Growing individual vegetables

Artichokes
Each year after establishment
remove all but the four strongest
suckers. T o obtain big flower
heads, lateral buds surrounding
the main head may be removed
when about as big as a hen's egg.
Cooking
The buds of globe artichoke can
be prepared in several ways. The
small side buds may be eaten raw
or fried, but the main bud is
usually boiled and the fleshy inner
and outer bracts or floral leaves
are eaten rather like asparagus,
with melted butter, salt and
he globe-shaped flower head is the edible portion o f the globe artichoke. pepper.
Remove any rough scales and
;lobe artichokes Propagation wash well in salty water before
ne gobe artichoke (cynara Suckers froni old plants can be cooking. It will take at least 30
scolymus) is the only true adi- transplanted in the early spring minutes of boiling before the buds
choke. I t is perennial, making a when 200 mm high- become tender.
bushy plant about 1 . 5 m high and in rOWS 2 metres apart and 1 metre
resembles a large thistle. The between plants. Jerusalem artichokes
edible portions are the immature Seed can be 25 mm Although the Jerusalem artichoke
globe-shaped flower heads and drills, 300 mm apart. The seed- (Helianthus tuberosus) will grow
their fleshy bases. l-hese are lings can be transplanted in the in any odd corner of the garden,
picked when most scales are un- spring, when they reach the adequate care is necessary to pro-
opened and are bluish-green. size of cabbage transplants. duce good quality tubers.
The harvest season extends Beds should be prepared as for The quality of the artichoke
from June through November, but pumpki"s or other vine vegetables, tubers will also be improved if a
the heads will not keep long. me with plenty of organic matter under heavy dressing of organic manure
open heads are quite decorative. each plant. Three Or plants is dug into the soil. Apply 250 g
~h~~ are sometimes grown in are sufficient for the household. of NPK 6:6:6 complete fertiliser
flower beds. A plantation of arti- Rep1ant suckers for every 10 plants. The bed
chokes may last for up to five three years. should be well-drained, but
years, but crops on poor soils are Maintenance otherwise the location is not im-
likely to be disappointing after In late spring when harvest is com- portant as the Jerusalem artichoke
two years. plete the stalks should be cut to grows well either in the open or
Globe artichokes grow well within 300 mm of the ground and in fairly heavy shade.
where winters are moist and mild the plantation given a liberal
but will not withstand much frost. dressing of organic manure or 30 Planting tubers
If summer temperatures are high, to 5 0 g of NPK 8:4:10 complete Select sets of a desirable size and
the edible stage soon passes as the fertiliser per plant. Beds should shape which are not more than
floral organ develops quickly and be kept well watered during the 25 to 35 mm in diameter, plump,
the succulence is lost. ,drier months. and without too many protuber-
68
 ances. Larger tubers may be used,
but should be cut into 25 to 35
mm pieces with two eyes or buds
per set. Too many buds are a
disadvantage as the resulting plants
tend to bear a large number of
undersized tubers.
Jerusalem artichoke should be '
cooked gently for at least 30 min-
utes in boiling water, with an
onion and some salt, and served
mashed or whole with white sauce.
It can be baked after having been
immersed in boiling water for a
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July is the best month for plant- few minutes. This artichoke
ing artichoke sets. Plant sets makes a delicious soup.
100 mm deep in heavy soil, and
150 mm deep in sandy soils, at
450 mm intervals along the row.
Asparagus
Asparagus (Asparagus oficinalis)
Ten plants should be quite enough
for the needs of a family of five.
As artichokes often grow to a
can be grown in the home garden
with very little effort, provided
I
height of 2.5 m they form a use- careful attention is given to the ,
ful windbreak. initial preparation of the bed.
Plantations which are well cared-
Cultivation and harvesting for will last for up to 20 years.
The quality and texture of the Asparagus grows best in deep
artichoke tuber is adversely a e c - friable soils, especially sandy loams
ted by the development of the and peaty soils. Heavy soils, which
flower. The flower buds should cake, distort spears. Because
therefore be nipped out as soon asparagus is such a long-term crop,
as they appear. Tubers may be it is well worthwhile spending time
lifted from four weeks after the in the initial preparation of the
formation of flower buds and used bed. If soil is heavy, work a
as required until the following mixture of loam and sand into the
June. At the end of June all bed.
tubers should be lifted with a fork. Good drainage is essential and
Those required for later use can beds must receive full sunlight.
be stored in sand. Yield and quality will be poor if
Jerusalem artichokes are best the soil does not warm up quickly
planted each year. Neglected beds in the spring.
can rapidly become a real prob-
lem and it is best to treat Jerusa- Raising asparagus plants
lem artichokes as an annual crop. One or two-year-old crowns are
planted out in the permanent bed.
Cooking Plants are raised from seed which
Cooking quality is largely a mat- is sown in August or September.
ter of freshness. Sprouted tubers As asparagus seed is extremely
should not be used. Wash and slow to germinate, it should be
scrub Jerusalem artichokes to re- soaked in water overnight before
move skins, in water to which sowing. Drill seed about 25 mm
two or three teaspoonfuls of deep into a seed bed. Many com-
J r ~ r ~ s r r l eartichoke
~i~ plant. vinegar have been added. The mercial growers sow radish seed
with the asparagus seed. This
germinates rapidly and indicates
the rows; thus simplifying weeding.
Plants should be thinned $0 75
mm .apart at Ian early stage.
As the plants grow, the taller
male plant will become distinguish-
able. The foliage begins higher
.
UP the stems than on the female
plants which have fronds almost
-
to the ground. The male plants
yield more spears than the female
piants, so they should be retained
for transplanting.
Young plants may be placed in
the permanent bed in the first
winter but it is best to wait for
another year as this sex difference
is more obvious in the second
summer when the female plants
bear berries.
Mary Washington 500 and a
selection of this variety, UC 66,
--1 the main varieties grown.
Plaluting crowns
Crclwns are planted out in June
or July, but beds should be pre-
pa1.ed much earlier. Trench the
soilI to at least 600 mm and incor-
:ate sand with the sub-soil if it
very heavy.
Large quantities of organic
Plant asparagus crowns in trenches 200 m m to 250 m m deep and 250 m m wide.
Spread the roots out evenly over the soil along the bottom of the trench and cover
with 125 m m to 150 m m o f soil. Fill the trench as the crowns grow.
manure should be worked into the This weakens the crowns and re-
base of the bed and the top-soil duces the next year's crop.
dressed with 150 to 300 g of NPK The fern is then allowed to grow
5:8:4 complete fertiliser. Alter- up. It should be cut off 50 mm
natively, when planting, place a above the ground when it turns
band of fertiliser along each side yellow and before the seed ma-
of the trench. tures. After the tops are removed
Beds can be about 1 - 2m wide the beds should be lightly forked
with a 600 mm pathway between.
Plant two rows per bed as shown
and, if they are hilled, pulled back
to a level surface.
in the diagram. Dig the two Apply 150 g of lime to the
trenches about 200 to 250 mm square metre; followed by a
deep; 250 mm wide with 450 mm heavy dressing of animal manure.
between them. Along the bottom A dressing of 120 to 150 g of
of the trench, build a small ridge NPK 8 : 4 : 10 complete fertiliser,
of soil. may be necessary if the fern has
The crowns are straddled across shown lack of vigor.
this ridge, and the fleshy roots Yield is largely determined by
arranged evenly in the trench. the amount of fertiliser the beds
Space the crowns 400 mm apart. receive. It is almost impossible
Press each crown into the soil and to over-feed asparagus. Weekly
cover with 125 to 150 mm of soil. applications of liquid manure can
Do not leave any air pockets. The be applied when cutting begins.
beds are then built up as the Yields are improved if the beds
spears grow. are kept moist, but do not over-
water the plants.
Maintenance of asparagus beds Many people prefer green
Two-year-old plants may be given asparagus to the white blanched
a light cutting in the second season, sticks. Green asparagus is easier
but one-year-old plants should not to grow as it is only necessary to
be cut until the third season. It slightly hill the beds. Sticks can
is important not to cut even estab- be blanched by hilling up the beds
lished beds after mid-December. with soil from the side until they
Blanched asparagus spears are cut
under the ground as soon as they ap-
pear. A long-handled knife is used to
cut the spears.

are 250 mm high.

The sticks should be cut when
they first appear through the soil.
It is necessary to rake the soil up
over the beds several times during
the cutting period to keep sticks
covered.
Harvesting
Cut blanched sticks below the soil
with a special asparagus knife.
To avoid damage to latent shoots,
insert the knife at an angle, hold
the stick to be cut with the left Clirnbirtg Oenrzs are well slritcd to srrlall gardens. They save spacr as they curl 1
hand, and cut when the knife be grown agninst fences o r on trellises.
touches the base of the stick.
Varieties
Cut blanched sticks as soon as
the:y appear through the surface,
Beans The four main groups of beans
I
\
ancd green sticks before the leaf Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are a commonly sown in the home gar-
SCZlles open. No sticks should be popular summer vegetable in the den are butter beans, French
111,o - ~ e dto develop foliage during
L'JL3 home garden and, with successive beans, stringless beans and climb-
tht:cutting p d o d . plantings, fresh beans are available ing beans. I

