The HOME GARDEN

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21575, 10 February 1940, Page 5

The HOME GARDEN

SPRAYING POTATOES

PREVENT DECREASE AND INCREASE CROP

Practically every competent grower of potatoes is agreed upon the desirability of spraying all mid-season and late potatoes with either Bordeaux or Burgundy mixture. Primarily this treatment is intended to prevent an attack of the late blight disease, which makes its appearance in most districts during January and February. But experiment has proved that spraying has a secondary value almost as important as that for which it was first designed, and which certainly makes it worth while, even though disease should not prove particularly severe during that particu’ar season. This ripening of the foliage, and. therefore by prolonging the growing season, increases the crop. The ideal time for spraying potatoes depends to some extent upon the district and the season. The idea is to

get the foliage thoroughly covered with a thin layer of the spray fluid just before the disease makes it appearance. Then wind-borne spores, which may by chance alight, on the foliage, are killed as soon as they germinate, and before they have a chance to spread infection. The Apparatus

Many different kinds of apparatus

can be used for spraying potatoes, but the method is in all cases the same. It is necessary to cover the leaves on both their upper and lower surfaces, and also to coat the stems with the fungicide. The thinnest of thin layers will be sufficient to prevent infection, and. though heavy spraying will not do any harm it is naturally wasteful, and, therefore, undesirable. For this reason the best form of apparatus is one designed to give a fine, mist-like spray. One of the several pneumatic sprayers of the knapsack type is excellent, particularly where very large areas have to be covered, but small plots can be treated with an ordinary hand syringe, providing it is fitted with a fine nozzle.

Take great care to place the nozzle well underneath the haulm and close to the ground, so that the spray is driven upwards as well as directed downwards from above. In this way the whole mass of stems and leaves

will be protected adequately. An unsprayed leaf or stem may afford an “Achilles’ heel.” through which the fungus can obtain an entry. In the case of late varieties, it is often advisable to give a second application of the spray two or three weeks after the first, with a view to protecting young shoots that have grown since the earlier application. Common sense should -be a sufficient guide as to the desirability or otherwise of this, especially if the gardener bears in mind that neither Bordeaux nor Burgundy mixture can prevent the disease from spreading once it gains an entry to the plant tissues. Their sole purpose is to provide a protective armour which shall prevent infection. Dry Spraying

In some districts, especially where water is scarce, it may be found more desirable to use Bordeaux or Burgundy mixture in dry powder form, instead of as wet sprays. The use of such powders is greatly on the increase, and a number of special powder blowers are being manufactured to enable them to be applied as easily and effectively as liquid sprays. Dusting is. perhaps, not so economical as wet spraying, but against this must be weighed the fact that a great deal of labour may be saved in hauling water. It is desirable that all spraying should be done during still weather, and this is more than ever necessary in the case of powders. Both Bordeaux and Burgundy mixtures employ copper sulphate, otherwise known as bluestone, as their active fungicidal agent. In the former, neutralised with lime, while in the case of Burgundy it is neutralised with soda. It is quite possible to prepare the sprays at home, the proportions being six ounces of quicklime, and f f

gallons of water in the case of the Bordeaux mixture, and eight ounces of copper sulphate, ten ounces of washing soda, and five gallons of

water for the Burgundy mixture. The method with the Bordeaux is to place one gallon of water in a barrel or non-metallic vessel, and dissolve all the copper sulphate in it. The quicklime is then slaked in another vessel by pouring water on it a little at a time until'it has all turned to a thin cream. This is then made up to four gallons with water, and the copper sulphate solution added to it slowly, and stirred thoroughly. The solution should be used at once. In the preparation of Burgundy mixture it is usual to dissolve the copper sulphate in four gallons of water and the washing soda in the other gallon, and then to add the soda solution to the copper sulnhate.

