Work in the Home Garden in September

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 95, Issue 2, 15 August 1957, Page 139

Work in the Home Garden in September

By

A. G. KENNELLY,

Horticultural Instructor, Department of Agriculture, Dunedin

SPRINGTIME is seed sowing time and in most gardens much seed sowing is usually done in September. Even in the colder districts the ground is warm enough for the seed of hardy plants to grow satisfactorily. In a few specially favoured districts even frosttender plants such as dwarf and runner beans, cucumbers, pumpkins, marrows, and squash can be sown outside, but it is important to remember that the soil should not be worked or walked on if it is wet.

THOUGH generally the most important work is seed sowing, the setting out of plants raised from seed sown earlier will also be important in many gardens. The setting out now of well-grown and hardened plants raised under glass is the only way by which home gardeners in some districts can avoid the break in continuity of supply which is liable to occur after the finish of early spring crops which were set out in autumn or winter. Early or late in September, according to the district, tomatoes, celery and celeriac, peppers, egg plants, melons, and cucumbers can be sown under glass. However, in most southern districts or where the last killing frost may occur as late as the first or second week in November there is no hurry yet to sow seed of cucumbers, marrows, pumpkins, and squash for growing outdoors. Seed of brussels sprouts, leeks, and cauliflowers can be sown in most districts in the open. Seedlings of silver beet, lettuce, summer cabbage, and cauliflower can

be set out or gaps can be filled in earlier planted crops. Early planted potatoes will need protection from frost, and a successional planting can be made. Except in favourable situations the planting of the main crop is best deferred until the first or second week in October. Tubers of Jerusalem artichokes can still be set out. In exposed situations broad . beans may require support, which can be provided by strings tied at suitable heights to stout stakes placed at sft. to 6ft. intervals along the sides of the bean rows. . In, many > districts peas will need protection from birds. Wire netting guards or cotton stretched over the rows are effective, though a dusting of lime, superphosphate, or sawdust or similar substance is occasionally satisfactory. Shelter for Early Crops During September and October the greatest benefit can be obtained in most gardens from shelter such as is

provided by planting on the sunny, sheltered side of a wall, fence, or trellis. Advantage may be taken also of shelter such as a low hedge or even hardy, established crops such as broccoli or double or treble rows of broad beans. Generally, semi-permeable or partly open shelter such as lattice work is more satisfactory in providing shelter over a considerable area of the garden than is shelter such as a solid fence. Such a fence may give almost still conditions close to it in strong winds, but may cause damaging turbulence a short distance away. Plant Protectors Good use can be made of cloches and frames and of special plant protectors or caps of waxed, bleached paper or linen. Plastic film, too, is specially useful. Even the very thin gauge plastic film which is made up into containers for fruit and vegetables and widely used in shops can be used in ■ the production of early crops. Plastic film is now fairly generally available in long sheets of up to about 40in. wide and in different thicknesses. The finer gauges of plastic film are transparent and the heavier opaque, but any of it can be made up into squares or rectangular sections for frames, lights, or cloches of various types, some of which are illustrated on page 140. The material may be used in place of glass in a glasshouse. A few trials are at present being carried out in New Zealand with plastic film on glasshouses and frames Overseas experience indicates that high light intensities weaken the film. In New Zealand it has been used successfully for 18 months and still appears sound. In fixing the film to any structure it is important not to staple the film close to its edge, as if this is done, it tends to tear away. A good practice is to fold the plastic near the edge and staple through the two thicknesses. Asparagus Established asparagus beds should be kept weed free and, if the soil is poor, may be fed with liquid manure made from organic material such as farmyard or poultry manure. Alternatively nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia at loz. to 2oz. a square yard is likely to give good results. Dried blood can be used, but on light, sandy soils lacking in organic matter late dressings of dried blood sometimes give a rather musty flavour to the shoots when cooked. . It is not too late to plant new asparagus beds, particularly in the south, but no time should be lost, as the young seedlings may be checked. The ground should be prepared by being deeply dug and cleared of weeds. Good drainage is essential and field drains should be installed if the condition of the ground warrants their use.

