The Home Garden in December

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 81, Issue 5, 15 November 1950, Page 449

The Home Garden in December

By

S. O. GILLARD,

Vegetable

Instructor, Department of Agriculture, Auckland.

THERE is much important work to be done in December. With the main holiday period approaching, when many home gardens will be left unattended for a period, all necessary work should be completed before the holidays begin. This includes thinning, weeding, hoeing, spraying, and planting out of lateautumn and winter greens such as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and leeks, and making successional sowings of dwarf and runner beans, beetroot, and in some districts swedes, peas, parsnips, carrots, and sweet corn.

IN well-planned gardens there should still be adequate room for seasonal crops, but by the end of the month the garden should be filled with vegetables, some newly planted, others at different stages of maturity. When the garden area is small and it is desired to produce more kinds of vegetables, interplanting may be done successfully provided quick-maturing vegetables such as lettuce, radish, ana spinach are planted between rows of vegetables which take longer to mature. Cabbage, cauliflower, and root crops may be planted between rows of maturing potatoes, peas, and beans, and pumpkins, cucumbers, and melons may be interplanted with sweet corn. Interplanting, between maturing crops of peas or cabbage, of tender vegetable plants such as tomatoes, pepper, and egg plant, which are subject to wind damage, particularly when young, is an advantage, especially where the garden is exposed. As soon as an early crop matures and is harvested no time should be lost in digging the plot over and preparing it for replanting, but a crop of a different family should always be chosen, as best results are obtained by growing crops in rotation. To maintain a regular supply of salads such crops as lettuce, spring onions, and radish should be sown, and sowings of turnips, swedes, and peas can be made if a supply of moisture can be assured. In the North Island sweet corn. and parsnips can still be sown and in the warmer parts where early frosts are not likely a late planting of tomatoes can be made. Earlier-planted tomatoes will require tying to their supports, and the shoots growing from the leaf axils should be removed before they grow more than 3in. long. In districts where blight is troublesome spraying the plants with Bordeaux mixture (4oz. of bluestone and 5.1 oz. of hydrated lime to 4 gallons

of water) or copper oxychloride plus an insecticide, such as D.D.T. 50 per cent, wettable powder at the rate of Joz. in 4 gallons, for the control of the tomato caterpillar should not - be neglected. . If celery plants . are available, trenches or beds may be prepared now and plants set out. Plants should be kept sprayed with Bordeaux mixture (at the same strength as for tomatoes) or with copper oxychloride to protect them from leaf spot, caused by the fungus Septoria apii, which is one of the most serious diseases affecting celery. As lettuce does not establish readily when transplanted during hot weather, it is best sown in a permanent bed and thinned. From December until April it is an advantage to sow or plant all vegetables on the flat. This is important during the drier and warmer months, as it facilitates watering and liquid manuring. Cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, and leeks should be moulded up as they grow. Root crops such as carrots and parsnips and other kinds requiring space to develop should be thinned as soon as plants are large enough to handle. Weeding and hoeing should not be neglected even among well-established crops. Weeds not only rob plants of food and moisture, but they are often the host plants of disease and insect pests. Hoeing will assist aeration and will help conserve moisture. Supports should be provided for runner beans and tall-growing peas, and dwarf peas' will also benefit if kept off the ground. . Kumara plants will now be sending out runners, and if these are not lifted occasionally, they will become attached to the soil and plants will make excessive vine growth at the expense

of tubers. The soil should be kept moulded up to maintain the ridges in which the tubers form and all weeds should be removed carefully. Harvesting of rhubarb should now be discontinued and the plants allowed to develop leaf growth to enable the crown to build up reserve supplies of food for the production of next season’s crop. Where heavy pulling of the . stalks has been practised leaf growth will be stimulated if a handful of blood and bone is applied around each plant and worked in lightly. Liquid manure can be applied to most crops to advantage, and where necessary watering or irrigation should be attended to. Adequate soil moisture is very important for growth and setting of beans, to the growth of radish, celery, and lettuce, and to slightly less extent to other growing vegetable crops. Potato ana onion crops nearing maturity should not be watered, as watering is liable to start them into second growth and to impair their keeping quality. Onion plants set out in August will now have reached the stage when the bulbs are forming. When cultivating to suppress weed growth do not draw the soil up over bulbs, which develop best on top of the ground. If onion plants were set a little deep, it is an advantage to press the soil away from the onion, exposing the bulb. In doing this care must be taken not to damage the roots. Broad Beans / Broad beans sown in May will have finished bearing, but where later sowings were made the harvest will extend to December, when they are of value in the home garden, . as relatively few varieties of vegetables are

