The Home Garden in September

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 85, Issue 2, 15 August 1952, Page 161

The Home Garden in September

By

C. L. NAPIER,

Horticultural Instructor, Department of Agriculture, Hastings

WITH the sowing and planting of vegetable crops rapidly increasing as gardening ’ ’ conditions improve, gardeners no doubt will be wondering what results their efforts in soil improvement will bring forth later in the season. Liberal applications of organic matter are necessary if desirable growth ,is to be maintained. Besides improving the structure of soil, organic matter provides in varying amounts certain foods essential to plant health. However, because of its variable plant-food content, organic matter often requires to be supplemented with inorganic fertilisers.

FERTILISERS are applied to the soil for many reasons, the main one of which is to increase the yield of the crops grown. A second important reason is to encourage early maturity of crops. With commercial crops this would be an advantage if the crops could be marketed early. Coupled with this is the hastening of maturity either in early or main crops. With leafy crops particularly, quick maturity is essential if tenderness and good quality are expected. Other reasons are to increase the resistance of a crop to fungous diseases and to provide any mineral element known to be deficient and causing a nutritional disease of the crop concerned. Fertilisers are manufactured or are natural materials containing certain plant foods in varying quantities. To be effective, plant foods should be available to various vegetable crops in certain ratios. Unfortunately, however, the optimum ratios are not known for all crops, and every type of soil can give different results even if the same amount of fertiliser is applied to each type. It is this last fact which makes it most difficult to give specific recommendations for New

Zealand as a whole or even for one particular district. Major Plant Foods Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are the major mineral elements necessary for plant growth; the remaining 60 or so are required in varying minor degrees. The majority of these are termed trace elements. The only other important element is calcium (lime), which also acts as a soil improver. Nitrogen Nitrogen is contained in manufactured fertilisers such as nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, dried blood, and blood and bone. It is also contained in animal manures and in the nitrogen nodules on < roots of legumes such as peas. Nitrogen is essential for vegetative growth and is therefore valuable for leafy crops such as spinach, lettuce, silver beet, and cabbage. Because nitrogen generally becomes available fairly quickly, it should not be applied very long before it is required. This is particularly so with nitrate of soda and to a less extent with sulphate of ammonia, both of which are best applied when plants

are growing. Sulphate of ammonia can, however, be applied immediately before sowing, as it remains in the soil for a period. . . Phosphorus Phosphorus is contained- in bone fertilisers, the bone of blood and bone, superphosphate, and basic slag. Phosphorus tends to encourage early root development and is also valuable for seed, fruit, . and flower development. As most New Zealand soils are low in phosphates, general application of them can usually be made with safety. As phosphates are not readily lost from most soils, they can be applied before growth begins and are therefore best applied as a base dressing at the time of soil preparation and before sowing and planting. Bone fertilisers, blood and bone, and superphosphate are the best phosphatic fertilisers for home garden use. Potash Potash, which is available in commercial . preparations such as sulphate and muriate of potash and in wood ash, increases quality rather than quantity and produces sturdy growth as well as firm stems and flower stalks. It assists in improving weight, colour, and texture. Like phosphates, potash is not readily lost from normal soils and therefore can be applied early in the season. However, it does leach fairly readily from light, sandy soils. As it appears to be chiefly taken up early in the life of the plant, it. is