For best quality, cut sticks just
fore cooking. If asparagus must
be held before cooking keep the
cut ends standing in water.
Asparagus will also hold for a
short time in a refrigerator.
for many months. Beans grow Cherokee Wax is a popular
best in warm to hot, humid, wind- butter bean variety. Brown Beauty,
Windsor Long Pod, and Hawkes-
free weather conditions. They are
bury Wonder are the most com-
warm season plants and are sen- monly grown French bean varieties
sitive to frost. November and in the home garden. Hawkesbury
December sowings of beans are Wonder produces a heavy crop of
most successful in central and good quality pods over a long
I
I
southern Victoria (zones 1 and 2). period and is tolerant of halo
A windbreak of sweet corn or blight disease. Brown Beauty and
other tall-growing crop should be Windsor Long Pod grow w611
established before the crop is sown. under a wide range of climatic con-
,
 ditions and produces a flush crop
of excellent quality pods.
Brown Beauty is still a very
popular variety. It can be sown in
November and December.
Windsor Long Pod is grown ex-
tensively in the spring and autumn.
It is often hard to judge the
maturity of Windsor Long Pod. It
has very long and attractive pods
which do not deteriorate in appear-
ance rapidly. Home gardeners
should have little trouble with this
variety if it is picked several times
each week.
The stringless varieties, intro-
duced for the processing industry,
are now becoming extremely popu-
lar with home gardeners. They
are not as adaptable as the stringed
types and are more sensitive to
temperature and low humidity and
hence must receive good supplies
of moisture. Redlands Pioneer,
Tendercrop, GV 50, Canyon and
Apollo are the varieties grown in
Victoria. Canyon and Apollo are
resistant to Summer Death.
Climbing beans are a great space
saver in small gardens as they can
be grown against fences and on
trellises. They produce many more
beans than an equivalent area of
bush beans.
Blue Lake is a stringless climb-
ing bean with straight, round
fleshy pods of excellent quality.
As all the varieties mentioned
so far are annuals, seed must be
sown each year. The perennial
beans are more satisfactory in the
cool districts. Over the years
Scarlet Runner has proved the
most adaptable. The beans, if
picked when young, are tender
and fleshy.
Perennial climbing beans
(Phaseolus coccieneus) are diffi-
cult to grow under very hot con-
ditions because flowers are unable
to set. Consequently, most years
they are late croppers. Pod setting
is helped by spraying the flowers
with water during hot weather.
Scarlet Runner and White Czar
last from four to seven years and
are best suited to growing along
Clirnbir~gheurrs .r/~nrtltfhe sow3rl 1 1 1 row3s one r ~ e t r e(2p~7rtarltl 200
seeds.
the fence line. Do not sow climb-
ing varieties before the middle of
October in southern or mountain
districts.
Bean seed
Seed-borne diseases can cause
severe losses to bean growers and,
wherever possible, certified bean
seed should be used. Halo blight
is the most serious of these seed-
borne diseases and the use of
disease-free seed will ensure heal-
thy crops unless an affected crop
is growing close by or diseased
bean plant residues carry the
disease over to the next year.
All bean seed should be dusted
with thiram before sowing, as a
protection against seed rotting
organisms.
Soil preparation and fertilisers
Beans grow well on most soil types,
except very sandy soils. Dwarf
beans, in particular, have a very
shallow root system and suffer
severely if the top 50-150 mm of
soil dry out rapidly.
Beans are moderately tolerant
to soil acidity but benefit from
liming on very acid soils. Lime
may be broadcast three weeks be-
fore sowing at 150 to 300 g per
square metre or agricultural lime-
rirri~ hrric<een
stone placed in the drill-row with
the fertiliser at 30 g per metre of
drill-row. Although a legume, the
bean is not very efficient at fixing
its own nitrog& from the atmo-
sphere. Because of this nitrogen
should be included in the fertiliser
mixture.
As the seed has a thin coat and
is sensitive to injury, bean seed
should be sown so that it will not
contact the fertiliser. Place the
fertiliser on each side of a furrow
100 mm wide and 75 to 100 mm
deep at the rate of 30 g per metre.
Cover the fertiliser with soil and
sow the seed in the centre of the
row, from 25 to 50 mm deep.
In northern districts, a 4:l mix-
ture of superphosphate and sul-
phate of ammonia at 30 to 60g
per metre of drill-row should be
used. In southern districts 60 g
of NPK 3:6:7 complete fbrtiliser
should be applied.
Sowing and trellising
Climbing varieties should be sown
in rows one metre apart with 200
mm between seeds. .Dwarf varieties
are sown 450 mm apart with 100
mm between seeds. In good tex-
tured soils sow seed 5 0 mm deep
but in stiffer soils 25 mm is prefer-
able. Mulch the surface of the soil
over the drill-row to prevent cak-
ing of the soil surface which would
otherwise make the emergence of
the young bean seedlings difficult.
Climbing beans must be sup-
ported above ground. Some of
these varieties can be trained on
trelises about two metres high.
Fences with an easterly aspect are
very suitable. Vines can be sup-
ported on string or wire.
Cultivation
Weeds can be controlled by shal-
low cultivation, but only when ab-
solutely necessary as the bean is
a relatively shallow-rooted plant
and the roots are easily damaged.
Wind causes possibly more dam-
age to bean crops than to any
other vegetable - crop. sowing
two rows close together gives
added support to each plant.
sprinklers are most satisfactory
for watering as they raise the hu-
midity. This helps flower setting
under hot dry conditions.
Harvesting
Beans should be harvested as soon
as they have grown to a suitable
size as they can rapidly become
over-mature. Beans should be
picked at least every week. All
full size pods should be harvested
to encourage the setting of later
flowers. Rough handling of the
bush should be avoided as stems
are tender and damage to leaves
and stems may seriously reduce
the life of the bush.
Broad beans
Broad beans (Vicia faba) grow
well during the cooler months and
withstand frosts. They need little
attention and are a welcome addi-
tion at a time of the year when
fresh vegetables in the home gar-
den are scarce.
The broad bean grows well in
n wide range of soil types, but
does best in a reasonably heavy,
well drained soil. However, it
will not tolerate extremely acid
conditions and some liming may
be necessary.
Chocolate spot and broad bean Poor growth of broad bean
virus are two diseases which will crops may occur if seed is sown in
attack broad bean crops planted in a bed which has grown a broad
the late autumn. For this bean crop recently. Soil-borne
reason late July and August diseases attack the roots and cause
is the best time to sow the plants to collapse. Rotation is
broad beans to produce disease- the only solution. Infected ground
free plants. The pods will not should not be sown to broad beans
mature much later than those sown or peas for six or seven years.
in April, because flowers will not Failure of broad beans to r
set until the weather warms up in pods, especially early in the sprir
the spring. can be caused by excessive nitr
However, there are advantages gen in the soil or by extreme varjia-
in sowing a broad bean crop in tions in temperature. Aphids can
the autumn. There will be beds also cause damage to flowers a nd
vacant to take the crop at a time young pods and should be cc.-
when the choice of crops to plant trolled with spray.
is limited, and if weather conditions
do favor the development of dis- Harvesting
ease, the crop can always be turned Harvest broad beans before pods
under as a green manure crop. become over-mature, as quality
rapidly deteriorates. Young im-
mature pods can be eaten whole
Soil preparation and fertilisers
Broadcast 150 g of lime to the if sliced like French beans, or they
square metre before finally digging can be shelled and cooked, skinned
up the bed, and again just before or unskinned.
sowing.
Apply NPK 5: 8:4 complete
fertiliser, or 5 :1 blood and bone
and potash at 60 g to the metre of
drill row in bands 50 mm to the
side and 50 mm be!ow the level of
the seed.
Sow the seeds about 100 to
150 mm apart in single rows 600
mm apart, or in double rows 200
to 300 mm apart and with about
a metre between the double rows.
Plants sown in double rows sup-
port each other.
Place the seed in furrows 75
mm deep down the centre of the
row without contacting the fer-
tiliser. Cover with 50 mm of soil,
leaving a slight depression along
the row.
Dust the seed with thiram to
protect it from seed rotting orga-
nisms.
When the plants become laden
with pods, support the bush with
a string stretched between stakes.
Soil formed around the base of
the stems will also support the
plants. Occasional watering may
be necessary on lighter soils if the
rainfall is too light.
 potash, either broadcast or in The soil surface should be kept
Beetroot bands 50 mm to the side and moist until the seed has genni-
Beetroot (Beta vulgaris) is an im- 50 mm deeper than drill row. nated. The beetroot seed is
portant salad vegetable. Although Care must be taken not to over- really a seed capsule containing an
the demand is greatest during the lime as manganese may become average of three seeds, and seed-
summer, sowings can be made so deficient when soils are alkaline. lings tend to grow in closely knit
that beet is available from late Beetroot is sensitive to deficiencies bunches. The vigor of the whole
spring until midwinter. of this element. Manganese de- stand will suffer unless the seed-
Beet is fairly sensitive to cold ficiency is seen as a yellowing of lings are thinned. Thinning should
temperatures. Prolonged exposure the leaves. begin when seedlings are 50 m m
to temperatures less than lo0 C Beets are also sensitive to boron high; first to a spacing of 25 mm
will cause bolting. Early plantings deficiency. This causes an between seedlings then to 75 mm.
in July or August should therefore internal breakdown of the root and Beetroot will transplant satis-
be made in the warmest part of is particulary severe when the soil factorily, so that thinnings can be
the garden. is alkaline and the season is dry. used to fill any gaps in the row.
Early Wonder can be sown Ensure that beetroot receives
from July in the most northern ample water while it is growing. Cultivation
areas of Victoria. Mid-August is Weeds should be controlled, but
the earliest that sowings should be Sowing and thinning as many of the roots of beetroot
made in the south. It is slightly A fine seed bed is necessary to plants are near the surface, culti-
flat in appearance and sometimes ensure a good germination of seed. vation should be shallow. Weeds
develops white rings or zoning in The seed is sown 20 to 25 mm in beetroot crops can be controlled
the flesh. Top Market can also be deep in drill rows 300 mm apart. by spraying with salt solution
sown early. The root has a better Soaking seed in water for 24 hours (1 kg per 5 litres of water). Salt
quality and texture than Early before sowing will hasten germi- must be applied with care, as on
Wonder. nation. poorly drained soils salt accumu-
Detroit Dark Red is later and
has a flesh of excellent color and
quality. Sowings of Detroit Dark
Red can be made in southern Vic-
. toria from September, through
February, and from October,
through March, in the north.
Derwent Globe is a deep round
beet; also with flesh of excellent
quality. Maturity is similar to
Detroit Dark Red. Green Top
Bunching is also a later maturing
variety. Its upright tops are ideal
for bunching and it is a popular
commercial market variety.
Golden Beet has a yellow root
and tastes the same as the red
varieties.
Soil requirements and fertilisers
Soil requirements are essentially
the same as for carrots (see page
80). Beetroot does not thrive on
acid soil and liming may be necces-
ary. Root crops in general
respond to applications of potash.
Beetroot needs to grow without
check to produce good quality
roots. Apply 60 to 120 g per
square metre of NPK 5 : 8 : 4
complete fertiliser or a 5 : 1
mixture of blood and bone and The beetroot plants on the right ore affected with nematodes.
lation can cause damage to vege-
table crops which follow.
Pest and disease control
Beetroot is a hardy crop and is
attacked by few diseases and pests.
Rust can be a problem in some
seasons, but healthy plants appear
to be able to outgrow this dis-
order. Leaf miner, which burrows
in the leaves, can be controlled by
spraying with maldison.
Beetroot can be harvested as
soon as the roots are 30 to 40 mm
in diameter and from then over a
period of ten weeks.
Broccoli can be successfully grown in all parts o f Victoria unlike its close
relative the cauliflower because it is less susceptible to differences in growing
conditions.
Broccoli
Green Sprouting Broccoli (Bras-
sica oleracea, variety italica) is
much easier to grow than its
close relative the cauliflower. The
open green flower buds are not
as tight as the cauliflower curd and
the plant is less susceptible to
differences in growing conditions.
Broccoli can be successfully
grown in all parts d Victoria.
Crops in northern districts should
be planted to mature during the
cooler months. After the larger
central head has been picked, the
numerous secondary heads can be
harvested over several weeks.
Soil requirements and fertilisers
Soil preparation and fertiliser
requirements are essentially the
same as those outlined for cabbage
on page 77. Broccoli must be
grown rapidily and it will respond
to heavy applications of animal
manure supplemented with 70 to
150 g of NPK 5:8:4 complete
fertiliser to the square metre.
If animal manures are not
available, use 150 g of complete
fertiliser. Side-dressings of 2: 1
sulphate of ammonia or nitrate of
soda plus muriate of potash should
be ,applied two or three times
during the growing season at 50 g
per square metre.
Sowing and planting
Plants are raised in seed beds in
the same way as cabbage (page
77) and then transpl'anted into
the garden, or, later in the season,
they can be seeded direct into
the garden bed.
Early sowings made in seed
beds in October and November
can be transplanted in December
and January. Later sowings, up
until April can be made in the
seed bed or direct. In the north-
e m districts, sowings can be made
in September and October; then
again from February through
April.
Seedlings are transplanted in
rows 750 mm apart and 500 m m
between the plants. Direct seeded
crops are firstly thinned to
250 mm between plants in rows
750 mm apart. This enables the
central heads of all plants to be
harvested. A later thinning
leaving one plant in three, will
allow adequate development of
the secondary heads on the re-
maining plants.
Side-dressings and watering are
essential to maintain good growth.
Particular attention must be given
to the watering of direct seeded
crops in the early stages of growth.
Maintain a regular pest and
disease control program as out-
lined for cabbage.
Hawesting
The central heads will be ready
to harvest about 12 weeks after
sowing; after which the side shoots
can be picked.
Wait until the buds which form
the head have fully developed but
do not allow the buds to open or
flower. Once heads begin to
flower. the side shoots c;ase to
develop. Cut the heads with 100
to 125 mm of stem attached.

Brussels sprouts
Brussels sprouts (Brmsica oleraoea
variety gemmijera) grow best
where the plant can develop in
relatively cool conditions.
Although the seedlings for the
main crop are transplanted in the
middle of summer, sprouts form
when the weather is much cooler.
Sprouts are not hard to grow if
given a good deeply cultivated
soil which has been well manured
and fertilised. They are frost
hardy.
Long Island is the earliest
variety. The first seedlings can
be planted out in September, but
most early plantings are made in
October and November. The
main crop is planted in early
January.
Fillbasket is a late variety. It
is best planted out in February;
earlier plantings tend to form
loose sprouts. It is a taller plant
than Long Island.
New F, hybrid varieties gener-
ally produce smaller tighter
sprouts. They are being used
more extensively by commercial
growers. F, hybrids include Peer
Gynt.
Planting out Side-dressings
Seedlings are raised the same way During growth, side-dres
as cabbage seedlings. Choose should be applied, starting from
short, sturdy, even sized plants, the time the first sprout buds are
rather than those showing rank or seen, and at fortnightly to three-
lush growth. Seedlings should be weekly intervals thereafter.
planted so that the lowest leaves Usually three side-dressings are
are just above soil level. Each sufficient.
seedling should be watered in. Side-dressings are of 30 g of
Ten to 15 plants should provide either of sulphate of ammonia or
enough for the average family over nitrate of soda or 15 g of urea to
a season extending from late April each plant. If there is adequate
through September. Brussels potassium in the base dressing no
sprouts seedlings should not be further application of potassium is
planted later than early in March. necessary in the side-dressing.
Seedlings should be spaced One dressing of fowl manure
600 mm apart in rows 750 mm to about 25 mm thick and spread
one metre apart. around the plant is also an
It is desirable to hill up soil excellent side-dressing.
around the stems as they grow to While varieties such as Long
prevent the plants blowing about Island can be forced on by side-
in the wind and damaging the root dressing with nitrogen fertilisers
system. with little fear of producing loose

Soil preparation and fertilisers

Soil requirements and fertilisers
are very similar to those of cab-
bage as outlined o n page 77.
When land is being prepared
for transplanting Brussels sprouts,
remember that the crop may be in
the ground from three to 10
months. The main reason for
failure in home gardens is probably
due to inadequate manuring and
fertilising.
Sprouts do best on a fairly
heavy soil; although they can be
grown on lighter soils well supplied
with organic matter.
A liberal quantity of stable
manure or fowl manure should
be applied plus superphosphate at
75 to 100 g to the square metre.
If animal manure is unavailable
apply 150 g of NPK 5:8:4 to the Brussels sprouts can be picked as soon as they are large enough to use, blrt
square metre. before the outer leaves turn yellow. Pick f r o m the bottom ripwards.
sprouts, the looser Fillbasket types
should not be forced to the same Cabbage your own seedlings is that you
can be more certain of the variety
extent until they have settled Cabbage (Brassica oleracea, you are sowing.
down to forming solid sprouts. variety capitata) grows best in The seed bed should be raised
The grey cabbage aphid is the cool to cold conditions. In most above the general soil level to
main insect pest. It hides in the parts of Victoria, the climate is provide adequate surface drainage.
tight leaves of the sprout. Use suitable for this vegetable through- The soil should have been free
a similar pest and disease program out the year. The main problem is from cabbages and related crops
as set out for cabbage. the formation of a seed-head in- for a number of seasons as many
stead of a heart. This sometimes soil-borne diseases can be spread
Harvesting occurs with crops growing through in the seed bed.
The yield, quality and length of the winter and maturing in the A light fertiliser dressing of
season of Brussels sprouts can be spring. Failures can be avoided superphosphate may be applied,
affected by the method of picking by sowing the varieties best suited but seedlings grown on very rich
the sprouts. The first buds start to the season. soil are soft and are retarded when
to form at the junction of the Varieties planted out. The seed should be
lower leaves at an early stage of The planting table below sets out dusted with thiram to protect it
growth. When these are the size varieties suitable for growing in against damping-off diseases.
of a pea, the leaves above and southern Victoria. Details of Sow the seed in rows 100 mm
below them should be stripped off planting dates for northern apart rather than broadcast it.
without allowing a stub to remain On heavier soils, it pays to
districts are given on page 115.
on the stem. This enables the full
development of the sprout. The
stripping of leaves above the Maturity Variety Sow seed Plant out Cut
developing sprouts should con- Spring Oxheart April June Oct-November
tinue as the stem elongates, until Parisian May-June August Nov-December
two thirds of the leaves have been Ballhead Hybrid May-June June-July Nov-December
Greengold Hybrid May-June June-July Nov-December
stripped.
Summer Ballhead Hybrid July-Sept Sept-Nov Jan-March
The first sprouts formed are Jubilee July-Sept Sept-Nov Jan-March
usually loose and open. These
Autumn Succession Oct-Nov Dec-Jan March-April
should be picked off. Sprouts Allhead November January April
which form properly are hard Savoy Hybrid November January April
from the time they are the size of Ballhead Hybrid Nov-Dec Jan-Feb April
a plum, and may be picked from Winter Ballhead December February June-July
this stage and until they show Eastham January March June
Allhead December February July-Sept
signs of opening. Small sprouts Savoy December February July-Sept
have the more delicate flavor.
The lowest sprouts should be
picked first. Sprouts should be Varieties of Chinese cabbage mulch the surface of the bed with
broken off flush with the stem. include Pe-tsai and Wong Bok. lawn clippings, straw or rice hulls
The main stem below the un- Chinese cabbage ( Brassica to help keep the surface soil moist.
harvested sprouts must be kept pekinensis ) is a member of the Thin seedlings to make adequate
clean and free from secondary cabbage family but it belongs to a room for the seedling roots, and
sprouting. different species of the Brassica to prevent later crowding of the
The development of the sprouts genus. It has long leaves some- plants. This encourages downy
at the top of the stem is helped what similar to lettuce, and it can mildew attack. If mildew
by taking out the growing point at be eaten raw in salads, or cooked appears, the crop should be dusted
the top of the plant, when it has like the ordinary cabbage. or sprayed with copper hydroxide
reached its full height. Chinese cabbage is sown in the or copper oxychloride. Sprays
spring in the south and in the containing maldison also protect
early autumn in the north. seedlings from grubs and aphids.
Cultural requirements are the In the winter, seedlings will be
same as cabbage but, generally, ready to plant out eight to 10
it is easier to grow and is less weeks after sowing the seed.
susceptible to pests and diseases.
Soil preparation and fertilisers
Seed bed Cabbages are shallow-rooted, but
The main advantage of growing are gross feeders and respond to
77
Cabbage grows best in cool to cold conditions, and can be grown throughout the year in most parts of Victoria.

