THE GARDEN.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXIV, Issue 1, 20 January 1922, Page 54

THE GARDEN.

W. H. TAYLOR,

Horticulturist.

VEGETABLE-CULTURE.

The most pressing work at the present time is to finish the planting of leeks, cabbages, savoys,. broccoli, kale, and brussels sprouts required for use during winter and early, spring. Autumn Giant cauliflowers should have 'been planted several weeks ago, but if good plants are available they may still be planted with a good chance for success if this is done without further delay. Brussels sprouts should be well established by this time ; late planting does not answer. . Leeks planted now will not equal those planted a month ago, as this plant requires a long period of growth. Sow garden swedes for winter use. A small breadth of white turnip can also be sown ; the middle of March is the time to sow these for winter use. Make a last sowing of French beans. Sow and plant lettuce. Spinach : This is one of the most useful winter vegetables and one' of the most productive. In the cooler parts of the Dominion sow at once ; the middle ■of February is early enough in the middle districts ; and a month later serves in Hawke’s Bay and Auckland. Sow in good soil in rows io in. to 15 in. apart, and thin the plants to .9 in. or 10 in. apart. For market-garden purposes they should not be thinned, as the whole plants are drawn and made up in bundles, In private gardens the large leaves are taken,, the plants being left to produce more leaves. .

Silver-beet Sow at once in rows 15 m. apart and thin plants to 12 in. There are a number of varieties of .this, plant.. One with green leaves of moderate growth is known as “ perpetual spinach ” ; another is known as “ seakale beet," this because of the large white leaf-stalks,, which are common to many varieties. Swiss chard has large smooth leaves and. broad, white stalks. Lucullus has ■crinkled leaves of pale green and large white leaf-stalks. The latter is the best garden variety, , as it makes a large .plant and is useful also for poultry-feed. ..

Cabbages for early spring : Experienced growers know that the difficulty in getting early heads lies in the liability of the plants to —that is, to go to flower instead of hearting. The cabbage is a biennial plant and throws up flowerheads in the second season. - All biennial plants have a strong tendency to flower in spring. For spring use cabbage-seed must be Sown in autumn. The problem has always been to discover how early this can be done. If sowing is left too late there is no progress made, while if too early they bolt. The time adopted as safest and most useful is the last week in March, except in the coldest districts, where sowing is a month earlier. These dates,' however, require revision in certain cases. Plant-breeders in England have raised a new type of cabbage, such as Sutton’s April, Sutton’s Flower of the Spring, and Ellam’s Early, in which the tendency to premature flowering has been suppressed to such a degree that it only rarely occurs. ■ Seeds of these varieties may be sown at least six weeks earlier than was formerly the practicethat is, about the middle of February.

Celery.

Celery should be in the ground, and i it may now be considered late for further planting. First-class heads are not likely to result from late planting. (The foregoing remarks apply to most places in the Dominion ; a few extra-warm places are not included. In such places planting- can be done several weeks later.) There are a number of ways of growing celery. . Until quite recently the variations were in the number of rows planted in a trench, trenches being always used. The number of rows in a trench ranged from one to twelve, the one-row method being adopted when extra-fine heads were of greater consequence than economy in production. This latter system is seldom adopted except for show purposes or in small gardens. In market gardens in the Old Country a large number of rows are planted. Two rows in a trench was, and Still is, the practice in good private gardens, and for general purposes may be regarded as the best. This system produces good heads, and requires less manual skill than does a larger number of rows.

In planting a double row the plants are placed in pairs parallel with each other, each pair being 9 in. or 10 in. apart. The plants are placed, in pairs to facilitate moulding up. Chinese gardeners are now dispensing with trenches ; they plant on the flat in beds of varying width, usually about . 6 ft. wide, which enables weeding to be done without treading on the beds. So-called selfblanching varieties are grown, usually Henderson’s White Plume. The plants are set about 6 in. apart, and no moulding-up is done. Close planting shuts out a good deal of sunlight, and, the stems being naturally white, saleable heads are produced. They are, however, small and of poor quality. Even the so-called self-blanching varieties require moulding-up ; the crispness that is essential in good celery cannot be secured without it, and trench growing is the best method.

Well-rooted plants should- be prepared for planting, this saving a lot of trouble afterwards. If the plants are raised in boxes they .should be left till all the soil is filled with roots. Some growers who plant very large numbers do not use boxes, but enclose spaces in the open by fixing battens. The site chosen for this purpose should have a hard surface, a yard being suitable. The space between the battens is filled with suitable soil, and the beds kept plentifully watered, The roots of the plants are confined to the few inches of added soil, and when the plants are lifted practically all the soil is carried by the roots. - Such plants give very little trouble when they are placed in the trenches and a good watering given, and they hardly show a sign of being moved as the roots in the ball of soil are able to keep them growing. >

In some cases the seedlings are pricxed outjon a garden plot. In such positions the roots ramble at will, and a ball of matted roots cannot be got. The advantage of this plan is that there need be no preparation for planting and very little watering. The disadvantages are that a grosser plant with a small number of roots results, and plants are more difficult to re-establish. - This method answers very well where conditions are fairly favourable — is, where the soil is not naturally very dry nor the climate very hot; it is the best plan for a hardworked man. Before plants grown in this manner are transferred to the trenches they should be lifted, heeled closed together, well watered, and left for about, a week. They will then have recovered from the. check and made new roots which will not be injured in transplanting. • . ... ■■ i