THE FARM GARDEN.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume VI, Issue 3, 15 March 1913, Page 329

THE FARM GARDEN.

W. H. Taylor.

Vegetable-cultube.

Fob the guidance of those who may wish to grow for a special purpose some details are given regarding the time required to produce various vegetables and the probable duration or currency of the crops. Broad Beans. Sow in May or early in June. Gathering should begin early in November. Another sowing may be made during November. The two sowings will provide beans till April or May. French Beans are ready for use in about sixty days from the time of sowing. . The average currency of a crop is from four to five weeks. The first sowing should be made early in October, the last early in February. Runner Beans. —Sow early in October. They take about eighty days. If the crop is kept closely gathered one sowing is sufficient. ; Cabbages. —Sow on Ist April. The first of them will be ready early in November. Seed sown in spring or summer produces heads in about twenty weeks. Three sowingslst April, 15th October, and Ist December provide for the year. Cauliflowers.— both an early and a late variety on Ist April. The early will be in use in November ; the late will begin to come in about Christmas. Sown in spring, they take about six months to mature. Red ' Beet.—The turnip-rooted varieties are fit for use in sixty-five days from sowing. The long varieties take upwards of a hundred days. Sow the first kind at the end of August and the long sorts in the middle of November. Broccoli. from 15th September to the end of October. These may be available from May to December if the right sorts are sown. Carrots take about a hundred days to reach usable size. Sow early in spring, and early in November for a year’s supply. - Lettuce. Sow on Ist . April and transplant in spring. They are ready early in November and have a currency of about four weeks. Sow again in August to succeed the first crop, and again monthly till February. In summer lettuces are fit to cut in from ten to twelve weeks from sowing the seed. Onions.—Sow large kinds on Ist April. They are fit for use as salading all the winter. Transplant in the spring for large bulbs,

which are fully grown early in March. Sow keeping-varieties in July or August, not to be transplanted. These should be ripe in March. Sow for pickling in Novemberthey will be ready in March. Parsnips may be sown from August till November, according' as they are wanted, early or late. They take about 140 days from seed to a good table size.

Peas. —-These take on an average about 120 days to come into use, the time varying with varietiesdwarf, medium, and tall, the last named requiring nearly 140 days. The currency of a crop is about two weeks with dwarf and medium-height sorts, but often four weeks with tall varieties.

Radish.— are usually fit for use in about twenty-eight days from sowing. A bed may be considered good for two weeks. Turnips.ln use about sixty days from sowing. The currency of a crop is about sixty days, except that the winter crop is fit for use till they bolt to seed in August. The above particulars are as accurate as can be stated. It must be understood that local conditionsvarying weather, quality of soil, and varieties—all exercise their influence in preventing an absolutely accurate statement. It will, however, be found reliable enough for working purposes. Leeks may still be planted if it is thought the supply will be deficient; they will not attain large size. A little nitrate of soda will help them to get into growth quickly. Allow the plants to get a fresh start before applying the nitrate ; then, on a rainy day, put about a teaspoonful near each plant. Keep weeds away from those planted earlier, and keep the soil loose about them. Soot is a most valuable manure for leeks —for almost everything, in fact. A light dusting may be given occasionally all over the surface of the soil, if that is in a proper condition. The first rain will wash the soot in. Basic slag I have found to have a marked effect on. onions, so it must be good for leeks. A slight dusting over all the surface soil may be given.

Turnip-seed may be put in up to the end of the first week in April for the winter supply. Though a later date sometimes answers, there is some risk attending it; still, it must be understood that it is advisable to delay the sowing as late as is reasonable —a rule proved safe by past experience, for if sown too early the turnips get overgrown, and will not stand long enough. It is wise to sow two kindsa white (Snowball) and a yellow-fleshed (Golden Ball or Orange Jelly). The yellow-fleshed varieties, though rather poor in flavour in summer-time, are quite excellent in winter, and usually remain firm longer than the white-fleshed varieties. Overgrowing in turnips is sometimes caused by giving them too much room. This is very likely

to happen if they are thinned to a single line. It is better to leave them somewhat crowded, several deep rather than in single line. It is surprising how well they do when crowded and the quantity a given space will produce. Market growers practise this method. It requires a little practice to know just how thick to leave the plants; it is certainly difficult to describe it.

