The Home Garden

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 59, Issue 6, 15 December 1939, Page 526

The Home Garden

Small Fruits- and Flowers

Vegetables

Care in Harvesting Onions

Seasonal Dorffs Don’t ' let weeds go to seed. - It is only by ripening seed that annual weeds are able to perpetuate themselves. When it is remembered how long weed seeds can survive in the ground the fallacy of allowing weeds to grow to maturity will be realised. Some weeds, even as very small plants, can ripen seed. They may set out a relatively small amount of seed, but sufficient to establish several hundred seedlings later in the season. Don’t ' , cultivate the ground too deeply> when plants have made full growth, as at that stage their roots will be penetrating throughout most of the ground. Deep , cultivation will damage roots which are near , the surface. All that is necessary at that stage is a shallow hoeing with a push-hoe. :

Early-maturing onions, / and onion types such as potato onion's, shallots, , and garlic, must be watched for the first signs of maturity, which is indicated , by a slight yellowing of the. foliage and a falling over of the stem just above the bulb. . If the weather is moist and they are not taken up at this stage, new growth soon starts and the keeping quality of the bulbs is impaired. This especially ( applies to early varieties and - to the potato onion, which, at the best, is not a good keeper. When- taken up, the bulbs 1 may be left v on their sides for several days on 'the ground where they grew, so that their roots and stems may dry., In small quantities it is often practicable to place . them on 'a path, where they, will dry better. Generally, only a small quantity of these onions is grown. The condition of the shed where onions are stored is of great importance. Cool temperatures and dry, airy conditions are essential. Early onions and potato onions are not good keepers, and will seldom keep for more than five or six months. Shallots and garlic will keep if conditions are suitable for nine months or more. Those who grow potato onions . are' advised to retain the small bulbs for planting next May or June. ' " ; 1 ■ z . '.I x - Spraying Potatoes And Tomatoes BOTH potato and tomato crops are liable during warm, humid weather to attacks by the fungus Phytophthora

inf estans, producing late or Irish blight. The blight is first noticed as small black patches on the leaf or stem , ( which, under favourable conditions of warmth and humidity, rapidly extend until the whole plant is blackened. The spray to use is Bordeaux

mixture at the strength of 3-4-50 (see accompanying paragraph on preparing Bordeaux). Prevention is better than cure. Where the disease is expected, it is wiser to spray before the blight appears, and to maintain a coating of Bordeaux over the entire above-ground portion of the plant by repeated monthly sprayings (more frequent if the weather is

humid), using , a fine . spray. Spraying must be done in fine weather so that it dries on and sticks to the plant. There is little chance of curing plants which are badly infected. ■- ' If x potatoes are badly blighted . late in ’ the season spores will wash down into the soil and infect, the tubers. To prevent this, the tops may be removed and destroyed, the tubers being dug within a week or two, before, new growth makes its appearance. ' i s tt

How to Make Bordeaux Mixture The strength of Bordeaux recommended as a preventive spray is 3-4-50 that is, 31b. copper sulphate, ’4lb. lime (freshly slaked), and 50 gallons of water. Proportional quantities of the materials are used when smaller amounts of .the spray are required. Thus, if 4 gallons of spray are required, 4 oz. copper sulphate and 5 oz. . lime are used. > ' /( i , ■ The / copper sulphate is dissolved in water in an earthenware or wooden vessel, the lime is made into a paste with water, and the two chemicals are diluted considerably and mixed. The volume is then made up with the required. quantity 'of water. ' -

Random Notes' —

Transplanting Seedlings In Dry Weather IV 7ITH the approach of midsummer WITH weather gets midsummer the weather gets hotter and drier, with the result that it becomes

more and more difficult to transplant seedlings. It is not always practicable to water or flood the area, but satisfactory results'can be achieved by making a hole with the trowel, filling 'it with water (using a pint at least per hole), and setting the seedlings rather deeper than they grew in the,seed-bed in a slight depression in the ground. Plants 3 or 4 inches high, and'those which appear to be on the small side but are well rooted and hardened off, are the best to plant. If conditions appear too dry it is better not to delay planting until rain comes, as the seedlings are growing and, when larger, will transplant with greater difficulty even, though conditions may temporarily appear favourable. . .

