IN THE GARDEN.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 December 1922, Page 11

IN THE GARDEN.

THE VEGETABLE PLOT.

WEEDING AND WATERING.

(By

“Agricola.”)

In a considerable* measure the principal anxieties- and activities of the season may now be regarded as over. The cultivator must not mUeon-strne these remarks to mean that a complete relaxation from the healthy and entertaining tasks is advocated, as there is ample employment during the monrii for willing hands if the garden is to be kept in a condition worthy of Us name. Watering, weeding and hoeing are the most important duties of this month and these should receive regular attention. When watering is necessary the ground should be thoroughly soaked, if the water can be spared, as a mere sprinkling is injurious rather than beneficial. By far the best way is to treat each plot in rotation, watering only a small area every morning or evening until each piece of ground has been saturated. Do not hesitate to use the hoe freely, even if no weeds a:o visible. A loose, dusty surface soil provides one of the most effective mulches known, and in a period of drought the consistent use of the hoe is simply invaluable in its effects and obviates watering. BORECOLE OR KALE. Borecole will succeed in almost any soil or situation and under the most adverse circumstances, but like other greens it prefers deep, rich soil. The seasons when borecole proves its value most is in winter and early spring; the plant; for furnishing such supplies may be raised from seed sown in February. Some people, however, require them earlier than the seasons -stated, and where early sowings have been made, with this object in view, the plants should now be forwardenough for transplanting, two feet apart both ways, between rows of potatoes or in the open. Nothing is gained by leaving the plants in the seed beds to become drawn. A good plan is to sow the seeds very thinly in rows, dropping them at intervals, thinning out the seedlings when large enough and thus avoiding transplanting. This system saves some amount of time and the plants removed can be utilised for a suceessional crop. Land on which kales are to be grown should be deeply dug, but the soil requires no manuring, provided it was dressed for a previous shallow rooting crop. Tire use of fresh manure is not advised. At the same time if the ground is poor it should receive some manurial dressing which should be placed a foot below the surface soil, so that the roots can penetrate into it. Basic slag is an excellent fertiliser for these greens and it may be used to substitute the natural manure. Half a handful, dusted around each plant, is a safe quantity to use.

In planting from seed beds it is best to select young plants and to perform the op a it.ion in dull or showery weather if possible, but as- these plants possess an extraordinary degree of vitality they may be set out with safety during drought, so long as the ground has been watered previous to transplanting. It is advisible to plant on land that has not recently grown a crop of the cabbage family, for when members of the brassica tribe are planted in succession upon the same site there is a tendency for the ground to become infested with the fungus called clubbing and this pest is difficult to eradicate. CELERY. Copious watering in dry weather is almost an essential to celery growing. Where the soil is good and plenty of rich manure has been worked into the trenches it will certainly grow fairly well -without watering after the plants have started, but it does infinitely better when kept well supplied with moisture even to the extent of filling the trenches up with water. It is rarely now that the custom of moulding up by degrees, as the plants grow, is practised. When earthing begins watering i-s rendered difficult and the growth is less strong. Earthing up is, therefore, usually left until the heads are large enough for use. One matter in this connection, however, always requires" early attention. Growing naturally. the first leaves spread out nearly horizontally. If they are left so it is nearly impossible to bring them up after they become set, the stalks being too firm to bend without breaking. The Joss of them would not be -serious, but they serve a useful purpose in helping to keep the soil out of the centre of the heads. For this reason they require to be brought, to an upright position after making a little growth, by drawing in a small quantity of soi] from the bank and pressing it firmly about them. The so calk’d “self blanching” varieties should be moulded up in the same manner as the others, for, although the stems are more or less white or yellow, they gain in crispness by earthing up. Never mould these kinds till fully grown, for they have not the vitality of the green sorts. For this reason they should not be grown for winter use, because they soon perish when the weather becomes wet and cold.

ROUTINE-WORK. Clear away the remains -of used up crops even to the removal of the lower leaves of cabbages, where they lie half decayed upon the ground. Pull up the stumps of cauliflowers as soon as the “heads” have been cut. The stumps of cabbage may be left, in the ground if a supply of “sprouts” from them is desired, in which case make a cross shaped incision in the head of each stump -so as to encourage the formation of fresh shoots. The unused portions of old crops of turnip, kale, parsnip, spinach etc., should be relegated to the rubbish pit without delay. Broad beans that are past the useful stage should receive the, same treatment. All further sowings for the season, of peas, beans, and lettuce, should be made in trenches prepared as for celery, but less deep: extending the same treatment to planting or sowing broccoli, •cauliflower, cabbage, cucumber, pumpkins. melons, and marrows. Leeks will grow into handsome specimens if treated in this way. Silver beet should be sown at once if required before winter. A deep, rich soil suits the requirements of this vegetable and when accorded generous treatment, in the matter of good ground, and

