THE HOME GARDEN IN MAY

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 98, Issue 4, 15 April 1959, Page 387

THE HOME GARDEN IN MAY

By

A. G. KENNELLY,

Horticultural Instructor, Department of Agriculture, Dunedin

THERE is usually digging and much tidying to be done in the home I garden in May, as the residues of half-hardy crops such as tomatoes, beans, marrows, pumpkins, and potatoes have to be cleared away and the land they occupied dug over. Nothing is to be gained m most gardens by planting or sowing any but the hardiest vegetables, as usually the weather can be expected to become progressively less favourable for growth until the shortest day.

SOME sowing and planting may be done in May if the soil is well drained and cultivated. If firming is necessary in preparation of the soil, it should be confined to the seed or plant rows and done only in moderation to medium and heavy soils. A simple method of testing soil condition for sowing is to walk on it. If it sticks to the soles of the boots, it is too wet. . Comparatively little growth can be expected in most gardens in the next

2 months and the home gardener must decide whether anything is to be gained by sowing or planting any but the hardiest subjects such as broad beans or spinach now. It is not advisable to plant or sow even hardy subjects in cold situations where the soil is heavy and poorly drained, Temperature and other aspects of the weather are not usually so favourable that the plants should be subjected to the additional hazard of a cold, wet soil if this can be avoided.

Cabbages and cauliflowers can still be set out in most gardens where the soil is well drained as advised in last month’s “Journal” and, where conditions are not likely to be too severe, lettuce as well. Broad beans and spinach can be sown and in some districts peas, but unless the garden is in a very favourable situation and the weather is very good, it is best to defer sowing seeds of such plants as carrots, onions, turnips, and even radish until July, August, or September according to conditions. The top growth of asparagus should be cut down as soon as it begins to turn yellow and digging of kumara and potato crops should be completed without delay. Potatoes and other root crops in store should be sorted over to remove those with rots. Vacant ground can be sown with a green crop and, if necessary, limed and attention given to the compost

heap and to the burning of diseased or woody rubbish. Rhubarb beds should be weeded and the seed stalks removed. Rhubarb plants with mottled or streaky leaves, indicating virus disease, should be dug out and burnt. If the garden is tidy, it can be quite an attractive place in winter. The cleaning out of untidy areas where unwanted grass and weeds are growing and the removal of such trash as old boxes, pieces of wood, old useless posts, stakes, bricks, and stones improve the appearance of a garden and are important in pest and disease control. Untidy corners provide ideal breeding grounds for such garden pests as earwigs, slugs, snails, slaters, cutworms, millepedes, and wireworms. Weeds, whether among crops or round the edges of the garden, should be destroyed, as they may be the means by which pests such as thrips, mites, and aphids, which are often considered more serious than weeds, are carried over from season to season. They may also serve as host plants for virus and fungous diseases from which insects infect the next season’s crops. All weeds, long, matted grass, and untidy corners should therefore be cleared away; soft rubbish can be composted and unwanted, woody material should be burnt. Refuse of some diseased crops can safely be put on the compost heap. However, if there is any doubt about the longevity

or resistance of the spores of the diseases to such destructive agencies as occur in compost heaps, the refuse should be burnt as should most garden refuse that is infested with active insect pests. The ash of such material is sometimes a fairly good source of potash and should be gathered and put under cover before rain leaches the nutrients from it. It may be useful as a supplementary fertiliser, if its potash content is high, for such crops as onions, tomatoes, and certain taprooted vegetables. Application of Ashes Wood ash or the ash from garden refuse should be used with discretion, as heavy dressings may have an adverse effect on the tilth or structure of some soils. Its effect is usually most damaging on soils that contain insufficient organic matter. Moderate dressings are therefore preferred. Cover Crops Whenever practicable ground should be sown with a cover crop for digging in to increase the organic material in the soil. Cover crops also take up soluble plant foods and so prevent their loss by leaching. Choice of crop depends largely on the district or the period the ground is likely to be left before it is required for another vegetable crop.

