VEGETABLE GARDEN

Hutt News, Volume 2, Issue 44, 10 April 1930, Page 9

VEGETABLE GARDEN

.Din-ing the present month, sow Onions. No more profitable crop can be ventur-. Ed upon providing they are given good ' treatement in their cultivation. TMs an absolute necessity-to obtain good ■ results.' Sow the seed in a^nursery bed,' and as soon as it is sown pTepare the ground'for their reception by deep cultivation, plenty of well-decayed manure, and sulphate of potash all well dug in. By the time the Onions arc ready for I transplanting, the bed will be ready for their reception, for the reason that they do not like being planted' in loose soil. Before planting, the surface of the bed should be hoed, to prevent any growth of weeds, and then trodden down firmly. The young plants should be put in rows fifteen inches apart and \ about six to eight inches between the plants; but on no account put in more than just the bare roots, or they will not form good bulbs, but run to tops. I The.main crop is much best sown in [April. Keep them exceptionally clean and free from weeds at all times. Onions for pickliirg should be sown tfiiekly iin a nursery bed, and there 5 allowed to remain till, the crops are matured; they will then be found to be of a small size and most suitable for the purpose required. All crops of the Brassica family that I were sown early should now be in a fit state for planting out, and every j opportunity of transplanting them into t-heir permanent positions should be availed of while they are in a young 1 and growing condition. i Swede Turnips do exceptionally well when transplanted into goobl and prepared ground, as also does Kohl Rabi, which is a most useful vegetable and well worthy of extended cultivation. A sowing of Peas and Broad Beans may be put in for an early crop. Should the weather prove at a}l favourable, good results may be obtained. The Daisy Pea will be found the most use- - ful variety for the early sowing, and may be followed in a few weeks time by a sowing of Yorkshire Hero orVeitehe's Perfection. The Leviathan long pod Broad: Bean is about the best variety for general cultivation, producing pod's of enormous length, as compared, with the old Broad .Windsor. Good crops of Carrots, Parsnips, and Beetroot may be obtained during winter by sowing at oncej but. t&ey should not be sown in large quantities should the weather prove unfavourable.

White Turnips should do well now through the rest of the winter. Give them a good piece of rich ground, with plenty of water (if the weather be' dry); thin liberally while small and the crop will be assured. Lettuce may still be sown: for winter use the varieties Neapolitan, New York and Drumhead will be fotmd as good as any. Keep Celery that was planted early growing freely, and earth it up. as soon as it is a fair size, wliich, must be done when the plants are dry. In fine weather sow English Spinach in rows w&ere it is intended to be grown in rows, eighteen inches apart, and keep all ground loosened to keep down weeds and vermin. .^