The Home Garden in January

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 97, Issue 6, 15 December 1958, Page 575

The Home Garden in January

By

A. G. KENNELLY,

Horticultural Instructor, Department of Agriculture, Dunedin

WEED control, attention to vegetables for winter supply, and sowing of successional crops to mature in autumn are usually first-priority jobs in the home garden in January. Growth in most gardens is still vigorous and holidaymakers returning home late in January are often amazed at the development of plants and weeds.

Seans

WHERE earlier sown crops of beans . are now falling off in yield, .dwarf or french beans can now be sown for late-autumn use. In most southern districts it is advisable to sow in the earlier part of. January; the measure of success obtained usually .depends largely on favourable autumn weather. In more favourable districts •February sowings of quick-maturing •varieties usually do well.

Grawn under good conditions, dwarf ibeans come into bearing, in about 8 to .10 weeks. Late January sowing in •most districts should be in warm, .sheltered situations, because even relatively light frosts stop the development „of beans. Though beans grow in a ■fairly wide range of soils, they need a .constant moisture supply.

The soil should be well worked before sowing." A friable well drained •joam reasonably supplied with organic ; matter suits the crop well. Beans are not usually regarded as gross feeders ,and generally on reasonably fertile .soils only moderate fertiliser applications are needed. On many of the jicher soils that are well supplied with ■nitrogen a dressing of superphosphate ..alone, at about 2 oz. per square yard, .gives satisfactory results, though on ■poorer soils a complete fertiliser is .usually advisable. As beans are not ,deep rooted, water should be given if .conditions are dry, as otherwise the -plants may be slow in development.

Seed is best sown about 1 to 2 in. ..deep according to whether the soil is .heavy or light in the bottom of a •drench taken out with a hoe about ;2in. deep. January sowings in dry weather should preferably be made a ’.little deeper than early sowings. Rows .should be 24 in. to 30 in. apart. Good -varieties include The Prince and •Tendergreen. ' Diseases The principal diseases of beans in ;New Zealand are anthracnose, bean t mosaic. and halo blight. The last

shows as small, greasy, water-soaked spots -J to i in. in diameter on leaves, stems, and pods. It causes dwarfing or death of young plants or unsightly lesions that may make pods unusable, Halo blight is seed borne and in most conditions infection is rapidly spread by rain splashes or insects. Anthracnose is a fungous disease which forms dark brown, sunken lesions on pods and stems and a black discolouration of midribs and veins of the leaves. Anthracnose is also seed carried and though in New Zealand it does not normally cause as much damage as halo blight, it occasionally makes a crop unfit for harvesting.

Bean mosaic is quite distinct and a severe infection is characterised by a dark mottling and distortion of the young leaves. Stunting of plants is common among susceptible varieties and pods may be small, reduced in number, or fail to develop. Many crops have a small number of infected plants, but only rarely is the amount sufficient to bring about serious crop loss. This disease is also seed carried an can be transmitted from diseased to healthy plants by rubbing and by insect pests. Methods of control of bean diseases include use of disease-free seed, sprays, seed dusts (copper oxychloride and

thirara have given fairly good results), and the use of resistant varieties. Generally the white-seeded pole beans are moderately resistant to halo blight.

Lettuces

In January lettuces are usually best sown where the crop is to mature. Though lettuces, like such plants as cabbages, beets, and tomatoes, transplant readily,’ their ability to withstand transplanting varies with conditions. When conditions are good damaged and destroyed roots are normally replaced quickly by new growth. In January, when conditions are often dry, transplanting, even if the work is done with the greatest care, is likely to cause a severe check..

During the warmer part of the year lettuces are grown in practically all home gardens and with successional sowing or planting they can be grown in most districts to be available throughout the year. Plants must be grown quickly if the leaves are to be crisp. Slow growth or checks to growth cause the flavour to be bitter, and though varieties of lettuce have been developed that have considerable tolerance to hot weather, high-quality lettuce can be produced consistently only where the temperature of the soil and the air is moderately cool while the crop is maturing. Fluctuating high and low temperatures do not permit good growth. With most varieties high temperatures tend to give early seed head development, bitter flavour, and poor hearts.

Lettuces mature in from about 2 to 5 months according to growing conditions and varieties, but conditions have to be exceptionally favourable to produce good lettuces in 2 months. Sowings made to give plants that will mature late in the season should not be large, because though lettuces will tolerate fairly heavy frost, plants severely frosted at or near maturity will have their outer leaves damaged and the plants may be subject to slimy rot.

