CONSERVATION OF MOISTURE IS ESSENTIAL:

Te Ao Hou, December 1960, Page 58

CONSERVATION OF MOISTURE IS ESSENTIAL: During the present summer months, the need to conserve all available mosture is most essential if the home garden is to be a success. In rural areas most gardeners are reluctant to use the home supply of water for fear of dry conditions prevailing over prolonged periods. However, if deep and efficient cultivation has been practised before the garden has been established, there is little fear of failure with crops provided that the hoe has been continuously used when ground conditions have permitted. The discriminate and judicious use of the common garden hoe is the means of creating a dust mulch which permits capillary attraction to eventuate. Thus the winter rains which have penetrated the sub-soils are returned to the surface during the hot summer months. In urban and city areas when town water supply is available and it is found necessary to water the garden, it is most essential that watering be permitted in extreme emergency only. One watering of the plants should be given–this to be a thorough wetting of the area concerned–and when the soil is in condition it should be push-hoed with the object of creating a dust mulch. No further watering should be contemplated within a week. Again artificial watering should take place in the evening and not during the day when hot sunshine prevails.