best applied with the phosphates in the base dressing. Calcium Calcium, the important portion of lime, is required by plants in the formation of their cellular, structure. It also increases the activity of soil micro-organisms which assist in the breakdown of organic matter. It should, however, be applied judiciously, because excess lime will restrict the activity of micro-organisms and affect the growth of certain plants. Value of Green Crops , Green crops alone do not introduce plant foods to any great extent. Apart from improving soil structure, their chief value lies in their ability to take up plant food from the soil which might otherwise be lost and release it for subsequent vegetable crops when the green crop is dug in later. In other words they are the means of carrying over remaining and easily lost plant foods from one season to the next. The most important element introduced with green cropping is nitrogen, produced in nodules on legumes such as peas, lupins, and beans. When these crops are broken down in the soil the nitrogen is released for future crops. On all soils where green crops are grown supplementary fertilisers will be nearly always necessary. Animal Manures If applied in sufficient quantities, manures from animals such as horses, sheep, and poultry are valuable suppliers of plant foods. Fowl manure is the richest and contains liberal quantities of nitrogen, phosphate, and potash. The amounts of animal manures applied should, however, be judged carefully, because if they are applied in excess, they can have disastrous results. Animal manures are best utilised by mixing them with short straw, sawdust, or fine shavings. They give the most effective results if incorporated in the soil at least 8 weeks before the land is planted or sown. With crops such as carrots, parsnips, celery, peas, and beans the manures are best incorporated the previous season, when the initial release of plant foods can be used in raising leafy crops. When animal manures are used extensively in the garden manufactured fertilisers should be applied with discretion, as -feeding can result. The quantity and kind of manure used, the time when it is applied, the kind of crop, and the soil type should all be considered before the fertilisers are applied. Generally, though, light applications of phosphate and potash will tend to give a better balance. Liquid Manures Liquid manures are an efficient means of providing plant foods. One of their chief values is that nitrogen in particular is in solution and is quickly conveyed to the root zone. In this way it is often possible to obtain quicker results than from fertilisers applied to the soil surface in the dry form. Soil should be moist and fairly loose before liquid manures are applied. A light forking before manure is applied will assist in getting the manure to where it is needed. Application of

liquid manures should be governed by the stage and rate of growth, the season, and the type of crops being grown. For instance, vigorous leaf crops require greater quantities than slower-growing, fruiting crops. Applications during the cooler periods necessarily need to be lighter than those during the period when the flush of growth is to be expected, and the same lighter applications are necessary for seedlings. Liquid manure is usually of organic origin, being generally made from poultry, sheep, or horse manure. The first two are the best sources of food supply. Although liquid manures from these sources can be classed as complete manures, they cannot always be termed balanced ones, as the plant

foods contained in them can vary a great deal. Liquid manures are best made by putting the animal manure in an open-weave bag and suspending this in a drum or .cask filled with water. When the solution is the colour of weak tea, say after 5 to 7 days, it should be ready for use. The water in the container can be replenished as each lot of liquid manure is drawn off, but replenishment should cease when the complete contents have been renewed about twice. This of course will depend partly on the quantity of manure originally suspended in the bag. Nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia may be used as a liquid manure at a rate of up to loz. to 2 gallons of water. Types of Fertilisers Fertilisers can be 'of three main types: Compounds, mixtures, or straight fertilisers. Compounds, such as blood and bone, contain more than one plant food in combination; in blood and bone they are nitrogen and phosphorus. In a mixture the number of plant foods can vary, as this type is usually made up for a particular purpose or crop, and although it may contain a compound fertiliser, it usually consists of a mixture of straight fertilisers such as sulphate of ammonia, superphosphate, and sulphate of potash. Mixtures are usually made up as balanced fertilisers; that is, the foods are in ratios as near as possible to those required by the crop. Some mixtures are recommended for a particular group of crops such as root or leaf crops; others are recommended for general application to gardens. What to Apply If organic matter, particularly animal manure, is applied in liberal

Value of Home Production The home vegetable garden presents a medium by which both pleasure and profit may be obtained. Most home gardening is probably done for the pleasure derived from it rather than from the profit motive, but there are times when necessity provides an impetus. Shortages in fresh vegetable supplies which occurred during the past season will have emphasised to many the value of production in the home garden. Wise householders will therefore profit from experience and increase their efforts in the home garden, and if the effort is maintained through the season, they should reap the reward of tasty fresh vegetables and the pride of successful achievement. Any spare ground should be used for vegetables as an insurance against possible shortages this season.

