GARDENING NOTES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 59, 29 May 1942, Page 4

GARDENING NOTES

PLANNING FOR SPRING CROPS WORK TO BE DONE NOW The authorities take every, opportunity of stressing their belief! that there is; going, to be a serious vegetable, shortage throughout Npw Zealand this spring and summer. The - man or woman wiio is determined to keep his, or her, family supplied with these necessary foods will need to get busy now and have plots ready for planting or sowing in eairly spring. The more urgent tasks are briefly outlined below. Potatoes This staple food is almost certain to bo in very short supply, and where space is available, both an early and a main crop should be sown. Estimate your seed requirements and buy or order now. Where possible, get Government Certified; Seed. Select a plot in an open, sunny situation . A deep well-drained light or medium loam gives best results K but almost any type of soil: will pro<rt* crops, if it l is well worked an riclied with organic manures. Roughly dig over the plot now and give it a light dressing of lime, not more than loz per square yard. Teto much lime is as bad as none at all. In three or four weeks start breaking ■ up the soil, at the same time enriching it with old farmyard manure, material from your compost , heap, decayed vegetable! matter, or lawn clippings. Then sprinkle boner uust over the whole plot at the rate of 4oz per square yard and lightly rake it in. From now till serving £ime, save all the wood ashes you can lay hands on, they are rich in £ potash, which is essential -to the health of potatoes, but do not add it to the soil till you sow. Carrots Thils essential crop needs a deep, X rich soiil that is very friable. It fails; in the presence of fresh animal manure, but as it requires organic manure, a plot that was manured for an earlier crop ist usually recommended. Work the soil roughly now, and in two or three weeks break it up to a fine tilth and apply a dressing o>f lime, 3oz to the square"* d. In early July aidd wood; ashes (.-toz "o the square yard) and sow a fort-* night later. Peas .Peais require a deep, fairly rich soil that does not dry out in summer. Roughly di<g t'lie plot now and sprinkle liberally with lime. Two or three weeks "lienee, incorporate any decayed organic matter available, and work the soil to a fairly fine state. Dwarf varieties can be sown , as soon as the soil is ready. Sew intermediate varieties in August, and keep on sowing a few rows at a time, at fortnightly intervals. Lime Is essential to this crop and must always be added when the soif. Turnips Though early varieties are not sown in most districts till July, the soil should receive, attention' The success of this crop depends on its reaching maturity as quickly! as possible. Any setback, usually caused by lack of moisture, in stringy bulbs. Select a deep, light, but rich soil. Dig it over, sprinkle a little lime, and leave it in a rough state for three or four weeks. Then work it up and add a liberal supply of really old organic matter (decayed vegetation, really old anima! manure cr leaf-mould). Fresh manures are danger cms. Therefore prepare the soil Avell in advance of sowing or use a plot that was heavily manured last year for some other crop. Lettuce The first sowing for this crop usually takes place in August, but it is not . too early to prepare the 1 soil. A deeply dug- loam rich in humus is the desirable environment. Dig the plot over now, manure it, and allow the elements to sweeten it for a few - weeks. Then add a ckessing of lime, -loz square yard, •' it down to a semi-rough stale: Jn mid-July work the soil to a really fine tilth and; prick in wood ashes at the rate of -loz per square yard. A fortnight later you can make the first sowing.