Though asparagus succeeds in light soil deficient in organic matter, young plants establish better in beds that have been dressed with well-rotted organic matter some time before planting. , One-year crowns are best. Plants should be set out as advised in the June “Journal”. Beetroot Detroit Dark Red is a good variety of beetroot for sowing now. The danger of the crop developing a high percentage of premature seed heads owing to too prolonged low temperature is now past. Beet does well in ground that was heavily manured for a previous crop, but a complete fertiliser is likely to give the best results on most soils, because it has been shown that fertiliser that produces the highest yield of beet also produces the most succulent roots. Such roots lose their succulence more slowly after harvesting than do roots of unfertilised plants or roots of plants fertilised with material containing only a single element such as nitrogen, phosphorus, or potash. Beetroot usually responds best to neutral or slightly acid soils. On alkaline soils roots are often scabby. Lack of good colour in beetroot (and silver beet) is usually due to lack of nitrogen, and this may be. corrected by applying nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, or dried blood at about loz. to the square yard. Common salt often improves growth and texture of beetroot. Sowing Rates of sowing for beetroot vary according to the quality of the seed, the variety, and the purpose for which the crop is intended, but as beet “seed” is a fruit containing from 2 to 6 seeds, each of which may develop into a plant, sparse seeding is usually desirable. Rates of sowing vary from about loz. to 3oz. per 100 ft. of row. In .most home gardens, where the percentage of germination is unpredictable, owing to either seed or soil condition, 10 to 15 seeds per Ift. of row usually gives satisfactory results. Seed should be sown in rows 12in. to 18in. apart according to the size of the tops of the mature plants and about Jin. deep in heavy soils and up to lin. deep in light soils. Seedlings will usually have to be thinned to produce the best crops. The first thinning should remove the excess from groups of seedlings that have arisen from a single “seed”. Additional thinning may be necessary later and the young plants thinned can be used as greens. Beetroot seedlings' transplant well when small and the area of crop can be increased by transplanting. Silver Beet, Spinach Beet, Spinach Leaf beets and spinach are healthgiving vegetables worth a place in

practically every home garden. Silver beet or Swiss chard differs from spinach beet in its upright habit of growth and large leaves, which have broad, white or whitish midribs. Spinach beet is sometimes called perpetual spinach (beet) and is a form of silver beet with smaller leaves which arise from a crown. It is one of the most useful of the leaf beets, because unless conditions are very hot and dry, it will continue to develop leaves which can be plucked for many months. Spinach is less enduring than silver or spinach beet under hot summer conditions? It is quicker maturing, however, and in the moist, relatively cool weather of spring, varieties of it will mature in good soil conditions in from 40 to 55 days. The soil for all three vegetables should be moist, fertile, well cultivated, and well drained. Lime at 2oz. to 3oz. per square yard should be applied to soils not recently dressed, and a good dressing of organic material such as well-rotted farmyard or stable manure in addition to a complete fertiliser is advisable on many home garden soils. Seed should be sown about Jin. deep in rows 12in. apart for spinach and spinach beet and 15in. to 18in. apart for the upright-growing leaf beets. Any of the varieties of. leaf beet can be sown now, but it is advisable to

choose a variety of spinach which is fairly tolerant of warm conditions. Carrots Seed of carrots should be sown as soon as soil conditions are favourable. In most home gardens several small successional sowings are preferable to one large one. Carrots are high yielding and grow well in deep, rich, welldrained and well-cultivated soils that contain adequate well-rotted organic matter. ■ When seed is sown thinly on light, free-working, sandy loams or peat soils carrots do not usually require thinning. Where thinning is necessary it can often be delayed with advantage until the plants are large enough to be used in soups, salads, or stews. Though carrots thrive in deep, rich, well-drained, well-cultivated soils, care should be taken when building up the humus content to apply only wellrotted material in limited quantity so that when it is incorporated it forms a homogeneous mass with the soil; otherwise misshapen or forked roots may result. Manure should be well rotted and the best results are usually obtained from planting in ground that was heavily. dressed with organic manure for the previous crop. It is not possible to give a manure mixture that will give best results on