Manuring

The root systems of lettuce are relatively shallow and though excess water is not desirable, plants should be set out in a moist soil that does not dry out. Practically all soils are improved for lettuce growing by the addition of organic matter. The amount’ needed varies with the soil type. Loss of organic matter owing to decomposition is rapid in light soils, but heavy soils also need organic matter, as it improves aeration and water movement.

Well rotted farmyard manure gives excellent results, but very heavy dressings, particularly when the weather is most favourable for growth, may result in loose heads. Where sufficient farmyard manure, compost, or similar material cannot be obtained, soil can be improved by growing a green manure crop and digging it in early

enough for it to rot down before the lettuce is set out. Unless rotting is fairly complete before the plants are set out growth may be checked through depletion of the nitrogen in the soil by the bacteria that cause decomposition. On very heavy soils, where the danger of depletion of the nitrogen supply may be outweighed by the advantage of improving the physical condition of the soil, it may be advisable to allow the green crop to mature fully before digging it in. A mature crop contains more fibre than an immature crop and when incorporated in the soil is likely to have a more lasting effect. If additional fertiliser is needed, blood and bone is likely to give good results on most soils. Alternatively, a so-called complete fertiliser can be made by mixing 2| parts of sulphate of ammonia, 2| parts of superphosphate, and 1 part of sulphate of potash. The complete fertiliser is much more concentrated than blood and bone and it can be applied at about half the rate. Application can vary from about 2 to 6 oz. to the square yard according to the fertiliser and the fertility of the

soil. In home gardens a manure which, is rich in nitrogen is usually needed, most for lettuces. However, too much nitrogen may result in poor hearts and loose leaves. Soil should be worked to a fine tilth for sowing, as lettuce seed is small and germination is relatively weak. Seeds should be sown thinly (as the first thinning should leave plants about 6 in. apart) about 4 in. deep in rows 12 to 15 in. apart. Popular varieties for sowing in January include Great Lakes, Webbs Wonderful, Imperial 847, Permlake, and Summer Gem. Onions Weed control is' particularly important where onions have not yet. reached maturity. Weeds not only use up available plant food but when conditions are damp tend to create an environment unfavourable to the ripening of the bulbs. Though many onion crops are ready for harvesting in January, those that were planted late or are still growing well should be kept free of weeds and pests and diseases to induce them to grow to maximum size.

Peas

In all except the mildest districts January is the latest month for sowing peas which will mature before winter. In the cooler districts a quick-maturing variety should be chosen and in most southern districts it is advisable to sow early in the month. Peas thrive in cool but not cold conditions, and a moist, deeply cultivated, well drained soil containing adequate humus is best. Soil preparation should be thorough. The ground should be deeply dug and where necessary organic material such as compost or farmyard manure should be incorporated, preferably some time before sowing, though peas usually do best following a crop that was well manured with organic and inorganic manure. The addition of superphosphate at 1 to 2 oz. per square yard has proved beneficial on many of the heavier soils that have been kept in good condition by adequate manuring with organic material or by the digging in of green crops, but on the lighter soils a complete fertiliser is likely to give better results. Only moderate fertiliser applications are advised on soils in reasonably good condition. Too heavy manuring, particularly with nitrogenous organic manures, tends to promote excessive vegetative or straw growth and makes the crop more liable to disease.

Lime is essential on most soils and can be supplied by an annual dressing of 3 to 4 oz. of carbonate of lime per square yard. Sowing Seed should be sown in V-shaped or broad, flat drills usually drawn out with the hoe. Drills should be 2 to 3 in. deep, except where conditions are hot and dry, when they should be considerably deeper sothat, though the seed should not be covered with more than 2 in. of soil, the roots will be well down in the cooler and moister lower soil levels. This is very important when conditions are dry or where heavy wind is likely, as the plants can to some extent be gradually earthed up the stems as they develop. Dwarf varieties should require no other support. Protection of newly emerged peas against birds is essential in some districts, though birds are mainly troublesome in early spring, when food is scarce and is lacking in variety. Pea guards made of wire netting are. most effective, provided the ends are blocked, but they should be removed before the peas become entangled in the wire. Cotton stretched over the shoots is effective if a number of strands, which may be criss-crossed or stretched in parallel lines, are used.

Varieties

Most seed catalogues give a list of varieties with heights and the approximate number of days each variety requires to mature. Popular varieties include the quicker-maturing varieties Little Marvel and William Massey and the intermediate varieties Victory Freezer and. Greenfeast.

Shallots

The food value of the shallot is considered to be not less than that of the onion, and considering the simplicity of its culture it is rather surprising that it is not more commonly grown in New Zealand. Most crops have attained optimum development by January and water should then be withheld and the bulbs permitted to dry off.