heavy fertilising. Cabbages prefer element potassium. The edges of with plant spacings to find out the
soils which are only slightly acid, the older leaves gradually die, best one for your particular con-
and best results in southern dist- giving a rusted appearance to the ditions. Seedlings are usually
ricts are obtained on a recently leaf margin. This can occur planted using a dibber. A
limed bed. where blood and bone has been dibber-hole should be made and
A fast-growing cabbage pro- applied as a base dressing without the seedling placed in the hole to
duces a much better quality head additional potassium. the depth just below the first
than one which takes longer to Planting leaves, making sure the roots are
mature. This vegetable will grow During the summer trim the leaves not doubled back at the base of
well after heavy dressings of fowl to reduce the loss of moisture the hole. Another dibber-hole
and stable manure, but it can be from the seedlings. In the winter should be made about 75 to
grown as well using only commer- months, some trimming of 100 mm away at an angle of 45
cial fertiliser mixtures. roots to the dspth of the dibber degrees, and the dibber pushed
If animal manures are available, hole may be necessary, but leaf back towards the seedling.
they can be applied to best advant- trimming is not required. Healthy This will consolidate the soil
age to crucifer crops. Depending disease-free seedlings with a thick, around the roots and provide a
on the amount of animal manure firm stem should be chosen. hole for watering the seedling.
applied 75 to 150 g per square Smaller cabbages such as Always water-in the seedlings. It
metre of a NPK 5:8:4 complete Superette are popular with will help if a small quantity of
fertiliser. housewives. Size can be reduced soluble fertiliser mixture is added
The best results from the by planting seedlings closer to provide a ready supply of plant
fertiliser application are obtained together. The greater number of food in the early stages of growth.
when it is placed in a band under plants will make up for the Direct seeding
the seedlings. reduced mass of individual Cabbage can be seeded direct by
In southern Victoria crucifer heads. Rows may be 600 to sowing two or three seeds at
plants sometimes suffer from a 750mm apart, and plants 300 to each site at the required distance.
disorder called " leaf scorch " 600 mm apart. Mulching will assist emergence.
caused by a deficiency of the I t may be well to experiment Thin to the strongest seedling.
Cultivation
Nitrogen is essential to rapid
growth of cabbages. In the wetter
months, this element is likely to
be washed out in the drainage
water and the base-dressing of
nitrogen will need to be supple-
mented. Apply a side-dressing of
sulphate of ammonia or nitrate of
soda at 30 g per metre of drill
row. In some areas, cabbage
will also respond to a side-
dressing of nitrate of potash at
30 g per two metres or row.
A mixture of maldison and
zineb or other fungicide should be
dusted or sprayed at fortnightly
intervals. Do not apply maldison
~vitlzintltree days of harvest.
This program will control grubs,
aphids and downy mildew. Other
soil borne diseases, such as club
root or " finger and toe " diseases,
can be controlled only by soil
sterilisation or by liming and crop
rotation.
Spray cabbages against grubs and
aphids.
Capsicums
Capsicums (Capsicum annuum)
or peppers have become very
popular, both as a salad vegetable
and as a cooked vegetable. They
are extremely rich in vitamin C .
Capsicums can be considered in
two groups-sweet and mild or
hot. he sweet capsicum are
eaten uncooked in salads, in soups
and goulash, or stuffed. The hot
peppers, or chillies, are used as a
flavoring-either fresh or dried.
The culture of ca~sicums is
very similar to tomatoes. They
grow best under warm conditions
but are extremely sensitive to frost.
Seedlings are transplanted in the
open from September throug5
November, but early crops are
grown in green houses.
Soil requirements and fertilisers
Capsicums grow well in a deep
rich well drained soil. Heavy
dressing of animal manure or
Capsicums are very popular as a salad vegetable and a cooked vegetable.
other organic manure should be
applied well before transplanting.
Additional applications of NPK
3:6:7 complete fertiliser or market
garden manure should be applied
at the rate of 150 g per square
metre before making up the beds
and planting out the seedlings.
Side-dressings of nitrogen
fertiliser should be applied after
the first fruits have set, and then
as required.
Sowing and planting
Seedlings are raised in beds under
glass in the same way as tomato
seedlings. Seed can be sown from
July in the north and from August
in the south.
In October or November, seed
can be sown directly in the beds in
the open. However these plants
will be later than the transplanted
ones started in the seed bed. If
capsicums are direct seeded, it is
necessary to prepare a finer bed.
The young plants must be pro-
79
 tected from insect attack.
Plant capsicums in rows 450
mm apart, with 400 mm to 600
mm between plants. Direct
seeded plants can be thinned to
a similar spacing when they are
75 to 100 mm high.
Keep the beds free of weeds
by shallow cultivation. Water
frequently to maintain soil mois-
ture, but do not over-water. Ir-
regular water supply will cause the
blossoms to drop and, later in the
season, induce blossom-end rot on
the end of the fruit away from the
plant.
Caterpillars, thrips, aphids, and
green vegetable bugs are the main
insect pests which attack
capsicums. They will cause
blossom drop and reduce fruit set.
Spray the plants at 14-day
intervals. with maldison to control
these pests. Do not spray within
a week of harvest.
Powdery mildew and leaf spot-
ting diseases may be a problem
when conditions are humid. A
benomyl spray will give control.
. Harvesting
Sweet capsicums are picked at the
mature green stage, but the hot
varieties are picked when the
fruits are full colored and have
started to shrivel. Fruit of hot
varieties can be dried by threading
on strings and hanging up to dry
in an airy shed.
Carrots
Carrots are easy to grow a ~ ~yield
d is essential for good quality roots.
well.
Carrots (Daucus carote) are by
far the most important of true
root crops and are a welcome
vegetable at all times of the
year-raw or cooked. They are
relatively easy to grow, and yield
well. Successive sowings should
be made to keep the kitchen well
supplied 6 to 7 metres of row is
sufficient for a family of four for
eight to 10 weeks.
During the spring, there is a
high population of the aphids
which spread the motley dwarf
carrot virus disease. As Chan-
tenay varieties are susceptible to
this disease, sowings in southern
Victoria should be restricted to
late November and December.
Soil requirements and fertilisers
Carrots, parsnips and beetroot
require similar growing conditions.
The soil in the bed should be at
least 200mm deep and not be
too heavy. A deep loam is pre-
ferable. The lighter the soil type
the better the shape of the roots
and the texture of the skins.
However, root crops can be grown
successfully on well prepared
deep clay loam soils.
As fresh animal manure can
cause forking and other malforma-
tions of root cror>s. a bed which
A z
received manure for the previous
crop should be chosen. Root
crops can follow leaf crops such
as cauliflowers in the rotation
without additional fertiliser, but
they can also be grown with NPK
5:8:4 complete fertiliser.
The rate of application will
depend on the previous treatment
where the bed has received animal
manure or compost for the pre-
vious crop 75 g per square metre
should be applied ; where no
animal manure has been used, 150
g per square metre is necessary.
Fertiliser should be broadcast and
worked into the soil.
Seed bed preparation
An even germination of seedlings
This means that seed must have
high germination ability and the
seed bed should be well prepared.
Firm the base of the bed leaving
a friable surface which will not
crust.
For ordinary table carrots
drill seed in rows 250 to 300 mm
wide and 10 mm deep ; for " baby
carrots " thinly broadcast the seed
over the bed and lightly cover
with soil. Chantenay variety is
used extensively for baby carrot
production.
The base of the seed bed may
be firmed by tamping lightly with
a board or the back of the rake.
Sow seed thinly and cover with a
sandy loam.
On heavier soils, various
methods to prevent the develop-
ment of a crust can be used.
Mulches of animal manure, com-
post or grass clippings can be
used over the drill row to keep the
top soil moist and friable. A
board placed over the drill row
is quite satisfactory, but it must
be removed as soon as the seed-
lings appear.
Thinning
Seed of root crops is sown thickly
to ensure an even stand but as
crowded seedlings very soon com-
pete for water nutrients and light
thinning should generally begin
early. On the other hand if baby
carrots are desired no thinning at
all should be necessary. If normal
table size carrots are wanted, thin
first when the seedlings are 50
mm high to a spacing of 25 mm
between seedlings. To avoid
damage to the remaining seedlings,
the bed should be watered before
thinning to soften the soil and,
after thinning, to refirm the soil
around the roots.
Later, when the leaves are 150
mm high and the roots of the
removed seedlings are big enough
to be used in the kitchen, thinning
to 65 mm spacings is necessary.
Cauliflower
Cauliflower (Brmsica oleracea,
variety botrytis) is a valuable
winter vegetable which grows
very well in southern Victoria.
With a little extra care, it can be
grown in northern districts. It is
a member of the cabbage family
and, while its soil and climate
requirements are essentially the
same, it is more sensitive to ex-
tremes of hot and cold, and wet
and dry weather. If the growth
of cauliflower is checked in any
way it will only form small
miniature heads instead of a full
curd. This is called "button-
ing ".
will be ready for transplanting in
January and will mature in March
or April.
This variety is unsuitable for
northern districts as it matures
while temperatures are still high
and the curd discolors.
Soil requiremqnts and fertilisers
Soil requirements and fertilisers
are essentially the same as those
outlined for cabbage on page 77.
Good soil preparation is parti-
cularly necessary for cauliflower
so that steady growth can be
maintained.
Dressings of organic manure
should be supplemented with a
complete fertiliser. Side-dress-

Cultivation
Carrot seedlings germinate slowly
and weeds can be a problem in
the early stages of growth. Care
must be taken not to cultivate too
deeply, as the carrot has a number
'of roots growing in the surface
soil.
Carrots, and also parsnips, are
resistant to oil sprays. Hence
weeds can be controlled with a
mixture of power and lighting
kerosene. The toxicity of power
kerosene to weeds varies, so
begin with a 50 : 50 mixture and
increase the proportion of power
kerosene in the mixture until the
best weed control is obtained
without damaging the carrots.
Spray the carrots when they
have developed between two and
four fern leaves. D o not spray
after four leaves have developed
because of the risk of tainting the ii f r r l f clrrci of rile cauliflower r c ~ ( I I

crop. Sprays should not be ap- unchecked.

plied when temperatures are
above 29OC or if frosts are im-
minent.
Aphids which spread the mot-
ley dwarf virus can be kept under
control with maldison sprays.
Maldison can be used to within
three days of harvest.
A continued supply of cauli- ings of sulphate of ammonia or
flower from autumn to spring is nitrate of soda, about 45 g per
obtained by staggering plantings metre of row should be applied
over several months or planting when the plants are about half
a range of varieties which grown.
mature in different lengths of Whiptail, a disorder caused by
time. Seedlings of Phenomenal a deficiency of molybdenum, is
Twelve Weeks sown in November common where soils are acid.
The best cure for whiptail is to
spray the seedlings in the seed
bed with a molybdenum solution
about two weeks before trans-
planting.
The problem can also be over-
come if the plants are sprayed
in the field before a curd has
begun to form. A molybdenum
solution can be made by dissolv-
ing 10 g of sodium molybdate or
8 g ammonium molybdate in 10
litres of water. This is sufficient
for 100 plants. Add a wetting
agent to the mixture.
Sowing, planting and cultivation
Seedlings are grown in the same
way as cabbage seedlings and
then transplanted in the bed. It
is important to cull cauliflower
seedlings vigorously so that weak
spindly plants are discarded;
especially those with " blind "
growing points which will not
develop curds.
Cauliflowers require ample
water, especially during the warm
summer months. They should be
given a thorough soaking rather
than frequent light waterings.
Cauliflower curds are damaged
by frost which causes discolora-
tion and allows the entry of soft
rots. In areas susceptible to
frost, it is advisable to tie the
outer leaves across the curd for
protection.
Celery
Celery (Apium graveolens, variety
dulce) is a popular salad veget-
able throughout the year. It is
also useful for flavoring soups and
stews. However it is not often
found growing in the home garden.
Celery is not an easy vegetable
to grow as it requires a good deal
of soil preparation, careful fer-
tiliser application and watering.
It does not grow well in hot dis-
tricts or in poor, shallow soils,
but with incorporation of large
amounts of organic manure, most
home garden beds can be made
suitable for celery production.
Celery has a very shallow root
system and it must have adequate
supplies of plant nutrients and
water available to ensure that it
grows quickly. Slow-grown celery
is of poor quality as it is high in
fibre.
Soil preparation and fertilisers
A celery bed should receive heavy
dressings of poultry manure plus
NPK 5 : 8 : 4 complete fertiliser
at 150 g to the square metre. A
fortnight after transplanting, seed-
lings should receive a side-dress-
in; of sulphate of ammonia at
35 g per square metre. Further
side dressings should be made at
monthly intervals or when neces-
sary.
Sowing and planting Celery-a popular salad vegetable. The
Buy seedlings from a nursery or plant requires a good deal of care and
raise them from seed under glass attention.
in much the same way as tomato
seedlings are grown. tinuous supply of water. Fre-
quent applications are necessary,
The planting method will de-
pend on the method of blanching especially on light sandy soils.
Gardeners who intend to grow
used, but as only a small amount
is required at any one time, a celery must be prepared to water
plants once a day during the
single row of plants which can be
blanched individually is usually summer.
Leaf spotting is the most ser-
most satisfactory in the home
garden. Transplant seedlings in ious disease of celery. It can
be controlled by spraying with
rows spaced 300 to 375 mm apart
and the seedlings 250 mm within copper fungicides at the manu-
facturers directions.
the rows.
Cultivation Blanching
As already mentioned, it is essen- White celery is still generally
tial for celery to receive a con- demanded in Australia, although
 Celeriac Choko
Celeriac (Apium graveolens, vari- The choko or chayote (Sechium
ety ropaceum) is a useful substi- edulis) is the only perennial mem-
tute for celery in soups and for ber of the pumpkin family grown
other cooking and flavoring pur- commercially. The fleshy root of
poses, as it is more adaptable to the choko is sometimes also
eaten. In tropical regions where
soils and climates, and less subject
to disease. Soil requirements and ample rainfall is spread over the
cultivation are the same as for year the plant will fruit contin-
celery. Blanching is not neces- uously. The plant itself is an
sary, but draw soil around the bulbherbaceous, perennial, frost-prone
as it develops. creeper which has much the same
appearance as a climbing cucum-
1
1
ber.
The choko fruit is pear-shaped,
green to cream in color and fairly
smooth of skin and the flesh must !
be free of fibre. Fruits have a
mass of from 500 g to one kilo-
gram and are similar in taste to
vegetable marrow.
The crop is grown commercially
in Queensland and grows best in I
Newspaper is satisfactory for blarzchii~g
celery for small areas o f planting. the far north of that state. The
crop is not grown commercially in
most celery now marketed in the Victoria, however, because the
United States is green. This has choko does not flower and initiate
also rapidly gained popularity in fruit until the day length is at
New Zealend. Green Pascal1 and least of 12 hours duration. The
Utah varieties are used for green fruit reaches full size from 28 to
celery production, although these 32 days after setting. In southern
varieties are not generally avail- Victoria the odd plant that is
able from local seed suppliers. grown produces its first fruit about
They have a shorter leaf stalk Celeriac is more adaptable to soils and the end of March. The vine pro-
than the white blanching types. conditions than celery. duces fruit for two or three months
Blanching "is done by shading before temperatures become un-
the stems from light with paper, suitable and as winter progresses
two to three weeks before har- the vigor of the plant declines
vest. Commercial growers use until it is cut back by frost. The
a heavy kraft paper or opaque plant lies dormant until spring
polythene sheet but newspaper is when temperatures are again suit-
quite satisfactory for small areas. able for growth.
Break off the small short sucker When' the plant has been
stems before blanching. frosted, a layer of 75 to 100 rnm
Even self-blanching varieties of straw should be spread on the
will grow green outside stems un- ground above the tuberous root to
less they are blanched. It is not prevent hard freezing d the
necassary to blanch celery ;for ground, which would damage the
cooking. A few inner stems are root of the vine.
crisp enough for salads.
Soil requirements
Because they are a perennial,
chokos require a well drained soil
to ensure that the tuberous root
is not lost by waterlogging. How-
ever, they require ample moisture

and plant food to support the large
vine and produce fruit, so a well
drained loam enriched by animal
manure or compost is ideal.
Fertiliser requirement
Apply one bag of fowl manure to
25 square metres plus 125 g of
NPK 3 : 6 : 7 complete fertiliser
per square metre. Fork into the
depth of 200 to 300 mm.
Planting
The entire fruit is planted. Each
fruit has only one seed which is
borne at the base or blossom end
of the fruit. Mature fruit will
start to grow in spring when
temperatures are warm enough to
promote germination. Plant out
when frost danger is passed. Early
planting is essential to ensure that
the vine will establish itself
strongly in the first year. An
ideal situation is an area receiv-
ing full sun adjacent to a fence
or shed which can be used as a
trellis for the vine.
When the seed has started to
shoot it is ready to plant. It is
usual to plant the fruit on its side
base downwards, at an angle of
45 degrees so that the shoot is
75 to 100 mm below the surface
the narrow end is at ground level.
Plants established late in the
season will not produce fruit in the
first year, but if sufficient vegeta-
tive growth is made they will est-
ablish themselves and be fruitful
the following season.
Watering
The choko has a high water re-
quirement when it is actively
Choko-the only perennial member of
the pzrrnpkin family which is grown
commercially.
growing and it should not be
allowed to suffer drought at this
time.
Si,de-dressing
The plants are gross feeders and
will respond to applications of
NPK 6 : 6 : 6 complete fertiliser
at the rate of 40-g per square
metre over a radius of 2 to 3
metres from the plant every 4 to 6
weeks over the season. In years
subsequent to establishment anim-
al manure should be applied in
spring prior to the re-growth ol
the plant.
Harvesting
Chokos are best harvested re-
gularly when fully grown ; this
ensures good quality fruit and
promotes the setting of further
fruits.