ready for use at that time. To promote good setting of the pods pinch the top out of each stem as the plants begin to flower. If boiled like spinach, the tops of broad beans may be used as a vegetable. The broad bean plant will continue to produce pods for a longer period if the beans are picked as soon as they become ready to use. If the plants are allowed to mature the seeds, they cease flowering and die off. .

Dwarf and Climbing Beans

Provided adequate moisture is available a supply of french beans can be maintained in northern districts from December until the plants are cut down by early-winter frosts. / To secure continued harvesting the dwarf varieties should be planted every 3 weeks up to the end of January; two sowings of runner beans (one in September or October and one in January) usually give a continuous supply. In the colder parts of New Zealand the season for beans is much shorter, but should be spread over as long a period as possible by using the warmest positions for early and late sowings. Sown under favourable conditions dwarf beans produce their first beans in 7 to 9 weeks; annual climbing beans require 10 to 12 weeks. For late sowing a warm and sheltered position is desirable. Beans grow well in most soil types, but prefer a good friable loam well supplied with organic matter. If the soil is reasonably fertile, the only manure required is a mixture of equal parts of superphosphate and bonedust sown along both sides of rows at the rate of loz. to 2ft. of row when the plants are well up. If artificial fertiliser is allowed to come into contact with the bean seed, it may cause poor germination. Dwarf varieties should be sown in drills drawn out with a hoe 18in. to 2ft. apart and 3in. deep. The seed is best sown in a double row along the wide drill, the seeds being staggered; seeds should be spaced 3in. apart. Cover the seed with soil and rake the surface level.

Supports will be necessary for climbing beans. These may be provided by a wire-netting fence, preferably 6 to Bft. high, the seeds being set 6 to Bin. apart in a single row each side and sin. out from the netting. Alternatively, beans can be supported by wooden stakes 6 to Bft. long placed in a double row and spaced lit. apart each way. The stakes . are drawn together at the top and attached to a cross-stake; two seeds are set, one each side of the stake. Another method is to place 4 stakes 6 to Bft. long 2ft. apart each way to form a square. The tops are drawn together wigwam fashion and tied, the operation being repeated to form a row of wigwams; three seeds are set to each

stake, one each side and one in front of the stake. When vines of climbers are 2ft. 6in. high the terminal shoots of runners should be pinched off. This, causes the flower buds to form much lower on the vines than if they were allowed to grow at will. This operation can be repeated when the vines have grown up another 2ft. During dry spells watering may be necessary. If the roots are allowed to become dry, the flowers may fail to set satisfactorily. Frequent hoeing will suppress weed growth and help conserve moisture during dry weather. Varieties Recommended varieties for planting during December and January are:— Dwarf: The Prince, Sydney Wonder, Surprise, and Tendergreen. Climbing: Fardenlosa and Market Wonder. Carrots Carrots are an excellent winter vegetable, and the main winter crop may be sown this month. Successive sowings can be continued, and in districts where the carrot rust fly is troublesome carrots sown in December or later usually succeed without special precautions. Soil moisture should be maintained, as dry conditions check growth. Goodquality roots of intermediate or stump-rooted carrots are usually secured in late autumn from December and January sowings, whereas by autumn earlier sowings have developed to a large size and become coarse. Carrots do well without additional applications of fertiliser in soils which have been heavily manured for previous crops. The only fertiliser necessary for most other soils is a mixture of equal parts of superphosphate and bonedust applied at the rate of 2oz. a square yard. A dressing of wood ashes at the same rate will also be beneficial