all soils, but on most soils reasonably well supplied with organic matter, a complete fertiliser dressing should be applied at about 2oz. to 3oz. per square yard. Though carrots are fairly tolerant of moderately acid conditions, a deficiency of lime can be remedied on most soils by the application of 2oz. to 3oz. of agricultural lime per square yard. . To ensure that germination is good the seed-bed should be worked down to a fine tilth. Seed should be sown Jin. deep in rows about 12in. apart. In heavy soil that tends to compact or where large-rooted varieties are grown plants can be thinned 2in. to 4in. apart. Half-long carrots are preferred in most home gardens for sowing at this time of the year. Good varieties are Manchester Table (Nantes) and Chantenay. Where the soil is shallow short carrots of the Oxheart type may be preferred. Especially in districts where carrots are difficult to grow the following varieties should be tried: Taranaki Strong Top, Topweight, Egmont Gold, Holmes Improved, and Sweetcrop. Control of Carrot Rust Fly and Aphids Where the carrot rust fly is troublesome precautions should be taken against it. The adult carrot rust fly is a small, shiny, black fly about l/3in. long with reddish eyes and a yellowish head. It has yellow legs and one pair of wings. The fly lays its eggs near the crown of the carrot, and when the larvae or maggots hatch they burrow down and attack near the tip of the taproot. Young plants may wilt and die. The maggots burrow into the tissue of the. taproot and leave rusty brown tunnels, at first only near the surface. Maggots are slender, creamy white, rather rigid, legless, up to |in. long, and broad at

one end and tapering to a slender head. Dieldrin or lindane seed dressings may give protection for up to 2 to 3 months. If seed dressings are not used, the crop can be treated with lindane or dieldrin when the plants are showing the first true leaves. Lindane or dieldrin dust can be used, but drenching the soil with a solution is more effective. The protection of long-standing crops can be ensured by spraying foliage with dieldrin (0.1 per cent.) or DDT at intervals of about 2 to 3 weeks. Carrot rust fly is unlikely to be troublesome south of Palmerston North. The carrot rust fly should not be confused with the greenish aphids which attack the foliage and are usually very numerous. . Aphids may be wingless or may have transparent wings. They suck the sap and stunt the growth, so that young plants may wilt in hot weather. The many tiny white specks present are the cast skins of the aphids. The foliage may take on a bronzing or a bluish or reddish hue and the leaf stalks become distorted. Aphids are readily controlled by regular spraying with nicotine sulphate 1 : 600 (loz. of nicotine sulphate to 4 gallons of water plus joz. of soap, which should first be dissolved in a little hot water) or lindane at recommended strengths. The leaves of the carrots must be thoroughly covered with spray. A still, warm day should be chosen for spraying. Studies of the life history of the carrot rust fly show that in many districts attacks are most severe during the following periods: Mid-September to mid-October, the end of November to the end of December, mid-January to mid-February, and mid-April to

mid-May. If possible, sowing dates should be arranged so that thinning does not have to be done during these periods, because the disturbance to the soil attracts egg-laying flies. Frost-tender Vegetables A good way to obtain early crops where there is danger of frost until late October or even November is to sow such tender plants as pumpkins, marrows, and cucumbers in heat under glass or under one or other of the plant protectors already described. An electrically heated hot-bed is excellent, though a hot-bed of fermenting manure, hops, or other organic material is easily made if suitable material is available. The recognised safe dates for planting out frost-tender vegetables vary considerably in different districts. As about a month of favourable conditions is required to raise seedlings of most cucurbits to a size where they can be planted out, time of sowing must be correlated with the facilities available for raising the plants and the time of the last killing frost. It is not advis- . able to sow too early, as cucurbits do not transplant readily, and difficulty in transplanting and the resultant setback are greater when the plants are large. In a few parts of the North Island frost-tender vegetables, such as dwarf and climbing beans and cucurbits, can be sown outdoors by about midSeptember, but in most districts it is necessary to defer sowing until late October or even early November. Even where protection can be given against frost nothing is to be gained by sowing in cold, wet ground. Jerusalem Artichokes Jerusalem artichokes are easily grown and are well worth a place in