Moulding of Crops THE moulding of crops is quite . an important operation,' and? has marked benefits - to crops during the dry season. Firstly, it covers the roots with a - greater, depth, of soil, so that the soil about the roots is not subjected to the same amount of drying, as otherwise would'be the case. , ’ Secondly, it destroys weeds between - the rows and buries. those' actually in the rows which are otherwise difficult to hoe. - Thirdly, by drawing several inches of soil round the plants, additional support is given to' the stems, so that the plants do not lodge so readily. <

Small Fruits

Raspberries and Loganberries AS the picking season passes, wood on raspberries and loganberries from which fruit has - been ' picked should be cut out entirely and burnt. There will be plenty of young growth coming on, and it will benefit both by receiving the'whole of, the nutriment coming from the roots and by the increased amount of , light. Keep the ground around the plants cultivated. " ■ /-Y' ~ In districts where > the buds are liable to be destroyed by the larvae of the raspberry bud moth later in the season the growth left after pruning should be sprayed with . arsenate, •- of lead (1| lb. per 100 gallons of water), and the spraying repeated at three to four-week intervals.

' Currants WITH black currants, the wood from which the fruit , has been picked should be cut back to strong side shoots or cut out entirely, leaving only the young wood which . will be next season’s fruiting wood.

Gooseberries IF the gooseberry bushes ) were not J. thinned out during the picking season and, judicious summer pruning is practised they should be treated now. This will ' permit of an increased amount of light to the plant which will assist the development of the buds which are. to form next season’s crop. . x \-a , .' ‘

Land for New Planting LAND on which new plantations are _Jto be made should be selected as soon as possible and prepared in readiness for later planting. To grow the same crop on,the same land is not

to .be recommended, and . should be avoided for at least three to four years. As the ground will be occupied for a number - of' years, special attention should be paid to its preparation. It (Should be ploughed or dug deeply and then sown* down to a cover crop.

Th® Flower Garden T“X USING the summer months there DURING much that can done is not much that can be done in the way, of planting to furnish the flower beds.. The, chief work of the month is to care for those plants that have already - been planted. If alterations' or extensions are planned, proceed with the work if the soil is not too baked to do so. . , The best time to sow lawn seed is March. The ground should be thoroughly prepared and levelled before that time, so that it has time to consolidate and so that . weeds can ,/ be destroyed. as they appear. . ' '

Bulbs DURING the'latter part of December and January spring-flowering bulbs may be lifted, dried, and cleaned before storing. Take care that they are not damaged during lifting or bruised while handling. The most suitable storage place is a cool, dry, airy shed. If a quantity .of bulbs are to be stored they must'not, be so great a bulk that air cannot penetrate through them readily. Precautions .in drying bulbs must be observed. Some sunburn readily and rot subsequently. This applies to tulips especially and to ' narcissi to a lesser I extent. Hyacinth bulbs , can stand exposure to sun, and are benefitted by it. t Hyacinth bulbs, should be stored for three months to mature properly. With narcissi, the sooner they are replanted after lifting and dividing the better. It is well to replant tulips as soon 1 as possible, as they are attractive to aphis while in store, and by this means the virus ' causing striping .is spread. If

they cannot, be planted immediately, watch for the aphids and, if necessary, spray with nicotine sulphate. , Picking of Flowers . PLANTS which produce blooms over a long season can be made much more productive if thought is given to the way in which the blooms are cut. It should be a form of pruning. Only . a certain length of stem may be required, "but to take only this length will leave much unproductive growth on the plant.' This growth may be sufficient to keep the plant nourished. It is a wiser policy to cut back' to well-developed buds. These will then be forced into growth, and in a few weeks should be x showing flower buds again. This pruning requires to be done regularly as the blooms ■or dead flowers are removed. The soil moisture must be sufficient to make this new growth possible. ’/ /.-.■.A >A

What to Do in the Vegetable Garden This Month Summary of operations for the month (until the middle of January). , '. • ' / SEEDS TO SOW. Turnip, globe beet, carrots, lettuce, beans and peas. SEEDLINGS TO TRANSPLANT. ~ Savoy cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, leeks and celery. ■ /■ : PERENNIAL CROPS. Keep runner beans well watered and give dressings of blood and bone or liquid manure. Cut back vines that have borne beans to encourage new growth. , / SPECIAL NOTES FOR , WARM DISTRICTS. Plant out seedlings of tomatoes for a late crop ripening about Easter. Sow a late crop of runner beans for late picking. SPECIAL NOTES FOR COLD DISTRICTS. Spring cabbages are sown towards the end of the month (in other districts during February). GENERAL WORK. Tie up tomatoes and remove side shoots. Use the hoe frequently to destroy weeds and to conserve moisture. Apply liquid manure to salad crops. Thin out seedling crops that have not been thinned previously. Water as required. / . Spray to prevent disease,. and use derris dust to check white butterfly. Earth up potatoes and other crops. By this time most,of the planting should be completed and the vegegarden well filled with crops at all stages of maturity. The main work of the month is the tending of crops already planted.