GARDEN AND SHRUBBERY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19302, 1 October 1932, Page 11

GARDEN AND SHRUBBERY

EARLY SOWINGS. In regard to early sowings, soils and situations naturally vary considerably, some being far better adapted for raising early plants than others, though in every case it is safest to protect the plants by covering until they are established and strong enough to stand without protection. Even plants raised in pots under glass are better treated in this way until they become well rooted and established. Cucumbers thrive best in rich soil, well-decayed vegetable matter will suffice providing occasional applications of manure water is given as the plants advance in growth. Vegetable marrows will grow and fruit well in almost any good garden soil that has been manured and worked for other crops. In small gardens the bush type of marrow is the most useful variety to grow, as they take up but little space. OTHER VEGETABLES. Further sowings should be made of peas, broad beans, beet, carrots, parsnips, lettuce, turnips, spinach, onions, leeks, onions for pickling, radishes, mustard and cress. Herbs, too, that are raised from seed may be sown. Parsley sown at this time will give a supply throughout the summer and autumn. Old roots of herbs, such as thyme, sage, mint, majoram and others should be lifted, divided and transplanted into fresh soil.

TREATMENT OF SOIL. In the sowing and raising of seedling crops it is important that the soil be well broken up and worked until a nice fine tilth is obtained. When the soil is in this condition the depth of sowing may easily be regulated by the size and variety of seed to be sown. Very small seeds require but a light I covering, and will not germinate if [ buried too deeply. If dry weather follows the sowing a light shade shade formed by placing branches over the rows will assist their germination. Small seeds, if sown on rough, unbroken ground, often fail, as heavy rains bury many of the seeds far too I deeply in the soil. With large seeds there is not the same risk, but even with these it is better if the soil is well broken so that the seeds can be sown at an even debth. For larger seeds an inch or inch and a-half of covering at this season is sufficient in well-pulvarised soil. QUANTITIES OF SEED.

Taking the average garden as enabling rows 30ft. long to be sown, the following quantities of seed should meet requirements:—Broad beans, a pint; carrots, both early and main crop, Joz.; onions, loz; parsley, loz.; turnips, a fifth of an oz; and radishes Soz. One ounce of cabbage or cauliflower seed should give at least 1,000 good plants, exclusive of weak and weedy ones. One-sixth of an ounce of lettuce seed broad-cast on a seed bed of two square feet will supply a nice batch of plants for transplanting. All main sowings and plantings should follow on, row after row, one after the other, and spare corners should be utilised for seed beds on the broadcasting lines, for frames or j nursery beds. This is the only way in which full use may be made of all the ground available. No space should be wasted; yet room should be left for regular hoeing, weeding, thinning, and manuring. The distance between the rows should be as follows:—Broad beans, 3ft. apart; carrots, Ift. to 15in.: onions, j Ift.; parsley should be used for edgings, peas, from 3ft. to sft., according to j the height to which the plants grow; parsnips, 18in.; turnips, Ift.; and l radishes Sin. The depth at which the seeds should be sown is:—Broad beans, 3in.; carrots, early, Jin., main crops Jin.; kohlrabi Jin.; onions, Jin.; peas, llin. to fin.; parsnips, llin.; turnips, Jin.; radishes, Jin. All drills should be draw to a line, and, after the seeds are sown and covered, the rake should be drawn up and down the rows to level the surface, A BUSY SEASON There is probably no season of the j year when growers of vegetable crops are kept more fully employed than during the next few months. From this time onward everything will come in with a rush. This is not only confined to crops sown and planted, but weeds, lawn grass and numerous other matters at this season require so much attention that almost every ounce of energy is needed to keep the work under control. In the vegetable garden, particularly where a good supply of vegetables has to be maintained, it is only by successional sowings that the stlpply of many varieties can be kept up. Although the advice given hitherto upon the risks of sowing or planting out very tender crops too early was necessary, the change to spring weather conditions lately prevailing will naturally induce growers to take any risks. If sown in warm, favourable situations, and in well-prepared ground. such crops as dwarf and runner beans, cucumbers, marrows and pumpkins should be successfully raised.

DWARF AND RUNNER BEANS Next to peas, dwarf and runner beans are among the most popular and profitable of summer vegetables. In warm, suitable localities both the dwarf and runner varieties can new be sown. With the scarlet and other

running varieties at least three sowings liftede at intervals of about five weeks will continue to give good crops under reasonably fair treatment from midsummer until well into the autumn. Where late frosts are likely to be experienced defer sowing until such risks are over, as they are naturally very tender subjects. To obtain the best and most lasting crops of beans the ground requires to be deeply worked or trenched, and be well provided with manure, and oaring dry weather to be kept well supplied with moisture. For early crops, however, dwarf beans are invaluable, as they are not only slightly hardier than the running varieties but grow quickly

and produce good crops when grown in reasonably well-manured ground. To keep up a succession most of the dwarf varieties require to be sown about every three weeks. CUCUMBERS AND M.ARROWS The sowing and raising of early plants of cucumbers, marrows, pumpkins and similar tender subjects in the open ground is always attended with some risk, though such risk may be •lessened by covering and protecting the plots until the seedlings are raised and the plants become well established. After the plots are prepared cover the soil where the seed is to be sown with bottomless boxes or kerosene tins cut to a depth of sin. or 6in. and covered with a pane of glass. Leave for a few days before sowing. This will allow the soil to become warm and result in more rapid germination of the seed.