WORK FOR FEBRUARY

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30977, 5 February 1966, Page 12

WORK FOR FEBRUARY

Considerable periods of strong drying winds and little rain are frequently a feature of February weather and hoe and hose should be in constant use throughout the garden.

Many plants, too, will have their stakes and ties loosened but care must also be taken

to avoid damage to, Or strangulation of, the plant, because of coarse or tight tying.

Vegetable Section

Continued warm though unsettled weather with almost regular showers has boosted growth where it has been slow or lacking during the past month. This has also brought about some undesirable occurrences including a certain amount of bolting to seed of crops such as carrots, or has forced a flush of maturity all at once of others such as lettuce and cauliflowers. Crops which have not been kept moving, such as turnips and lettuce, also display coarseness or taste bitter and can serve as a lesson for when they are grown again. Many vetegable plants which bear continuously will have crops maturing from now on. To enhance both quality and ultimate yields, continuous harvesting will have the desirable effect. This is particularly applicable to tomatoes, cucurbits and beans.

Onions will vary somewhat, in the same plot and in different localities, as to their readiness for lifting. As they are a most desirable commodity, later often scarce and expensive, every effort should be made to encourage satisfactory ripening and drying before they are taken in. Although drying up of the roots and firming of the bulb is as good an indication as any of advancing maturity there is, as has been previously mentioned, considerable variation. This can be reduced by bendni'g the tops, two rows into one, when the onions have reached maximum growth. As soon as the tops have shrivelled and yellowed, carefully pull the onions up and leave on the ground exposed to weather for two or three weeks to allow for satisfactory drying and ripening. Tumin should be done after a railfall, or damp periods without fall but is also advisable anyhow, to enable even ripening and drying off. After this process has been completed tops can be cut or twisted off and the onions placed in a cool, dry place for storage. Alternatively, they can be strung. However, any onions which show signs of disease such as white rot, are soft or thick in the neck, should be put aside for immediate use as they will not keep for long. It is getting a little late for establishing a crop of leek plants, but if given a good start they can still be made to respond and grow satisfactorily. They are gross feeders and respond very well to manuring. Nitrogen, superphosphate and potash are all necessary and ample organic matter incorporated to a good depth in a well-drained soil contributes to achieving good sized, quality end products. When planting, both tops and roots can be trimmed to prevent excessive moisture loss. Firm planting is not needed as it is quite sufficient to dib them out into holes, three to four inches deep, and replacing only enough soil to cover the actual root at the base. Gradual filling in will result from subsequent hoeings and the natural increase in girth of the plant. At no time should the plants be allowed to become dry or bolting (running to seed) will result. Similarly, it is necessary to delay no further in getting winter maturing brassica crops planted out.

The stage has been reached now when various crops should have their growth curtailed so that all their energy can be devoted to cropping. Tomatoes, runner or pole beans and cucurbits are among these.

Celery established last month should be kept growing. without check, sufficient moisture in the soil, keeping down weeds, and providing preelection against the disease, leaf spot, all being very important. Where serious outbreaks have been experienced in previous years it pays to apply a fungicide such as captan, every two to three weeks, even before symptoms appear on the leaves.

The following vegetables can be sown this month—beetroot, carrots, cabbage, lettuce, radish, spinach, silver beet and turnips. Fruit Section There is no substitute for tree-ripened fruit although fruit required for storage should be picked before it is fully mature. As most of the early apples are not particularly suitable for this sort of thing, this is of no consequence at present. As with virtually any plant which is grown for its crop, fruits do not ripen or size up at the same time. By judicious or select picking it is possible not only to extend the picking season of a crop but also to obtain somewhat better sized fruit as well. Harvest several times instead of virtually stripping the tree in one operation. Take the biggest fruits first even though these may not all be quite ripe, especially those growing on the shady ami lower areas of the

tree. Smaller fruit then has a chance to develop a little more.

Caterpillars and aphids may prove to be troublesome still and regular inspection, especially of recent or newly planted vegetables, will warn of impending trouble so that adequate protection can be given in time. Dipping of plants completely into a strong lindane bath is worth while if contemplating further plantings.

As harvesting progresses, areas of the vegetable plot may become vacant and some thought should be given towards sowing of a green cover crop such as lupins or vetches, or even oats to provide organic matter for subsequent crops. Leguminous crops such as lupins (even peas can be used) are additionally useful for this purpose as they fix their own nitrogen from the air and when finally incorporated in the soil it becomes slowly available to any plants then sown.

