IRISH GARDENING. 



59 



Beginner's 



Vegetable Garden. 



THERE are certain things a beginner ought to 

 know in order to attain success in vegetable 

 growing. 



1. About the Soil. — The character of the soil is of 

 first importance. As the soil is the permanent home of 

 the root it must be made suitable for a root to live in. 

 The root must be given a free run, therefore the soil 

 must be deeply tilled and well pulverised. The root 

 must have air. therefore the soil must be well drained. 

 The root must be fed, therefore the soil must contain 

 readily available foods. A store of soil water is 

 essential. But it must be remembered that loose water 

 (that is, Water that would run through if the soil is 

 drained) is not only useless but actually harmful to 

 roots of cultivated plants. The water taken up by the 

 roots is the water that clings to the particles of soil, 

 hence it follows that the finer the soil is worked the 

 greater is its power to hold water. This is a further 

 reason for good drainage and thorough tillage of a 

 vegetable garden. 



2. How MUCH Seed to Purchase. — An ounce of 

 good seed of beet will sow a 30-feet drill ; of carrot, 

 parsle)', and spinach, 80 feet ; of parsnip, radish, and 

 cress, loo feet ; of turnip, 100 feet ; and of onion, 200 

 feet. One quart of broad beans will sow about 80 feet ; 

 French beans and early peas, 100 feet ; and marrowfat 

 peas, 140 feet. It is calculated that one ounce of cab- 

 bage or other brassica seed will produce about 1,500 

 to 2,000 plants. Sow only the best seed and seed 

 saved from the best strains of recognised good 

 varieties. It is always safest to buy from established 

 and responsible firms of seedsmen. The difference in 

 price will be handsomely compensated by the greater 

 value of the yield. 



3. When to Sow. — Some plants are very hardy and 

 can be sown quite early in the year. Parsnips, broad 

 beans, early peas, Brussels sprouts, leek, spring onions, 

 and spinach may be sown in March ; beet, kale, 

 broccoli, carrot, summer cabbage, savoy, French beans, 

 and most herbs in April, and scarlet runner beans and 

 late peas in May. These times give the earliest dates, 

 but to secure succession in supply later sowings will be 

 necessary — as, for example, spinach may be sown from 

 March to August. Tender vegetables must not be sown 

 until all dangei- of 



frost is over, but if 

 they are wanted 

 earlier a month or 

 so may be gained 

 by raising the seed- 

 iiiii; in a hot-bed, 

 and then planting 

 out at about the 

 time out-of-door / 



sowing of the same 

 vegetable would be 

 done, 



4 . Growing 

 Space required nv 

 each Plant.— This 

 is a most important 



particular, as unless copvri.i.i Extua Early 



each plant is given sufficient room to develop, 

 and with a chance of getting its fair share of 

 sunlight, you will fail to get the best results. Peas 

 are usually sown too thickly. If there are two or 

 three inches (according to height) between the 

 plants, and the distance between the rows equal 

 to about the height of the plants good results 

 ought to be obtained. Crops of lettuce, ike, may 

 be grown between the rows. Broad beans may be 

 planted six inches apart, and scarlet runners even a 

 foot apart with advantage. Carrots, beetroot and 

 turnips nine inches, and parsnips twelve inches apart, 

 with a few inches wider space between the rows. 

 Celery plants will require the same distance between 

 each individual in the row, but of course a wider 

 distance between (about four feet) to allow for trenching. 

 Catch crops of quick-growing vegetables may be 

 planted between. Cabbages should be given from one 

 to two feet between, according to size, with about a 

 third more distance between the rows. Broccoli, 

 Brussels sprouts and cauliflowers will require slightly 

 more space to develop. Leeks may be planted one 

 foot apart, with two feet between the rows. An 

 average for potatoes would be one foot by thirty inches. 

 A vegetable marrow will require about fifteen square 

 yards to sprawl over. 



5. Rotation of Crops. —Different kinds of crops 

 draw their food supply not only from different levels of 

 soil, but require the various kinds of food in different 

 proportions. Moreover, the numerous soil pests confine 

 their attacks to special groups of plants. Club-root, for 

 example, will only attack crucifers. It is therefore the 

 best garden practice to alter the crops. The follow- 

 ing groups include crop plants of similar physiological 

 characters. No crops belonging to the same group 

 should immediately succeed one another, (i.) Critci- 

 fc-roiis 6>o/>.y. —Examples : Cabbage, cauliflower, and 

 other brassica, turnip, radishes, seakale, &c. (ii.) Le- 

 gKiniHons. — Deep-rooting and producing nitrogen- 

 gathering nodules. — Examples : Peas, beans, scarlet 

 runners, &c. — (iii.) Composite-floivered. — Lettuce, Jeru- 

 salem artichoke, &c. (iv.) Umhelliferoiis. — Deep- 

 rooted. — Examples: Carrot, parsnip, celery, parsley, 

 &,c. (v.) LiIiact'ous.—On\o\-\, leek, shallot, aspar- 

 agus, &c., 



6. General Hints. — Run your rows north and south. 



so that the sun can 

 shine along both 

 sides oi the row. 

 Plant the taller 

 vegetables if pos- 

 sible on the north 

 side of the plot so 

 that their shadows 

 will not be cast over 

 their shorter neigh- 

 bours. Usethedry- 

 est and warmest 

 part for early sown 

 vegetables. Make 

 constant use or the 

 hoe. It willkeepthe 

 soil health}- and pre- 

 FoKci.Nc; (AKKOi Miukoy ventweods. 