Chicory
Chicory, a less cornrnon salad vege-
table.
Chicory (Chicorunz entybus) is
closely related to lettuce and
endive. The variety used for forc-
ing is Whitloof de Belgique. It is
grown in much the same way as
a carrot and when the root is well
developed it is lifted and the top
cut back and the root covered to
form a small " chicon " which is
a small, solid white blanched head
like the heart of a small cos lettuce.
It is much sought after in Europe
as a salad vegetable. Whitloof can
also be grown without forcing by
blanching the heads in the row.
Soil requirements and fertiliser
Chicory differs in soil requirements
to lettuce and chicory as the prime
objective is to produce a sturdy
root for forcing. The soil in the
bed should be at least 200 mm
deep and not be too heavy. A
deep loam is prcferab!e. The
lighter the soil the better the shape
and the texture of the root. As
fresh animal manure can cause
forking and other malformations
of the root, a bed which was
heavily manured for the previous
crop should be chosen. The rate
of fertiliser applied will depend on
previous treatment.
Where the bed has received
animal manure or compost for the
previous crop, 75 g of complete
fcrtiliser NPK 3 : 6 : 7 or from
125 to 150 g where no animal
fertiliser has been used. Excess
nitrogen fertiliser produces soft
roots, which are prone to rot when
being forced to produce chicons.
Sowing and thinning
Chicory is best sown direct in mid-
spring and thinned to required
spacings. Transplanted root crops
are often a failure. The sowing
operation is identical to that of
lettuce and endive. However
spacing in the row is closer than
for letture or endive. When the
plants are 50 mm tall, thin to
100 to 150 mm between plants.
Growing the crop
The chicory is allowed to grow on
steadily until autumn when a
sturdy root about 200 mm long
has been produced. The root is
then carefully removed from the
soil with a fork to avoid mechan-
ical damage and breakdown of the
root at the final stage of chicon
production.
Forcing
In order to produce the chicons
the roots are placed in soil or sand
that is free of compost or manure.
The roots are prepared by cut-
ting 05 the tap root at the base of
the enlarged root and removing
all but 50 mm of the foliage above
the crown.
The next requirement is a site
for forcing. Low spots or areas
where drainage water runs through
are unsuitable. The trench about
150 mm deep is dug. Loosen the
soil for a further 75 mm deep.
The size of the pit will depend on
the number of roots to be forced.
However large or small, the prin-
cipal rcmains the same. Roots are
placed in the trench in rows about
25 mm apart with 15 mm between
roots. Work soil down between
the roots and water, taking care
not to saturate the area. Now
cover the roots with a 250 mm
deep layer of fine dry soil (sandy
for preference). Cover the pit to
keep out overhead water but leave
the sides open.
Harvesting
The chicons will develop and be
ready to harvest in two to three
months when they have nearly
reached the top of the casing soil.
Carefully remove the soil from
around the chicon and root and
remove it from the pit. Screw
the head off the root and remove
dirty and discolored leaves. The
chicon is now ready to be pre-
pared for the salad bowl. The
root is now spent and is discarded,
Whitloof may also be grown as
a salad vegetable without produc-
ing chicons. It is grown in the
nanner already described and is
thinned to about 200 mm in the
row and is allowed to develop to
a head which is loose and spread-
ing. At this stage its texture is
coarse and it is bitter to the taste
unless it is blanched. Blanching
is achieved by covering plants with
a suitably sized earthen flower pot
for two to four weeks or plants
may be covered with a thick layer
of straw to exclude light. Plants
are covered progressively accord-
ing to the number required over a
period of time.

Cucumbers and
gherkins
Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus)
are useful for summer salads and
are easy to grow in the home
garden, although like other cucur-
bits they require a relatively
large amount of room. Plants
can be spaced a metre apart.
Gherkins are immature cucum-
bers which are usually pickled.
Cucumbers and gherkins have
the same cultural requirements as
pumpkins, see page 104. Popular
cucumber varieties include Ash-
ley, Palmetto, Marketer, Palo-
mer, Polaris, Long Green, Early
Cucumbers are easy to grow in the home garden.
86
Fortune and Marketmore. They
are all dark green and range
from 150 to 250 mm in length.
Crystal Apple is an apple shaped
variety which is a heavy yielder.
Gherkins which are grown for
pickling include Heinz Pickling,
Ohio 17, Super Pickle and Early
Fortune.
Cucumbers and gherkins should
be harvested well before full
maturity. To keep them produc-
ing and to maintain a dark green
color, they must be picked fre-
quently. Leave the stem attached
to the fruit and be sure that any
over-mature or yellow fruits are
removed from the plant.
Egg plant
The egg plant (Solanum melon-
gena) or aubergine thrives under
very warm conditions and most
commercial crops in Victoria are
grown in the north of the state.
It is extremely sensitive to frost.
Long periods of cold weather
cause big reductions in yield.
In general, culture is similar
to tomatoes. Plants can be raised
in sheltered seed beds for early
transplanting in October. The egg
plant can also be seeded directly
in the garden in the warmer north-
ern districts sowing groups of
three of four seeds at each stake
and later thinning.
Egg
- -plant
. can be served in many
ways. A popular method is to
cut the fruit into thin slices and,
after salting to taste, frying in
batter and serving with bacon.
The flavor is not unlike fried egg,
hence the name.
Egg plant can also be boiled,
roasted or baked in the same way
as pumpkin or squash and served
along with other vegetables. Egg
plant, stuffed with meat and
seasoning is well worth trying.
The egg plant does not trans-
plant easily and should be pricked
out at the two leaf stage into a
soil block or tube. Alternatively,
the seeds can be sown in peat
or paper pots and transplanted
with a minimum disturbance of
the roots.
Seeds should be dusted with
thiram, as seedlings are very sus-
ceptible to damping off. Seedlings
should also be sprayed with zineb
or maneb to control this disease.
Soil requirements and planting
Choose a deep friable loam with
good drainage, and cultivate
deeply before transplanting in
October. Apply a liberal dressing
of animal manure before planting,
along with NPK 3 : 6 : 7 com-
plete fertiliser mixture at the rate
of 100 to 150 g per square metre.
Do not transplant until the
danger of frost has passed. Set
the plants in rows one metre

The egl:plar~rgrcl~vs,cell it2
apart and about 600 mm between
plants.
Avoid over-watering when the
plants are small, and gradually
increase the amount of water ap-
plied as the plants begin to set
fruit. Any check in growth will
greatly reduce yields. Side-dress
the plants with a nitrogen fer-
tiliser and mulch with fowl
manure after the fruit has set.
Pinch out the central growing
point when the seedling is 150
mm high and tie the $ant to a
stake. Plants grow 600 mm to
750 mm hi&. The number of
fruit should be restricted to about
six per plant to maintain fruit
size.
Aphids and caterpillars attack
1va1.112corlditio~is,arld is ertrc~rlz~ly
s e ~ i c i t ~ vto
the plants. Spray every 10 to 14
days with carbaryl or maldison.
Thinning and tying will reduce
soft rots caused by fruit touching
the damp soil. Copper fungicides
applied to the manufacturers
directions, will also keep rots in
check.
Hawesting
Fruits are ready to pick about
90 days after transplanting. They
should be full colored, but not
over- mature. Over mature fruits
have slightly shrivelled skin. The
flesh becomes tough and the seeds
begin to harden. Cut the fruit
from the bush with a sharp knife.
The stems are extremely tough.
Sound fruit will keep in cool
conditions for three or four weeks
after being picked.
Fennel
Florence fennel or finnochio is
a variety of common fennel
(Foenicubrrn vulgare), which is
known as aniseed-a noxious
weed found in many parts of
Victoria.
The Florence or sweet fennel
is typified by the much thickened
crowded bases of the leaf stalks.
The thickened leaves from a
bulb-like mass above ground level
is the edible portion. It is har-
vested from April through
October.
Soil preparation
Loams or sandy loams are well
suited to the production of
Florence fennel. The land should
be worked deeply and to a good
tilth similar to a seedbed for
carrots or parsnips. Drainage
must be good because Florence
fennel is prone to waterlogging.
Fennel grows well under a wide
range of soil reactions and is tol-
erant of strong acid reactions of
pH5 through to those which are
alkaline. Reactions of pH6 to
p H 6 - 5 as for carrots and lettuce
are ideal.
e frost.
Manures and fertilisers
Fennel thrives on applications of
poultry manure and can receive
a dressing of a bag to 20 to
25 square metres of bed. Fowl
,
manure-deep litter-from layer
pens or from intense broiler pro-
duction which is a rich brown ,
throughout is suitable. Half the 1
amount is used if manure is ob-
I
tained from layer cages. Dig in 1
with the base dressing.
A base fertiliser of NPK
5 : 8 : 4 complete fertiliser or its
equivalent in more concentrated
form, at the rate of 100 to 150 g
per square metre is applied a
couple of weeks before sowing or
j
planting and raked into the top
50 mm of the bed prior to sowing
or planting.
Side dressings of nitrogen and
potassium may be necessary e s p e
cially in light soils if heavy rain
leaches the soluble nutrients and
during winter apply 15 t o 30 g
of NPK 20 : 0 : 16 fertiliser to
the metre' of row as required. The
seed is generally sown directly
and left in situ for the life of
the vegetable but it is possible
to transplant them. Direct sow-
i n g ~ are preferred as the plant
then does not suffer a transplant-
ing check. Transplants from the
last few direct drilled crops are
useful for producing the late crop.
Seeding
Seed should be sown at the rate
of one gram to 15 metres of drill
row. Rows should be 300 mm
apart. Thin seedlings to 150 mm
or alternatively transplant seed-
lings at this distance.
Sowings are made from January
onwards. Late January and
February are likely to be the
most successful particularly in
sheltered, sunny, and well drained
areas. Summer sowings mature
in 14 weeks, later crops take up
to 20 weeks. Autumn plantings
should not be made after the end Fetrtzel-the tl~lcXerlrn'hulh-llhe ~ n n s rabovc tlzr grurozci l c r ~ I~S ltile edible portion.
,of March. Late maturing crops
are usually transplanted. must be exercised. as in the case and mixed into salads. It has
of its relative celery, to ensure a sweet and palatable slight ani-
Pests and diseases that the thickened stems do not seed flavour and adds piquancy to
Aphids are the only pest which become over-mature. The edible the salad.
is known to attack fennel. Maldi- portion of both vegetables when
son or dimethoate sprays will con- It may be boiled in salt water
over-mature become stringy and for about 10 minutes o r until
trol this pest, they should not be are unpalatable.
applied within seven days of har- soft but not mushy and served
vesting. There are no diseases either hot or cold with a dash
Common fepnel of oil and vinegar or with salad
which affect this crop in Victoria
and no fungicide spray program The common fennel, a noxious dressing. It may also be fried
is necessary. weed, is used for flavoring and in butter or oil until soft and
culinary purposes by people who used as a hot vegetable. It has
Blanching prefer strong flavors. a pleasant aniseed flavor which
Well grown fennel has a large The main use made of this
is neither strong nor rank. It may
canopy of fern-like leaves which weed is of the seed or more
also be used to flavor soups or
makes it unnecessary to blanch properly the fruit of fennel, which
is usually ground up and used used in stews.
the vegetable. Where the crop The young green portions of
is sparse or the canopy thin, earth as a flavoring lor salami and
may be hilled up around the bulb- other exotic sausages. The seed the leaves may be finely chopped
like growth t o effect blanching of is also used as flavoring for bread, and used sparingly as a garnish.
the outer leaf stalks. pastry, confectionery, liqueurs, It is especially useful in flavoring
and in medicine. soups made with vegetable pro-
Maturity tein, such as pea, lentil or mine-
The vegetable may be eaten at Culinary uses of Florence fennel strone soups. It may be used
any stage of growth when reasoa- The white, bulbous portion is either fresh or dried for this
able size has developed but care chopped into thin small portions purpose.
88
Herbs
Culinary herbs may be grouped
into those used in cooked dishes,
for example, sage, thyme, mar-
joram, and those used in salads,
for example, shallots and chives.
Parsley and mint are used as
garnishes with both hot and cold
dishes.
Sage, thyme and marjoram are
the constituents of the dried herbs
sold in packets. They can be
grown from seed, but are usually
grown from root cuttings or
divided clumps. Most herbs are
perennial and may be grown in
any convenient place, as they
grow reasonably well in any soil
or situation. They do not require
manuring, except perhaps an occa-
sional application of blood and
bone. They are very hardy plants,
in fact they must be grown hard
so as t o produce the aromatic
oils and flavors to the full.
It is convenient to establish a
permanent herb bed handy to the
kitchen door. Some of the herbs
make attractive borders to veget-
able beds, particularly raised beds,
where they help to hold the soil
along the edges.
Dry herbs by hanging the plants
in a shed. The dried leaves can
be picked off, crushed and stored
in jars.
Bas3
There are two species of Basil
(Oeimum spp) the larger variety
is about 450 mm tall and the
minor bush variety attains a
height of about 300 mm. Seed
is planted in spring; light soils and
a sunny position is preferred. The
plant grows on through summer
and flowers and dies off in
autumn. The herb may be used
at any stage of growth by using
the fresh leaves. T o store for
use as a dried herb pull out the
plant when it commences to flower,
hang up to dry thoroughly, then
store in an airtight jar.
Basil gives an added piquancy
to salads, tomato and egg dishes
and is widely used in continental
cooking especially pizzas.
Sage
The strain of sage (Salvia ofi-
cinalis) used as a herb has a broad
leaf and produces relatively few
flowers. However, the narrow-
leafed type can also be used. Sage
grows into a small bush 350 mm
to 400 mm high, and cuttings
should be planted 500 mm apart.
Side-shoots cut to 100 mm long
with a small heel of older wood
attached are suitable for trans-
planting.
89
 are several kinds of thyme ; the
most common being the " com-
mon " and the " lemon scented ".
Good drainage is essential to pre-
vent rotting of the thyme roots.