GREEN-MANURING

Any ground that is cleared of crops and is not immediately required for

another should be sown down to provide a green crop for turning under, i It is well known that humus is neces- ' sary to maintain fertility in soil. FerI tilisers are of very little value unless ; there is a fair amount of humus in the | soil. White lupins, cow-peas, partridge- ! peas, horse-beans, and white mustard I are useful green-manuring plants. Mustard is the least valuable of those i mentioned, but has the advantage of I growing to a useful size in a shorter i time than the others, and also suc- . ceeds under colder conditions, so that in some circumstances, it is the best 'of the series. Whatever is grown, it I should be turned in before the plant becomes dry or woody, so that it may quickly decay and the soil become consolidated before being required for planting or sowing. TREATMENT OF RHUBARB - After the rhubarb crop has passed its stage of real usefulness, there is a tendency on the part of gardeners to 1 neglect it altogether. While on the one hand they will pull all the stalks they want, they will sometimes do this in such a way as to denude the plant 'of all its real vital manufacturing material, and it is only too well known I that if rhubarb stalks are pulled too ! heavily the crop for next year will not . only be poor, but will also be of a very ' inferior quality. Another point often overlooked is that these clumps require water during dry weather, for they are ' big drinkers, and all the time there is i green foliage and stalks taking up moisture, watering should be considered as of one of the most important I items in its culture. At the moment, i a thorough watering of manure ■water I will be a considerable help, especially i in those cases where the crowns are ' to be lifted and used for forcing under 1 glass. Another very helpful hint is to j lightly prick up the ground between i the rhubarb, water it with manure ■ water, and give a heavy mulch of leaves, rotted manure, or peat. This may seem to some people to be some- | what extravagant treatment, but we i can assure our readers that if rhubarb I crowns are treated at the moment, and until they have lost their foliage

—just as one would treat other less easily grown plants, the results would be far more satisfying than they sometimes are. Seeing that rhubarb can be forced so easily, it must be considered as a very important item, and it demands thorough and careful treatment. DIMORPHOTHECA ECKLONIS Tliis Dimorphotheca is one of the many lovely plants which hail from South Africa. Most gardeners are familiar with the now common in gardens Dimorphotheca aurantiaca, and the many beautiful hybrids that have been raised from this lovely annual. Dimorphotheca Ecklonis, however, is a perennial, although I have seen it described as a half-hardy annual. It is really a semi-shrubbery plant, probably being more so in its native country.

The leaves are alternate, about two to three inches long, sub-sessile, lanceolate, with thick mid-rib. The lovely single flowers are about three inches across, with ray florets, purple outside and white inside, with a violet disc. They are carried singly on stems six to eight inches long, and are very attractive. Dimorphotheca Ecklonis is a plant of easy culture, requiring plenty of sun, a well-drained soil, and in winter it will tolerate fairly dry conditions at the roots. It may be grown as a pot plant indoors, or it may be grown outdoors in summer, and cuttings taken in autumn and rooted in sand, to provide plants for the following summer. In mild districts it may be tried outdoors, preferably on a sunny, sheltered wall. I have seen this plant growing outside on a wall some four feet high, and quite happy. It should, of course, have some protection during frosts. CRESS FOR SUMMER SALADS Garden Cress. Lepidium sativium, is a native of Persia, and was introduced to England in 1548. It is one of our most popular salads. Anyone can grow this salad out of doors during the warmer part of the year. This can be done by using a cool situation in the garden, taking out a shallow trench about two inches deep and nine inches wide. Where the soil is heavy it is as well to place about two inches of sifted old potting soil along the trench or some lighter soil from some other quarter. Then press it fairly firm with a board. Sow the seeds fairly thick over the whole trench, press down with the board, then water with a very fine rose can.

Place sticks along the sides that will hold mats or some suitable covering that will afford shade until germination takes place. Water carefully and regularly and shade during the hottest part of the day. For a succession from the open I have had three trenches in use, cutting from the first one, the second one about half grown and’ the third starting germination.