quantities, the amount of manufactured fertilisers applied can be less than would otherwise be the case. For general , purposes in the - home garden' a base mixture consisting of nitrogen and phosphate. is . usually sufficient, but a light and occasional application of pptash . also will probably be beneficial. The base mixture. is best applied to the garden plot during soil preparation before sowing or planting. A suitable mixture for general purposes can consist of 31b.. of nitrogen, 51b. of phosphoric acid, and 31b. of potash. By mixing 71b. of sulphate of ammonia, 211 b. of blood ‘ and bone, 141 b. of superphosphate, and 61b. of sulphate of potash this ratio will be achieved; 1 to 21b. of this mixture can be applied as a base, to each 10 sq. yds. of garden and worked in before sow-' ■ ing or planting. Any of the mixture remaining is handy for applying to individual crops during the growing season. Side Dressings Application of fertilisers during the growing season is chiefly governed by the growth 'of the . plants concerned. Individual fertilisers and not complete mixtures are often all that is necessary; this applies particularly to the leafy crops such as cabbage, spinach, silver beet, and lettuce. - A few of the more common fertilisers and recommended amounts to apply as side or single dressings are as follows: Sulphate of ammonia supplies nitrogen and is soluble in water. It should

be . used at the rate of J to foz. per square yard (1 sq. yd. is equal to 9 running feet of row 12in. wide). .Sulphate of ammonia is valuable as a fairly quick-acting nitrogenous fertiliser for - all leafy crops during the growing period. Its application to cabbages at the half-grown stage assists hearting. If the fertiliser is used from the seedling stage, several applications at 2- or 3-weekly intervals might be necessary. Liquid manure can be made by dissolving J to loz. in 2 gallons of water. Nitrate of soda is soluble in water and is the quickest acting of the

nitrogenous fertilisers. It also is valuable for leafy crops, particularly in the cooler periods, when it can be used directly without having to be converted by soil bacteria. As it goes directly into solution, it should be applied to actively growing crops only; otherwise its full value might be lost. Liquid manure can be made in the same way as with sulphate of ammonia. Dried blood contains nitrogen in an insoluble form and requires to be broken down by bacteria before it becomes available to plants. It is considered a safe fertiliser, as it becomes available slowly. For this reason it can be applied to most crops where nitrogen is needed at up to |lb. per square yard. Blood and bone contains ’ both nitrogen and phosphoric acid, both insoluble in water. Like dried blood it is organic and safe to apply to most crops at 2 to 4oz. per square yard. Organics should not be applied directly to root crops such as carrots in too liberal amounts. \ L Phosphatic fertilisers such as superphosphate and the bone preparations generally become available slowly. They are valuable for root crops especially and can be applied at 1 to 3oz. per square yard. * Sulphate of potash should be used sparingly and best results ’are obtained when it is applied early. Its full value is not. secured when it is used as a side dressing and it is therefore best applied in the base mixture. On most soils applications of up to loz. per square yard should be sufficient. Muriate of potash can be applied at the same rate as sulphate of potash, but owing to its salt content it is best not to use it at heavy rates or continuously on all crops. Applying Fertilisers The most effective method of applying fertilisers has been the subject of research and trial for many years and various methods are still adopted in commercial practice. Under home

garden conditions, where cropping is fairly intensive, broadcasting of a general base mixture is perhaps the most satisfactory method. Where the different kinds of - vegetables are usually grown in small quantities the application of special mixtures to each one is very difficult and perhaps not warranted. Fertiliser that is broadcast should be worked in well before sowing or planting begins. Although broadcasting is the easiest method of applying fertilisers, band application along the line of the row is the most effective and economical. The garden line should first be laid out and the fertiliser then applied in a 12in. band along the line. The fertiliser can then be raked or lightly pricked in with a fork before sowing or planting. Overseas experiments have shown that band application below the seed drill is the most effective method. In the home garden a deeper and wider drill than is necessary for sowing should first be made. The fertiliser can be spread along this and then soil returned to the drill. The seed drill can then be drawn to the required depth above the fertiliser level. Although many gardeners sow fertiliser in the drill when sowing seed, this practice is unwise. This applies particularly to dried blood, blood and bone, sulphate of ammonia, and phosphatic and potassic fertilisers. In some instances germination can be checked almost completely and in others growth of young seedlings can be retarded seriously. Growth can be retarded for two reasons: First, the ammonia released during the breaking down of the nitrogenous fertilisers can kill the seeds; and secondly, the relatively high proportion of salts which pass into solution from some fertilisers causes plasmolysis, which in turn can kill the young plants in the seeds. It is therefore safer not to sow any fertilisers with seed.