Ban ilirrc~..
Chives
Marjoram Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
Marjoram (Oregano marjorama) are possibly the most useful of all
is best propagated by planting the " onion " herbs. The tops
divided clumps of plants-three are chopped up and used as
or four being sufficient for normal flavoring for cooked dishes and in
requirements. Sweet marjoram salads. They may also be pulled
is a good strain. Savory up and used as spring onions.
Savory (Satureia spp) is not well Chives are propagated from por-
known but both the winter peren- tions of clumps of old plants. The
nial kind or " summer " savory, clumps are planted 250 mm apart.
which is an annual plant, have a Division of clumps should be car-
delightful flavor. The savories ried out each year.
seem to combine the flavors of
sage, thyme and marjoram, and,
consequently, make an excellent
seasoning without any other herb
in combination.
Winter savory can be grown
from seed, cutting or division like
sage, but summer savory is always
sown from seed. The plants are
spaced 400 mm apart.
Tarragon
Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)
has many uses. It is used for
flavoring vinegar and sauces and
imparts an agreeable acid taste
to salads. Tarragon is propagated
Mcp,orntn. like other perennial herbs. It
Thyme should be cut frequently to keep
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) may the plants bushy.
be propagated from either por-
tions of clumps or cuttings. There Chives.
90
 Horseradish
Horseradish (Armoracia rusti-
cana) belongs to the cabbage
family. It is most commonly used
as a relish with roast beef. It
can also be pickled and used as
a flavoring in mayonnaise. Four
or five roots are ample for a
family of four.
Horseradish is a root vegetable
which requires a deep soil heavily
fertilised for the previous crop.
An NPK 5 : 8 : 4 complete fertiliser
should be applied at the rate of
150 g per square metre and incor-
porated in the soil several weeks
before planting.
Horseradish is grown from
plant pieces not seed t o ensure
Spearmint. the production of good quality
roots plant sets or lateral roots
Shallots Mint 200 to 300 mm in length and at
Shallots (Allium ascalonicum) Mint (Mentha spp) has many least 6 mm in diameter. Cut
can be used as a substitute for uses. Possibly the best known them square from the main root
onions-the leaves as spring is mint sauce. Spearmint, with a and slope them at the other end
onions and the bulbs as salad finer narrower leaf, is the best- to ensure that the sets are not
and pickled onions. They can flavored strain available. Confine planted upside down.
be grown from dried bulbs which the growth of the underground Drop these into holes about
should be planted by pressing them stems by growing mint in a kero- 200 mm deep, then ram soil
half-way into the soil at 200 mm sene tin, cut in half, with drainage around them. The plants should
spacings. holes in the bottom. It can be- be spaced 300 mm apart. Roots
come a garden weed if left planted in the winter months will
Garlic unchecked.
Garlic (Allium sativum) has be ready for use from December
The tin should be filled with a onwards.
greatly increased in popularity as mixture of loam and compost and
a flavoring. Sections of the bulbs, a rooted cutting or underground Every year horseradish roots
called " cloves " are planted 25 stem of mint planted in it. As should be lifted, taking care that
mm deep and 100 mm apart. mint needs ample water, place the no portion of the root is left
Choose cloves of a well tested tin near a garden tap. behind. Pieces of root left in the
strain, as some garlic is of inferior soil will grow on and increase,
quality. but the plants from these will
develop into forked roots that are
practically unusable. Horseradish
can be shredded and dried for
storage.

Herb garden, sllo~t~ing

lioscrnary.
91
Kohl rabi
Kohl rabi, (Brassica oleracea,
variety gongylodes) the turnip-
rooted cabbage, is easy to grow.
It has a flavor of both cabbage,
and turnip, and is high in vitamin
C. The " root " is really a swollen long period and have a high food
stem formed well above the
ground and it is cooked and served
like a turnip. Kohl rabi may be
raised in seed beds and trans-
planted like cabbage. However,
it is usual to sow seed and thin
out the seedlings later.
The soil requirements and
fertilisers are similar to cabbage
although kohl rabi requires less
attention. It can be grown in a
bed which has been well manured
for the previous crop. Other-
wise, prepare soil and fertilise as by earthing up soil around the
for cabbage (page 77).
Spring and autumn sowings can
be made in the south of Victoria
but, in the north, only autumn
sowings are made. Drill seeds in
rows 400 mm apart and 10 mm
deep. When the plants are 50 mm
high, thin to 200 mm. Plants
should be well watered to make
good growth and, like radish, they
become tough if growth is restrict-
ed by limited moisture in the soil.
Side-dress with 30 g of sulphate
of ammonia or equivalent nitrogen
fertiliser to the metre, or make
regular applications of liquid
manure. The plants are not hilled
in any way.
Kohl rabi may be raised in seed beds to open up a trench about 200 mm
and transplanted like cabbage.
92
Leeks
The leek (Allium porrum) is a
member of the onion family and,
although not a common vegetable
in the home garden, it is a valuable
one. Leeks can be used over a
value.
They are very adaptable to any
soil type but they do need heavy
fertilising to grow a quality vege-
table. Without adequate nutri-
tion their texture becomes coarse
and the flavor does not develop.
The edible portion is the long
white stem with the slightly bulb-
ous base, together with a small
portion of the green leaf. To
ensure the greatest amount of
white stem, the leek is blanched
plant or planting it deeply in
trenches.
Small leeks, just a little further
advanced than the seedling stage,
can be used in salads and are
usable for cooking when they are
10 to 20 mm in diameter and until
they are from 50 to 75 mm.
Large leeks are just as succulent
as small ones if they are grown
Leeks car1 be used over a period of
without a check. The period of three months.
use can therefore extend over
three months. bottom. The soil can then be
Leeks are raised in seed beds filled in around the plant as it
and transplanted. Sow seed beds grows. This is a convenient
from September to November in method for early summer plant-
the same way as onions. January i n g ~as the leeks can be watered
and February are the main plant- by flooding the trench. The
ing months. Leeks will reach plants need a lot of water during
maturity about 25 weeks after hot weather.
planting and can be used from the In the home garden it is easiest
13th week onwards. to make a hole at least 150 mm
Soil preparation and planting deep and 25 mm wide with a
Leeks need a rich soil. Dig large dibber and drop the plant in the
amounts of stable manure or hole together with enough soil to
compost into lower layers of soil cover the roots, and then' water.
along the rows and work in about Space plants about 125 to 150 mm
100 g of NPK 5 : 8 : 4 complete apart, further if larger plants are
fertiliser to the square metre. required. Leeks can also be
Transplant seedlings when they planted on the flat. It is then
are about as thick as a pencil and necessary to allow ample room
200 mm high. There are several between rows to provide soil to
methods of transplanting. One is hill up around the plants.
Apply nitrogen side-dressings,
deep, and plant the leeks along the 15 g sulphate of ammonia or 7 g
of urea to the metre after the
plants have been in the ground for
two months. Repeat applications
every two weeks. Ensure that the
plants have enough water.
Harvesting
Lift leeks as required from the
time the plants reach usable size.
They will not retain their succul-
ence after being lifted. Trim off
the coarse outside leaves, but
retain as much of the young tender
inside leaves as possible. The
green leaves of leeks have much
the same food value as leaf
vegetables, and the white portion
has a similar value to onions.
Endive-all thc leaves are usrable
Lettuce and
endive
Lettuce (Lmtuca sativa) can be
grown the year round. It is an
integral part of our summer salads
and it is frequently served with
grills throughout the year. The
green crisp leaves are appealing
not only to the palate but also to
the eye, and its importance as a
garnish is not to be overlooked.
Endive and cos lettuce are two
close relatives of the head lettuce
and they add variety to salads.
Endive (Cichorium endivia)
sometimes called curly lettuce.
It does not heart and is
generally less affected by disease
than heading lettuce. All the
leaves of the endive are usable,
and they can be picked without
pulling up the whole plant. The
leaves of endive are slightly bitter.
This bitterness can be removed by
blanching the plant.
Cos lettuce has a different
flavor from head lettuce and
endive. It forms upright leaves
which make a tall conical heart.
This lettuce grows well during the
winter months.
I
Varieties
The secret of successful lettuce
growing is selecting the correct
variety for the of the year
and the district. Lettuce planted
out of season will go to seed with-
out hearting
Late spring and summer : Great
Lakes.
Late summer and autumn :
Imperial D, Imperial Triumph,
Cos.
Winter and early spring : Penn-
lake, Sunny-lake, Yatesdale.
Lettuce may be harvested over
a period of about two weeks,
fortnightly sowings are necessary
to ensure a continuous supply.
Three to five metres of each sow-
ing should be enough for a family
of four during the warmer months.
Seedbed and fertiliser
Lettuce will grow on a wide
range of soil types, as long as the
soil is well drained. A heavy
dressing of animal manure o r com-
post should be dug under a month
before sowing. Lime can also be
applied, if necessary, at the rate
of 150 g per square metre. Broad-
cast NPK 5 : 8 : 4 complete com-
mercial fertiliser at the rate of 75
to 150 g per square metre; the
amount depending upon the quan-
tity of organic manure already
applied.
The fertiliser should be incor-
porated into the top 50 mm with
a rake and form a firm seed-bed
with a fine tilth.

watered before thinning to reduce
root damage and again, lightly
after thinning to firm the soil
around the roots.
Thinnings of lettuce may be
used for transplanting alongside
the direct sown plants. The
heads from these transplants will
mature two to three weeks later
than th: direct sown plants, thus
spreading the cutting period.
i
beds to control slugs and snails. ,
Fortunately, Australian-grown
lettuce seed is free of one of the
most serious virus diseases, lettuce
mosaic. The incidence of lettuce
necrotic yellows disease, also
caused by a virus, can be reduced
considerably by eliminating the
alternate host plant-the common
milk thistle from the garden.

Side dressings
Lettuce must be kept growing
vigorously with adequate supplies
of water and nitrogen. Nitrogen
fertiliser should be applied first
after thinning, then as the plants
begin to heart. Sulphate of am-
monia or nitrate of soda should
be applied at the rate of 15 g per
metre of drill row, or urea at 15 g
to 2 metres of drill row.
The fertiliser should be kept off
the leaves to prevent fertiliser
bum. Alternatively, liquid fer-
tiliser in lower concentration can
be applied each week.
of lctllrce abo~ct
Make regrrlor ,so~t,il~gs
every two weeks to make sure of a Watering and cultivation
continuous supply, especially over the
Lettuce plants have shallow roots,
summer months.
and weeds should be controlled
with a light surface cultivation
Sowing and thinning only.
Lettuce and endive are bcst sown The root zone should be kept
direct and thinned out, although moist by regular and thorough
they will transplant. However, in watering-this is essential to
the warmer weather, transplants maintain continuous growth
are apt to spiral and run to seed. Lettuce must be kept going with-
Seed should be treated with a out a check or it will become
protectant dust to reduce losses tough and bitter. It is prefer-
caused by the damping off organ- able to water in the evening, rather
isms. Make drill rows 300 :nm than in the heat of the day.
apart and 10 mm deep. Watering by furrows, rather than
The seed should be sown overhead, reduces sliming and
thinly along the length of the mildew.
drill and covered with a light Regular spraying with a 0 . 1 %
sandy soil. A mulch of lawn clip- solution of maldison at 10-day
pings or compost will keep the intervals controls aphids and
surface soil moist and prevent other insect pests. Control of
crusting. aphids and thrips also checks the
When the plants are 50 mm spread of virus diseases.
high, they can be thinned to 300 Zineb sprays control mildew.
mm between plants. Lettuce Spraying should be discontinued
will not heart if the plants are one week before harvest. Baits
too close. Leave one plant at of mesurol or metaldehyde and
each site. The bed should be bran should be placed around the
Melons Mushrooms
This group includes rock melon Mushrooms (Agarieus bisporus)
or cantaloup (Cucumis melo) unlike most other cultivated
honeydew melon, watermelon, plants are fungi. This group in-
(Citrullus vulgaris) and the jam cludes toad stools, moulds, yeasts,
melon. Melons grow best under and many serious plant pathogens.
hot dry conditions with irrigation, The part of the mushroom that
although jam melons are also grows above ground is the fruit-
grown commercially in southern ing body of the plant. The
Victoria. young unopened mushroom is
Soil requirements and cultural known as a button. It f i s t appears
operations are essentially the as small as a pin-head in size, but
same as for pumpkins (see page grows rapidly, doubling its weight
104) although more attention to every 24 hours, and reaching
watering and disease control is maturity in five to seven days.
necessary. Melons and canta- As the mushroom grows its cap
loups in particular are susceptible expands into a white umbrella-like
to mildew diseases. Hales Best structure. On the under surface
45 cantaloup is resistant to one are the gills. These are pink on
strain ofi powdery mildew. a young mushroom ; but the
color darkens as the mushroom
Harvesting matures.
Cantaloups have a built-in- From the gills many billions of
maturity indicator. When the spores are produced. These
melon is ready to pick, the stem spores are the reproductive part
can be pushed from the fruit with of the mushroom (fungi do not
slight pressure ; leaving a clean produce true seeds). On genni-
break. This is called " fullslip ". nation the spore puts out a thin,
Cantaloups picked before fullslip white thread-like growth-the
'will not ripen properly. mycelium. The mycelium grows
Mature watermelons have a through the compost or soil and
hollow sound when tapped and under the right conditions will
the stem is shrivelled. Honeydew develop a new crop of mushrooms.
melons are much harder to pick, Mushrooms spawn is produced
and experience is the only guide. under strict laboratory conditions.
Jam melons can be picked when The spores are germinated in test-
the stem begins to shrivel. tubes and the resulting thread-like
mycelium is then grown on sterile
grain. This grain spawn is usually
supplied to GowersAinlitre bottles.
Location
Home gardeners should attempt t o
grow mushrooms only during
autumn, winter, and early spring,
as temperatures are much too
high for growing at other times
of the year. The growing location
needs to be cool and free of
draughts but not necessarily dark.
A shed, cellar, or beneath the
house, are the best locations,
because some control over tem-
perature and moizture is then pos-
sible.
Boxes, shelves, or beds, at floor
Cnr~tnlorrpgrows best ~rnder.hot, dry conrlitio~zswith irrigatiorr. level, are all suitable ways of
95

