Reminders For The Week

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 124, 28 May 1942, Page 9

Reminders For The Week

garden notes

CO stTawbT t0 the general option, great « leS d ° not invol ve a deal of trouble. They do so STRAWBERRY Hnl 1 '?• the Auckt't'LTL'RE 1, d district that y , garden «Pace should i? , there is rows. Hpaw at least a few results and as if P roduc e .the best disturb the root* h, • inadvisabl e to "oil should be °horoVi"hi 8 grov (th, the hrst. Deen clirrr\£Z ° ug b'y conditioned are the esse Okl 33$ drainage bonedust (or manure fertilisers The ,^, h) t re ,^ e best least r s should at each plant It'is 'irrf' ith » 9in betvve cn good, stroni vii^ POrtant that on lV selected—usu'allv "th^." s #; plants are runners PHn,! cv! e , , fi P l on the after throe ki® v T enewed have not vnt l f este bhshed beds ashes. application of wood

pOTATOLS are a crop that will from r °i ° n practical| y any soil, m ,lght volcanic to heavy clav. K-\RI V s ' ze *be crop, POTATOKS thTv^Wy 1 late s n h ,° n SUI, P , y poriencc La S™' AnK" « t i ia! :;;:' sh ;»"'i b » ;."Wnic U l„aS y ' W orM shouul be' a P fJ' e<l fl® rln Bly- There lawn Si?™ r :" ni ''' ar ' 1 manure, ■1' fi 11 " 1 compost should {I aaued If bonedust is available acunl tTmi gh V y 7 orkcd ;n - A t the tlme of Planting the potash -o necessary to the health of pota- "^, can w be P rov i f icd in the form of , a t. s ' These, by the way £h f,f th SaVed , nnd stored dry, as by rain goodness is washed out

EARLY winter planting routine in

the vegetable garden is dependent solely on the weather. It is only

PIiAKTg under conditions of FOR aPßivf. good dr ainage that *uk SPRING any ambitious atm,f. „ tempt should be made now to establish a large garden. Newly-dug light soil offers the best prospects of success. Stirrer soils, including the loams and k S ' .l hou [ d 136 raised and worked when they have dried out sufficiently to stand a hoe without caking. In all cases liming is beneficial. Howf v w, r ' t fl ere are a few hardy vegetables that can be induced to grow, even under the most unfavourable conditions. Remember that it is worth waiting a few days rather than to attempt to sow seeds or set out plants in waterlogged ground. Silver beet, cauliflowers, cabbages, red beet, herbs, rhubarb and artichokes comprise the bulk of vegetables that can be planted now, and they will probably show little progress for a few weeks. There is no harm in putting them out, however, because their rooting system will develop and a warm spell will give them a good start. Seeds will similarly take longer than usual to germinate. Suitable varieties are early peas, broad beans, cabbages, cauliflower, silver and red beet, leeks, lettuce, onions, radish, salsify and prickly spinach.

()NION seeds require a firm, free seed bed. There is little advantage to be gained from sowing thickly unless the plants ROOT are required as spring CROPU onions. Thin sowing assures good, strong seedlings. The main reasons for the failure of carrots are attacks by soil pests and faulty manuring. The soil should be deep, rich and friable, with no fresh animal manure. The best soil conditions are to sow in ground that has been manured for an earlier crop. If the plot is dug now and limed it will be well broken down for sowing in a fortnight's time, when wood asnes should be added as a potash fertiliser. The ground for peas, too, should be prepared well in advance, and this is a job that can be put in hand now. Deep digging to ensure moisture in the spring is essential, and lime should be added generously. As soon as the soil has settled down the seed can be planted, choosing only dwarf varieties. Turnips should reach maturity as soon as possible. They can be sown at any time, but for 'best results the soil should be rich and light, with a deep root run. Old organic material is the best fertiliser. As with carrots, fresh manures are harmful, so if these are all that are available, it is better to use an area that was well manured last season.

THIS is a good period to plant paeonies of the herbaceous types. 1 nis beautiful flower has been somewhat neglected in VL-'iif T. . Auckland, but Nt,w PAiaONIES the modern hybrids rival roses in tint and texture. Paeonies must nave perfect drainage, and i c there is the slightest chance of water lying stagnant round the roots, grit and should be mixed with the soil. .. ne meal situation is one where sunlight will shine on the foliage but not on the roots, a condition that can be created by planting lowspreading annuals at the base of the shrub. The soil should be dug at least 2ft deep, worked up well, and enriched with thoroughly decayed farmyard manure or compost. Boneoust is a vital paeony food, and -should be added liberally. When planting, crowns should be no more than 2in below the surface of the soil When paecny buds form but tail to develop, a sun-baked soil and lack of moisture is generally the cause.

season for planting such spring-flowering bulbs as daffodils, ireesias, anemones, ranunculi, narT . , cissi -. watsonias and ~ V hyacinths is almost over, GARDEX so there should be no . . , further delay. Japanese irises should be planted in a sunny situation, sheltered from the worst of the winds. Iceland poppies are coming along nicely new, and can be helped by light applications of nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia m powdered or liquid form, or by animal liquid manures. It is not too 'ate to plant poppies for the spring. Among seeds that can be sown under glass English daisy, lobel%, carnations, larkspur and staticc. Choosing mild conditions, sow outside calendula, calliopsis, candytuft (including the new midgets), godetias, linarias, mignonette, scabious, Iceland poppy, verbena and sweet peas. There is a wide range of hardy annuals that can be planted out for spring and early summer flowering. Dahlias can be cut down preparatory to storing. When the tubers are dry, store them in boxes in a cool, dry place, covering them with dry soil or sand to prevent excessive evaporation. They should not be divided until immediately before replanting. Dahlias can be grown easily from seed, and although they usually bloom the first year, they do not come true to colour or type.