frequent and regular doses 1 of liquid manure, it attains noble proportions. Nitrate of s-oda, when applied in liquid form, at the rate of a handful of the nitrate to a kerosene tinful of water, has a wonderful effect on the plants. Each stalk, on reaching maturity should be pulled from the plants, not cut. The mid-rib of the leaf when prepared and served up in the same manner as asparagus or sea-kale is considered by many superior to those vegetables. The remainder of the leaf may be dressed as spinach. Earth up beans, peas, cabbage, cauliflower and potatoes, and draw the soil in about the stems of cucumbers, lettuce, melons, marrows and pumpkins. The thinning and regulating of crops should receive duo attention, as otherwise, particularly in the instance of beet, carrots, onions, parsnips, and turnips, large leaves will develop at »ihe expense of the roots.

FLOWER GARDEN. WORK OF TRANSPLANTING. An excellent chance is presented by the moist condition of the soil for transplanting, and bedding plants should not be allowed to remain in rseeff-beds or boxes a day longer than is absolutely necesssary. Even in dry weather planting out must go forward, a<s it is a great mistake to allow the plants to become too big before setting them in their flowering quartans. Showery weather provides the most fitting opportunity for transplanting, especially at the present season, but, the work may be done with safety under dry conditions, provided the plants are disturbed as- little as passible at the roots, and each one is given a good soaking in as soon as planted. A few hpurs after this has been done thoroughly hoe all the surface soil between the plants; repeating the operation in two or three days’ time, Late afternoon or in the evening its the safest time to transplant in bright weather. There are some annuals that may be sown now to furnish a quantity of flowers for cutting at the .back end of summer. The giant single aster in various colours ijs a good subject for this requirement. The candy tufts are useful tor the purpose, also the cornflowers, cosmos, sweet sultans, phlox Drummondi, salpiglosses, marigolds, miniture sunflower, pink and white rhodanthe, morning and evening star chrysanthemums, tagetes, cbllinsia 'bicolour, mignonette, and dwarf scabious all lend themselves to the purpose of late blooming. Loosen the surface soil on all beds and borders where the hoe can be used without injury to the plants. Both rain and watering have the effect of firming the surface soil; consequently growth is retarded because air and warmth cannot freely enter. A LIVING VASE. A pretty and rather uncommon idea it? that of ornamenting vases with living growth, and. as the means employed to obtain tjiich results are quite simple, those who are interested in such fancy decoration may be inclined to give it a trial. Though any kind of vases can be used indiscriminately, those in unglazed terra-cotta, being porous, are preferable. In such vessels- the water with which the vase is filled percolates constantly through the sides, ar.d moistens the plants which are fixed on its surface. This kind of vase, however, fs not indeepeneible, for even glass or metal can be so ornamented. In theee two cases it is necessary to prepare the surface, so as to convert it into a. nort of soil, which it really represents—an operation easily managed by the aid of a piece of cloth or flannel, which is fixed by means of thread or thin wire. This being understood, the means employed to grow the seed must be described.

When a porous vase is used, it is filled with water; or it may be left in a pail of water to soak. After the lapse of twenty four hours, when the water has thoroughly saturated the vase, it is laid on its side, and the seed sprinkled lightly over the surface of the cloth covering, taking care to turn the vase in different directions in order that the whole surface may be well covered with seed. This done, the vase is placed where the seeds will not dry up too rapidly; a cool room will answer, but the atmosphere should be kept as still as possible. When the seed has germinated and the plants are developing, the vase should be turned round to the light, to equalise the growth. If glazed or metal receptacles are used—glass bottles, for instance—they must, be constantly Watered, the water ■being poured from the top over all, so that, in descending, it wets all parts of the cloth, which should always be damp. The vase should stand in a saucer or plate. The seed used must be of easy and quick germination. Common garden cress is suitable from its great rapidity of growth and very quick germination, and also on account of the little nourishment the plants require in order to flourish; but it. has some drawbacks, first in its tendency to sink more or less, then to leave gaps, and to wither away. The common rye-gra>ss fUolmm pprenne) is suitable, but expe,riments with other seeds may be made, such as crested dog’s tail grass (cynosures cristatus), white clover (medicago lupulina), flax (linum utilatisisimum), and particularly the Timothy grass (phleum pratenoe) which appears singularly appropriate for this kind of growth.