Barley and oats are quick maturing and usually grow quite well even in the colder southern districts if sown now. Mustard is even quicker where conditions are warm, and in favourable conditions it usually produces a heavier crop, but it usually, fails to grow well where conditions are cold. Lupins make the best cover crop for digging in on most soils, as they are a legume and are a good source of nitrogen when the nodules on their roots break down. They are subject to frost damage if sown very early for overwintering in districts subject to heavy frosts, and if sown late in the colder districts, they usually fail to make adequate growth before they are required for digging in. The seedbed for a cover crop should be firm and reasonably moist and for best results the seed should be gently raked in. Thick sowing is desirable with most green crops, as a thick stand of plants is required to increase the total amount of dry matter to be dug in, especially as the period between sowing and digging in is usually limited. Broad Beans May is usually the preferred month for sowing broad beans, as they are very hardy and do well in cool conditions. As broad beans are easy to grow and most varieties can be relied on to produce a good crop with very

little attention, they deserve a place in the garden of every home where their flavour - is appreciated. The earlier sowings usually mature at a time when fresh vegetables are scarce and lacking in variety in most gardens. Broad beans do not require special soil, but it is not advisable to sow them in wet, sticky soil or light soil that tends to dry out. They do well in fairly heavy, moist, well drained soils that have been well cultivated and into which has been worked, if the soil lacks organic matter, a moderate amount of material such as compost or well rotted farmyard manure. The principal plant nutrient required on most soils is phosphoric acid, which can be supplied by superphosphate or by bone manure, though on soils such as those in many home gardens that have been cultivated for many years without a balanced manurial programme being followed, a complete fertiliser containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash is likely to give best results. Apart from their nutrient value phosphates are said to have a stimulating effect on .. the nitrogenfixing bacteria on the roots of broad beans. Broad beans require only a small amount of nitrogen. A mixture of 1 part of sulphate of ammonia, 4 parts of superphosphate, and 1 part of sulphate or muriate of potash, all by .weight, or alternatively 3 parts of blood and bone, 2 parts of superphosphate, and 1 part of sulphate or muriate of potash worked in at 2 to 3 oz to the square yard, according to the fertility of the soil, will give good results on most soils that have been well dressed with balanced fertilisers for previous crops. Though broad beans are tolerant of a fairly wide acid-alkaline range (pH), they will not thrive in excessively acid conditions. In districts with moderate to heavy rainfall growth in most soils not recently limed will be improved by applying carbonate of lime at about 2 to 4 oz to the square yard. It is best worked in some time before sowing. Apart from weed control, beans should require little attention when young, but it is usually advisable in winter or early spring when the weather is boisterous to draw a little soil against the stems of autumn-sown plants to support them. Tall growing varieties can be stopped when they are about 30 to 36 in. high by pinching out the tops. This encourages the plants to develop sturdy growth and is often sufficient to check an attack of black aphis in its early stages, particularly if the aphids’ natural enemies, such as lacewing flies, ladybirds, and their larvae, are numerous. In many gardens where tall varieties are grown it is advisable to support the plants as they develop or as they become heavy with pods. One

or more strings run along the sides of rows and tied to stakes at intervals or 5 to 6 ft will save the plants from being blown over. Sowing s . ■ Beans sown early in autumn do not necessarily yield pods earlier than those sown in late autumn or early winter, for though the plants may make good growth in late autumn and early winter, they are likely, particularly where winters are fairly severe, to be damaged and checked by disease or by boisterous weather. The earliest flowers often fail to set because they are produced at a time of unfavourable soil conditions and sudden extreme temperature changes, but if

spring sowing is necessary it should not be delayed too long, as the crop may be reduced if it matures in the hot, dry conditions of summer. In deep, well drained soil broad beans are best set 2 to 3 in. deep, preferably with a trowel, and 4 to 6 in. apart or in the bottom of a drill about 3 in. deep. Seed may be planted in double rows 10 to 12 in. apart, with not less than 26 in. between each double row. Single rows are sometimes preferred; they should be 15 to 18 in. apart. Germination is usually good, but in the home garden a few extra seeds can be sown at the ends of rows and seedlings later transplanted to fill gaps; young plants should be transplanted as early as

possible. Seed varies in size, but a little less than a quart of seed will sow about 50 ft of double row. Germination can usually be speeded by soaking the seed for about 12 hours before sowing. Specially prepared seed dusts, available under various trade names, give some protection to newly sown seed against soil-borne disease. Preparation for Table The immature pods of broad beans may be eaten whole if they are sliced in the way usually adopted for preparing runner beans for cooking; young broad beans are quite tasty