and can be applied with the fertiliser. Seed should be sown thinly Jin. deep in rows 12in. apart and the plants thinned when about 3in. high to 3in. apart. A quarter of an ounce of seed will sow 100 ft. of row. Types Types may be classified as follows: — Long-rooted: Mature roots may be lOin. or more long and taper to a distinctly long drawn-out point. They penetrate deeply and therefore the plants may get more water when established than shorter-rooted kinds. This may be important in dry seasons in certain areas. Long-rooted varieties do best on a comparatively light, deep soil of medium quality. Recommended varieties are Intermediate and Altringham. Medium-length: These are usually less than Sin. long. The varieties of this group include Chantenay, Earlykrop, and Manchester Table. Short, stump-rooted types are useful for heavy or for shallow soils. Examples are Oxheart (Guerande) and Early Scarlet Horn. Recommended varieties for December and January sowings are Chantenay and Earlykrop. Asparagus To encourage development of the fern growth necessary for building food reserves in asparagus crowns for next season’s crop the cutting of spears should cease about 8 weeks from the first harvesting (usually about the end of November for northern districts and toward the end of December for southern districts). The beds should be weeded and lightly forked over and should receive a dressing of blood and bone at the rate of Jib. per square yard plus |oz. of sulphate of potash a square yard; if wood ashes are available, a dressing at the rate of lib. a square yard can be substituted for the potash. Well-rotted stable manure or compost spread over the surface of the

bed will also assist the growth of strong healthy fern. Heavy fern growth also assists in the suppression of weeds and once it becomes established the beds should require little attention during summer. Celery Celery can be planted out in the garden from December to March. Most home gardeners will prefer to purchase plants from seedsmen rather than raise them from seed, as few gardeners except those in the warmer and more sheltered districts can sow and raise plants successfully without a cold frame or small glasshouse.

Raising Plants from Seed Where plants are to be raised seed should be sown fairly thickly—a level teaspoon to a standard tray (22in. x 12in. x 3in.)and covered very thinly by a sprinkling of soil, which is then firmed with a flat piece of board. The seedlings should appear in 1 or 2 weeks and during this period the seed-box should be kept moist by careful watering. Seed should be sown about 10 weeks before the plants are required for setting out in the garden. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, usually. about 3 weeks after emergence, they should be pricked out 2in. apart each way into seedling boxes. Planting Out Four to 6 weeks from pricking out, plants will have made sufficient root growth to enable them to hold the attached soil when cut out of the boxes in squares. They may then be planted out in the garden, and if care is taken in planting, little check to growth should occur. If celery is planted out in the . garden too early in the season, the plants are liable to receive a check in growth through adverse weather conditions, which may cause them to bolt to seed. For February-March planting seed may be sown in December in an open nursery bed. The seedlings should be watered thoroughly before they are set out in prepared beds or trenches. Trenches are preferable where conditions are dry, as beds are usually more difficult to water. The plants are set in double rows in trenches. For early or late planting they can be set out on level or slightly raised beds in which are planted 4 or 6 rows 12in. apart with Bin. between the plants in the rows. Trenches should be shallow except where it is intended to earth up the plants for blanching later. The soil in the trenches should be enriched with well-rotted farmyard

manure or compost or a fertiliser mixture. For beds the ground should be deeply dug and well worked.

Crisp, well-blanched celery is deservedly popular and to produce it in this condition requires rapid growth without checks. A few days before planting, a . fertiliser mixture consisting of equal parts of blood and bone and superphosphate plus 5 per cent, of sulphate of potash should be broadcast over the beds at the rate of lib. a square yard and worked into the top 3in. of soil. For trenches the same ’mixture should be well worked into the soil at the rate of 2oz. per toot of trench. Celery requires an adequate supply of moisture during growth, and as celery is shallow rooting (many of the roots are within 2 or 3in. of the surface), cultivation should be shallow.