M~rshroorns-an edible frcngrcs.
growing mushrooms. Boxes and
shelves which are tiered save
space, but at least 200 mm of air
space must be left between the
I of the compost on which the
d ~ o o m sgrow and the bottom
the next bed.
Compost
The compost is made with wheat
straw and stable or fowl manures.
The bedding material from
sta'bles is quite suitable or a bale
of straw mixed with two 20 litre
L..
"~ckets of poultry manure may
be used.
Mix the fresh manure and straw
into a heap, adding water until
the straw is wet. Leave the heap
to ferment for four or five days
then turn it, making sure that the
outsides go to the centre of the
new heap. Repeat this turning
process three or four times over
a period of three o r four weeks
by which time the straw and
manure will have turned a deep
chocolate-brown color.
The compost should have no
objectionable odor, with all am-
monia gases dispersed. More
water may have to be added during
the turnings but the finished
compost must not be too wet.
When squeezed in the hand the
96
compost should be moist but no
free moisture should show.
Planting
The compost may now be
placed in the growing boxes or
beds. Fill the boxes and press
the down k m l y to
between 200 and 300 mm deep
and about 25 mm from the top
of the boxes. If the temperature
does not exceed 27OC the mush-
room spawn can be planted. The
ideal growing temperature for the
spawn run is between 23OC and
24OC.
Break the mushroon~spawn in-
to lumps from 1 0 to 25 mm in
diameter and place it from 25 to
35 mm deep in the compost and
about 25 mm apart in each direc-
tion, and press the compost back
firmly against the spawn. Al-
ternatively, the spawn may be
broadcast over the bed or box
and mixed into the compost.
At this stage high humidity is
required to minimise drying of
the compost as watering should
be avoided as much as possible.
The temperature of the compost
needs to be maintained as near
as possible to the ideal (23OC t o
24OC). Lower temperatures will
slow the rate of growth while
II
,
temperatures exceeding 27OC can
injure, and may kill the mycelium.
If conditions are right the white
thread-like mycelium will be seen
growing through the compost.
Cropping
When the compost has been com-
pletely colonised with the my-
celium, a casing layer of wet peat-
moss 25 to 30 mm thick should
be placed on the compost. If peat-
moss is not available a coarse
loamy soil may be used. Main-
tain the casing layer in a moist
condition but avoid wetting the
compost beneath. The first mush-
room should appear about three
to five weeks after casing.
Maintain the growing tempera-
ture for about a week after casing
then drop the temperature gradu-
ally to 14OC or 15OC fo'r crop-
ping. The humidity of the air
should be 90% or higher to
prevent the drying of the casing
before the mushrooms form.
Picking
The mushroom should be pulled
from the bed with a gentle twisting
Any stem Or stem
p arts remaining be
removed and 'the in the
bed with fresh casing
After picking and the beds
give them a light watering.
Mushrooms continue to appear
in Over a p
eriod of One
three depending On the
temperature and the quality of the
A good crop
average Over lo kg of
to a 'quare metre of
Mustard and
cress
Mustard (Brassica juncea) and
garden cress (Lepidium sativum)
arc thc easiest and quickest of all
salad vegetables to grow. Mustard
and cress are always used to-
qether. They are eatcn when
still in the two-leafed seedling
stage. The seed is sown thickly on
the surface of soil in seed boxes.
Use NPK 6 : 6 : 6 complete
fertiliser. Keep the soil moist un-
til the seedlings emerge.
Cress is ready for use in about
four weeks after sowing. Mustard,
ahich takes less time to grow, is
sown a week later. There is no
need to sow either in the open.
The crop is harvested directly
from the boxes, which can be kept
on a terrace or veranda.
The small plants are cut off at
ground level with scissors, taking
care that their stems and leaves
do not become gritty, as they are
eaten raw, without washing.
Mustard and cress can be sown
all the year round.
Okm--the pods ore used for flavoring stews and soups.
Okra
Okra (Hibiscus esculentus) or
gumbo, is a member of the
hibiscus family and produces
pods which are used for flavoring
stews and giving consistency and
flavor to soups. Okra can also
be boiled o r fried.
Okra is a summer growing
vegetable and is sensitive to frost.
It thrives best in northern Vic-
toria.
It needs no special soil prepara-
tion. However soils should be
well drained. Dig to a moderate
depth and rake over to prepare a
good seed bed. Organic manure
should be worked in and 75 to
150 g of NPK 3 : 6 : 7 complete
fertiliser applied to the square
metre.
Fertiliser may be applied before
or at sowing time. Fertiliser ap-
plied at sowing should be banded
below, and to the side of the seed.
Sow seed in rows 600 mm apart
and 75 to 100 mm in the row.
When the plants are 75 to 100
mm high, thin to a spacing of
300 mm. Sowings can bc made,
as soon as the danger of frost is
past, at the same time as tomatoes
and the vine crops.
Normally an okra pod is ready
for picking four to six days after
the flower opens. At this stage,
pods are 75 to 100 mm long and
are tender and free of fibre. One
or two days later the pods are too
tough. Okra pods can be used
green or they can be dried by
threading on a string like red
peppers. They can also be frozen
or stored in brine.
Onions
Onions (Allir~mcepa) are one of
the most versatile vegetable crops.
By growing varieties of different
maturity, and storing the long
keeping types, a relatively small
area of the garden can keep the
average family supplied with
onions for much of the year.
Plantings of thc early mild
onion^ should be smaller than the
later plantings of the long keep-
ing varieties. The mid-season
Globe and Odorlcss varieties will
store to some extent, but plant-
i n g ~should be restricted to just
provide sufficient bulbs until the
late keeping onions-Pukekohe
Long Keeper, Brown Globe, Aus-
tralian Brown and White Imperial
Spanish-are ready in February.
Enough keeping varieties should
be planted to last from February
until October. Pukekohe Long
Keeper is now the most popular
brown-skinned onion variety. It
has a thin skin and a cream flesh.
Potato and tree onions are
grown from small sets saved from
the previous crop-like shallots.
The potato onion forms a cluster
of small bulbs just below the soil
surface. The tree onion develops
bulbs but also produces small bulb-
lets in a cluster similar to the seed-
head of the true onion. A few of
either of these are handy in the
home garden for flavoring and for
pickling. As they require no spe-
cial soil conditions, they can be
placed in the herb garden with
shallots. (See " Herbs " page
89).
Pickling onions are small bulbs
of any long-keeping variety,
although the variety White Pearl is
grown specifically for pickling.
Seed beds
Seed or early onion varieties can
be sown throughout February and
March for transplanting in April
and May. It is a good idea to sow
more seed bed than will be sub-
sequently required, as the seed-
lings can be used as " spring
onions ". Any of the early white
varieties can be sown as " spring
onions " at any time of the year.
Preferably prepare seed beds on
soil which has not grown onions
before, and apply a pre-sowing
dressing of superphosphate at 35
g per square metre. The onion
seed bed should also be in an open
situation where circulation of air
will help to prevent the develop-
ment of downy mildew.
Organic manures should not be
used as these provide ideal condi-
tions for the developn~entof onion
maggot. Sow seeds in drill rows
at least 100 rn apart a.id 10 mm
deep. The seed bed should be
watered regularly and the seedlings
thinned to 10 mm apart when they
are about 50 mm high.
Soil preparation and fertilisers
Deep digging is desirable. In deep,
friable soils, onions will root
deeply and form better bulbs.
Apply dressings of NPK 3 : 6 : 7
complete fertiliser to the onion bed
at 75 to 100 g per square metrc
and rake into the surface soil.
. Side-dressings of nitrogen fer-
tilisers during the growing season
may cause excessive leaf growth.
However, if the leaves show signs
of yellowing back from the tips,
apply a side-dressing of NPK
20 : 0 : 16 at 30 g per metre of
drill row.
Transplanaing seedlings
Onion seedlings are ready to trans-
plant after seven to 12 weeks. The
seedlings are pulled from the seed
bed and weak and mis-shapen
plants discarded. The roots are
trimmed back and portion of the
leaves trimmed off. This is of no
advantage to the seedling, but it
makes the plants easier to handle.
Leave about 25 mm of root on
the seedling.
Planting is done by hand, using
the right index finger. Seedlings
should be planted quite shallow so
that the roots and the base of the
seedling are covered. Space plants
75 mm apart in the rows which
should be 250 to 300 mm apart.
Onions-+ selection of Brown Globe developed by the Department of Agricul-
ture, Victoria.
Direct seeding
Late, long keeping varieties-
Brown Globe, White Imperial
Spanish, Australian Brown and
Pukekohe Long Keeper---can be
sown in seed beds in May or
directly in the plots in June and
July.
The drill rows in the onion bed,
for direct seed plots, should be
from 250 to 300 mm apart and
the seed sown at a depth of about
15 mm. The seedlings should be
thinned at the two or three leaf
stage, leaving about 65 mm be-
tween plants. If some pickling
onions are required, reduce the
thinning distance in portion of the
main crop to about 40 mm.
Weed control
Weeds are one of the greatest
problems in onion crops. Early in
the season the onion plant grows
very slowly, and weeds more
suited to growing in cold condi-
tions, such as winter grass and
chickweed, can quickly smother
the seedlings. The onion leaf also
is narrow and erect and cannot
shade out competing plants.
Choose an onion bed in an area
of the garden which is known to
be relatively free of weeds, or a
place which has been kept well cul-
tivated during the autumn months.
Pulling and removing large weeds
may damage the onion crop as the
onion is a relatively shallow-rooted
plant. Hence it is important to
remove weeds between the plants
by hand as soon as they appear.
Cultivate regularly between the
rows with a hoe at a shallow depth.
Power kerosene sprayed before
the onions emerge will kill any
weed seedlings which have ger-
minated, and delay the germina-
tion of weed seeds in the surface
soil.
Pest and disease control
White root rot and downy mildew
are the two most serious diseases
of onions. White root rot is a
soil-borne disease which can
persist in the soil for years. Once
it has appeared in a bed, onions
should not be grown in the vicinity
of that bed again. If the disease
is present throughout the garden
it may be necessary to abandon
growing onions altogether.
Downy mildew usually attacks
the onion crop during the spring ;
especially when the air is humid.
This disease produces a grey
mould on the leaves and, when
severe, can kill the plant. Avoid
growing onions in protected areas

The average fanlily cat2 be s~ipplied with onior1s for nzrtcll of tlze year by prow-
ing varieties o f different maturity.
where there is little wind. Choose
a location where air can circulate
through the plants. The disease
can also be controlled by applying
a spray of 0.1% zineb which
contains a wetting agent. Repeat
the spraying every 1 0 to 14 days.
, Thrips cause a lot of damage
to onion crops in Victoria, but can
be controlled by weekly sprays of
maldison.
Harvesting and storage
White onion varieties, except the
Imperial White Spanish, are un-
suitable for storage and should be
used as soon as possible after
harvesting. The length of the
onions' storage life is closely re-
lated to the length of time taken
before maturity is reached.
Brown Globe, which matures
earlier than Pukekohe Long
Keeper or Australian Brown, will
store for three to four months. The
Australian Brown will keep for up
to six months. Under good con-
ditions Pukekohe Long Keeper
will store for nine to 12 months.
Onions are ready to harvest
when the tops droop just above the
bulb. Gradual die-back from the
top of the leaves while the neck
remains erect and thick indicates
abnormal maturing and poor keep-
Parsley
Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is
a universal favorite for garnishes
and for flavoring salads, soups and
stews. Parsley is a biennial and,
therefore, goes to seed in the
second year. Too often, it is sown
in a row without special soil pre-
paration and allowed to take its
own course, frequently without
thinning out the plants to the pro-
per spacing.
Triple Curled, the most readily
available variety, is of reasonably
good quality. The low-growing,
Extra Curled variety has shorter
stems and a finer texture. Both
varieties produce tender leaves
only if they get enough water and
are constantly picked, whether the
leaves are used or not.
ing quality. When curing onions, Soil preparation and cultivation
it is essential to dry out the roots Parsley grows best in a deep moist
and the tops. This can usually be soil and in semi-shade. A good
done in the open. dressing of compost or rotted
Pull the onions and place them manure should be worked in
in wind-rows, turning them every under the row to a depth of about
10 to 14 days. By then the tops 250 mm. This will help to retain
and roots should be withered and moisture. Sow parsley seed in a
the skins will crackle. Do not drill about 25 mm deep ; covering
attempt to store soft, diseased, or the seed with 10 mm of soil.
damaged bulbs. Screw off the Parsley seed is very slow to
tops (do not cut them), and rub germinate. It sometimes takes
off the remains of the roots. Poorly up to eight weeks to come
skinned bulbs should not be kept. through. Germination can be
Bulbs should be stored in a cool, hastened by sowing seed in a thin
dry place away from direct sun- layer of compost, leaf mould or
light. Tie them in bunches to the peat, placed along the bottom of
roof of a shed or store in wire the drill.
baskets or wooden crates. The The plants should be thinned
bulbs should be sorted at regular out to at least 150 mm as over-
intervals. Remove diseased bulbs crowding encourages stem growth
and those showing a tendency to at the expense of the leaf. Parsley
shoot. will transplant, but transplants
produce a coarser leaf and they
tend to run to seed.
Aphids are occasionally trouble-
some, but they can be controlled
with an 0 . 1 % maldison spray.
 Parsnips
- Peas
Parsnips (Pastinnca sativa) are an
extremely useful winter vegetable,
either boiled or baked. In well
drained soils, they store well in
the ground and are not affected
greatly by frost. Parsnips yield
well and need little attention.
Parsnip seed loses its viability
very quickly ; therefore buy fresh
-- seed each year. Sowinm made
from 0ct6ber (through Dec-
ember in southern Victoria
will provide enough parsnips
for most requirements during the
winter. Roots will be ready to
pull after 18 to 26 weeks. They
can then be stored in the ground
for a further 12 weeks.
Summer conditions are too
severe to grow parsnips for winter
requirements in the far north of
Victoria where sowings are best
made from FebruaryWthrough to
March.
Parsnips have similar soil
requirements to carrots. However,
preparation should be more
thorough and the soil dug deeper
as roots go down further than car-
rot roots. Seed is drilled in rows
300 mm apart at a depth of 10
mm. Fertilising, thinning and
weed control operations are the
same as given for carrots on page
Parsrlip-an estren~ely usefirl winter
vegetable. 80.
Thinning parsnips is the same way as for carrots.
Home grown peas (Pisum
sativurn) may not be a profitable 1
crop in terms of yield per unit
area, but, picked at the right stage
and cooked soon after harvest,
they are of excellent quality. Peas
may be sown when some parts of
the vegetable garden are free from
other crops.
Peas should not be sown again
in the same area for three years.
If this rotation is followed it
should be possible to avoid the
build-up of troublesome root-
rotting diseases.
The quick maturing Melbourne
Market variety should be sown in
July. At the same time, for a
higher yielding later harvest, sow-
i n g ~ of the main crop variety
Greenfeast can be made. Edible
podded varieties Oregon Sugar
Pod and Tall Sugar can be sown
at similar times.
The heaviest picking period
rarely lasts longer than a fortnight,
so for continuous harvest small
sections, say 6 to 9 metres of drill
row should be sown each fort-
night.
Peas sown in July should be
ready to harvest during October.
T o conserve space, or in wetter
areas where rotting of vines is a
problem, the Telephone and
Miragreen varieties can be sown.
Both are climbers and must be
supported on a trellis 1 . 5 to two
metres high.
Soil preparation and fertilisers
As peas cannot be grown success-
fully in an acid soil, liming of the
bed is a good practice. Lime at
150 lo 300 g per square metre
should be applied, preferably
before digging the bed. A com-
mon mistake is to sow pea seed
too deeply.
In winter months when the soil
is cold and damp, 30 mm is deep
enough. Pea seed is very
sensitive to damage by fertilisers.
These should always be applied