used raw in salads if they are shelled and the seeds skinned. Skinning is not difficult and with the seed coat removed the beans are sweet and tender. Varieties Two main varieties of broad beans are grown in New Zealand, the broadpodded or Windsor type and the longpodded type. The broad-podded type has relatively short, broad pods usually containing about 3 to 5 large seeds. It is represented by varieties such as Broad Windsor, Giant Windsor, and Hartington Windsor. Long Pod and Mammoth Pod are examples of

the long-podded type, varieties of which may produce pods up to 16 in. long, though usually they are about 5 to 9 in. long and contain about 4to 7 seeds. Dwarf varieties of broad beans are also available. They are well worth growing in small gardens or in exposed situations' and they are also useful for sowing in January where conditions are not too hot and dry (or even in February where the growing period is long enough) to mature before winter. The pods contain 2to about 4 small seeds and are usually attached in fan form. The foliage is

small, often fairly dark, and the internodes are very short. Examples of the type are Coles Early Dwarf and Dwarf Gem. Brussels Sprouts Brussels sprouts should be harvested regularly by the removal of the sprouts as they reach full size. The bottom sprouts should be gathered first. Leaves should be removed from the base as they turn yellow. Plants in exposed situations may have to be staked, as they usually tend to become top heavy with leaves and sprouts as harvesting progresses. Various diseases which cause spotting or blotching of the leaves commonly develop on members of the cabbage family toward the end of May. If only a few outer leaves are affected, the trouble may be checked by their removal. Where infection is more advanced protective copper oxychloride or other fungicidal sprays may be advisable, though most of the diseases which cause forms of leaf spot increase mainly owing to the cool and moist conditions that occur in late autumn or winter. Lettuces Lettuces for setting out or growing in early spring can be sown in May in a favourably situated cold frame or in a favourable situation in the open where the soil is well drained. Where these conditions are lacking, it is usually best to defer sowing until July or August. As growth of established lettuce crops is slow in most districts in May, the plants should be kept weed free and the soil between the rows should not be packed excessively by treading on it.

When plants are' being, set out a . sheltered site with a northern aspect where the soil has been well cultivated and manured is desirable. If drainage is poor or the ground likely to be rather cold, young plants should be set out on a raised bed. Like most salad crops lettuce should be grown quickly. At this time of the year, when in most districts conditions are not good for growth, a light sandy loam rich in well rotted organic matter such as farmyard manure or compost is desirable for growing plants in or setting them out into. Varieties Good varieties for setting out in May include Imperial 615 (Neapolitan Winter), Imperial D, Imperial 101, and Triumph. Peas Though garden peas are hardy and yields are usually higher and the quality better when the crop matures under comparatively cool conditions, heavy frost is liable to affect the setting of the flowers, and frost after a mild period during which soft growth has developed may damage the haulms. In districts where winter conditions are severe autumn sowing should be done sufficiently early to enable the young plants to become established but not so early that they make soft growth. Losses from autumn sowing may be serious in severe weather, but in well drained soils in districts where winters are not hard autumn sowing is usually satisfactory. In many districts, however, autumnsown crops mature little ahead of crops sown in favourable conditions in spring. For autumn and spring

sowings seed should be dressed with a suitable seed protectant, such as captan, chloranil, or thiram. The peas should be shaken for several minutes in a tin containing enough of the chemical to coat the seed. Afterward excess should be removed by tapping the tin sharply so that the powder falls to the bottom. Pea seeds germinate and the plants make vigorous. growth at temperatures considerably lower than those suitable for many other vegetables. Sowing Seed should be sown 1 to 2 in. apart in V-shaped or broad, flat drills, which can be drawn out with the hoe 18 to 36 in. apart according to variety. Drills should be 2 to 3 in. deep, except where conditions are hot and dry, when they should be considerably deeper so that, though the seed should not be covered with more than l-J to 2 in. of soil, the roots will be well down in the cooler and moister levels. The seedbed should be thoroughly cultivated, as a fine, well prepared seedbed has an important influence on. the promotion of even, full germination and uniform maturity at harvest. Protection of newly emerged peas against birds is essential in some districts, though birds are troublesome mainly in early spring, when food is short. Pea guards made of wire netting are effective if the ends are blocked, but they should be moved before the peas become entangled in the wire. Cotton stretched over the shoots is also effective if a number of strands, which may be criss-crossed or placed in parallel lines, are used.