If shallots are carefully harvested when properly dry and then stored in a cool place, they should keep until

the following spring. Proper drying and sorting over of the bulbs before storage are important. Bulbs that have been fed with excessive quantities of nitrogenous manures are difficult to harden off and should be used as soon as possible; damaged bulbs should be used at once or destroyed. Sweet Corn Sweet corn bears separate male and female flowers, the tassel being the male inflorescence and the ear the female. Pollination normally takes place as soon as the silks appear and development of the cob should be rapid thereafter; the edible stage is usually reached 2 to 4 weeks later according to temperature, usually when the tassel has just withered. Maturity is commonly tested by thumbnail pressure. The young grains are first watery inside, then milky, then doughy, and finally the “dent” stage is reached, when the grains are too hard to be palatable. Cobs should be harvested with a gentle jerk or cut with a sharp knife

when the milky part of the grain is beginning to thicken but is still milky. In very exposed situations it is advisable to stake sweet corn, but in most situations earthing up of the stems will provide all the support necessary. Suckers often develop, but there is no evidence that their removal promotes earliness or increases the number or weight of the ears on the stem. Swedes and Turnips In districts where conditions are not too dry and a reasonably long growing season is assured seed of swede turnips can still be sown. Swedes are high yielding and usually considered to have more food value than ordinary turnips and are especially useful during winter. To be of good quality turnips should be grown quickly. Soil for them should be well drained, but moist and rich in humus and cultivated to a fine tilth. The crop can be grown on most garden soils, but a light loam is preferable.

Superphosphate is often the only fertiliser used for farm swede or turnip crops, but a complete fertiliser is likely to be most satisfactory on many of the less fertile, well worked home garden soils. In most southern districts or in areas where adequate soil moisture can be maintained January is a good time to sow turnips. Elsewhere sowing is often delayed until cooler or more moist conditions are assured. Seed should be sown thinly | in. deep in rows 12 in. apart and plants later thinned to 3 to 4 in. apart. Good varieties include Purple Top, White Milan, Purple Prince, and Golden Ball. Golden Ball is often chosen for December to March sowing, because yellow-fleshed varieties usually stand longer under adverse conditions than do the white ones. Superlative is one of the most popular varieties of swedes for the home garden.

SOWING, PLANTING, AND OTHER WORK Successions! Sowings Dwarf beans, beetroot, carrots, lettuce, peas, radishes, spring onions, turnips. . Other Sowings if Not Yet Done Parsnips (now late for sowing, except in districts having a long, mild autumn), swede turnip. Plants to Set out Early and late maturing varieties of Savoy or winter cabbage, winter cauliflower or broccoli (several varieties each'of a different maturity period to ensure succession), borecole or kale, brussels sprouts, leeks, round or summer cabbage, cauliflower varieties maturing in 3, 4, or 5 months for succession. Routine Work Sow a cover crop on any ground not to be used for cropping for some time. Lift kumara runners to prevent them rooting. Remove side shoots and give support to tall and intermediate varieties of tomatoes. ’ . Keep the hoe sharp and hoe out weeds when they are small. Hoeing is most effective in warm, dry weather. Build a tidy compost heap with unwanted vegetable refuse. Burn only woody material or material affected with readily spread pests and diseases. Keep potatoes earthed up to prevent greening of the tubers and to protect the tubers against infestation with potato tuber moth. Spraying Spray tomatoes and vegetables infested with caterpillars, vegetable weevils, green vegetable bugs, and other active pests with DDT or with lindane and DDT mixed if aphids (grey aphids, green fly, or black fly) are also present. Spray potatoes and tomatoes with copper sprays (bordeaux or copper oxychloride) or certified substitute where conditions tend to be warm and humid and potato blight is.present or likely to be troublesome. Spray beans and other crops infested with red spider mite with summer oil and nicotine sulphate or with a certified miticide (the mites are tiny, greenish, yellowish, or reddish) and feed on the undersides of the leaves, denuding them of their green colouring matter. - ' Spray onions and other crops infested with thrips with DDT or lindane. Spray celery where necessary against leaf diseases with captan or zineb or copper sprays. Under Glass Where necessary spray tomatoes affected with leaf mould fungus at 10-day intervals with salicylanilide or zineb. Thiram is particularly effective against the common form of stem rot (Botrytis]. Heavy applications of capfan usually give protection against the less common form of stem rot. •

Spraying and Dusting Equipment for the Home Garden

Though pests and diseases are liable to be troublesome throughout the year, it is from late spring until late autumn, that is, during the main growing season, that most pests and many diseases are especially troublesome.