Blanching

When the plants have attained a usable size blanching should be started. This is done by excluding the sun from the stalks of the plants thus preventing the formation of chlorophyll (the green colouring matter) in the plant cells. The easiest method of blanching is to surround each bed with 10 or 12in. boards. The method of placing the boards is to lay them flat on either edge of the path along plant rows, force the inside edge against the plants, and then raise them to vertical, bringing up all the outside leaves. The boards are kept in position by short stakes driven in on the outside. Another method is to cut sections of wrapping paper and wrap each plant separately, leaving only the tops of the plants exposed. Blanching by moulding the soil up around the plants is not the best method, although it is commonly practised by home gardeners. In warm weather it may cause the plants to decay, and development of leaf spot and injury to the stalks is encouraged. The following are three types of celery:— Golden self-blanching: Varieties include White Plume, which has a dwarf habit and is a good early variety, and Gilt-edge Golden, a stocky, very heavy, perfectly solid variety with a

splendid flavour; it is the type most popular with commercial growers. Late: Solid White is an excellent late variety; it is very hardy and is the best of the English large, whitestemmed sorts. Pink or red: Examples are Superb Pink and London Prize. Their flavour is nut-like, quite distinct, and pleasant; the pink, red, or purplish colour is distributed over the outer stalks, but occurs mostly at the margins of the inner stalks, which are otherwise white or cream. The best varieties to plant in the home garden diming December and January are White Plume and Giltedge Golden. For winter growing Solid White is best.

Celeriac Celeriac is commonly called turniprooted celery. The stem develops into a bulb 2 to 4in. in diameter and is the portion of the plant that is eaten. The bulbs are trimmed, washed, and, without salt or other flavouring, boiled until tender. They may be pared, sliced, and served with white sauce or left uncut to be sliced up for salad when cold. Celeriac is often used in soups and stews. The seed may be sown outdoors from September to January; subsequent treatment of the seedlings is similar to that for celery. For best results celeriac requires a deep, moist soil with a good humus content. The seedlings should be planted on flat beds in rows 18in. apart with 12in. between the plants. Celeriac does not require blanching. Leeks The leek is used in a similar way to onions and its cultural requirements are also similar to the latter. It forms a thick, fleshy stem without a bulb. Seed sown in beds in September should be ready for planting out in December or January. If leeks are not grown in rich soil and kept watered during dry weather, they are liable to become tough. Good results may be obtained on fairly heavy ground providing it has been well prepared. A fertiliser mixture composed of equal parts of blood and bone plus 5 per cent, of sulphate or muriate of potash should be worked into the soil before planting at the rate of 4oz. per square yard. When the young seedlings are about the thickness of a lead pencil they can be set out 6 to Bin. apart in rows 18in. apart. The usual practice is to make holes with a round dibble to a depth of 5 or 6in. and drop plants into the holes. Watering usually settles

sufficient earth around the roots. When transplanting, the leaves should be trimmed and the roots shortened to within Ijin. of the bulb. Gradually fill in the holes when cultivating and as the plants grow mould the soil up around them to cause the stems to lengthen. To secure a wellblanched stem the plant needs to be covered fairly deeply by soil. Cultivate frequently between the rows and around the plants to conserve soil moisture and check weeds. Be careful when hoeing or drawing up the soil not to cover the heart of the plant. Leeks require plenty of moisture and must be kept well watered in dry weather while the crop is growing. - Leeks may also be set in trenches 6in. deep similarly to celery. The trenches may be narrower than those used for celery, but the plants require more room and should be spaced 12in. apart for this method. ' Leeks can be used any time after they have grown to a usable size, but if left long enough under favourable conditions they will grow to at least IJin. in diameter with usable stalks 8 to 12in. long. Leeks keep well right through the winter and will not deteriorate in quality until they begin to develop seed stalks in spring. Recommended varieties are:— London Flag: This is a good early sort and very hardy. Musselburgh is the best variety for general cropping, is hardy, and forms a longer and thicker stem than London Flag (from which it is a selection) with large but somewhat narrower leaves.

Lyon: This variety is suitable for a late crop, as it is slow to run to seed in spring and grows very large.

Parsnips Parsnips require a long growing season, and although a December sowing can be expected to succeed in the warmer northern districts, the only type likely to grow to a usable size in southern districts when sown in December is the turnip-rooted varieties.

