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TURNIPS
You can sow turnips in April. But if you are following the
Ministry's cropping plan, you will wait until July, so we will deal with
this crop in a later Guide.
ONIONS
Now is the time to plant out onions raised under glass.
Harden the plants off gradually and plant them out in rows 1 ft. apart,
leaving 6 in. between each plant. See that each bulb is set just on top of
the ground and press the soil firmly around its roots. |
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A REMINDER ABOUT THE
FRUIT GARDEN
In the March Guide we reminded you about spring dressings
for your fruit trees and the spraying of your fruit bushes with lime sulphur.
April is the time, so just turn to page 8 of
the March issue and refresh your memory. |
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Wartime gardeners, who may have suffered badly from the ravages of pests,
may well have thought that gardening is just on long discouraging fight. But
the "old hands" know that is not so; they know, too, that by keeping their
plots as clean as they can, and by taking early measures to cope with any
marauders that may appear, they can do much to reduce their losses and keep
the pests in check.
First a few wise words about what you can do to prevent pest
damage before you start to use insecticides. Strong plants are less likely
to be destroyed––and you only get strong plants by good cultivation and
manuring. You must not expect insecticides to make up for deficient
cultivation and manuring. |
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Another important
step is to get rid of the things that harbour pest: weeds surplus seedbed
plants, old brassica stumps and infested leaves. Growing the same crop on
the same bed year after year also encourages pests, so that is another
important reason for crop rotation. And then don't be finicky about
hand-picking caterpillars when you do find them.
Some gardeners regard all creeping and flying things as
foes. That is a mistake, for they include friends as well. Let us for a
moment consider some of the insects you may find under and above ground. Of
the "underground" enemies, there is first the wireworm: the commonest garden
foe that particularly fancies potatoes, tomatoes and carrots. It is
three-quarters of an inch long and has six legs. When you find it, break it
in half or squash it. |
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Please
see Mulch, Intensive & Lazy
Gardening for alternative planting and growing methods requiring less
space, less seed, less weeding, less watering, etc.
[ed. note] earthly pursuits
urges everyone to avoid "artificials" (chemical fertilizers) if possible and
practice sustainable, organic gardening. |
