Guide for the Home Garden

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 63, Issue 2, 15 August 1941, Page 150

Guide for the Home Garden

The Planting Season Is Here

“To mute and to material things, New life revolving summer brings.”

FOR the home gardener, September is without doubt the busiest month of the year. It is the month when the foundation of most of the season’s vegetable production is laid, and as soon as the soil begins to warm, seeds should be sown for the respective crops it is intended to grow, and plants ready for transplanting should 'be set in their permanent places. It would be well’to remember that, in order to Obtain maximum results, the seed bed should be properly prepared. Time spent in this operation will be amply rewarded, and in this respect the recommendations concerning seedsowing in the June issue of the “Journal” should be noted. For the production of plants which will ultimately be transplanted, it is better to sow the seeds in rows, or even in boxes; broadcasting is wasteful. When seeds are sown in rows better precautions can be taken to prevent damping off of young plants, and, should an outbreak occur, it can be more easily controlled. In addition, better and stronger plants will be produced. Lettuce plants which may be available can be transplanted now, and successive sowings of seed made for future use. This extremely valuable salad vegetable should never be missing from the kitchen garden during , the next seven months. , For winter production, special cultural practices are necessary. Lettuce plants are easily grown in good, rich, well-drained soil, but plenty of water must always be provided, and - the ' plants must be kept particularly free from weeds. Webbs Wonderful, Coopers Success, and No. 691 are recognised market garden varieties. The last-named is particularly a summer variety. l

Celery

No vegetable seeds call for more specialised attention than celery. It is generally recognised that the production of high quality celery demands the best knowledge and experience of the would-be producer, yet the labour expended will be well worth while. Towards the end of September the seed may .be sown in a box and placed in a warm, sheltered part of the garden. Great care must be taken in sowing and covering the seed, and the soil must never be allowed to become dry.

Should watering become necessary, place a piece of scrim over the soil before using the watering can to protect the seed from being washed , free of the soil covering. The seed will probably take from 17 to 21 days to germinate. When the young plants are 1J inches to 2 inches high they may be “pricked out” into the garden, spaced 2 inches apart each way, and when about 5 inches tall should be planted where it ‘is intended to grow them to maturity. Golden Self Blanching and Golden Phenomenal are recommended for present sowing.

Peas

Early-sown, peas will require attention this month, and more seed should be sown for successional cropping. Sow in a V-shaped trench made with a hoe, and press the seeds into the soil not less than one inch, covering with a mixture of soil and one-third sand. On top of thisand in the trench — throw a few handfuls of burnt ior hydrated lime, which will, prevent birds and slugs destroying the young plants. Subsequent dressings of lime will reduce slug damage. Do not fill in the drenches after sowing, as this will be done by subsequent cultivation. Place the seeds 3 inches apart, and thin to 6 inches apart. Varieties recommended for present sowing are W. F. Massey, Greenfeast, and Stratagem.

Carrots

For eight months of the year (according to location) seed of this highly important vegetable may be sown, and with reasonable care fair to excellent crops can be produced. In view of the prevalence in some districts of the carrot fly and the scarcity of horticultural naphthalene, two crops, of carrots should not be grown in succession on the same piece of . land. The importance of carrots in the daily diet may be more fully appreciated when it is realised that the British Minister of Agriculture has asked farmers to grow an additional 30,000 acres of this vegetable during the . present season. This area, it is estimated, will provide more carrots for consumption in Great Britain than were formerly available from both locally-grown sources and importations. . In Britain during the Great War shops were encouraged to sell carrots

to children. The outstanding dietetic value of the carrot lies in its sugar-con-tent, which amounts to between 4 and 5 per cent. In addition, it contains a little starch, , pectin, saline matter, volatile oil, malic acid, and carotene. The latter element is the source of vitaman A, which protects against infection and is essential to growth. A distinguished British authority (Sir Humphrey Davy) declares that the nutritive matter of the carrot -is 98 parts in 1,000, of which 95 are sugar and three starch. A generous quantity of carrots in our diet, says another authority, will give colour to the cheeks, lustre to the eyes, and gloss to the hair. It should, however, be noted that lengthy cooking will tend to destroy the vitamin-content, and that young carrots are richest in vitamins. Grated raw carrot on bread and butter will provide; excellent sandwiches for lunch. From , the foregoing comments on carrots as a useful and almost indispensable vegetable it will be inferred that successive sowings of , seed will provide the best and most 1 valuable supplies. Any part of the garden just, cleared of a crop that has been heavily manured will, as a general rule, contain sufficient plant nutrients for a bed of carrots. Dry wood ashes, if available, may be broadcast over the soil and raked in before sowing the seed. The seed should be sown in shallow drills and covered not more than half an inch with a mixture of fine soil and sharp sand. If the soil is inclined to ‘‘set,” mix some radish seed with the carrot seed and sow together. The radish will germinate more quickly, and, being a more vigorous grower, will assist in breaking any crust which may form, and will also indicate the lines of sowing. If not required, the radish can be destroyed by cutting with a sharp knife. In a kitchen garden of . small size where cultivation is carried out regularly by hand, the row's need not be more than nine inches apart. Sow sparingly, and thinning can be done by using, the young roots for soups, etc. Seed may be sown from now until the end of the year, with a late sowing in early and late February, according to the location of the garden. Varieties: Champion Scarlet Horn, Chantenay (specially recommended), James Intermediate, Manchester Table, and Early crop.

Tomatoes

It is assumed from directions given in the August issue, of the “Journal” that the tomato seedlings have been “pricked out” and are growing well. Care must be taken to prevent the plants from . becoming “leggy” or stunted. Long, spindly, weak plants usually result from close confinement under glass. Good ventilation and gradual exposure to outside conditions is known as “hardening off.” The process is clearly shown by the stems of the plants assuming a purple colour, which starts from the soil level, fading to green as it gains height, but the foliage must always remain a vigorous, healthy green colour. To . protect the plants from attacks of blight, spray with Bordeaux mixture. The proposed site for the plants should be dug over as early as possible, and a furrow about six inches deep opened down the planting line.

Into this put a fertiliser mixture made with equal quantities, by weight, of blood and bone, or bone dust, and superphosphate, and a little -potash, if obtainable. This should be lightly forked into the bottom of the trench, after which the soil can be replaced. The trench can be reopened a few days before planting, so that the soil may become warm.. This will assist in preventing the plants being “checked” in growth , through removal from the boxes. *

Parsley

“For anyone run-down and anaemic, a parsley sandwich will do the work of an iron tonic much more cheaply and agreeably” (Sir Daniel Hall). Find a place in the garden for parsley. A packet of seed will grow enough plants for half a dozen kitchen gardens. Sow in spring, autumn, or now, but, as the seeds are slow to germinate, they are

best sown in a box. When transplanting, set the plants six to nine inches apart, and, during warm weather never allow the bed to become dry. Any shoots showing a tendency to flower should be cut hard back.

General Hints

Save all wood ashes possible. It is rich in potash, which is very scarce and particularly expensive. Do not waste fowl manure; store it in a dry shed. It is estimated to contain 3.6 per cent, nitrogen, 3.4 per cent, phosphoric acid, and 1.7 per cent, potash. All soot procurable should be carefully preserved. It is valuable for the garden.

D. K. PRITCHARD,

Instructor in

Vegetable Culture, Wellington.