HOME GARDENS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 98, 22 September 1948, Page 6

HOME GARDENS

(By J. W. Goodwin, N.D.H. (N.Z.), lege.)

MANURES FOR VEGETABLES From time to time we receive inquiries concerning vegetable gardens which are said to be “cropped out.” The cause is usually neglect or mismanagement in the past. It sometimes happens- that old gardens have been supplied for many years with large quantities of organic manures without the addition of lime or phosphates. The result may be a deficiency of phosphate, which is essential to plant growth, or a strongly-acid soil, which is unsuitable for vegetable crops. Superphosphate is the quickestacting supplier of phosphates, and a dressing of 3oz per square yard will soon correct a deficiency of . this plant food. Whilst potatoes prefer a slightly-acid soil, most other vegetables prefer a soil which is neutral or only very slightly acid or slightly alkaline. Lime reacts with other chemicals, supplies calcium to the plant, and is leached out of the soil by rains. It is necessary to apply a dressing every few years. I prefer to apply it to the surface, after winter or early spring digging of the pabbage section of the crop rotation. Three to four ounces of agricultural lime is usually sufficient, but where none has been applied for many years, half a pound per square yard would not be too much. In older gardens where organic material has not been supplied, the original material will have been broken down and disappeared. Lime may have leached out from the soil and available phosphates may have been used up. It is also probable that nitrates and potash are in short supply. The application of organic material will improve the soil texture and, if rich, will supply nitrogen and a little potash and phosphates.

“Clean Gardening” There is a “tall order” for gardens which are unable to obtain strawy or other animal manures. With crop rotation the area is treated a section at a time, and with the help of green manures the organic content is maintained at a suitable- level. Where old manures or compost are used it will be found that the supply of nitrates is insufficient for leaf crops and it is necessary to apply sulphate of ammonia or other nitrogenous fertiliser to make up the deficiency. These are concentrated fertilisers and a little (i-oz per square yard) at a time is plenty. Blood and bone, a by-product from freezing works, is less concentrated and supplies both nitrogen and phosphates, though the latter, is available less readily than from superphosphate. Potash may be supplied to most crops in a general garden fertilisermixture comprising six parts of superphosphate, two parts sulphate of ammonia, one part sulphate of potash, applied at the rate of 2oz per square yard. Remember that these are inorganic fertilisers and they cannot be fully effective if the supply of organic material or humus has been depleted. There is another factor which may make the position appear . much worse than it is. Insect pests and diseases take a severe toll and this is most noticeable where plants are undernourished. Insects lay their eggs and fungous diseases develop spores which lie in the neighbourhood awaiting the new season’s crops. Clean gardening, with the burning of infected plants and the destruction of weeds, etc., which may harbour pests and diseases, is the first step. Preventive spraying of plants, particularly when young, is the second step. Some pests or diseases attack only certain plants, and here agdln crop rotation will ensure that plants are grown away from last year’s attack. In most cases the practice of crop' rotation, good cultivation and prop management, supplemented by garden hygiene, will quickly produce results. ’Ware of OVerplanting The present is the most opportune month for both seed sowing and planting. The days are warm but not unduly hot, and the soil is in good working condition and yet reasonably moist. Rain and warmth may be expected to assist the young plant. Furthermore, many vegetables prefer the cooler growing period of spring and early summer.

Crops of most hardy vegetables may be sown if desired, but care must be taken not to over-plant at this stage. Too much of too many varieties ; sown at any one time will result in over-supply and considerable wastage. Estimate the requirements of the household and aim to keep 'the supply going throughout the year. Two main crops for winter supply should be sown now if this has not already been done: parsnips, which require a long growing season to mature, and onions, which must make their growth early and ripen thoroughly to be good keepers.