Side dressings should not be made too close to growing plants, but at the same time should not be applied so far away that they will be ineffective. The placement should be judged mainly by the stage of growth of the plants, but in any case the fertiliser should not come in contact with stems

and leaves. The most satisfactory method is to apply side dressings about each plant for widely spaced plants and in a band along each side of the row for close-growing plants. ~ . . Where animal or other forms of organic matter are used during the growing season as a source of food they should be used carefully, as plant damage may result from careless application. Light applications in the form of a surface mulch can be made with comparative safety to leaf crops in general, celery, tomatoes, runner beans, asparagus, and rhubarb. As with fertilisers, animal manures should not come in direct contact with the growing plants. Gardeners should appreciate that whatever fertilisers are used only

supplement, and should not m any way take the place of, soil improvement by the application of organic material of plant or animal origin. A soil of good structure has many advantages among which is the important one of acting as a reservoir of plant nutrients and giving them up as required by the growing plant. n .i „ Other Work tor September The new season’s activities are usually well under way during September, and in most districts at least SO me of the hardy vegetables may be SO wn. In heavy soils and in the colder districts soil conditions will not yet favour very widespread planting. If soil moisture appears to be excessive, gardeners should check drainage with

a view to having it improved as outlined in the May issue of the “Journal”.

Where possible, all crops standing over winter and now past their best should be dug in or otherwise destroyed. This will assist in checking the carry-over of diseases and pests from one crop to the next.

If soil conditions permit, all vacant plots can be dug and any green crops turned in. Where possible, all spring crops should be cultivated to destroy winter weed growth and to open up the soil and assist drying out and warming up.

Planting out on ridges may still be necessary in cooler districts where soil conditions are unsuitable for planting on the flat.

Sowings

Beans: Dwarf and climbing varieties can be sown in the earlier northern districts. Medium loams with good levels of humus are suitable for beans. If late frosts are expected, sowings should be delayed. In southern districts broad beans can still . be sown in soil that is well drained. Dwarf Gem is suitable and this variety can also be used for general planting when conditions become warmer and drier. Suitable varieties are:

. Dwarf: Sure Crop - Wax (butter), The Prince, Masterpiece.

Climbing: Scarlet Runner and Fardenlosa.

Broad: Long Pod (early and hardy), Broad Windsor.

Beet: Both red and silver beet make satisfactory growth if sown this month. Sowings should be thin, but thinnings can be planted out. These will give a slightly later crop, thus extending the season.

Detroit Dark Red and Long Dark Blood are suitable varieties of beetroot and Giant Broad White Rib a ■ good variety of silver beet. •

Cabbage: In southern districts sowings of summer strains of cabbage can still be made. Seed can be sown in raised beds or under glass if conditions are not good. Best results will be obtained by sowing seed thinly in drills. Golden Acre and Copenhagen Market are good varieties.

Celery seed can be sown this month in most districts, preferably under glass if germination is to be satisfactory. Celery seed is very small and should therefore be sown as thinly as possible. Although. Golden Selfblanching is the most popular variety, White Plume has a superior flavour.

Leek seed can now be sown in drills for next winter’s supply. As plants can be harmed by undesirable soil conditions, sowing should be delayed if conditions are considered unsatisfactory.

Onions of main-crop varieties can now be sown where they are to mature, provided the soil is friable and not very cold or wet. Plants if sown thinly should need almost no thinning.

Spinach seed of the summer strains should be sown without delay if the soil is liable to dry out later in the season.

Lettuce seed can still be sown and Imperial 615 should be used where conditions are likely to be cool, or Great Lakes in soils which warm up

rapidly and dry out.

