WINTER CROPS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 43, 20 February 1930, Page 24

WINTER CROPS

PLANTING VEGETABLES

SOME HINTS FOR AMATEURS

NOTICE TO READERS.

• ■'As "Practical" will be out of town for the next fortnight any correspondence received will bo held over and answered after his return.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

JVH., Foatherston.—Tho succulent plant you ask about is Crassula coceinea. It may bo increased readily by cuttings taken from tlio young shoots that start after the old flowerheads aro cut off. It is a native of South Africa. I do not think seed is obtainable The pinS flower sent for identification is Viscaria, I thinfe, but It was very withered when it arrived. The yellow flower was quite unrecognisable

There has been every opportunity lately to get all vacant plots dug over and ready for planting. Ho delay should take place in the planting of winter crops, such as savoy, cabbage, broccoli, celery, and leeks. Those which wero planted some weeks ago should be well started,, and steady growth should be encouraged by regular hoeing and cultivation. During "showery weather, or after watering, a dressing of nitrate 'of soda would be of benefit. Great caro must be taken that the celery trenches or beds are not allowed to become too dry. Steady growth without check is necessary to the wellbeing of these plants. Asparagus and rhubarb should also get a good watering occasionally during dry spells. The future crops depend upon strong, steady growth in the autumn. The harvesting of potato and onion crops should be attended to as soon as ready. There is always a danger of the potatoes developing disease, or starting into second growth, while nothing is gained by leaving them in the ground once they are mature. Spinach sown now will make rapid growth, and afford early supplies. Sow on rich soil, and encourage steady growth by frequent watering and applications of nitrate of soda every three weeks after the plants are well up. ' Onions should be sown this month. Ailsa Craig or Giant Kocea are the varieties most favoured for autumn sowing. When well grown, these attain a great size, but are not such good keepers as Brown Spanish and others usually sown in July. The onion bed must be well worked to a good depth, be thoroughly manured, and made very firm. The seed should be sown thinly, and as soon as the seedlings are up weeding and thinning should be attended to. This crop pays handsomely for liberal treatment. The main crop of celery should have almost finished its growth, and earthing up should be completed to blanch the stems. Avoid getting the soil into the hearts of the plants while doing this. The plants may be tied carefully with soft raffia, or should be held in one land while putting in the soil round them. Make the soil fine'and friable before drawing it in round the plants. The cleaning up of all growing crops, thinning those requiring it,. and getting all. vacant ground dug over, should be the aim at this period. Later on, when the weather is unsettled and the days shorter, there are fewer opportunities for theso jobs. STERILISATION OF SOIL. The presence in various plots of land of insects harmful to plant life, and different kinds of fungoid. diseases, is only too well realised by most people who have anything to do, with gardens. The question always is how to overcome these difficulties as simply as possible. Tip to the present time, no very satisfactory method of sterilisation by chemicals has been discovered which will rid the soil of both fungoid and insect pests. Certain chemical agents are quite satisfactory for one or the other, as will be explained later. The only thoroughly; satisfactory way to .sterilise soil is by means of steam. It will be obvious to everyone that this is impracticable for the ordinary smallholder; but it is practised by most of tho large tomato-growers in the Nelson district. Where continuous cropping of one kind of plant is practised, the land gradually becomes impregnated with spores of tho disease peculiar to that plant, until eventually it is impossible to grow" it any longer. The method used is for steam from a boiler to be forced through a contrivance something like a tine harrow, but with perforated hollow tines. Another method is'to. force the steam into an, airtight .bos/ which is turned upside down on the soil. Given sufficient pressure of steam,' all soil pests, including weed 'Seeds, are- eliminated, and the ground, thoroughly purified. As previously mentioned, this method is not possible for the ordinary homo gardener. What the private gardener usually requires, is some sterilised soil for seed boxes, and the; best .way to treat this is by baking it in the oven. The soil should be' sifted and .placed in fairly shallow tins, so that the heat may penetrate readily. Benzine or kerosene tins cut in half lengthwise mako quite good dishes for the purpose. Another method is to pour boiling water over the soil in .the tins, but this has the disadvantage in that it'requires quite a,long.time for the water to drain away, and in any ease is not so effective as the baking. In many cases, however, seeds are sown in tho open ground, and it may be desirable to treat tho beds in some way before sowing to prevent damage to the young seedlings either by insect pests or fungoid; disease. One ,of the most serious of the insect pests is the eelworm, which, although' particularly destructive to bulbous plants, is by no means confined to these. The most effective agent so far discovered to clear soil of this pest is carbon bisulphide. It should be applied to the soil at the rate of 6oz to the square yard, poring it into holes about 5 inches deep; then fill and tamp the holes. Should the ground be loose or dry,, it should afterwards be watered. There are several patent soil fuinigants on the market, each possessing merits of its own. For fungoid diseases, of which collarrot is perhaps the most common, Cheshunt compound should be used. This is 1 made up of 2oz of copper sulphate (bluestone) and lloz of ammonium carbonate, Both in powder form. Mix them thoroughly, and store in an airtight receptacle for at least 24 hours before using. Dissolve one ounce in some hot water, and make up to two gallons. Apply to the soil before sowing seed or putting out plants. This may also bo used during growth, and will have no deleterious effect on the plants—in fact, the ammonia will have a stimulating influence. It must be understood that once a plant is attacked by collar-rot it is incurable— Cheshunt compound is merely a preventive, destroying the organism in the soiL Although not definitely proved, it is generally considered that this preparation has a good effect in clearing the soil of other fungoid diseases. A good dressing of kainit, about 4oz to the square yard, should bo applied to the soil in the winter, so that the salt and other impurities may bo washed out by rain before planting. This

manure contains a large proportion of common salt, ana lias proved a very effeetivo soil cleanser. It is important, however, that it bo applied some time before the ground is to be used, otherwise the salt, etc., will havo a deleterious effect on the plants.