THE RUNNER BEAN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 December 1939, Page 2

THE RUNNER BEAN

METHOD OF CULTURE. L- , __ The runner bean is the home gardene cr’s plant par excellence, for there are . few other plants of the vegetable garden that will produce such a quantity - of wholesome food on a small area, r Now that the seeds are well up, as • soon as the plants commence to "run," e see that each stick has its two runners. If necessary, give the runners a start by looping them loosely to the sticks . with raffia. Do not forget that the { runners should be treated gently, for j they are brittle when young. / Loosen, the soil between the plants occasionally with a fork and about De- ■ cember put on a three-inch mulch of old manure or material from the com- . post heap. Extend the mulch to 18 inches on each side of the row. Nip oil' . the ends of the runners when they . reach the tops of the sticks; this will : encourage both bottom breaks and side ■ branches to develop and greatly increase the crop. Flower dropping, or non-setting in runner beans, is a seasonal failing, usually due to the irregular develop-) ment of the essential organs in hot weather and under intense light. Then the stigma grows much more rapidly than the stamens; the stigma pushes its way between the stamens, and if the pollen in not ripe, fertilisation cannot take place and the flower falls. This is frequently the case during a spell of hot, dry weather, but during February and March, when the daylight is less intense and the nights are longer and cooler, the flowers will set much more freely as the parts then grow in orderly sequence. To simulate these cooler conditions during the hot dry months, spray the foliage forcibly with sun-warmed water at sunset. Commence feeding with liquid manure when the second or third trusses of beans are swelling, repeating at intervals of seven to ten days, or use a good | fertiliser. To obtain extra special pods for exhibition, reduce the number of beans to the two or three best on a truss and feed once a week with sulphate of potash one ounce, nitrate of soda half an ounce, and superphosphate two ounces per gallon of water, or per yard run of row. to be well , watered-in in the latter case.

A GARDEN PEST Earwigs often damage fruit ano flowers, and. as the attack is usually made al night, the gardener may not. suspect the cause of the trouble. These creatures are fond of dahlias, carnations. asters, and chrysanthemums. The old plan of putting an inverted pot filled with moss over the dahlia sticks is rather unsightly, and it is better to suspend an empty match box. slightly open, in the heart of each plant. Examine it daily and it. will be found that the box is used as a nesting place by the insects. . Crumpled pieces of newspaper are also excellent as traps, and large numbers of earwigs can be ■ captured in this manner. By systematic trapping the number of earwigs in a garden may be much reduced and a great deal of damage avoided. Individual choice flowers to be preserved from attack may have a small piece of cotton wool twisted just behind the ex-> panding bud. The earwigs seem to dislike the cotton wool and will make no attempt to cross it.