GARDENS IN TAUPO

Taupo Times, Volume I, Issue 34, 3 September 1952, Page 6

GARDENS IN TAUPO

VEGETABLES TO GROW

(By

"Flora.")

A f'ortnight ago we turned our tnoughts to that most necessary, although not so interesting* spot in our gardens, the vegetable plot. We got as far as the Lettuce, so will eontauie on from there. ★ Onions. — As onions are one of our most important crops, it is fortunate that it usually does well in Taupo. This can be put down, I think, to our good drainage, a very important leature in onion culture, as water standing on an onion bed for a day may well prove fatal, particularly when the plants are young. It is rather late for the sowing of the | seed; but small plants are now \ available. Plant in rows 12 inches apart, and the plants 3 to 4 inches in the row. Slow-acting fertilizers — Coni dust — should be used if long keeping bulbs are required. Potash, 1 oz. to the square yard, is bene"ficial. Do not plant top deeply, just the roots covered, otherwise the onions will develop thick necks, with little bulb. i

7K Parsnips. — No other vegetable crop grown, is likely to cause greater disappointment than the parsnip. f The seeds soon lose their fertility, sov be sure that your seed is fresh. Like car- • rots, avoid planting in freshly mauri red ground, or forking of the roots will result. Thin out the seedlings to 10 to 12 inches apart. ★ Peas. — Peas' are delicious when used straight from the garden, but deteriorate when stored for any length of time, So we should endeavour to grow a few rows at least in our gardens. Put in the first sowing now and successive ones eve.ry three weeks or so till Christmas. ;Start with the dwarf varieties William Massey — using the taller varieties — Gorkshire Hero — for later sowings. Peas like other vegetable crops do best on ground that has been well manured in the autumn. Failing this take out a trench 12 to 18 inches deep, and replace with well-rotted manure or • turfy loam. Before sowing, give J the plot a good dusting of lime and super piiosphate. Take but a dril-1 about 2 or 3 inches deep, and sow the seeds thinly, allowing 2 inches between each seed. The pea has a hollow stem so requires support of scnie kind, such as twiggy branches or stakes.

X Pumpkins and Marrows. — Although it is too eariy to plant these out of doors, we must not overlook their sowing later on. they like a rich soil, and plenty of sunshine. No other crop responds hetter to stable manure. If this is not available, sow where a green crop has previously bCen dug in. A spare compost heap is ideal. When the vines are about four feet long the tips may be cut out, this produces in ore laterals, and so extra fruit. The squash is very popular, as it keeps better than the marrow, which should be eaten when young. Tw® fine flavoured ones, are the 'Banana and Acorn; the latter is small, but very sweet. ★ Rhubarb. — - This can be considered as a permanent crop as it will continue to fiourish for four or five years, without a move. When renewing, the roots should be lifted with a lork, then split up with a spade, so that each division has one crowri or bud. Plant with this crown just a few inches below the soil. As it # takes twelve mont'hs to become ■established, it is not advisable to pull any stalks the first year after pLanting. Seed stalks should be cut as soon as they start to grow. ★ Radish. — For those who like them, radishes |

are easy to culturite, and are usualiy grown as a catch crop, among the slower maturing vegetables. They must be grown quickly, so should be planted before the dry weather sets in, unless abundant water is available.