gardens having sufficient space. The tubers (either cut or whole) should be planted -3in. to 4in. deep and 15in. to 18in. apart in rows 3ft. apart. Three pounds of small tubers will plant about 100 ft. of row. Artichokes are very hardy and do not require any particular type of soil, though they do well in fertile, wellworked loams. They are rarely troubled by pests and diseases. Leeks Leeks are one of the most reliable vegetables for autumn, winter, and spring. Though they stand well in cool, moist conditions, they send up seed heads fairly quickly if subjected to dry, warm conditions. To ensure a long season of supply it is advisable to make two or three sowings. Their culture was fully discussed in the June “Journal”. Because of cool soil conditions the earliest sowings in most districts are best made in a box of prepared soil under glass. Seed can now be sown outdoors thinly gin. deep in rows 12in. apart. London Flag or Broad Flag is a good variety for this sowing, as it matures a little more quickly than either Musselburgh or Lyon, though either of these can be sown if desired. Onions In the South Island and in districts where main-crop onions are usually sown in spring seed should be sown as soon as ground conditions are favourable. Though varieties and cultural practices have an important bearing on production, fairly heavy soils usually produce good-keeping but relatively slow-maturing onions and sandy soils quick-maturing onions that are generally of s poorer keeping quality. Organic matter does not have to be applied to soils that are reasonably fertile if the water-table is high and if the composition and placement of fertilisers are suitable. However, plant food should be readily available, but in such a form and in such quantities that it does not cause burning or, paradoxically, starvation. Onion roots arise from the stem plate at the base of the fleshy part of the plant. They are fine, but very numerous, radiating in all directions and forming a fibrous tuft. On most soils the roots are not more than lOin. to 12in. long, though occasionally they may be 20in. They do not arise as normal plant roots, but continue to develop from the stem plate as long as the plant is growing. The main root zone is usually within 6in. of the bulb. Onions require a slowly available source of nitrogen, and on most soils crops will benefit from a heavy dressing of stable or farmyard manure applied in autumn and to which has been added (to balance its nitrogen and potash content) about 1/30 part by weight of superphosphate. .If

onions of good keeping quality are required, it is not advisable to apply in spring excessive quantities of organic manure which contain a considerable amount of nitrogen, as bulbs may be stimulated into excessive leaf growth and weeds are liable to be troublesome. Few home gardeners are likely to have much farmyard manure, but. available compost should be applied with a complete fertiliser at about 3oz. to 6oz. a square yard. Because of the great variation in soils and their condition throughout New Zealand only local experience can indicate fertiliser requirements. If soil conditions and fertiliser placement are correct, it seems difficult, judging by experiments made, to overmanure onions. The seed-bed should be worked down to a fine, firm tilth and . seed sown thinly jin. deep in rows 12in. to 15in. apart. Good varieties include Ailsa Craig and Straw Spanish (both early) and Pukekohe Long Keeper (for storage).

