JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 460, 15 September 1928, Page 28

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES

The so-called “Jerusalem” artichoke which, by the way, has no connection whatever with the Holy Land, but obtains its name from a corruption of the Italian name “Girosolo,” is in reality a tuberous rooted sunflower. There are few vegetable crops that afford the amateur such bountiful vields as this liberal garden tenant, and as it is fortunately adapted to a very great range of soils—much more so than the potato—it is within he cultivation bounds of all. From an agricultural point of view it is considered a most valuable crop, both the leaves and the tubers being readily availed of by stock. It is a phenomenal yielder and in some districts has been known to produce a return of 1,000 bushels, about 30 tons, to the acre. But our remarks will be chiefly directed to its economic value to the home gardener. Where artichokes

are to grow in the home plot, it is always advisable to apportion them a piece of ground to themselves, as once cultivated in a certain area they are most difficult to eradicate. The smallest tuber left in the soil, after digging, will produce a plant. The soil for this crop should be deeply trenched and thoroughly broken up. An open, sunny position, sheltered from high winds, is always preferable, as the plant produces lengthy stems, from 5 to 9 feet high, which are liable to be blown over in exposed parts. Feed the soil, for the plant requires ft, but do not overfeed, as the pro duction of useless top growth will be produced to the detriment of the resulting crop. When planting bear in mind that the smallest tuber will produce a plant. Place the tubers from ISin to 2ft. apart, in the rows, according to available space, and run the rows 3ft. apart. Well decomposed stable manure, used moderately but thoroughly, incorporated with the soil, constitutes the best, food for tuber pi«tduction. and should be well incorporated in the soil. Artichokes should be planted touring July, August and September. Very little cultivation is required other than suppressing weed growth between the rows from time to time with the rake or hoe. But this practice should be discontinued immediately the tubers commence to form, otherwise injury to the crop will result. Unlike the potato, artichokes require no hilling. During the dry summer months copl lous waterings are essential to maintain a vigorous growth. Usually the | crop is ready for digging during the ! late autumn and early winter months, after the foliage has completely died off.

It is, however, not advisable to dig the whole crop at once, as the quality of the tubers is seriously affected by long keeping. Dig, therefore, as required. The remaining tubers will keep for weeks in the soil. Apart from their value as a delicious table vegetable, artichokes produce a profusion of golden flvtailed blooms, similar in every raitoe<t to a sunflower, and are occasionally grown for this purpose alone. For ordinary household requirements two pounds of tubers will be

ample for the average home plot. These may be purchased for a few pence from any of the popular city seed or vegetable stores. Artichokes should be more extensively grown in this country, and we strongly advise every householder to include this appetising dish in the home vegetable garden.

DOES YOUR SOIL REQUIRE LIME? TEST IT AND SEE The present is an excellent time to attend to liming of the garden soil. The need for a lime-dressing is often acute. While most gardeners' give manure to the trees with a liberal hand, they frequently overlook the fact that before fruit trees can fully avail themselves of manure there must be a sufficiency of lime in the soil. Lime, in one form or other, is the chief basis of fertility, serving to counteract sourness and being necessary for the preparation of existing available plant foods upon which nature depends. Soils that naturally lack lime, as well as heavy or sour land, should regularly receive a dressing every few years. It is particularly necessary that there be an adequate supply of lime in the soil for tile “stone” fruits, like plums, cherries, etc. The gardener can apply a simple test to determine whether or not his fruit ground definitely lacks lime. The plan is to take small samples of soil

from several different parts of the plot, mixing them well together and then placing a small quantity in a tumbler, adding water so that the sample is well wetted. A little strong hydrochloric acid, obtainable from the chemist, is then poured on. If, on the addition of this acid, the mixture fizzes and bubbles freely, the soil may be taken to contain a sufficiency of lime, but if it bubbles very feebly or not at all, then it is a sure sign that lime is lacking and an immediate application should be given.

SWEET MIGNONETTE No annual noted ' for its sweet fragrance is more popular than mignonette. It is found everywhere, yet although its requirements are simple, it is often indifferently grown owing to its being overcrowded in the bed. As is known, seed may be sown in succession from August onward to

have a good supply of spikes for cutting all through the summer. Soil for it should be rich, light, and always the position selected should be sunny. A compost make up of good garden soil with a little leaf-mould and decayed manure worked in and the bed made quite firm—almost hard—suits mignonette. Seeds ought to be sown very thinly and thinning be resorted to very radically when it is remembered that a well-grown plant will occupy a foot, and yield an immense number of spikes stronger in every way than plants congested. One has but to take a lesson from a stray seed dropped in a border and growing in isolation. When the young plants are making headway a dusting of soot and wood ashes about the bed will help them and keep at bay the fly which In certain seasons attacks young plants. One may have quite dwarf sorts to giants of nearly 2ft.