Peas are best picked wherz slightly inz-
mature.
in bands at least 50 mm away
from the seed and 50 mm deeper.
The easiest way to do this is to
open a drill about 100 mm wide
and 100 mm deep, and apply
NPK 5 : 8 : 4 complete fertiliser
at 60 to 90 g per metre of drill
row in two bands at either edge of
the drill. The soil should be filled
in and the seed drill opened up to
a depth of 40 mm and the base
firmed.
On most soil types no fertiliser
Potatoes
side-dressings are necessary. In Potatoes (Solanurn tuberosum)
poorer soils, if the peas tend to be may be produced from the home
stunted and yellow at flowering garden in late October in frost-
time, give a side-dressing of nitro- free areas. These early crops are
gen as sulphate of ammonia or the most profitable to grow as they
nitrate of soda at 30 g per metre come in at a time when farm- ,
of drill-row. grown potatoes are often in short
supply
,
Seed treatment and sowing Moreover, they can be harvested
Soil fungi can cause rotting of the in time to make way for the plant-
pea seed, especially in a cold wet ing out of any one of a number
soil. It is a good insurance to of summer growing vegetables.
dust the seed with a protectant
fungicide such as thiram. Soil preparation and fertilisers
The seed should be placed 75 Provided they are well drained,
mm apart in the drill row and most soils, with the exception of
covered with soil, such as sandy stiff clays, are suitable for grow-
loam, which will not crust on the ing potatoes. Thorough soil pre-
surface. If this is not available, paration before planting is essen-
the surface should be mulched with tial. This cannot be corrected
lawn clippings, compost or saw- afterwards. Dig deeply and cul-
dust. tivate well to break up clods and
To deter birds, the drill row loosen the soil to make it friable
could be covered with a length of at planting time.
wire netting or a number of bslack Potatoes do best in an open
cotton strands stretched between sunny situation. If there is too
two cross pieces placed at each much shade, the plants will be
end of the row. drawn and the crop disappointing.
Potatoes need fairly heavy dress-
ings of fertilisers to produce good
Cultivation and harvesting crops. A 3 : 1 mixture of super-
When the peas have grown 75 to phosphate and sulphate of am-
100 mm high, the bird protection monia or NPK 3 : 6 : 7 complete
can be removed and cultivation to fertiliser should be used allowing
control weeds commenced. Where 30 g for each plant.
peas are small, the weeds in the
rows can be controlled by raking Seed
across the rows. This saves time. Good results cannot be expected
The peas soon recover from the from poor seed. Use Government
slight damage. " Certified " seed potatoes, which
Support the dwarf pea varieties reduce the risk of failure from
by running strands of twine along disease and guard against disap-
both sides of the row or with wire pointment with mixed varieties.
netting between stakes at 3 metre Two to 3 kg of seed potatoes will
intervals, to give the necessary sup- give 40 to 50 plants, enough for
port. This type of trellising will about 15 metres of row.
simplify harvesting and also keep Varieties recommended for use
the pods off the ground, where in the garden are Kennebec, Exton,
they may rot. and Sebago. I t is not necessary
Peas are best picked when to " green " seed potatoes for early
slightly immature. A pea is pass- plantings. When potatoes are put
ing the stage of ideal maturity out in the open, light turns them
when an etching of veins appears green and, at the same time, slows
on the surface of the pod. down sprout growth.

The potato plant-stolens and tubers arise from stem tissue; true roots arise
from the base o f the stem.
The real benefit of the greening
process is that the sprouts are
toughened and are not so easily
knocked off at planting time. By
retarding sprout development,
greening enables seed potatoes to
I02
Terminal leaflet
stolon
be kept in good condition for
planting later in the season.
Seed potatoes should have com-
menced to sprout before they are
planted. If early planting is con-
templated and the seed has not
started to move, sprouting may be /
encouraged by putting the tubers
away in a warm place for a week
or two.
Many commercial growers dip
their seed potatoes to control sur-
face-borne diseases, but this is not
necessary for home garden pur-
poses. Small potatoes from 3 0 to
60 g that can be planted whole, or
slightly larger ones that can be
split in two, are best for early sow-
ings. If larger tubers are used, ,
they should be cut into blocky 1
pieces with at least one good eye
on each. This cut seed should be
planted at once.
Planting
Potatoes are easily damaged by
frost once the plants are through
the ground. Because of this, they
should not be planted too early. 1
In suburban gardens on the sandy
soils, and in places near the coast
where frosts are not a problem,
early potatoes can be planted in
June or July.
On the heavier soils it is advis-
able to wait until August, while in '
districts where spring frosts occur
planting should be delayed until
September.
Later plantings to give a success-
sion of crops can be made at fairly
wide intervals until February.
Some provision will need to
be made for seed for these very
late plantings, because potatoes
suitable for use as seed can rarely
be purchased later than November.
Planting is best done by draw-
ing furrows about 750 mm apart
and 75 to 100 mm deep. Space ,
the seed pieces 250 to 300 mm
apart along the bottom of the
furrow. The fertiliser may be
sprinkled evenly along the furrow
before the seed is planted, or for
small lots it can be poured in a
ring around the seed piece. The
bed should be raked over level
when planting is completed.
Cultivation
After planting, the potatoes will
show through the ground in three
Plnce fertiliser i~z t ~ brrtzt1.s
~ o 0 1 1 the hottor~l o f tr f~rr.ro,vrrholct 200 rnnz deep.
Cover with about 20 r71m o f soil and tlzen plrirlt the set hetween the two bands.
Cover the set with soil.
or four weeks. When they are
about 150 mm high, and, at least
again at flowering time, the bed
should be cultivated to loosen the
soil and kill weeds. With each
successive cultivation, some soil
should be drawn towards the base
of the plants to form a low broad
ridge, which prevents exposure of
the developing tubers, and protects
them from the grub of the potato
moth. This pest is prevalent in
the summer months, but can be
'
controlled
con by spraying the plants
with maldison every two weeks
wit1
dur
durng the critical dry period.
Early spraying is essential, as com-
plete control cannot be obtained
ifIf t reatment is delayed until the
PFS t is well established in the
plaiats.
Watering
Like most other vegetables in the
garden potatoes require an ample
Cutting potatoes for seed. Tubers from the left have a mass o f
200 grams respectively.
supply of water. The potato crop not be left lying on the ground any
should be given regular waterings longer than necessary. Undue ex-
to supplement the rainfall during posure of the tubers after harvest
the time the plants are green. Keep invites attack by the grub of the
the soil uniformly moist, without potato moth, or damage by sun-
extremes, and the crop will be kept burn.
growing continuously. Irregular They can be ruined by frost if
watering, with periodic dry spells left out overnight. The potatoes
promotes the development of should be picked up promptly after
rough shaped, poor quality tubers. digging and stored. Diseased or
Watering should be discon- damaged tubers should be dis-
tinued when the crop nears carded.
maturity in order to allow natural
ripening. Storage
Hawest Potatoes should be stored in a cool,
For immediate use, potatoes may dark place with some ventilation.
be harvested when the lower leaves Exposure to the light turns the
on the plants begin to yellow, but potatoes green. Even partly green
if the crop is to be stored, the tubers are unwholesome and
plants should be allowed to die should not be used as food. Sprout-
down completely. Late sown ing of stored table potatoes may
crops are best for storing pur- be prevented by dusting them with
poses. one of several commercial pre-
At harvest time, potatoes should parations available.
50, 100, 150 and

Pumpkin, marrow,
squash
Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima and
C . n~oschata)marrow and squash
(Cucurbita pepo) are all members
of the large Cucurbit family. They
are all warm season vegetables
and are sensitives to frost damage.
Plantings should be made as soon
as possible after the last frost.
Marrows and summer squash are
harvested when the fruits 'are
nearly mature. Pumpkin and winter
squash are harvested when the
fruits are fully mature. Some
varieties keep very well and can
be used throughout the winter.
Space is the main factor which
limits the growing of these veget-
ables in the home garden, although
bush marrows and some squash
can be grown as close as one
metre.
Pumpkins and marrows are
useful in conditioning new ground.
In this case, they can be allowed
to run without much pruning back.
Their heavy foliage suppresses
weeds. Choose an open position
that receives ample sunlight and is
not too protected from the wind.
This will reduce mildew. Allow
ample room so that the vines do
not interfere with other crops.
Varieties
Pumpkin and winter squash
Butter pumpkin is the earliest
maturity pumpkin. It matures five
10 six weeks before the keeping
varieties. With adequate care it
will keep for a limited period.
Windsor Black is almost as
early as Butter Pumpkin.
Butternut grows on a small vine
and fruit are pear shaped and 1
to 2 kg in mass. Baby Blue also
has a small semi-running vine and
small fruit. Golden Nuggett is a
small bush pumpkin with small
round orange fruit up to 1 kg in
mass.
Queensland Blue is one of the
most popular varieties of pumpkin.
It is later than those mentioned
already and it is a long keeper.
Triamble is also a mid-season to
late variety, with good keeping
qualities. Crown Prince has
smooth grey fruit of moderate size.
It, too, is a good keeper.
Buttercup grows on a small
compact vine with fruit of
medium size. Banana Squash has
long fruit, not unlike a marrow. It
has a dry flesh and is a good
keeper. Green Warted Hubbard
is also a large squash. It has
heavily warted fruit which keeps
well. Table Queen has a small
pear-shaped fruit which can be
cut in halves and served baked.
Marrows and summer squash
Marrows and summer squash can-
not be stored ; they have moist
flesh and soft immature skins.
Bush or non-running marrows
are especially suited to gardens
where space is limited. They can
be grown at 1 metre by 1 metre
spacing. Suitable varieties of
marrows include Long White
Bush, and Long Green Bush.
Zucchini marrows are picked
very immature at 100 to 150 mm
In
in ength.
1' They are cooked with
the
the skins attached.
PPopular summer squash
vari
vareties are Early Golden Bush,
Early Summer Crookneck, Early
"
bummer Straightneck and Early
White Bush.
Soil preparation and fertilisers
Dig the whole plot deeply and
then work in a liberal quantity of
organic manure. After levelling
the bed, make holes about 250 mm
deep and 200 to 250 mm in
diameter at the correct planting
distance and put half a bucket of
rotted manure or compost at the
bottom of the hole. Fill in the
top soil so as to leave a small
mound or hill about 150 mm
above soil level, leaving a hollow
around the base. If organic
manure is not available, place
120 g of NPK 3 : 6 : 7 complete
fertiliser under each hill.
Sowing and planting
Dust seed with thiram and sow Queensland Blrie.
three seeds to each hill. The
seeds may also be sown in seed
boxes or better still, they can be
sown in groups of three in a pot
or jam tin. In this way, early
plants can be raised under cover,
or later, advanced plants may be
raised and held to plant after a
late spring or early summer crop
of other vegetables has been
harvested.
Cucurbit seedlings are very
brittle. Transplant with plenty of
soil around the roots. Pumpkins
should be sown in hills 2 metres by
2 metres while small bush marrows
can be spaced as close as 1 metre
by 1 metre.
Cultivation and watering
The large leaf area of vine crops
quickly smothers weed growth,
and cultivation should be kept to
a minimum as the cucurbits all
have shallow root systems. Draw
some soil up around the crown so
that water will drain away. Water
the crop by forming a saucer
around each hill rather than using
overhead sprinklers. Crown Prince.

Curcuhit f7oioers car1 he hand-pollirzate d, and b y this method, rzearly elvery
female power f o r m s frrrit.
Plastic mulching will help to
warm up the soil. It has been
shown to increase yields and
produce earlier crops. Place the
black polythene over the plant by
cutting holes in the sheet or sow
or plant through slits in the
plastic. (See page 35).
.Pollination
Cucurbits produce separate male
and female flowers. To obtain a
good fruit set, it is desirable to
hand-pollinate the female flowers.
The plants can be kept within
bounds by nipping back the tips of
the main runners after they have
grown to a length of about 600 mm
from the base. This causes lateral
growth to form. It is upon these
laterals that most of the female
flowers are formed.
By hand-pollinating, nearly
every female flower forms fruit.
Plenty of medium-sized fruit will
be produced. If allowed to grow
and pollinate naturally, vines tend
to straggle, and fewer, and per-
haps oversize fruit will be formed.
Harvesting and storage
Pumpkins for storage must be
mature and have firm thick and
unbroken skins.
Queensland Blue, Triamble, and
Crown Prince are three long-keep-
ing varieties. Do not harvest
pumpkins until they mature. This
is usually when the vine has died
down. Leave about 50 to 75 mm
of stalk attached to the pumpkin
as diseases can enter through the
wound if the stalk is removed.
Pumpkins are subject to injury
from cold, like other warm-season
plants, therefore attempt to
harvest the pumpkins before the
first frost. I n colder districts
make a stack of pumpkins
separated with straw, rather than
placing the pumpkins separately
on shelves. The straw insulates
the pumpkins against low tem-
peratures.
Stored pumpkins must be
inspected at regular intervals.
Those which are showing any
signs of disease should be removed
from the stack. Correctly stored
pumpkins should hold until
September or October.
Summer squashes grow quickly
and, for best quality, should be
harvested before they are mature,
for example, before the skin begins
to harden and the seeds reach full
size. The fruit is normally
harvested when about 75 mm in
diameter, but the quality does not
deteriorate until after the fruit are
about 150 mm across. They can-
not be stored like pumpkins or
winter squash.
Radish
Red crisp radish (Raphanus
sativus) add color and texture tc
salads and hors d'oeuvres. They
are one of the easiest vegetables
to grow in the home garden. Good
radish must be grown quickly or
they will be tough, hot and pithy
and lack the fresh crispness which
makes them so attractive.
Radish can be grown year
round. They germinate in three
to five days, depending on soil
temperature, andthey are usually
ready to pull in five to six weeks.
They are frost hardy. Winter sow-
ines should be made in a warm
shiltered spot to ensure rapid
growth.
French Breakfast variety is
bright red and oval shaped with
a white tipped root. The flavor
is mild. Long Scarlet is also
bright red and mild in flavor but
has a long tapering root.
Cultural requirements for radish
are very similar to carrots (page
80). They grow best on a light
well drained soil which is only
slightly acid. Soil should be well
fertilised with an NPK 5 : 8 : 4
complete fertiliser in addition to
organic manure.
Sow seed 25 mm apart row in
a drill 20 mm deep, and cover
with 10 mm of loam and firm
down. Thin to 50 mm when
seedlings have produced their
second leaf. Radish must be kept
well watered to maintain good
growth during the summer
months.
Radish- one of tlzc ensir.~t vegetables
to grow i n the h o m e garden.