It is important to dig in the green crop while it is still green. Once it has become hardened or strawy in nature it requires additional nitrogen to break it down thereby robbing the ground, temporarily, of a nutrient which is very much needed by all growing plants. If it occurs that dry matter is being turned in, sprinkle it liberally with sulphate of ammonia beforehand.

Maturity in fruit is often recognised too late, sometimes only after there has been a considerable drop to the ground. The activity of birds in attacking a crop is not. an indication as I have seen them raid such fruits as Golden Delicious and Granny Smith apples while they were quite green and impalatable. Approaching ripeness in peaches and apricots is indicated when the green colour changes to yellow. Plums tend to develop a deep bloom and richness in colour. Apples tend to develop a lighter colouring and russetting becomes prominent on some varieties. Pears, however, are considered to improve in flavour and are regarded as superior for bottling, if allowed to attain full ripeness after picking. Citrus fruit does not become sweeter if kept after picking. Deepening of colour advertises that fruit is beginning to ripen and only personal judgment which is really applicable to all kinds of fruit, and perhaps sampling, will tell when it is time to pick. Heavily laden branches will need support as they will either become so weak that they will eventually become lower each year or else they will twist and break under the strain. Support can be given by means of providing a prop under the branch, or a permanent method, employing wire and small eye screws or bolts, can be used. This has the advantage of being out of the way. The eye screws should be screwed one into the weak limb and one into anopposite branch, both from the centre and the two then wired together. Where there is more than one heavily laden branch requiring support or if the limb is particularly heavy, it pays to screw and wire all the leaders together to a wire hoop which is thus guyed in the centre of the tree.

Ornamental This month thoughts can well centre on a proposed lawn so aS to eliminate as many weeds as possible and get the grass seed sown in time for a good strike before the cold and frosty weather. There is no short cut and the best lawns are usually achieved only by many hours of hard hand work. Thorough prior cultivation levelling and firming and then sowing of good quality seed and fertiliser is needed. Two fairly common errors are (1) the belief that the roller will level the ground surface, which it does not, and (2) proceeding all cultivations in the same direction and often dragging mounds of soil lumps to one side in the process. A roller only flattens. It fails to eradicate hollows and only slightly reduces the high spots. Although heeling and raking are regarded as the only way to reveal and rectify any unevenness, a levelling Board, correctly manipulated, can reduce the work somewhat and enable a most satisfactory surface to be obtained. Cultivation, especially raking, should always be done in a different direction and as briskly as possible, particularly before completing the job. Soil lumps can be broken down by tramping the end of the rake firmly up and down on the lumpy areas. Chrysanthemums and dahlias . will give continued displays, many attaining perfectton, this month. They may need additional staking and certainly tying for which raffia can be used. Where blooms are intended for showing they must be encouraged to produce long stems. This can only be attained by disbudding ail the time. AM except the tenninai bud should be Pinched out.

Itemoval of spent flower heads should continue as it makes many gardens and some plants, such as hydrangeas, look very untidy. Prolonged blooming can frequently result with numerous subjects such as petunias and stocks if this is promptly attended to.

Bulb planting preparations and planting can commence this month. Such early spring flowering kinds as crocuses and grape hyacinth, also freesias and bulbous irises can be put in.

Cyclamen, which may have been forgotten in recent months in whatever cool positions they have been kept, can be repotted, employing a good compost such as John Innes No. 2 as rooting medium and not forgetting to place a piece of stone or broken pot over the drainage hole. The pot should then be watered and placed in a cool, moist place. Cuttings of many plants including those of Grevillea, Abelia, Daphne, Hydrangea. Calllistemon and Choisya can be made while those taken last month should be inspected regularly and sprayed with a fungicide if disease is noticeable. Any dead or decaying cuttings should be removed and frequent watering maintained to avoid drying out thus keeping them turgid.

Sweet peas and Iceland poppies for winter flowering could be sown now, while successtanal sowings of calendulas in boxes, or directly into borders, will give a great splash of colour later on in late autumn, winter and spring.

The melaleucas, noted for their abundance of flowers which often are very strikingly coloured, and general hardiness, are not as yet as common to see in New Zealand gardens as they could well be. Many bear a close resemblance to Callistemons, belonging in fact to the same family, with their large numbers of brush like stamens of orange, red, white or yellow. Still others have round flowers shaped something like those of the eucalypts.

These Australian natives will appreciate hard cutting after flowering and will grow best in the lighter soils. Perusal of a number of New Zealand nurseries’ catalogues reveals a rather limited offering at present Melaleuca leucadendron shown In the accompanying photograph is a rather bushy, tall growing white barked and white flowered species with very stiff oval elliptical leaves.