Post by Anton on Jun 26, 2013 21:35:59 GMT
GROWING vegetables in the amateurs garden is an advisable practice.
Home-grown vegetables are, of course, much fresher, and they are
obtainable much earlier and for a longer period than market produce.
When arranging the vegetable plot it is better to see that it is away
from the house, say, behind the flower garden. This plot is generally
rectangular in shape, so that parallel rows of plants and seeds can be
arranged, and thus allow easy access to the various sections of plants.
The average plot is from five to ten rods; attention should be
centred on growing those vegetables which are most unsatisfactory and
unfresh when market grown.
The main points to be considered when arranging the vegetable plot is
to provide shelter on the north and east sides. This will ensure
success in hard weather. Wattle hurdles are extremely useful for this
purpose.
Never grow the same crop twice in succession on the piece of land. If
the plot is large enough, divide it into four sections: (a) Peas and
Beans. (b) Potatoes. (c) Green crops; cabbage, etc. (d) Root crops;
onions, parsnips, etc. Keep a plan, and always let next years planting
be altered, so that b follows a, c takes the place of b, and so on.
Grow catch crops, that is, put a few quick maturing crops between
rows of plants that mature slowly. The quick crops will be harvested
before the others need all the space. This is known as intercropping.
Digging. The best time to prepare for future crops is by digging the
soil in autumn. Frost acts upon rough particles of clay, reducing it to a
powder. Autumn-dug soil has been found by te its to retain more
moisture during the dry weather than that dug over in spring time.
Soil bacteria are able to continue the work of forming nitrates
throughout the winter except in very frosty spells, but they are only
able to work in soil that is aerated, that is, in soil that has been
deeply dug.
It is not advisable to dig when the soil is very wet. There are
several ways of digging, according to the nature of the ground to be
dug.
Where large patches of land are to be dug, double digging is the best
method to employ. Start at one end of the plot which is to be dug and
open out a trench 2 feet wide and 10 inches deep. The soil which is
removed from this trench should be wheeled to another part of the plot.
The subsoil should be broken up, at the same time digging leaves,
annual weeds, or farmyard manure into the soil; all these will retain
moisture. Now turn the next 2 feet of soil over into the trench leaving a
second trench open. Treat this in the same way and continue until the
plot is dug. If the plot is dug in this manner, the same layer of soil
is kept on the surface.
Keep a run of cloches handy to secure early salads, peas and beans.
Always remember that if cropping on virgin soil, it is a good plan to
grow all potatoes for the first year. These have the effect of breaking
in the hard soil.
With a little extra attention, three crops a year can be obtained.
This will mean that plenty of nourishment must be obtainable, and heavy
manuring is essential. In an ordinary garden an adoption of French
gardening methods, adequate food and shelter for the plants, and the
planting of numerous catch crops, will help the keen amateur to make the
most of a small vegetable plot.
Dress the soil with lime, 3-8 oz. Per square yard, the heavier
dressing to be used where the soil is acid, such as in 24 towns. If
these steps are taken, good growth will be ensured, and they will also
make the soil easier to work the next season.
Trenching. This method of digging is usually only applied when the
original top-soil has been covered by infertile clay or gravel.
This is done by making a wide trench, and laking out both the top
spit of soil and 9-12 inches of the lower soil. These are piled in two
separate heaps. The next top spit of soil is turned into the bottom of
the trench and covered with the under soil from the second trench. This
method is very troublesome and is seldom necessary.
All soils have a minimum of fertility, that is, plants will grow year
after year in the soil without added manure, bub the plants would only
yield meagre crops. Fertility is increased in many ways, by deep digging
in winter, by working up a little of the subsoil each year, by draining
waterlogged soil, by growing different crops in succession, by addition
of lime, and by green manuring.
Nitrates, potash and phosphates are most essential plant foods, and
all are to be found in good farmyard manure. Animal and poultry manure
also provide excellent plant food.
Home-grown vegetables are, of course, much fresher, and they are
obtainable much earlier and for a longer period than market produce.
When arranging the vegetable plot it is better to see that it is away
from the house, say, behind the flower garden. This plot is generally
rectangular in shape, so that parallel rows of plants and seeds can be
arranged, and thus allow easy access to the various sections of plants.
The average plot is from five to ten rods; attention should be
centred on growing those vegetables which are most unsatisfactory and
unfresh when market grown.
The main points to be considered when arranging the vegetable plot is
to provide shelter on the north and east sides. This will ensure
success in hard weather. Wattle hurdles are extremely useful for this
purpose.
Never grow the same crop twice in succession on the piece of land. If
the plot is large enough, divide it into four sections: (a) Peas and
Beans. (b) Potatoes. (c) Green crops; cabbage, etc. (d) Root crops;
onions, parsnips, etc. Keep a plan, and always let next years planting
be altered, so that b follows a, c takes the place of b, and so on.
Grow catch crops, that is, put a few quick maturing crops between
rows of plants that mature slowly. The quick crops will be harvested
before the others need all the space. This is known as intercropping.
Digging. The best time to prepare for future crops is by digging the
soil in autumn. Frost acts upon rough particles of clay, reducing it to a
powder. Autumn-dug soil has been found by te its to retain more
moisture during the dry weather than that dug over in spring time.
Soil bacteria are able to continue the work of forming nitrates
throughout the winter except in very frosty spells, but they are only
able to work in soil that is aerated, that is, in soil that has been
deeply dug.
It is not advisable to dig when the soil is very wet. There are
several ways of digging, according to the nature of the ground to be
dug.
Where large patches of land are to be dug, double digging is the best
method to employ. Start at one end of the plot which is to be dug and
open out a trench 2 feet wide and 10 inches deep. The soil which is
removed from this trench should be wheeled to another part of the plot.
The subsoil should be broken up, at the same time digging leaves,
annual weeds, or farmyard manure into the soil; all these will retain
moisture. Now turn the next 2 feet of soil over into the trench leaving a
second trench open. Treat this in the same way and continue until the
plot is dug. If the plot is dug in this manner, the same layer of soil
is kept on the surface.
Keep a run of cloches handy to secure early salads, peas and beans.
Always remember that if cropping on virgin soil, it is a good plan to
grow all potatoes for the first year. These have the effect of breaking
in the hard soil.
With a little extra attention, three crops a year can be obtained.
This will mean that plenty of nourishment must be obtainable, and heavy
manuring is essential. In an ordinary garden an adoption of French
gardening methods, adequate food and shelter for the plants, and the
planting of numerous catch crops, will help the keen amateur to make the
most of a small vegetable plot.
Dress the soil with lime, 3-8 oz. Per square yard, the heavier
dressing to be used where the soil is acid, such as in 24 towns. If
these steps are taken, good growth will be ensured, and they will also
make the soil easier to work the next season.
Trenching. This method of digging is usually only applied when the
original top-soil has been covered by infertile clay or gravel.
This is done by making a wide trench, and laking out both the top
spit of soil and 9-12 inches of the lower soil. These are piled in two
separate heaps. The next top spit of soil is turned into the bottom of
the trench and covered with the under soil from the second trench. This
method is very troublesome and is seldom necessary.
All soils have a minimum of fertility, that is, plants will grow year
after year in the soil without added manure, bub the plants would only
yield meagre crops. Fertility is increased in many ways, by deep digging
in winter, by working up a little of the subsoil each year, by draining
waterlogged soil, by growing different crops in succession, by addition
of lime, and by green manuring.
Nitrates, potash and phosphates are most essential plant foods, and
all are to be found in good farmyard manure. Animal and poultry manure
also provide excellent plant food.