Manuring Peas, though they add some nitrogen to the soil and improve the physical nature of most soils, are an exhausting crop, because they have high demands for plant foods. For this reason and because the period between sowing and harvesting of most varieties is comparatively short, the soil should be well cultivated to enable the roots to spread freely and gather rapidly the nutrients needed by the plants. Crop failures are often due to poor drainage and sometimes to inadequate liming, though liming should not be too heavy, as a neutral or slightly acid soil suits most pea crops. An annual dressing of 3 to 4 oz of lime per square yard is usually satisfactory, though heavier dressings may be needed in high-rainfall districts. On soils of fairly high fertility, such as virgin soils or those that have been heavily dressed with organic manure for a previous crop, fertiliser applications need not be heavy. A dressing of superphosphate applied at about 1 to 2 oz per square yard may be sufficient, but on most well worked garden soils a complete fertiliser (such as a mixture containing by weight 2 parts of sulphate of ammonia, 6 parts of superphosphate, and 1 part of sulphate or muriate of potash) at 1 to 3 oz per square yard gives good results. Peas are highly sensitive to fertiliser injury and care should be

taken that the manure does not come i n contact with the seed. Var i eties popular dwarf varieties of peas for au t umn sowing for early spring croppjng include William Massey and ~F Marvel • l Spinach is a useful vegetable for late-autumn sowing and can be quick growing, maturing under favourable conditions in from about 40 to 55 days, It is hardy when established under cool conditions and can be sown throughout winter in well drained and well cultivated soil that is not too heavy, provided the seedlings can establish themselves without being lifted by frost. Spinach is one of the few vegetables that will grow at temperatures only slightly above freezing, though the mos t suitable temperature is somewhat higher. Though seed germinates at relatively low temperatures (40 degrees F. or even lower), seedling emergence is usually delayed where there is frequent heavy rain. Germination is good at 50 to 60 degrees F., hut the percentage of seed germinatjng decreases at higher temperatures. Types Spinach can be classified in several ways according to whether the seed is round or prickly, the leaves of the plant are smooth or savoyed

(crumpled), or the varieties are long standing or go to seed quickly. Most New Zealand seedsmen still class spinach mainly as either prickly (seeded) or round (seeded), though because of the many very fine varieties produced by overseas plant breeders for specific purposes, more frequent listing of named varieties suited to specific purposes is desirable. Prickly seeded spinach is usually sold for winter use, as it is generally considered to be hardier than the round seeded. Because it is considered by many to be longer standing, it is also very popular for summer use. This belief in the superiority of, prickly seeded spinach is not supported by the evidence of trials of different varieties of the two kinds, as it has now been clearly demonstrated that there are long- and short-standing varieties of both round and prickly seeded spinach; either may have smooth or crumpled leaves. Soil and Fertiliser Spinach succeeds in cool conditions on a great range of moist, fertile, well cultivated, and well drained soils. It will not tolerate a very acid soil, and lime should be applied to most soils that have not been dressed recently, though too much lime may cause yellowing of the leaves because of a deficiency or unbalance of certain essential elements, such as manganese or iron. A good dressing of organic material such as well rotted farmyard manure or compost supplemented by a complete fertiliser with a ratio of about 1:2:1 of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash which can be made up by using 9 parts of blood and bone and 1 part of muriate or sulphate of potash and applied at 2 to 4 oz a square yard is advisable on most garden soils. As spinach is a leafy vegetable, extra applications of nitrogen may be supplied, particularly when temperatures are favourable for good growth, by liquid manure or a side dressing of nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia raked in along the line of row, but it should not touch the foliage. Liquid manure is preferable where conditions are inclined to be dry, as abundant moisture is essential for high yields and good quality; growth should be reasonably quick, as otherwise some varieties tend to be tough. Sowing of Seed Seed should be sown thinly | to 1 in. deep in rows 12 in. apart. Plants can be thinned to 4 or 5 to 1 ft of row, though if seed is sown thinly, thinning in the accepted sense is not essential unless conditions are dry or the soil is very poor; it can be confined to the removal of the young plants when large enough for use. In poor soil or in dry conditions crops that have been given generous spacing in the seedling stage usually stand much longer.

Stored Crops

Onion crops that have been picked over to eliminate immature, soft, and thick-necked bulbs keep well if they have been well ripened and properly cured before being stored. They store best in dry, cool conditions with a good circulation of air.