Peas thrive best in cool weather, and best results will be obtained by sowing now, provided soil conditions are satisfactory. Early varieties are William Massey and Earlicrop; Greenfeast and Stratagem are suitable late varieties. Plantings Potato plantings of main-crop varieties should be attempted only in northern or other favourable districts. Many varieties can be recommended, but Aucklander Short Top for the North Island and Dakota for the South Island are good varieties. Cutting of potato tubers is a common practice among' home gardeners, the main reason being economical use of the seed available. Some varieties appear to be unaffected by this practice, but Aucklander Short Top is one that does not give such good response. Although all the pieces of seed of this variety may grow, the subsequent crop is considerably lighter than when whole tubers are used. Government-certified seed should be bought where possible. Cabbage and cauliflower seedlings now ready- can be planted out. Planting distances need to be greater than for spring cabbage if the plants are to develop properly. A distance of from 18in. to 24in. should be allowed between plants and rows, the greater distance always being used for cauliflowers.

Tomato plants can be set out, but only in the most suitable localities where late frosts are not expected. Shelter should be considered where cold winds still , play havoc until later in the year. Tomatoes should not be crowded, otherwise disease tends to become a problem and garden operations are difficult. Allow about 18in. between plants and at least . 30in. between rows.

Herbs, rhubarb, and asparagus: It is not yet too late to plant out herbs such as sage, thyme, and mint and to plant up the newly formed asparagus and rhubarb beds. However, there should be no further delay, as growth should begin this month. If good roots are not available, it is best to leave planting until next season.

Other Tasks

Sow asparagus and rhubarb seed for next season’s planting; cucumber, pumpkin, marrow, and celeriac under glass; and radish, cress, mustard, spring onions, turnips, and carrots.

Plant lettuce, onion, Jerusalem artichokes, and silver and spinach beet.

Hoe up early potatoes where necessary to protect them against the frost.

Construct fences for climbing beans, preferably before sowing, and drive stakes for tomatoes before setting out the plants. Broad beans may be subject to wind damage at this period and should be staked where necessary. All remaining winter root crops should be dug without further delay to avoid regrowth. . As temperatures gradually rise insect pests, including aphides will increase and the utmost vigilance is necessary if aphides in particular are to be kept in check. Reference “The Home Vegetable Garden”, Department of Agriculture Bulletin No. 342, A. G. Kennelly, available at all offices of the Department for 2s. 6d. a copy.

Ibook review!

“Principles of Milk Production”: W. B. Nevens

THIS is the most recent text-book on A dairying to come from the United States. It is intended primarily for the use of students in American agricultural colleges and for this purpose is an exceptionally well-prepared and well-presented account of modern knowledge. For the New Zealand student and dairy farmer, therefore, it has a limited usefulness, but it can be thoroughly recommended to anyone seeking to broaden his knowledge of dairy farming methods in the United States. In addition the sections on dairy cattle breeding, on milk secretion, and on the production of highquality milk involve principles world wide in their application and these are of just as much importance to New Zealand dairy farmers as to producers in Professor Nevens’s own country.

The nutrition of dairy cattle is treated extensively, naturally entirely from the European and. American point of view. Much more scope is given to the use and value of pastures in dairy production than has been the case so far in the United States textbooks. This is a reflection of the growing interest in pasture as the cheapest and best feed for dairy cattle as well as of the rapidly increasing costs of alternative feeds in most countries of the world, arising primarily from direct competition of humans for available concentrate materials. At the same time it is intriguing to read that “pasture is of little value to calves until they are more than six months old” and to see ' “rotational grazing” described as a system where paddocks are divided into four and each part is grazed for a week at a time. One gains the impression that the United States dairyman has little to teach the New Zealand farmer in the use of pastures for dairying. Of passing interest also is the recommendation that the treatment of mastitis should be undertaken only by an experienced veterinary practitioner. This will hardly appeal to the average New Zealand farmer. On the economy side, stress is placed on the efficiency of high per cow productions, an aspect which will receive considerable criticism from many quarters in New Zealand, where per acre production tends to be regarded as the major criterion of efficient dairy farming. The section on haymaking will interest many, particularly recommendations for forced ventilation and artificial drying in producing betterquality hay. Silage making recommendations apply mostly to special silage crops. On the making of grass silage emphasis is on the difficulties, and few practical recommendations are made which might assist in overcoming problems with which the New Zealand dairy farmer is so familiar. The book is likely to be of interest more to the student than to the practising dairy farmer in' this country. —C. P. McM. McGraw - Hill Publishing Co., Aldwych House, London. 40s.