Sow cabbage, cauliflower, and lettuce for the early spring crops. The cabbage selected should be one of the many early varieties. Among those commonly on the market are Early Etamps, Early York, Large York, Lamb’s Earliest of All, and Enfield Market. As a small early I have found Lamb’s the best of these, and would .grow Enfield Market with it, or Large York in preference to Lamb’s if size would be of more value than an earlier supply. Enfield Market will be in cut two or three weeks later, and is best for quantity. Two kinds of cauliflower are usually —one of the Early London type, and a giant kind. Some of,'the so-called earlies are not exactly early. Early Erfurt, for instance, is not a true earlythat is, -if the seed supplied is true. True earlies are somewhat precocious, and are frequently difficult to manage to prevent premature buttoning, but they provide the only opportunity to, get early cauliflowers. Lettuce of any good cabbage variety may be sown. If ground can be spared to sow some in lines, to be thinned out in lieu of transplanting, they are pretty sure to be fit for use several months before those sown in beds for transplanting.

Onion-seed should be also sown about the Ist April, the time the foregoing should be sown. I will here venture a caution against sowing early in the hope of getting the produce earlier in spring. Better be a week later than a week earlier, for there is considerable danger of premature flowering if there is too much autumn weather after sowing the seed. These remarks apply to all the varieties above enumerated. Onions will mostly be harvested by now. Be sure they are thoroughly dry when stored. They keep longest when made up in strings or tied along sticks, so that they can be hung up. It is quite worth while to treat a few of the best in this way. They should be hung up where they will be dry ; the cooler the place the better.

Dried herbs are often useful in winter for flavouring soups, &c. Mint, thyme, savoury, and marjoram are. usually cut for drying while they are in flower, thus indicating maturity of foliage. Sage and parsley are chosen from well-developed leaves. The way to dry herbs is to tie them in fairly large bunches and suspend them from a ceiling in a dry room or shed, and pass the suspending string through a sheet of paper, which is to be allowed to droop over the bunch so as to catch dust, and thus keep the herbs clean. When they are thoroughly dry the bunches may be put in paper bags and laid on a shelf.

Brussels sprouts are frequently at this time attacked by a greycoloured aphis, which, if unchecked, speedily puts an end to them. It is easily destroyed by syringing them with boiling water. Use an ordinary garden syringe and apply with plenty of force. Keep the ground well hoed between growing crops of cabbages, broccoli, &c. This keeps the soil open and ready for rain, and ensures that when the rainy season sets in, as it soon will, it will find the ground free of weeds and in a condition that will allow it to sink in readily. Frequent working of the ground has also some effect in checking the ravages of the caterpillar of . the diamond-back moth, for when disturbed many of them drop to the ground, and if they are buried by the hoe they cannot rise again.

Small Fruit

Sow Cape gooseberry seed in boxes. The young plants should be pricked off into other boxes, and kept under shelter till danger of frost is past in spring. It is important that strong plants be secured for planting, otherwise the first season’s crop of fruit is likely to be small. Strawberry runners, should be taken off as soon as there is moisture enough in the soil to re-establish them in nurse-beds: If the foliage on established beds is diseased, it should all be mown off, gathered up, and burned. Some authorities of repute advise that in such cases the whole plantation should be burned over. To effect this a light covering of straw is applied, unless a mulch has been employed, which may now supply material for the purpose. In any case the foliage should be cut off first, but if the bed is to be burned over there is no need to remove it. Let it dry a little and all will burn together. This appears to be a rather drastic measure, but it is said that the plants break up again with remarkable vigour. Discrimination is doubtless necessary in determining the thickness of cover to burn.

Flower-garden.

Chrysanthemums will be showing buds. The plants should be properly secured to stakes. Growth is very 5 rapid about this time, and if the plants are not properly secured to their supports the branches become twisted and cannot be satisfactorily lifted afterwards. If the plants have several main stems these should be spread out, not bunched up indiscriminately to one stake. It is advisable to thin the buds in most instances. No amount of thinning at this time will. cause the production of large blooms, but it will increase the size and prevent overcrowding with small blooms. The object of thinning should be to reduce the number of flowers on a spray to reasonable limits, not to destroy its contour.