Peas In gardens where peas have not yet been sown they should be put in without delay if soil conditions are favourable. Each pea crop can be harvested for only a limited time and successional sowings are usually advisable. Peas do well in cool, well-drained soils rich in humus. As they repay good cultural methods, the ground should be deeply dug and manured, preferably some time before sowing, with organic material such as compost or farmyard manure. Before sowing, a complete fertiliser, or if the soil is in good condition a dressing of 2oz. to 3oz. of superphosphate to the square yard, can be well worked into the soil. If a shallow trench is first taken out and the seed pressed into the bottom of it lin. to IJin. deep (according to whether the soil is heavy or light), the plants can be earthed up conveniently as soon as they show a tendency to straggle or fall over between the rows. Dwarf varieties such as William Massey and Little Marvel can be grown without staking in rows 20in. apart, if they are kept well earthed up. Rows of the mid-season varieties such as Greenfeast and Victory Freezer should be planted at least 3ft. apart and require staking. Material such as brushwood, netting, or sticks

can be used. Vines must be supported so that they will not provide a refuge, for slugs, which eat the pods. Staking also prevents the pods from rotting through contact with the soil. The varieties mentioned are among the best. One pound of pea seed is sufficient for about 100 ft. of row. If slugs are troublesome, they can be controlled by parametaldehyde baits, obtainable from most seedsmen. Potatoes It is too early in most districts to plant main-crop potatoes, though an early planting can be made if the home gardener is prepared to keep the tops earthed up while frosts are likely to cause damage. It is not necessary to green and sprout tubers before planting, but earlier crops can usually be obtained from sprouted seed. Government-certified seed should be used if possible. Few vegetables are subject to as many diseases as potatoes, and only the expert can recognise many diseases in the tubers. Tubers infected with virus diseases, such as leaf roll, mosaic, and crinkle, may appear healthy and of a desirable type, yet if it were not for the system of certification, these diseases would reduce the total yield of potatoes in New Zealand by perhaps a half or two-thirds. Virus diseases are transmitted mainly by aphids (green fly),

the lower incidence of which in the South Island is the main reason for the growing of most of the certified seed there. Apart from the purchase of certified seed, the important points in potato growing are choice of variety suited to the soil and district and the purpose for which the variety is grown (that is, early, second early, main, or late crop), soil condition, and cultivation. Soil can be maintained in good condition by the addition of humus or humus-forming materials, by the judicious application of fertiliser, by suitable rotation of crops, and by drainage where necessary. Soil and Fertilisers The soil for potatoes preferably should be deeply and thoroughly cultivated, as thorough preparation of the soil not only ensures a good seedbed but helps to maintain satisfactory moisture content, aeration, and temperature. Soils that have been trenched should be given time to settle before planting.' Heavy dressings of organic manure just before planting are not advisable, as they may induce conditions which favour the development of scab. A heavy dressing applied the previous year, so that it is thoroughly decomposed, or a green crop dug in some time before planting will usually help to give satisfactory results, as also will the addition of such material as grass clippings. Soils which have been heavily limed or heavily dressed with the ashes of the garden bonfire should not be used. The potato is tolerant of acid conditions, and in soils infected with common potato scab the organism will be suppressed if the soil is fairly acid to strongly acid. Lime increases the alkalinity of the soil. The fertiliser required for potatoes depends greatly on the amount of organic matter previously incorporated in the soil, but generally Department of Agriculture trials in New Zealand have shown that a mixture (by weight) of 1 part of sulphate of ammonia and, according to soil type, 3 to 5 parts of superphosphate applied at about IJoz. to 2oz. per yard of row will give good results. The addition of muriate of potash or sulphate of potash, preferably the latter, at about Joz. to a yard of row will give improved results on many soils and is advised for most home garden soils. Instead of superphosphate and sulphate of ammonia equal parts of superphosphate and blood and bone can be used.

Planting

The simplest way to plant is usually to open a trench about 4in. to sin. deep and to dust the fertiliser along it. In the home garden rows are usually 2ft. apart and tubers can be placed from

9in. to 14in. or 16in. apart in the rows. The wider spacings are favoured for main-crop or very large growing varieties.

If tubers are large, that is, 4oz. or more, they can be cut into two or more sets if desired. Each should be chunky and have at least two eyes and a minimum of cut surface.

Cut surfaces should not be allowed to dry out, but should heal or callus over promptly. The pieces should be planted immediately they are cut in a soil that is neither too wet nor too dry.