H1lirL~irr.h ste177.r sirorrld be picked with
n do~vrlward pull so that they corne
nwny fronz the crown without leaving
n strrb.
Rhubarb (Rheunz rhaponticum) a
perennial plant, does not come
into the normal garden crop rota-
tion, and a special bed should be
prepared where it can remain for
some years. As with all perennial
crops, success in growing rhubarb
depends largely on the initial pre-
paration and building up of the
soil before planting.
A large quantity of organic
manure should be worked into the
lower layers of the soil, out of the
range of the roots of newly planted
sets. No stems should, be pulled
for the first year after planting,
and pickings should be light during
the second year.
Good drainage and heavy decay and rots, it is advisable to
annual manurial dressings will dip sets taken from them in a fun-
keep the plants producing, but gicide spraying solution, such as
after the fifth year from planting Bordeaux or other copper fun-
the crowns should be lifted, gicide before planting.
divided and replanted, using only Plant the sets at a depth which
the younger outside buds. will bring their buds just above
Most varieties do not produce soil level after allowing for settle-
stems all the year round, and a ment of the surrounding soil.
range of sets from the main Space the plants 800 mm apart
varieties Stone's Ever-bearing, and make the rows one metre
Sydney Crimson, Wilson's Ruby, apart.
Wandin Giant and Topp's Winter
should therefore be planted. These Cultivation
will give a succession of harvest Rhubarb requires heavy feeding
dates covering almost the full during the winter. Apply 150 g
year. Five plants will provide a of NPK 6 : 6 : 6 complete
reasonable supply for the average fertiliser to the metre around the
family. plants, and fork it into the soil.
Rhubarb can be grown from This can be supplemented during
seed, but seedlings are not always the growing season by application
true to type. Where it is difficult of liquid manure.
to get sets, seed can be sown Rhubarb should be watered
during the winter and transplanted liberally in summer. A mulch
in the spring. helps to retain moisture. Break
The plants will grow enough off any flower buds as soon as they
stem to allow their quality to be appear. Flower development ex-
assessed. Those selected can be hausts the crown.
grown on for another season
before being set out in the per- Harvesting
manent beds. Where obtainable, The stems, which may be picked
sets are the most satisfactory at any stage, should be taken with
method of propagating rhubarb in a downward pull so that they
the home garden. come away from the crown with-
out leaving a stub. Pick the out-
Soil preparation and fertilisers side stems first, always leaving
The rhubarb bed must be well some of the centre stems to pro-
drained. The bed should be tect later shoots.
trenched before planting, even if Several stems should be allowed
the ground has been trenched to mature on the plant. Seasonal
before. When trenching the sub- picking ceases when the later stems
soil, as much organic manure as deteriorate in size. The plants
can be spared should be dug into should never be completely
the subsoil and the lower topsoil. stripped of stems. Some must be
A 150 to 200 mm layer would not allowed to remain to mature and
be too much. A liberal dressing ripen off naturally.
of NPK 5 : 8 : 4 complete
fertiliser should be worked into the
top soil.
Planting sets
The sets are taken from estab-
lished clumps. Each should have
one or two buds. Obtain sets
from a reliable source so that the
right seasonal varieties will be
planted. As old crowns develop

Salsify and
Scorzonera
Salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius)
it is very like parsnip and is cul-
tivated in much the same way.
Salsify makes a soup which has an
oyster-like flavor, or can be cooked
in the same way as parsnip. The
roots store well in the ground for
up to six months.
Soil preparation and cultivation
Salsify is deep rooted and may be
up to 50 mm in diameter at the
top. Soil should be well prepared.
Dig the bed deeply and dig in com-
post or animal manure. Salsify
will do well without additional fer-
tiliser in soil which has previously
grown a leaf crop and has been
well manured.
Sow seed in the spring or
summer in shallow drills. Cover
seeds with 10 mm of soil and thin
to 100 mm when the seedlings are
50 mm high.
Salsify is ready for use in five
to six months. Roots should be
lifted carefully with a fork, not
pulled. A good quality root should
be as symmetrical and tapered as
a small parsnip.
Scorzonera (Scorzonera his-
panica) is a close relative to the
salsify and is grown in exactly the
same way. It is used and cooked
like parsnip.
Cooking SaZisfy and Scononera
The roots should be gently scraped
before cooking to remove only a
thin layer of outer peel. This can
also be done by first boiling the
root to soften the skin. Before
cooking, soak the peeled root in
water containing lemon juice.
Salsify can be boiled, mashed,
baked or fried, as well as being
used for soups.
S ~ l v e rbeet
108
4
Silver beet
Silver Beet (Beta vulgaris) is
grown easily and provides a6-
ditional greens during the winter. ,
It is a true beet but forms leaves
rather than bulbs. In New South
Wales it is known as spinach.
Cultural requirements are the
same as for beetroot. Seed can
be sown from January through 1
March, and again in August and
September in the south and in the
summer and early autumn in the
north of Victoria.
Soil requirements and fertilisers
Like beetroot, silver beet does not
like an acid soil and liming may
be necessary. It should be grown
without a check. Apply a good
base dressing of fowl manure and
75 to 150 g of NPK 5 : 8 : 4
complete fertiliser. Side-dressings
of sulphate of ammonia, 30 g to
each metre of drill row, will main-
tain good growth.
Sowing and cultivation
Sow seed in drills 500 mm apart
and 20 mm deep. When seed-
lings are 50 mm high thin to 300
mm apart. Thinnings can be ,
transplanted in another row. 1
Leaves are pulled off like rhubarb '
leaves and the leaf stalk and the '
leaf cooked either together or
separately. Discard older outer
*zonera and Salsify. leaves if picking is not regular.
IS easy t o grow and provides additional greens during the Ir it~rer.
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.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculen-
turn) are a favorite crop in the
home vegetable garden. They
grow well in all districts of Vic-
toria except some mountain areas
where there are less than three
frost-free months.
They grow best in deep well
drained soil, as the plant has a
deep and extensive root system.
A good supply of water is needed
through the growing season, but,
on poorly drained soil, excessive
watering can quickly kill plants.
In the home garden, tomato
seedlings are transplanted when
there is no danger of frost and the
soil has begun to warm up. In
southern Victoria, October or
November is quite early enough
to plant out tomatoes and in the
north, planting can begin in Sep- Train tonlatoes b y removing tile laterals frorn tlze leaf axils. Trait1 large fr-rrited
tember. A major cause of failure varieties, suclt as Grosse Lisse, to three leaders.
is due to planting out too early.
Tomatoes flourish when tempera-
tures are high.
Most home gardeners aim to If garden area is limited tomatoes varieties require staking and prun-
harvest the first fruit by the end can be grown in pots. (See page ing.
o f December. The old dwarf varie- 38.) Plant tomatoes in a well exposed
ties KYI, Rouge de Marmande are Insects and disease can cause area of the garden so that they
suitable for early planting, but the severe losses, but regular spraying will have sunlight throughout the
quality of the fruit is not as good or dusting right from the time day.
as the newer varieties such as seedlings are planted out will keep Avoid growing tomatoes in areas
Burnley Metro and Burnley For- these troubles in hand. which have been planted before
tune. Late varieties can be har- with tomatoes or with potatoes,
vested u p until the end of May, in Varieties capsicums or egg plant. This will
frost-free areas. Early crop : reduce the possibility of disease
In the home garden not many Burnley Metro build-up. Tomatoes do well after
plants are needed to provide plenty KYI* a legume crop or in freshly broken-
of tomatoes, both for the table and Burnley Fortune up ground. Choose an area of the
for bottling. It is better to grow Rouge de Marmande garden with good drainage.
a few plants well, than to plant Burnley Surecrop Soil preparation and fertilisers
too many and let them fend for Burnley Gem* Dig the bed deeply to a full spade
themselves. Mid-season crop : depth some weeks before planting
Five plants of each maturing Burnley Surecrop so that trash is well worked in,
time should be enough for a family Burnley Gem* and clods are broken down. The
of four people, although ten Daydream bed should be brought to a reason-
plants of the mid-season or late Grosse Lisse ably fine tilth by planting time.
varieties may be needed for a good A p l l o Organic manure should also be
supply for sauces and bottled Roma* worked in before planting, if none
tomatoes. Late crop : has been applied for the previous
In the small home garden it is Burnley Bounty crop.
better to stake and tie all types of Salads Special Band 150 g of NPK 3 : 6 : 7
tomatoes, even those which are Potentate complete fertiliser to the metre
unpruned by commercial growers. * Unpruned bush types. Other along a small trench 100 to
 150 mm deep and then plant over Transplanting
this band. To avoid fertiliser burn Seedlings should be transplanted
be sure the fertiliser band is into the garden as soon as possible
separated from the roots of the after you buy them or lift them
transplants by at least 50 mm of from the seed bed. Scoop a hole
soil. This application can be made deep enough to take the plant's
to the side of the plant row, but roots and plant so that the junc-
the placement below the plant is tion of bottom leaves is just below
most effective early in the season ground level. Retain as much soil
when the soil is cold. as possible around the roots when
Apply a side-dressing of removing the seedlings from the
nitrogen fertiliser or fowl manure seed flat or seed bed.
after the first flowers have set Unstaked varieties are planted
fruit. Thirty grams of ammonium in rows about a metre apart and
sulphate or 15 g of urea to each 500 mm between plants. Staked
plant is sufficient. Fertiliser side- varieties are planted with 900 mm
dressings should be lightly worked between the rows and 450 mm be-
in around the plant and then tween plants. Water-in the
watered. plants with about a litre of water
or starter solution 50 g of NPK
Buying seedlings 18 : 12 : 18 soluble complete
Usually the small home gardener fertiliser to four litres of water.
finds that it is more convenient to Hot caps and polythene row
buy a few plants than to grow covers can be used to protect
them. Buy small plants which are early plants against moderate
well hardened off. They have dark frosts and to warm up the soil. Prune tomdoes by removing laterals
green leaves and stout bluish stems. See " Growing Early Vegetables ", (arrows).
Long, lank plants with light green page 36.
leaves, have not been hardened varieties, place a light wooden
,and do not stand the shock of Direct seeding stake 1.8 to 2 metres long at each
transplanting. Later tomatoes can be grown by planting site. As the plant grows,
Some stores offer plants for sale sowing seed directly in the garden it should be pruned and tied to
as early as July. Do not be bed in November and early the stake.
tempted to plant out too early. December. Tomatoes grown in Pruning is a simple operation
If you prefer to grow your own this way do not receive a setback. requiring the removal of the lateral
seedlings, see page 29. They may produce fruit as early growth which develops at the
as plants which have been trans- points where the leaves meet the
planted. Direct seeding is most stem. A natural branching of the
successful on loam soils. main stem usually occurs 150 to
Prepare the drill row. Sow into 200 rnm ab'ove the ground.
a moist seed bed with 6 to 8 seeds Prune to train two leaders or
at each plant site. Push seeds in growing points per plant. Grow-
about 5 mm and cover with a light ing points should be pinched out
layer of loamy soil. Mulch with when the leaders reach the top of
grass clippings. Make sure the the stake. Large fruited varieties
seed bed is kept moist. such as Grosse Lisse may be
The young seedlings are most trained to three leaders on
susceptible to insect attack, so keep
vigorous plants.
them well protected with insec- After pruning, tie the leaders to
ticide spray or dust. the stake with a broad piece of
Thin out the plants, first leav-material-such as an old stocking.
ing two or three strong plants and Loop the material around the
then thin to one plant to each plant before tying it to the stake,
plant site. to prevent the stem being rubbed.
Check the tie at regular intervals
Scoop a hole deep enough to take the
Pruning and staking to see that the stem is not pinched
roots during transplanting. Immediately after planting staking and the sap flow is not restricted.

I types o f tornatoes in the Ilorne
rden may be stoked.
Tie the 1rnder.r t o (I s m k with rr broad
pie(:e o f material. Loop the material
to the plant before tying it to t11e stake.
112
Watering High temperatures, above
Tomatoes are affected both by 38O C , also cause flowers to drop.
lack of water and too much of it. The effect of high temperatures
The rootzone, which can extend to may persist for a week to ten
a depth of 1 to 1.5 metres should days. Lack of soil moisture, poor
be kept moist throughout the soil fertility, shading and pests
growing season. In many Mel- and diseases can also reduce fruit
bourne gardens the rootzone is set.
restricted by heavy layers of clay,
or even rock, and if a bed is over Harvesting
%atered the roots may be water- Tomatoes ripen satisfactorily
logged. after being picked if a pink color
In the first month after trans- has developed at the blossom end.
planting only one or two light For best quality, tomatoes should
waterings are needed, but as the develop a full pink color beforc
bushes get bigger heavier irriga- being picked. In most areas it is
tion is necessary. In hot sumrner necessary to pick at this stage to
weather, a fully grown plant may prevent Iosses of ripe fruit from
use 25 mm of water in three days damage by birds.
(that is the equivalent of 25 mm Late in the season fruit can be
of rainfall). picked at the green mature stage
Over-irrigation on poorly and stored in a dark, cool place.
drained soils kills the tomato These tomatoes can be ripened
plants by drowning the root and progressively by holding at a
encouraging root rotting fungus temperature between 18 and
diseases. Check the drainage by 21° C which will give the fruit a
digging down about 600 mm. If rich red color.
there is still free-water, one week Ripe tomatoes will only hold
after irrigation reduce the amount for one or two weeks in a
of water applied. refrigerator. Long periods of
Irregular watering aggravates a refrigeration cause cold tempera-
disease called " blossom-end rot ". ture injury and fruit breakdown.
This disorder is related to calcium
nutrition but is brought on by
water stress in the plant. I t is
seen as a dark sunken discolor-
ation at the blossom end of green-
fruit. Poor root growth limits the
amount of water which the plant
can take.
Mulching reduces the evapora-
tion of water from the soil surface.
It helps the penetration of
moisture by preventing crusting
and keeps the soil surface cool so
that the roots can grow near the
soil surface. Mulches also sup-
press weeds.
Fruit set
Flowers often fail to set during the
spring and early summer months.
Low temperatures are the main
cause of poor pollination but as
the nights become warmer and the
temperatures rise above 15OC
fruit set normally improves. Torrlato ~cc,rllirr,cv,grol~.rrir~rtrpc F trips.
Turnips
Turnips (Brassica rapa) are
useful additions to the family
menu during the winter. swede
tlirnips (Brassica napo-brassica)
are more popular in Victoria, and
when well grown and well cooked,
make an excellent vegetable.
Turnips grow rapidly in late
simmer and early autumn and they
are ready to harvest in six to nine
weeks. Swedes are sown by the
end of February in southern dis-
tricts, although, in hill areas,
January sowings give best results.
If sown too early in the winter or
early spring, cold temperatures can
cause bolting. However, in sandy
market garden areas, swedes are
sown in July and August.
Late summer and autumn sow-
ing~of white turnips can be made
six to eight weeks later than sow-
i n g ~of swedes. Spring sowings
can be made at about the same
time.
Soil requirementsand ferti1iseE4
Turnips need a richer soil than
other ^root crops, and there is no
danger in using large amounts of
organic manures. They are not a
true root crop-the turnip is a
swollen stem. A mixed fertiliser
should be applied as well as the
organic manure, using about 30 g
of NPK 5 : 8 : 4 complete
fertiliser to the square metre.
Lighter applications can be used if
turnips follow a crop which has
been heavily fertilised.
control of most insect pests.
Maldison can be used within a
week of harvest,
Turnips yield well in most soils pro-
vided they receive adequate water and every year, otherwise the stems
fertiliser.
Watercress - I
Watercress (Nasturtium officinale)
is often found growing wild in 1
streams, but running water is not
essential. It can be grown in a
moist trench.
Watercress can be grown from
cuttings, root division or seed. Any
piece will strike readily in wet
ground. Take out a trench 600 mm
1
wide and 300 mm deep in a shady
position. Dig in a 150 mm layer
I1
of rotted manure and firmly I
trample the bottom of the trench. 1
Fill in 75 to 100 mm of soil on
the top of this, and fill the trench
with water 24 hours before sowing 1
or planting.
Watercress seed is sown in
spring or autumn, and cuttings or
divisions may be planted during
the spring and in the autumn. As
the stems grow to 150 to 200 mm
high, cut off the top 75 to 100 mm
for use as a salad. Past this stage,
,
watercress is hot and stringy.
The bed should be renewed
become coarse and woody. The
trench must be flooded at least
once a week during growth. It
will then yield throughout the year.

Sowing and cultivation

Sow white turnips in drills 300 mm
apart and thin to 75 mm when
they have two leaves. Late thin-
ning produces poor bulbs. For
Swede turnips allow 350 mm be-
tween rows and thin to 150 mm.
Do not sow large quantities at
any one time, as when too mature,
swedes and turnips have a strong
flavor.
Pest and diseases control
programs are similar to those for
cabbage. Maldison gives good