Anemone-plants raised from seed may, if strong enough, be planted out as soon as the soil is well soaked with rain. It is not likely to get very dry again. The class of anemone most commonly grown here is the St. Bridgid strain, double and single. Anemone Fulgens is a quite distinct flower, having narrow pointed petals of vivid scarlet. Being a very effective plant-flower for decorating or garden ornamentation, it is well worth growing. Tubers may be purchased. They increase fairly rapidly with ordinary care.

Sow by the beginning of next month April—such seeds of biennial plants as may yet be held —Dianthus and other things mentioned in last month’s Journal. Pansies may be also sown, as these will provide the early blooms, the best of the season. Where they are appreciated they should now be sown in quantity, a number of varieties rather than many of one strain. The plants are to be kept under glass till well established after pricking off. Then put them outside till they are ready for planting and the beds are ready for them.

All the primrose family, which includes polyanthus, may be planted as soon as the ground is in a fit state of moisture. Where clumps have become matted, or the soil becomes poor, they should be lifted, broken in pieces, and replanted in well - prepared soil moderately enriched with manure.

It is not well to transplant violets at this time except for purposes of convenience. They seldom flower well if planted in autumn—possibly I might say they never do ; still, they will flower more or less. There may be no harm in doing so in some cases, but in general and proper practice immediately after flowering in spring is the correct time. They then become established and are ready for flowering the next season. These will be dealt with in a later article.

‘ - Propagation of plants for next season by cuttings should be undertaken now. Where carpet, bedding, or adaptations of it, is carried out, iresines, altenantheras, and variegated ice-plant will require to be taken before frost comes. They must be rooted under glass and kept from frost. . '

Verbena-cuttings will root readily in a close frame in a greenhouse. The proper wood for cuttings is young shoots that have not flowered. Take them about 3 in. long, remove the lower leaves and dibble them close together in boxes of light soil surfaced with sand, water through a fine rose, and let them dry somewhat before closing the frame.

- Pentstemons of the later gloxinia-flowered type are very fine garden plants, quite unlike the older forms. They require renewing every second or third year or they get scraggy and worn, and the flowers

deteriorate in quality. Cuttings may be rooted in several ways and at various times. The best plan for the amateur is to strike them in the open ground in a well-sheltered and semi-shady place. Cuttings must be of unflowered shoots, 4 in. or 5 in. long, the lower two or three pairs of leaves removed, and the shoot cut squarely across just below, not through, a joint. Wait till the weather cools a bit before putting them in. The old-fashioned blue Ageratum- can be rooted in the same way.

Shrubby calceolarias, meaning those that grow in the garden, can be struck from cuttings with the greatest ease if they are put in at the right time. Cuttings about .3 in. long, prepared as described for pentstemons, may be inserted in May in a cool part of the garden. Surface the soil with sand first. Every cutting will grow.

Hardy annuals of all kinds may be sown in the open ground during March and early April.

Preparations for Planting.— When the next number of the Journal is issued it will be time to begin general planting, therefore a few words in regard to preparation may ’ not be out of place. It is always a mistake to begin before you are ready. When a thing is not done in its proper sequence it most frequently is never done at all. Before beginning to plant a garden it should be determined what ought to be done by way of preparation, and then do it. Maybe it wants draining. If you do not put drains in before planting, it is very unlikely you will ever do so. Draining is the first thing to attend to. If a proper fall can be secured there is no difficulty; put the drains in deep enough to be out of the reach of tree-roots. It is seldom safe to make them less than 3 ft. deep. If the subsoil is hard or of a clayey nature it is generally necessary to trench, and it is always best to do so. When trenching, keep the layers of soil in . the same relative positions they now occupythat is, keep the top on top. I have heard men argue that the top should be underneath, giving as a reason that when shrubs are planted they are not planted in the top soil. • This has always proved good logic but very, bad practice.

Presuming a plot of ground is to be laid out in grass, beds, and paths, then the whole patch should be trenched, thus ■ securing uniformity of texture for rain to sink through. Beds laid out on untrenched land, unless they are specially drained, become mere waterholes. Paths left solid dam the water instead of helping it off. In countries where this kind of work is. always properly done the paths are so constructed as to drain the land contiguous to them. The whole block is trenched, . loose soil is thrown out of the path, pipes laid along the side, then 12 in. of rough metal and a covering of -gravel.-,, These .paths are finished at a lower level than the lawn or garden ; they are always dry, and are seldom weedy.