GARDENS IN TAUPO

Taupo Times, Volume IV, Issue 195, 21 October 1955, Page 7

GARDENS IN TAUPO

Notes Fol* Beginners

( By

Flora)

Willmut liumux and fertiliser little M wnj't ll wnilld hn gl/>Wll ill Taupo at'im; ilm lirsi. twn yea rs of intensive i u 1 1 i \' 1 1 i ( >] i . especbi I ly in our vegetable gardeiis and bonlers. ( )n our pumice land it is ditiicuit to kou;> Ihe soil moist. and, if once it has Iried >ul, l" get ir reasonably damp ugain. Tliis is because tlie soil, takou as a wliole, lacks organic hiatter. Truo humus eonsists of organic jnatter in an advanced stage of decoinpusition. ll is dark brown in coluur and imparls ihis property to the soil to which it is applietl. Siiwe Iniinns is oapable of hohiing nearly (l>ublo it weight of moisture it aots in nnicli the same way as a spoii.ae. Climlly lo this I'act, and to Ihe va luable plant food liberated by lumus. lnust be attributed its ability to increase the fertility of light soils. But, uiifortunately, under constant cropping, as in a vegetable garden, tliis huiijus Ls rapidly used up uuless due aliowance is made for its restitulani by an annual dressing or some orgaiiis nianure, either in the form of farmyard nianure or compos.t. Aniiual manures undoubtediy are \a luable, not only for their content of organic material, but for the way in which they assist in liberating plant foo( ls already in the soil. But as t lmse nianures are not always availablo to the horne gardener a very good substitute may be made with all the vegetable refnse from the section. Once the organic material has been supplied. fertiliser may then be used iu stimulating crops and supplying deliciencies, and may be regarded as tonics. Three plant foods normally dehcient in any soil are nitrogen, phosphates and potash. Each has its part in building up the plant, though some plants need more of one class of food tlian another. Fi rstly we will take nitrogen. This heJps in the building up of stem and green leaves. lf the soil lacks nitrogen. the leaves will be light in colour and sinai I in size. On the other hand, R b»n rnuch nitrogen is present, too lush a growtb results at the expense oi the fruits. Where organic nianure is present" in the soil in appreciable umounts llm plant will receive sufiioent nitrogen for general needs, and nly where a fillip is needed does one need to apply a nitrogenous fertiliser. T the t'crni (»C snlphate of ammonia, oi* nitralo of soda. Use either very sparingly, and water after applying. Tim applieation of phosphates to soil has an effect on root growth. This increase in root production has, of course, an ullimate effect on the production of leaves. Phosphates may be applied as superphosphate, bone meal or tlour. or basic slag. Wlien farmyard manure is used in any appreciable amount the plants' i (.'quireni(»nls of potash is well looked after. But in 'Taupo, where this is bard to come by, it can be supplied l>y llm applieation of sulphate of potash, kainit, or woodash. Plants grown with sulhcient jiotash have firm leaves and they resist disehse to a gTeater extent than those grown where potash is lacking. \\ hon using llmso feirtiliscrs you luuy either mix your own, varying i la1 quanti ties of eacb to suit the requirenmnts of t'lie pa r ticular crop, or .V(,ii may siinjpy buy whai is knowc as a nomplete garden manure.