Spinach
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) can
be sown in the late summer and
autumn. It is quick growing and,
under favorable conditions, is
ready to use in 40 to 60 days. The
seed germinates at very low
temperatures and the plant grows
well under cold conditions. Soil
should be well prepared and well
drained.
Spinach tends to bolt when
days are long and temperatures
rise . Some varieties are more
susceptible than others. Spinach
does not tolerate very acid soils.
On the other hand, excessive
liming can induce manganese or
chlorosis indicated by a
)wing of the leaves.
,pply adequate dressings of
~nicmanure or compost sup-
plen
plemented by an NPK 5 : 8 : 4
~pletefertiliser before sowing.
:ood supply of nitrogen and
plCllLy of moisture is essential to
.'-l
ensurc: rapid growth ; otherwise
the leaves become tough.
so\N the seed 20 mm deep in
rows 300 mm apart. About eight
weeks after sowing the plants
should be thinned out to 150 mm
apart. A mulch of straw or black
plythene keeps grit and dirt away
from the leaves at harvest time.
ciiiorz of Jit,eet c o r ~ zC N I I he i~npro\.ed hy ~ l ~ c ~ h i r01r
jlo~ver onto tile silk of the cob.
Sweet corn
Home grown, freshly picked corn
(Zea mays) has an advantage
over cobs bought in shops because
sweet corn continues to ripen
after being picked and quickly be-
comes over mature. The stage
when the cobs are picked is very
critical, and the sooner they are
cooked after picking the better the
flavour.
Because of this rapid deterior-
ation both on and off the plant, it
is advisable to make successive
plantings. Sweet corn seed can
be sown from the end of Septem-
ber through December ; the cobs
being ready for use in about two
and a half months.
Soil preparation and sowing
Dig and manure as for tomatoes.
Apply 30 g of superphosphate to
every metre of row in double
drills alongside the seed row. Sow
the seed in drills 25 mm in depth.
Place three seeds in a group
cvery 300 mm along the drill and
thin out to one plant when the
plants are about 200 mm high.
Allow one metre between the
rows.
Cultivation
The soil should be kept in good
tilth between the plants and rows ;
l g pollc'rz fro^^ l i ~ etop
A variety of cobs.
gradually earthing up around the
plants until they are on a small
hill. Apply a nitrogen fertiliser
side-dressing when the top male
flower or " tassel " is beginning to
form, use 30 g of sulphate of
ammonia or 15 g of urea per
metre of row.
Help polination by shaking
the pollen from the tassel on t o
the " silk " of the cob when the air
is quite still; preferably in the
evening or early morning. Water
heavily during the hot weather.
Hawesting
As the cobs begin to swell, they
must be watched closely to avoid
over maturity. The cobs are ready
for use when the top tassel begins
to wither, and the cobs themselves
are plump.
An additional check is to open
the sheath of the cob and prick
some of the kernels with a pin.
They should exude a milky juice
and feel quite soft when pressed
with the thumb nail. If juice does
not exude, the cob is over mature
and its flavor will be inferior. PuIl
or cut off the cobs with ,a down
ward motion.
Cook the cobs as soon as pos-
sible after picking as they may
become over mature if held for 24
hours after picking. When cook-
ing, make sure that the water is
boiling before the cobs are placed
in the saucepan.