If soil conditions are not favourable, tubers can be cut and left with the cut surfaces in contact, though they should be broken apart from time to time. Alternatively they can be kept at a temperature of 60 to 70 degrees F. and a very high humidity for about 7 to 10 days. However, to prevent excessive sprouting temperature and humidity should be lowered as soon as healing is complete. Hygiene is also very important in handling cut tubers, as the tubers are liable to attack by soft-rotting organisms until the cut surfaces heal.

Though for early crops Epicure and Arran Banner are most commonly planted, numerous other varieties listed in good seedsmen’s catalogues are suited to different districts. For example, Jersey Bennes is favoured in Otago. Lettuces Lettuce seed should be sown without delay, or if sufficient time has elapsed since the last sowing, a further sowing should be made. For lettuces grown early in the season, when conditions are cool, a variety such as Imperial 410 (Triumph) or Imperial 615 (Neapolitan Winter) is especially suitable. Later, varieties such as Webbs Wonderful (New York 515) or Great Lakes can be used. Seed can be sown Jin. deep in rows 12in. to 15in. apart in well-drained, deeply cultivated soil of high humus content. Early in the season lettuces can be transplanted successfully. They are usually set out Bin. to 12in. apart. When the weather becomes hot and dry it is better to sow seed thinly where the plants are to mature and to thin seedlings to Bin. to 12in. apart. Radishes ~ Small successional sowings of radishes should be made as required. Cultural requirements are similar to those of beetroot and carrots, but as most varieties of radishes mature much more quickly than other root crops, they are more sensitive to adverse soil conditions.

The soil should be well drained and preferably light, with the top 6in. cultivated to a very fine tilth. It

should be very rich in fine, well-rofted organic matter; well-matured compost is excellent, though improved results are usually obtained if in addition a complete fertiliser is applied at about loz. to 2oz. per square yard.

Radishes usually grow best in a soil that is slightly to moderately acid. Lime is therefore unnecessary on many soils that have been limed for-a previous crop, though a light dressing, applied preferably some time before sowing, is likely to be beneficial on soils in high-rainfall areas.

The soil should be gently firmed after cultivation, as the roots do not bulb well in loose soil. The soil should not dry out and in mid-summer shelter from the sun is advisable; summer crops should be'sown in the shade of taller crops.

Seed can be sown at any time of the year in well-drained soil, provided there is sufficient moisture and the ground temperature is not below about 52 degrees F. The seed should be sown thinly (about 12 to 15 seeds for each Ift. of row) Jin. deep in rows that need be only about 6in. to Bin. apart for any except the Chinese varieties. Alternatively the seed may be broadcast, though weeding is then more difficult. .If beds are too wide, it may be difficult to harvest the roots without treading on the bed.

Varieties of radishes can be grouped as oval, turnip-shaped, long, and giant or Chinese. Any of the smaller or medium radishes, such as French Breakfast, White Icicle, Long Scarlet, or Chartier, is suitable for sowing now. Summer, Autumn, and Winter Greens An early sowing of brussels sprouts can be made late this month. Many home gardeners in the warmer and drier parts of New Zealand consider brussels sprouts difficult to grow because of attacks of grey aphids. Regular spraying with nicotine sulphate (loz. to 4 gallons of water plus |oz. of soft soap) should ensure that the plants are kept clean. However, spray coverage must be complete and if possible a hot, still day should be chosen for the application of nicotine sulphate. Lindane at recommended strengths may be more efficient at lower temperatures. When nicotine sulphate is used the precautions listed on the package should be observed meticulously. Seed of brussels sprouts should be sown 4-in. deep in rows Ift. apart. The seed-bed should be rich in humus and well worked to a fine tilth. The young plants should be ready for setting out in about 6 to 8 weeks. An early sowing of winter cauliflower (broccoli) can, if desired, be made at the same time as the brussels sprouts, the requirements for sowing' and planting- out being the same. Summer cabbage and cauliflower can also be sown.