The Wilmington morning star., 1947-08-31

s9Iq through these columns if ad
ga ,sad 10 the garden calendar
dL ,4ar in care of the Wilmington
Jews society editor.
ME- nur WAY OF DEEP DIGGING
~so first and most importan'
t1q GOOD soil preparation is te
f W. deer. And the second and the
az l. the same. There is nc
H'l.1 +Ite for breaking the ground
'|o@orghly and deep. This accom-
W. ~.bos five things. 1t makes for
poJ drainage of surplus water ir
soo' coil, In the hot summer
Gay be, it doesn't seem possible
VIZ we can ever have any sur.
. a',s water in our gardens. but
d nave it frequently in other
w o.o,,s end then plants suffer
With wet feet and rot.
neep digging brings about just
o~anosite results in any wealth
"N II Flows moisture to penetrate
e. .o,iv and if the bottom has been
ssoton up into large clods and a
}rr W. Of roughage such as corn
.1slEe straw, garden refuse and
hos been put over the clods,
s wv, have a reservoir of moisture
0H 4a;s sponge = like material. In
\. ~, SEASONS moisture is drawn to
1 w. noper layers of soil from this
reservoir.
NO thing. 1t entices the roots
son-oward and thus makes for
'ons roots instead of shallow ones.
l ,n5 nlants with long deep roots
,n much more drought resistant
assr shallow rooted ones. Where
. .,a" s,,n rays are hot like they are
t sarp shallow roots are quickly
h nrr but quick ones find cool
ness and moisture.
Deep digging loosens heavy soils
ri, nat roots can penetrate more
ossiIv. If roots cannot penetrate
deeply they have a very limited
sroa in which 10 find food in shall
fow dug soil. There are plenty o.
mnerals in clay soils, but they
arp not available to plants if the
dslicate feeding roots cannot pene-
trs+e far enough to reach them.
If We should resort to deep dig
Gins and thus release new plant
f@od that is already in the soil,
wa would have better plants and
better crops with little or much
less chemical fertilizer. Deep
dioging aerates the soil. Roots
mist have air and air can circu-
late in deeply dug soil.
This is the best time to get
ready for fall and spring planting,
if you are preparing a new bed
and the space is unoccupled at
present. If the bed is to be re-
made and there are plants grow
inc in it at present, you must wait
till later, of course, unless the
plants are such as tirs that should
be moved.
II possible, get new BEDS ready
and coldframes made now and
out Of the way 2f fall work tor
fall is our best season for setting
out most new plants.
PREPARATION OF THE SOIL
BY TRENCHING
As said in yesterdays article.
this is the best time to prepare
ney beds and all unoccupled areas
for fall and spring planting. Now
there is time to do it thoroughly
and unhurriedly. Soon fall plant.
ing, moving and transplanting will
begin, and it will be hard to find
time 10 do a through job of re-
making beds and preparing new
ones.
The advantages Of deep digging
were emphasized, naming five
things that it accomplishes = good
drainage, a source of moisture in
dry weather, deep rooted and thus
drought . resistant plants, more
available plant food, and
good aeration OF the soil.
The English method of trench
ing" offers the best and most
systematic method of deep and
thorough preparation of the soil.
Lay off the space to be dug into
small and convenient areas, say
two by four feet. Beginning at one
end remove the sod or the top.
soil from the first area and pile
1t to one side where it is easily
gotten, OR put it in whealbarrow
Of baskets. Then remove The poor
er soil beneath for a foot down
and save it in a separate pie.
Dig out another foot of soil and
cart it away. With a pick break
up the bottom clay into large
Jumps or cIods and leave them so
loF drainage. Now you are ready
10 begin filling this first french
IN top Of the large clods in the
bottom throw in sod, rough man.
UTe' compost Or any half : rotted
Ioa82age until it is six inches or
more thick. Now put in the top
w, rom tne next area, thus get
lug your best soil deep down TO
-ao0ee roots to grow downward
.-Sead Of upward. Over this fill
~ WIN a mixture of the next foot
u poorer soil from the second
s'e'' some sort Of plant food and
AAas and, if clay, some sand.
III MS poorer soil you can mix
%+',sFeG fertilizer is available
"a manure, homemade compost
,o.ll me pit. W%oodsearth, peat,
...sa leaves, bonemeal. cotton
. ~. neal. etc. 1t is well 10 mix
.ro ,1.S layer lime in some form
1''' Stag or agricultural llme-8nd
,.'..a sape-paosphate especially
.-e S?Ll is a heavy clay. This
-,l' I'LL ne first trench and
s &s soil an inch or TWO above
--lloaa'ls soil level to allow for
-+.s' IF It doesn't. save more
~ poorer soil from the third
-. ana maui less away. A little