For best results the land should have been heavily manured for a previous crop; the seed should be sown fairly thickly |in. deep in drills

18in. apart in well-prepared soil and the plants thinned later to 4in.' apart. The best variety of parsnip is Hollow Crown, but the turnip-rooted parsnip matures quickly and is suitable for shallow soils. It is of firstclass flavour and well worth a trial. Swedes Swedes can be sown now in most districts. Usually they are preferred as a winter vegetable, and as they keep well under cool conditions, they are. a valuable addition to the supply of vegetables during winter. The ground should be well prepared, and land that has been heavily manured for a preceding crop is well adapted for the growing of swedes. If it is necessary to add manure, a mixture of equal parts of blood and bone and superphosphate plus 5 per ' cent, of sulphate of potash broadcast over the area at the rate of Jib. a square yard and raked in when preparing the ground is satisfactory. Seed should be, sown thinly Jin. deep in rows 15in. J apart and the plants thinned when they are about 2in. high to 6 to Bin. apart , in the rows. Recommended varieties are Laing’s Garden and Superlative. Tomatoes In the North Island and in the warmer parts of the South Island tomatoes may still be planted for the late crop. Plants set out now will continue the supply of this valuable vegetable until they are cut down by early-winter frosts. Late plantings should be supported, because if plants and fruit are allowed to lie on the soil, they are more susceptible to blight. As plants grown at this season of the year often fail because of an attack of blight, they should be sprayed at intervals of 10 days with Bordeaux mixture (4oz. of bluestone and sJoz. of hydrated lime in 4 gallons of water) or with copper oxychloride to which has been added |oz. of commercial D.D.T. 50 per cent, wettable powder. When soil conditions are dry water should be applied. The plants should not be watered overhead if it can be avoided, as this not only washes off the protective spray, but may cause damage to the plant through sun scald.

Recommended late varieties are Potentate, Supreme, and Market Favourite.

Winter Greens

The provision of a supply of winter greens is a problem for many home gardeners. During the favourable growing periods of the year there is little difficulty in providing a succession of green vegetables, but it is much more difficult to maintain a supply in winter. Although root crops are a good standby, most ’ gardeners desire a regular supply of green vegetables rich in the vitamins especially required during winter. In southern districts December, January, and February are the preferred months for planting winter green crops. In the North Island, because of milder conditions, the planting period can be extended to April or even later for some varieties.

The principal winter green crops are cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and kale; plants may be obtained from seedsmen. They should be planted in a rich, deeply cultivated, well-drained soil. The incorporation of organic material such as well-rotted stable or farmyard, manure or compost or the digging in of a heavy green crop is desirable on most home garden soils. In addition a fertiliser mixture consisting of 101 b. of blood and bone, 31b. of superphosphate, and fib. of sulphate of potash should be applied along the plant rows at the rate of Boz. to 6ft. of row. ' It should be well mixed with the soil before planting to avoid possible damage to the plant roots.

Moisture is essential during dry weather and the soil must not be permitted to dry out. Where insect pests such as white butterfly are troublesome plants should be protected by dusting them with D.D.T. dusting powder or spraying them with D.D.T. wettable powder. With a 50 per cent, wettable powder use |oz. in 4 gallons of water and with a 25 per cent, powder loz. in 4 gallons. A wetter, spreader, or sticker should be used to increase the efficiency of the spray, because it will make the droplets adhere better than where such an. agent is not employed. Particularly is this so on the waxy-surfaced leaves of plants of the cabbage family, although it applies to some extent to most plants. Applications should be made every 3 or 4 weeks, but should be discontinued 4 weeks before using the vegetables. There is a wide range of varieties suitable for planting out this month and a selection may be made from the following (approximate maturity dates are shown in parentheses): — Broccoli: Broccoli No. 1 and St. Valentine (August and September), Broccoli No. 2 (October), and Broccoli No. 3 (October and November). Cauliflower: Early London and. Phenomenal Early (March and April), Phenomenal 5 Months and Veitch’s Autumn Giant (May and June), and Phenomenal Main Crop and Walcheren (July and August). Savoy cabbage: Omskirk Early (April and May), Drumhead (May and June), and Omega (July and August). Kale: Dwarf Green (March) and Tall Green (April).

, Brussels sprouts: Scrymger’s Giant and Fillbasket (April and May).

THE HOME GARDEN IN DECEMBER

THE HOME GARDEN IN DECEMBER

PLANTING LEEKS

THE HOME GARDEN IN DECEMBER

THE HOME GARDEN IN DECEMBER