RHUBARB, SEAKALE, AND MINT

HINTS FOR THE GREENHOUSE

OWNER The idea Is very prevalent amongst amateur growers that forcing foodstuffs of any description is not only an expensive business, but also calls for more space and facilities than the average man can command. To force rhubarb, seakale, etc., on anything like a big scale is, it is true, out of the question in most cases. Both are crops which require a good deal of space; but any grower with a greenhouse at his disposal can turn what would otherwise be nothing more than waste space to profitable account, and even a few crowns will provide dishes which are the more acceptable for their being out of season, and which can easily be followed by produce hurried on outdoors. Obtaining Early Rhubarb Rhubarb is extremely easy to force, providing strong crowns are available, and they can be accommodated in warmth and darkness. No better place could be found than under the staging of a greenhouse fitted with hot-water pipes. All that is necessary after the crowns are bedded in is to shut out light by tacking sheets of stout brown paper or sacking from the staging to the floor. It must be emphasised, however, that only strong and healthy plants are worth forcing, and they should be lifted for the purpose just as soon as growth has died down completely. It is a good plan to take alternate roots from a plantation, thus leaving room for those remaining to be covered over. After lifting, the roots should be stood close together on a vacant piece of ground for about a fortnight. Far from harming them, a slight frost will do good, for roots

which have heen frozen will force the more readily when introduced to heat. They must not, however, be exposed to a really severe spell It is not even necessary to box them up for forcing. A bed can easily be made up on the greenhouse floor; a few inches of good soil mixed in equal proportions with old spent manure—that from a hot-bed is ideal —should be placed down first. On this the roots are stood, packing them together just as closely as possible, and filling in with the same compost of soil and spent manure. They should not be completely covered; ideal procedure is to have the compost just below the crowns.

One good watering with tepid water should be given as soon as this work is complete_d: little more will be required save an occasional damping over to make sure that the soil does not dry out, and again it is absolutely essential to see that the water is nicely warmed Cold tap water will chill the roots badly. The brown paper or sacking must be rigged up just as soon as the roots are bedded overlapping all edges to make sure that daylight is completely excluded Rhubarb roots which have been forced under glass can be planted out directly they have ceased cropping: but no stems should be cut from them for at least two years, and it is out of the question to consider forcing them again for at least three Outdoor Forcing Early supplies, as already mentioned, can also be obtained outdoors if the roots are covered over and packed round with manure and leaves to create a warmer temperature. Anything large enough which will exclude daylight is serviceable; boxes and small barrels are first-rate, as are defective chimney pots, which can frequently be obtained from builders at a very reasonable rate. Not all should be covered at one and the same time A start can be made with the first batch early in July, a fortnight later a second lot may be covered, and, if necessary a third at the end of the month.

All space between the coverings In the case of the two earliest batches must be closely packed in with fresh manure and leaves, for at this early date it is necessary to provide some warmth to start the roots into growth. The last batch will, in normal seasons, require only litter to encourage the roots to make a' start. Just as soon as cropping Is finished, pots or boxes must be removed and the litter raked off to give the plants a chance to make strong growth during the summer months. . Even then it is never advisable to force the same roots two seasons in succession.

Seakale, too, is very easily forced, but again it is essential to have a supply of good, strong roots. Like rhubarb, it will do well under the staging of a heated greenhouse, and it may be buried in similar manner or grown in pots or boxes in any compost of a clean, porous nature. Perfect darkness is essential for blanching, and the jsame system of shutting out light by means of brown paper and sacking may be adopted. A start can be made at about the same time, and, whenever watering is necessary, see to it that that used is first of all warmed to approximately the same temperature as that of the soil. Out of doors also early crops can be obtained by covering over the crowns with seakale pots, or anything else available, and packing between them with leaves and manure. It is not necessary to provide such large coverings as with rhubarb, as the stalks are cut before they attain any great size, Early Mint Supplies

Mint can be boxed up at any time through the winter until September A start, as a rule, is made in April, and two-year-old roots should be used for preference. Boxes should be four inches in depth, and must be provided with ample drainage. Just a thin layer of compost will suffice above this, and on it the roots can be packed as closely as possible. Then cover in with the same compost, water well, and grow on in a temperature of 55 to 60 degrees. Watering must, of course, be carefully seen to with plants growing in such shallow boxes, and a good soaking must be given before the soil becomes dry.—D. T M.. in Amateur Gardening.