Help on the GREENS
Give late autumn and winter greens a light dressing of National Growmore fertiliser round each plant, raked or hoed in. Apply this now—feeding after this month will make soft growth which will not stand the severe winter weather. Keep the ground firm round winter greens or they may fail to heart-up properly.
Look after the SEEDLINGS
Give seedlings of the cabbage family and turnips a light dressing of derris dust or naphthalene dust as soon as they show through.
This early treatment works better against flea beetle attack than later applications. Continue to dust with derris during growth in seed bed.
Soot for CELERY
This is a vital moment in the life of celery. Earthing-up (see June Guide) should keep up with growth. The other main needs are soot and water. Soot is the best fertiliser for the crop. The older it is, the better.
Soot was commonly available as most houses were heated with coal in the towns. Now it’s fairly rare as gas is by far the most used heating fuel.
Some people contend that soot from coal fires may contain harmful chemicals and should not be used in the garden, especially on food crops.
It can be used on the leaves or well watered into the soil as a manure. Do not try to produce luxuriant growth—it will probably be coarse. Aim to grow short, firm, stocky plants. Never let them get dry—water must be abundant during growth.
Those POTATO HAULMS
Every year when the early potatoes have been lifted, the question is asked “What shall I do with my potato tops?” The problem is whether to put them on the compost heap or not. The answer depends on two things, namely, how good is your compost heap and how free from disease are your potato tops?
If you have had an attack of blight, or any other disease that has affected the potato tops, the answer is simple—gather them up, all of them, and burn them.
If your crop has been clean and you have the sort of efficient compost heap that heats up well, there is nothing against chopping up the haulms, with a sharp spade, while they are soft and green, and treating them as any other waste. In a good compost heap they will soon rot down. The main thing about potato haulms is not to leave them lying about.
