HOME GARDENS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 51, 1 June 1948, Page 7

HOME GARDENS

(By J. W. Goodwin, N.D.H. (N.Z.), F.R.H.S., Massey Agricultural College.) CROPS OF SMALL FRUITS With the present scarcity and high prices, small fruits have become a delicacy beyond the means of many homes. They do not take up a great deal of room in the garden, and produce crops in their second or third years. Raspberries and raspberry jam need no introduction. The most important points; in the culture of this luscious fruit, are: firstly, deep thorough cultivation of a plot that is free from perennial weeds such as “twitch”; secondly, care in cultivation to avoid damage to the mass of fibrous feeding roots; and thirdly, an ample, supply of moisture whilst the fruit is developing and to ensure the fullest growth of new season’s canes. Compost or animal manures may be dug into and thoroughly mixed with the sub-soil as the ground is double-dug. This build-up of organic matter improves both the soil texture and its waterholding capacity during dry spells. “As the Twig is Bent—”

Raspberries prefer a sunny position which is sheltered from rough cold winds. There are several methods of planting. They may be planted 15 to 18 inches apart and trained on wires or they may be planted 12 inches apart, in threes or fours in a clump with five feet between the clumps or “hills.” In the first case a two-wire fence is used and the canes planted in a single row; in the second they are planted in a triangle or square. Rows should be five to six feet apart.

Plants should be vigorous, wellgrown, disease-free < stocks and should be planted whilst the ground is still warm in the late autumn. Superlative, Fillbasket and ’ Lloyd George are good varieties. Canes should be cut back to 12 inches after planting and these may be cut back to ground level when the new canes become 12 inches high. Surface cultivation is beneficial throughout the season, but care must be taken not to damage the fibrous roots. A good mulch applied before the ground becomes too dry in October is very beneficial. Strawy manure, compost and stack bottom are all suitable.

Spraying Programme

After fruiting has finished, the old canes may be cut off at ground level and the new ones may be thinned lightly to encourage more growth. All suckers must be hoed off between the rows. In the late autumn the area may be lightly forked over about 4 inches deep. Canes should be finally thinned to 6 or 8 per clump and the thin unripened tips cut off and burned. They must be tied down before buds develop in the spring, and should have a dressing of 7 parts of superphosphate, 3 parts sulphate of potash, and 3 parts of sulphate of ammonia, at the rate of 2 to 3 ounces per square yard in the spring. Spraying depends a great deal on

the locality. A lime sulphur (1-15) or winter oil (1-20) should be used in winter time if scale insects are present. At bud movement- in the spring a sprdy of Bordeaux 5-4-50 plus Arsenate of lead should be used i.e. 6 i ounces of bluestone and 5 ounces hydrated lime: Mix lime to a thin paste with a little. water. Dissolve, bluestone in 4 gallons of water,, add the lime, stir thoroughly, add one ounce of arsenate of lead powder and spray immediately. A spray at “fruit set” should comprise fcordeaux 3-4-50 plus arsenate of lead. After summer pruning repeat the above spray on the young canes, :.e. 4ozs bluestone and sozs hydrated lime to 4 gallons of water, plus loz of arsenate of lead powder. The black-currant became well knoWn during the war for its vitamin C content. They will grow in a wide range of soil conditions and are much more suited to wetter conditions than either the raspberry or gooseberry. However, they prefer a good loam in a sunny, well-drained situation.

Currants respond to' a well-bal-anced fertiliser and liberal mulching with animal manures in October. The removal and burning of older wood will help to control the currant stem borer. Spray for scale, if present, with 1-15 lime sulphur in the winter. It is advisable to spray with bordeaux 3-4-50 at fruit-set and again after picking. Boskoop Giant, Carter’s Black Champion and Lee’s Prolific are good reliable varieties.

The gooseberry is closely related to the currant and requires similar conditions and treatment. It does not do well on poorly-drained wet soils, nor under hot dry conditions on light soils. Pruning is more on the lines of that adopted for red currants or apple trees. Unduly heavy cutting produces an excess of strong soft growths which seldom develop into heavy-fruiting branches. Loganberries and boysenberries require conditions and treatment similar to raspberries, except that they are a limbers and should be trained i'anwise on a fence. The old fruiting vines are cut out after fruiting and new ones spaced out and ti_.d m.