SUMMER WEATHER NOTES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 828, 23 November 1929, Page 30

SUMMER WEATHER NOTES

Mulching.—Although a plentiful j supply of water may be available, j most vegetable crops, as well as many i plants in the flower garden, such as i roses, dahlias, carnations, chrysanthej mums, flowering shrubs, etc., will be j immediately benefited if they receive I a good mulching in summer. This | operation consists of covering the j surface of the beds, drills or the : ground surrounding each plant with ! various materials, preferably well I decayed cow, sheep or horse manure, in order to prevent a too rapid evaporation of moisture from the soil, and at tho same time to intercept the direct rays of the summer sun, and to keep the I'oots cool. The mulch may he j an inch or more deep, and is best applied while the crops are young. ' Well-decayed manure is used as a i mulch, and every subsequent shower I of rain or watering carries down the i fertilising constituents in the roots I of the plants, thus increasing their i vigour and productiveness. S Watering.—No successful flower or \ vegetable garden can be carried on : during the hot summer months with-

| out an abundance of water. When layi ing out a garden, therefore, a good water sujiply must be provided. In the cities, towns and suburbs, a good j ’ pipe system with a plentiful supply j 1 is generally available, and this saves ! an enormous amount of labour, as the 1 watering can be efficiently and expedi- i tiously done. When watering, suffi cient should be given so that ail the roots will be benefited. Daily sprinklings of water in hot weather do much harm, as they encourage the roots to the surface to be injured by the hot sun and drying winds unless well protected by a mulch. Besides the greater benefit to the crops, there is considerably less labour involved in giving a good soaking once or twice every week, according to the state of the weather, than by continually sprinkling the surface of the ground. In the height of the summer, water j the plants overhead only in the early morning or toward evening, although the roots may be supplied with moisture any time of the day. When watering is necessary in the cooler se n of the year, it should he done during the morning, so as to gaurd against any superfluous moisture lying round the plants during the cold nights.