The provision of efficient and economical spraying or dusting equipment is, therefore, very important to the home gardener. Though many of the modern materials used in the control of insect pests and diseases are highly efficient, they can be quite costly if used in considerable amounts, so it is most important, both from the point of view of effective control of pests and diseases and for economical use of sprays or dusts to have efficient equipment. Some of the principal types of home garden equipment are as follows:

Hand Syringes

Hand syringes were evolved mainly to meet the needs of gardeners engaged in glasshouse or propagating work; they are suited only to the spraying of individual plants or small groups of plants. Some of the types produce coarse droplets and so are relatively wasteful of spray. Because one stroke usually empties them, extensive spraying with them is laborious. Hand Sprayer (Atomiser) The hand sprayer is suited only to small gardens and its use is confined to spray materials having small particle size. It has attached a small container for the spray liquid. The action of the best types is usually continuous and within the limitations set by its size and output the sprayer is very effective.

The ordinary fly sprayer, though much lighter in construction and simpler in design, is an example of the type. Hand Powder Duster The powder duster is handy and effective for the home garden. It is especially useful where the moisture in a spray may be conducive to the development of the disease being controlled. It has quite a wide range of application and in appearance is usually somewhat like the hand sprayer, with a container and pressure unit or bellows similarly attached from which dust is automatically withdrawn and directed continuously, in

the most effective models, at the object being dusted. Double-acting Hand Sprayer The double-acting hand sprayer is actually a continuous-acting syringe and is a useful sprayer for the home garden. It consists of a simple doubleacting pump which delivers a continuous spray sucked through a length of flexible hose the end of which is kept in the spray container. A long hose gives greater flexibility to the operator, but makes pumping harder. Bucket Pumps The best and most expensive bucket pumps are double acting and have a

bulbous pressure chamber which ensures that once pressure has been built up it can be maintained continuously with only a moderate pressure on the pump handle. Good light and heavy types are available, but for the most efficient results it is usually preferable to have one person pumping and another directing the spray. For this a good length of flexible hose is desirable, though the longer the hose is the harder it is to maintain pressure.

Knapsack Sprayers

Knapsack sprayers are carried on the back and operated by pumping with one hand while the other directs the spray. Unless the garden is a large one, they are usually considered too costly for home gardens. Doubleacting knapsack sprayers, particularly if they have high-pressure chambers, are more effective than the ordinary types.

Pressure Sprayers

Several types of pressure sprayers are now available, either for hand use or for carrying on the back. Pressure is built up first with a pump which is usually, but not always, incorporated

Disease Control CPRAYING is not the only way to control pests and diseases. Diseases particularly are often likely to be reduced in incidence and severity by good husbandry, that is, by the care of the soil, by ensuring that drainage, moisture, and aeration are satisfactory, and by the provision of plant foods in balanced quantities and ... the addition of ' organic matter to improve soil structure and plant food supply. The provision of shelter, the best siting of the garden, the choice of varieties suited to the district (and where practicable the use of disease-resistant varieties) are all of great importance in the control of pests and diseases. It has been suggested, particularly by some who do not favour the use of mineral fertilisers, that the use of poisonous material for the control of pests and diseases is an admission of failure, to be aligned with nature. However, production of vegetables in the home garden cannot follow strictly the way of nature. Most of the cultivated vegetables are unnatural in the sense that they are unrecognisable or almost unrecognisable, due to hybridisation and selection, from their progenitors living in their natural habitat, and to be maintained at their best they require the artificial conditions of the well kept garden.

in the sprayer. In some sprayers pressures as high as 80 lb. or more per square inch can be reached. The spray mixture is released as needed by pressing a knob or lever and, because of the high pressures that can be built up, a good degree of atomisation is attained, resulting in economy in use of spray material and an effective, mist-like coverage. Some of the small hand models can be used effectively on the end of a pole for spraying high foliage, . .

Vacuum Cleaners

Most vacuum cleaners have an attachment for spraying which consists of a screw-top jar to which: can be fitted a moulded plastic top -with a jet or nozzle and suction pipe and point for attachment to the air hose of the cleaner. The jet or ’ nozzle on the more modern vacuum cleaners' is usually readily adjustable by turning a : threaded knob; alternatively, . the sprayer is usually designed so that it is . possible to fit one of a series of nozzles or jets, each with an aperture of a different size. For spraying, the air hose on the commonest types of vacuum cleaner must be fitted to the special aperature on the rear end of the machine. The spray is drawn out of the jet from the jar and atomised by the powerful current of air which emerges from' the aperatures around the jet.