ONIONS

The best storage temperature is ' 32 to 36 degrees F. They tolerate slight freezing, but not alternate

thawing and freezing. There is little danger of onions freezing in store unless the air temperature goes below 28 degrees F. (4 degrees below freezing) and remains there for a considerable period. As with most other vegetables in store, keeping quality is greatly affected by the amount of moisture in the air (relative humidity). Sprouting of stored onions is little influenced by humidity, but is increased as temperature rises. Growth of roots of stored onions, however, is largely prevented by low humidity (60 to 65 per cent), which also usually checks the spread of rots, though it causes more shrivelling and softening. Respiration or breathing is lowest, too, at low temperatures, so that losses of carbohydrates (sugars and starches) are less. Some loss due to shrinkage, rotting, sprouting, or rooting is inevitable in the conditions under which most onions are stored. Shrinkage is usually due mainly to loss of water, sugars, and other products. Most of the best long-keeping varieties of onions cure and seal up well at the neck and are hard and firm with thick outer scales. They have the longest rest period and do not usually sprout for several months, even if stored in conditions favouring growth. With them the young leaves and the localised region of active cell division from which permanent tissue is derived are totally enclosed by the surrounding scales, which tend to retard the intake of oxygen and so prevent growth. Growth finally results largely because in time the bulb scales become more permeable and enough oxygen gets in to allow growth to start. .* * *

PUMPKINS, SQUASH, AND MARROWS

Pumpkins and squash keep well if they are first cured and then stored at a suitable temperature and humidity. After harvesting, the fruit should be ripened or cured to harden the

shell. Fruit should be handled carefully during harvesting and storage, as if it is bruised, it decays more rapidly than if uninjured. Fruit is best cut

from the vine with a portion of the stem attached, because skin breaks of any kind are usually followed by decay. If the stem is broken off, it usually leaves a large scar, which rot organisms may enter. Ripening or curing can be done in the field when conditions are dry and warm, but as such conditions rarely prevail in May, the fruits are best placed in dry, warm storage. Cold storage of

TAPROOTED CROPS

pumpkins and squash is unsuitable because of the high humidity that usually prevails. Authorities differ a little on storage temperatures, but most agree that pumpkins and squash keep best at relatively high storage temperatures. Generally temperatures of 40 to 42 (even up 50) degrees F. with relative humidities of 50 to 70 per cent seem likely to give the best results. Weight loss and shrinkage are greatest at the higher temperatures; more rots are likely to occur at the lower. Unlike pumpkins or winter squash, marrows should be harvested before the fruits are of a full edible size; that is, before the rind or skin begins to harden. Usually the condition can be judged by thumbnail pressure. If the rind is hard or resistant to thumbnail pressure, the marrow has passed its best. * * *

* * * In New Zealand lifting and storing of taprooted crops, such as beetroot, carrots, parsnips, swedes, and turnips, are usually unnecessary. However, storage out of the ground may be desirable

where through lack of space or foresight the same type of crop has been grown in the same ground for two or more seasons and diseases which tend to produce root rots have increased

greatly. Lifting and storing may also be necessary where the soil is heavy and tends' to be sticky and poorly drained, or where the crops are grown in a place difficult of access to the housewife m winter. Parsnips and swedes are usually thought to be of better flavour and texture if subjected to moderately heavy frost, but a temperature slightly above freezing is the effective factor. Starch changes to sugar more quickly at from 32 to 34 degrees F. Some varieties of beetroot are susceptible to damage from severe frost.

Because of lack of space, or difficulty in providing good storage conditions, long storage of root crops should be avoided as far as possible. Usually if roots have to be dug, enough can be lifted to provide supplies for 2 to 3 weeks. They can then be stored in a cool situation where there is enough moisture to prevent shrinkage. If longer storage is necessary, roots may be stored in a clean, cool, ventilated situation in sand that is slightly damp. A temperature near to freezing (32 degrees F.) or a little higher, if humidity is high, is most satisfactory. If home-grown supplies are inadequate for winter or early spring, a good policy sometimes is to buy taprooted vegetables in quantity, such as by the sugar bag or small sack, during late autumn or early winter, when good market supplies usually depress prices. If such roots are replanted in rows or beds in well drained soil in an accessible situation, they may be planted closely and usually keep fresh throughout winter and spring as they re-establish. They will be available until early spring, when they begin to send up seed stalks, which, if allowed to develop, spoil them for culinary use.