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- Gardeners’ Corner
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- July
- The Vegetable Garden
The Vegetable Garden
Hoe and weed the vegetable plot whenever possible. Remember that heavy rains can leach nutrients out of soils: gardeners living on sandy soils will be familiar with the need to provide extra nutrition and to maintain sufficient nitrogen as it is so mobile in the soil and easily leached out. Be prepared where growth turns pale green and less vigorous to use Chempak High Nitrogen Feed No.2.
Slugs can be a major problem eating foliage above ground as well as doing damage underground (as in the case of the keel slug which inflicts such damage on potato tubers). Growing Success Advanced Slug Killer is a safe and organic method of control, leaving no trace of unsightly slime secretion like most other slug pellets. It is a blue pellet containing a naturally occurring active ingredient, Ferric Phosphate. On moist soil or in humid conditions granules take up water and begin to swell. Slugs prefer moist and soaked granules and, once attracted to and consuming the bait pellet, they cease to feed. They then crawl into the ground or a secluded location to die. The pellets can be used around edible and non-edible plants and is safe for use around children and pets. It remains effective after exposure to rain, watering and sunlight and there is no interval required between application and harvesting crops. The product is approved by Organic Farmers & Growers for use in organic systems. Traps for slugs and snails are also available along with materials which are difficult for slugs and snails to travel across such as crushed rocks and copper tape.
Look out for the first signs of early potato blight which has become a problem after several wet summers: this disease results in the blackening and death of tomatoes and potatoes. Both crops can be protected with either Bordeaux Mixture or Bayer Fruit and Vegetable Disease Control. Both fungicides are effective as a preventative but are virtually useless once plants are affected. Ultimate Fruit and Vegetable Bug Killer may be used as a contact and systemic insecticide for insect pests on selected vegetables.
Complete planting of winter cabbages, Brussels sprouts and broccoli. Sow Chinese cabbage for an autumn crop. Watch for cabbage white butterfly caterpillars and pick off where possible but covering with Enviromesh is now the most effective preventative measure against these. About six weeks after planting, members of the cabbage family will benefit from Chempak High Nitrogen Feed No.2. Draw a little soil up around the stems of Brussels sprout plants to reduce wind rock and make sure the ground is firm. Continue to make successional sowings of lettuce, radish and salad onions. Spinach beet sown in July should provide a crop to cut next spring. Sow turnips and winter radishes and it is still possible to sow more beetroot, French beans, kohl‑rabi and peas (but choose a dwarf early variety of peas).
Lift early potatoes and water maincrop potatoes in dry weather and finish earthing up. Remove side shoots on tomatoes, except the bush or trailing varieties. Water tomatoes regularly to prevent blossom end rot and the fruits splitting. Feed outdoor tomatoes once a week with a tomato fertilizer such as Tomorite.
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