Atomisation of the spray is usually quite good and usually the droplet size can be varied to suit various concentrations of spray for the subjects sprayed. Economy of spray material is usually an important feature. The chief disadvantage, and one which is shared with several other types of sprayer, is the restriction on spraying angles imposed by the design. This

can be overcome to some extent if it is possible to walk round the object being sprayed. .

Sprayers equipped with an extension nozzle which can be set at an angle are more versatile in use than vacuum cleaner sprayers, as they enable spraying to be done from different angles, upward or downward or under leaves, and more readily within the framework of a branched plant.

Good electrical connections and a good-quality rubber-covered extension cord long enough to reach the plants to be sprayed are essential where a vacuum cleaner is to be used for spraying in the garden.

Spray Coverage

The importance of using adequate pressure and the correct type of nozzle can hardly be over-emphasised. Adequate pressure to drive, and preferably atomise, the spray liquid gives coverage without waste.

Spray Nozzles

For most horticultural purposes spray nozzles are of two main types, the cyclone nozzle and the bordeaux nozzle.

Cyclone nozzle: This is now recommended for most orchard and garden spraying because more nearly than any other type of nozzle it conforms to the ideal of producing the finest droplets, greatest ■ depth of., penetration, and greatest, volume, of delivery with the minimum amount of frictional loss and at moderate pressures.

The principal parts of the cyclone are the disc, whorl chamber, whorl plate, and strainer. The disc is easily replaceable and the range of apertures thus obtainable provides a variation in the fineness of the droplets, though of course this, together with depth of penetration and volume of delivery, is also influenced by pressure. High nozzle pressure has the advantage of

giving greater penetration between the leaves, quicker coverage with less waste. . and breaking the spray into a fine mist. Bordeaux nozzle: With this nozzle the liquid is forced through a tapered aperture drilled in a stopcock so that it may be adjusted to produce a solid stream or fan-shaped spray. The latter is formed where the emerging stream is caused to impinge against a bevelled flange. The resulting spray is coarse and in the effort to obtain adequate coverage much of it will run off and be wasted.

Hose and "Lance"

Hand-operated spray pumps when first bought are often fitted with a hose of inadequate length; 6 to 8 ft. should be considered the minimum for average requirements. The hollow extension rod or “lance” to which the nozzle is attached, and which is used for directing the stream of spray, is also often too short; 18 in. should be regarded as the minimum needed.

Adequate length reduces the risk of spray splashing back on the face, hands, or clothes of the operator and enables the stream of spray to be directed past heavy foliage into the heart of the plant. If the spray lance is bent near the nozzle or the nozzle made so that it can be screwed on at an angle, the sprayer . will be more effective. Dusting versus Spraying Some advantages of dusting are: 1. Measuring or mixing is not usually required.

2. The speed of application is usually more rapid. 3. Less strongly adhering residue needs to be removed from dusted produce in preparation for cooking. 4. The need for carrying heavy buckets of spray liquid is obviated. Some disadvantages of dusting are: 1. Certain diseases and, until recently at least, some insect pests could not be effectively controlled by dusting. 2. The adhesion of dusts is inferior to that of sprays and consequently applications usually have to be made more frequently. 3. Dusts can be applied only in the absence of wind, and in New Zealand this very often means that the dusting must be done during early morning or evening. Spraying Points Spray thoroughly and at the correct time. Respray after heavy rain, especially if the spray has not had time to dry. DO NOT try to spray from only one angle. Several angles are necessary for complete coverage. Choose a calm day for spraying. (Nicotine sulphate sprays are most effective in hot weather.) Clean out pump, hose, and spray container after use by forcing clean water through. Equipment used for spraying with hormone weedkillers should not be used for garden spraying.

Keep poisons locked away and see that the labels are intact. DO NOT mix more spray than is required and then carelessly leave the excess: / where it is accessible to children. Pour it away into a hole in the ground. Most sprays deteriorate if kept. DO NOT spray profusely blossoming plants which are being visited by bees with insecticides such as DDT which remain toxic to insects for a long time, as large numbers of bees may be killed. - When using a combined spray consult a reliable spray-mixing chart to ensure that adverse reactions are not likely to occur, as these may nullify the effect of the spray or cause plant damage. Keep rubber spray hoses in a cool, dark place. Sunlight causes them to deteriorate rapidly. Oil the plunger rod and cup leathers of the spray pump periodically with a suitable non-mineral oil. Dust guns also need cleaning and oiling periodically. Avoid bodily contact with spray material. It is especially important that spray materials should not come in contact with mucous tissue, as they may then be much more readily absorbed. Go inside immediately and lie down if a headache develops as a result of contact with spray or dust drift. If a serious headache or other symptoms develop, call a doctor immediately.