KITCHEN GARDEN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 82, 6 April 1929, Page 18 (Supplement)

KITCHEN GARDEN

The ideal in gardening 5s to have vegetables when they are scarce. Anyone can grow potatoes, peas, beans, etc., to come into crop from November to March. Real gardening is to have them ready when they are most wanted. During the summer months vegetables can hardly be given away but during the winter they are always scarce and therefore expensive to buy. Some land will of course not grow winter vegetables but most soils will give satisfactory results if they are worked properly. In sandy or peaty soil it is quite easy to grow winter vegetables; in fact, it is really the only time of the year that they are satisfactory. After this soil has been cropped for four or five times it becomes very poor. It should therefore be kept heavily manured. Sand is the hungriest of all soils but it is also the warmest, and will grow vegetables during the winter quite freely it’ well manured. Peat, is better than sand but as it is usually the residue of a swamp it must be drained. If it is well drained it is ideal for winter cropping. Ordinary soil requires more working to make it suitable for winter cropping. Trenching is necessary. Double the crop can he taken off a piece of ground if it has been trenched and this is a great consideration as most kitchen gardens in the town are somewhat restricted in area. Manure also is a necessity but it should be used wisely. Indiscriminate use of manure may defeat the object in view. The best possible manure for heavy land is stable manure. Cow or sheep manures come second. It may be put on quite fresh but if so the soil should not be planted for two or three weeks so as to allow' the manure to rot. If the manure is well rotted before it is mixed with the soil, however, the planting or sowing may be done immediately. Bonedust is the best substitute if animal manure is not available. Difficult crops for winter growing such as lettime should be grown on raised ridges. [Peas also should be sown on ridges if they are sown very # early. Turnips also will respond to this method of growing. ‘ Autumn sown carrots will also give I better results if grown on ridges. If the birds are taking the winter | cabbages the only really effective •remedy is a covering of wire-netting. | Spring onions also will give better results if sown on ridges, also spinach. The planting of the vegetables must, be followed by constnnt cultivation and they must be kept as free from weeds as possible. Onions should be sown as soon as the soil is moist enough to sprout the seeds. Onions sown now may be sown either broadcast or in drills, which ever suits local conditions. They should be transplanted as soon as large, enough. Warm sandy loam is ideal for onions. If the soil is inclined to be heavy and wet it is wisest to wait until spring before sowing onions. This is the time to sow’ broad beans. If they are put in early they will be forward enough to be pinched back a couple of times Ik* fore they come into cropping. This will also protect their blossoms from the bees to some extent. The bees are often responsible for the poor crops of this vegetable. Broad beans, while they will not grow too well in very poor land should nnt be sown in rich land as that tends to make them bolt. Cabbage and cauliflower seed should now be sown for the first planting for early spring use. Strawberry beds should be made ready for planting so that the. plants may be put in after the next real good soaking of rain. This is the most suitable time to break in new land. If the soil is of a clay nature it would be wise to wait for a little rain but where the soil is not so refractory this is the best time i for this work. As soon as rain falls green manure crops should be sown immediately. Where frost may be expected early it is advisable to have some old sacks handy to cover the pumpkins as once they are frosted they will not keep. The recent dry weather has presented a good opportunity to get rid of th? seedling weeds ami keen gardeners will have taken the opportunity. Tomatoes are still growing a little. We may at any time now have to cover them to protect them from the frost. The necessary materials should be kept handy. Hedge and shelter trees should be trimmed. This is an ideal time for this necessary work. If the drains have not been cleaned out for the winter they should be attended to without further delay.