HOME GARDENS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 44, 28 September 1949, Page 7

HOME GARDENS

(By J. S. Yeates, Massey AgricuL tural College) THE FLOWER GARDEN Now is about the best time to think of sowing out of doors any seeds which will stand those conditions—hardy annuals of many kinds to flower in place, perennials such as Russell lupins or lilies, of aniseeds of trees and shrubs which you may . have acquired. Many species of lilies such as the beautiful, hardy, and strongly perfumed regal lily, can be grown from seed out of .doors as early as onions. They can be sown about an inch deep in a wide drill, covered with sand (to save weeding and left in place for two seasons. Shifted into the garden in their second autumn they should mostly flower in the following season. Try to get seed of the regal lily or of the Phillipine lily from your friends who have them. Vegetables And Fruit Early carrots can and should be sown by those who have not yet been able to do so. Those with heavy and wet soil may have missed the early sowing of quick-maturing stump-rooted varieties. Leek seed should also be sown in a small patch of rich ground for transplanting later. A regular fortnightly pinch of lettuce seed should be sown, also under the same conditions, and succession cabbage and a cauliflower variety as well if not already planted. A small sowing of radish seed can be sown again now, and turnips, if none have been planted recently. Both of these latter should be sown “often and little” because they remain at their best only for a short time. A short row of parsley seed can be sown. I usually plant it, with lettuce plants, radishes and other small things, along the sides of the path, at the ends of the main rows. Main crop potatoes can go in now in the more frost-free districts. A complete fertiliser is generally regarded as a sound proposition in the garden. Superphosphate two parts, blood and bone (or ammonium sulphate) two parts, and potash one part can be used, the total amount being equal to the weight of seed potatoes. Maincrop varieties of peas can be planted again if space permits and if you have not sown any for three weeks or more. I regard these green crops as much more worth while than potatoes, which in midseason can be bought cheap by the sack and be kept well with the aid of sprout-preventing hormone dusts Seed of beetroot can be sown if it is one of your favourites. The silver beet for greens is better left a while before sowing, because it is mainly used as a winter vegetable when the choicer greens are scarce. Brussels sprouts too are most appreciated in winter and early -spring, for which purpose the seed need not be sown until late November for plating out in January. The orchard should receive attention very soon. There are three main types of spray needed for the fruit trees —Bordeaux mixture, lime sulphur, and lead arsenate. Bordeaux mixture is one of the main stays of the orchardist and gardener, so its formula and method of mixing should be kept handy. Bordeaux mixture is cheap to make when large quantities are being used and is in general very effective. The trouble of keeping the separate ingredients, keeping the lime fresh, weighing, mixing, in a wooden barrel, all make it rather a bother if you have a dozen roses or tomatoes to spray. For this reason the copper compound sold as “Copperox,” or “Cuprox” is much more satisfactory to most home gardeners. Used at the rate of one tablespoon to two gallons of water it is as good as Bordeaux for most plants and very much better than Bordeaux for tomatoes. “Cuprox” and “Copperox” can be mixed with the' other spray materials such as lead arsenate, dispersable D.D.T., or colloidal sulphur. The arsenate or D.D.T. of course are added to combat the chewing or sucking insects. The apple and pear tree will need a spray just when the petals are falling. This is to combat black spot on the fruit, and lime-sulphur (1| tablespoonsful per gallon) is used. Three or four days later spray with lead arsenate (1 ounce to 4 gallons) to combat codlin moth on the young fruit. These two sprays should be given once a month until mid-March. Allow at least three between the two sprayings. You can mix the lead arsenate and the lime sulphur, but - only if you use hydrated lime too. That can be more trouble than it is worth when working on a small scale.