THE GARDEN

Southland Times, Issue 24765, 9 June 1942, Page 6

THE GARDEN

By

RIWHI

ASPARAGUS

This a vegetable that Southland gardeners do not seem to give the attention it merits deserve. It is harvested from October to December at a time when vegetables are scarce; it is a vegetable of delicate flavour and easily prepared; once it has been properly planted in the garden it will bear crops for anything up to 20 years. Because the plants occupy the ground for so long thorough preparation is absolutely necessary. Perfect drainage, deep cultivation and the provision of a rich sandy loam compost if the soil is not already of that nature are the prerequisites for success. Cultivation may with advantage be carried to three spits deep the lower spits being enriched wtih old, well decayed stable manure. In the top spit leaf-mould and mixed garden compost can be incorporated. Two sizes of bed may be used, a 3-foot one accommodating two rows 18 inches apart, or a 5-foot one carrying three rows 18 inches apart. Plants should be spaced at 18 inches in the rows. The proper time for the preparation of the beds is autumn and if the work has still to be done it should be done at the first available opportunity. Planting itself must not be done until early September, when the roots are breaking into growth. The young roots themselves are rather fragile and must be planted and covered in without any delay. Plant to a depth of about five inches, so that the crowns are three to four inches beneath the surface.

The plants should be allowed to grow naturally for the first season without any cutting; this will permit the plants to establish themselves well by the second season. MAINTENANCE OF BEDS

Once the foliage has yellowed off in the autumn all growth should be cut away, the surface of the bed should be lightly forked over and any weeds removed. No manure should be applied before winter as it is desirable that the roots become quite dormant, besides a mulch of manure will keep the ground cold and wet. Apply a mulch in early spring, “Say in August, using very old manure mixed with compost. The plants seem to respond too, to light dressings of salt during the spring; applications at the rate of half an ounce to the square yard once a month will suffice. The liking of this plant for salt and a sandy loam is readily recognized when it is realized that it grows naturally round the coasts of England. Where the bed is in an exposed site the plants may need some tying for a heavy gale in mid-summer may break the stems at ground level reducing the vigour of the plants and their producing capacity in the following spring. A warm, sheltered, but open site is ideal for asparagus. A last point concerns weeds. Because of the permanent character of the bed an invasion of perennial weeds is disastrous and must be carefully guarded against. Annual weeds must also be controlled by frequent use of the Dutch hoe.