VEGETABLE GARDEN

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21216, 10 December 1938, Page 15

VEGETABLE GARDEN

VEGETABLE CULTURE December should be a busy month, as much planting is necessary if a full supply of garden-produce is to be maintained. The main planting of broccoli should take place, also cauliflowers, brussels sprouts, and the first lot of savoys. The main planting of savoys and cabbages can well be kept over till January, except that if the supply of cabbages is likely to be short some may be planted in December. January, however, is early enough to plant for winter use beginning about April. Plant celery in well-manured trenches, and water thoroughly after planting, which in hot places is best done in the evening. Two sowings of peas should be made during the month, and one sowing of French beans. Sow also turnips and radishes. Pumpkin, marrow, melon, and cucumber plants should be in strong growth. The long runners that all these plants send out must be pinched, so as to encourage the growth of laterals, which are the fruit-bearers. Lettuces should be sown at short Intervals during the hot months, so as to have them in a fresh condition. Sow in lines, and thin th" plants to Bin or 9in apart. This method saves the trouble of transplanting and watering necessary to re-establish the plants. BLADDER PLUMS The disease which causes this misformation attacks leaves, fruit, flowers, and shoots, but is most noticeable on the fruits about three weeks after blossoming, when these become greatly enlarged and in time fall to the ground. They are spongy in texture, and when cut open are seen to be quite hollow, the stone and ovule not being developed. The leaves become infected soon after they unfold from the bud. and resembling peaches infected with leaf curl. They, too. after a time, change to brown and fall to the ground. Shoots which are attacked appear lighter in colour and much swollen. It is probable that extensive infection, especially fruit infection, is due to perennial mycelium situated in the shoots. This belief appears to be strengthened by the difficulty of control. for it must be admitted that more than 75 per cent, of clean fruit cannot be obtained by spraying. For control, spray 5-4-50 Bordeaux mixture or 1-15

lime sulphur when the buds begin to swell but before they open. This application should be supplemented by cutting out the infected shoots. This could be practised any time during the growing season, as the disease would be conspicuous, and consequently easily located. Paint over all wounded surfaces with coal tar as soon as they are made, using a stiff brush. PLANTING OUT VEGETABLES The weather being usually hot and dry at this time of the year, some steps must be taken to keep the plants fresh while they get a roothold in the soil. In the first place the soil should be fairly firm. When recently turned over it is liable to be too loose, and dries out too rapidly—at least as regards a few inches on the top. The young plants root most freely when the soil is firm, because there is better contact. Firm soil holds moisture better than loose soil, and, provided the surface is kept loose, capillary action is better. In places where the soil is light and poor, the growing of these crops Is wellnigh impossible unless there Is an abundant supply of water. In a general way, and on soil that is considered fairly good garden soil, much watering is not required. It is, indeed, often a waste of time to give it. Watering after planting is always

best avoided, except in the circumstances just referred to. When the planting is small, and a dibber is used to plant with, the best way is to make the- hole for a plant, fill it with water, put in the plant before the water runs out, or put the plant in before the I water. In either case close the hole at once, so as to convert the soil about I the roots of the plant into a puddle. | This is the correct way of puddling in. Loose soil is dragged around the plant as a mulch, and moisture will be retained long enough to establish it. The best way to plant, however, is with a hoe, and if the planting is of any extent the hoe should be used. A good man using a dibber can plant fifteen hundred or sixteen hundred plants in a day of eight hours. The same man using a hoe can put out from four thousand to five thousand plants in the same time, and the plants—if there is any difference—are planted in a better manner. A hoe with a handle about 15in long is used. The hoe is driven into the soil and simultaneously pulled toward the operator. This leaves an open space at the back of the hoe. The roots of the plants are inserted in this space, then the hoe is lifted out and the soil falls back against the plant. This, besides being a rapid method of planting, provides that only moist soil comes in contact with the plants. The final act of planting is to give the soil above the roots of the plants a smart punch with the head of the hoe to firm the soil. To enable the plants to quickly re-establish themselves they should be placed in a tub in which there is just enough water to cover the roots, and in about an hour they will become filled with water. When taking them from the tub lift them in bundles. On the bottom of the tub there will be a layer of mud, soil that has fallen from the roots. Take a handful of this mud and rub it on the roots of the bundle of plants. This will protect them from sun and air while being planted, and the plants will not require watering after planting.