WORK FOR THE WEEK

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 109, 1 February 1935, Page 18

WORK FOR THE WEEK

The Flower Garden Gerberds are languishing in'many gardens for want of water. Give them a thorough soaking twice a week. Remove spent flowers to prolong season of bloom. This is particularly important with sweet peas. Rift and divide bearded irises. Prepare for the planting of springflowering bulbs. Narcissi and crocuses should be planted now. Prepare the soil for irises, hyacinths and tulips. Autumn-sown lawns usually give best results. It is not too early to' commence preparations for planting. Seed may be sown of the following: iceland poppy, winter-flowering sweet peas, stocks, wallflower, pansies, cinerarias and anemones. A few of the autumn-flowering annuals may still be planted out, preferably after a shower. In dry weather, they should always be puddled in. Plant salvia, zinnias, marigolds, petunias and verbena. The Vegetable Garden I Plant out cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli. Sow spinach for winter cutting, also turnips, onions and shorthorn carrots. Make fresh sowings of lettuce and radishes where the soil can be kept reasonably moist. Pinch out the tops of pumpkins and marrows to encourage the growth of side shoots. Spray apple trees for codlin moth. Cut out the suckers of raspberry canes which are now beginning to appear. They weaken the main shoots and, if permitted to remain, result t in undersized fruit. MARROWS AND PUMPKINS To Encourage Laterals Ma*rrows and pumpkins are now running freely. The long vines should be stopped by cutting off the growing tips. It is quite common for the first fruits on these plants to fail to develop. That is because they usually come on the main runners, and the- strength of growth prevents their development. The crop is mostly borne on side branches —laterals —and the object in I stopping the long runners is to promote the growth of these fruit-bearing laterals. After the long runners have been stopped the growth of the plants is of a different character, and every growth is able to bear frtiit. WINTER VEGETABLES What to Plant Now Planting and sowing for the winter vegetable supply should mostly be complete by this time. In the warmer districts cabbages, broccoli, brussels sprouts, savoys and kale can be planted up to the middle of February. Any planted after that time are not likely to turn out first-rate. In the cooler districts celery should be all out before now, but in the warmer districts good results can be secured by planting much later. Turnips should still be sown in small breadth, except swedes, which should be sown in breadth sufficient for winter use. French and butter beans may still be sown. Lettuce should be sown in drills, not to be transplanted. Water the seed in the drills before covering it up; it will be through the ground in about ten days; thin the plants as ■ soon as they can be handled, and water as necessary. Silver-beet and spinach may be sown and treated in the same manner.‘ The surface soil is usually dust-dry at this time of the year, and it is practically useless to sow small seeds without some provision for moisture. , INCREASING HONEYSUCKLE Take Cuttings Now Honeysuckle is an ideal plant for draping an arbour or summer-house. It is also a delightful plant for clothing the house walls so that its trailing shoots can encircle the windows. It will' grow in almost any position and is not fastidious with regard to soil. Providing the ground is not exception-' ally heavy and is of moderate fertility, it soon becomes established and quickly covers its allotted space. It is propagated readily by cuttings, which should be inserted during February to get them established before the cold weather sets in. Tie best shoots to select for the purpose are those which have borne a truss of flowers and are in a half-ripened condition. If possible tear them off with a “heel” and cut off the soft tops. The cuttings Should be about 15 inches in length. Having prepared them, take out a trench 9 inches deep and insert them about 6 inches apart. • Should the soil be on the heavy side, a layer of sand placed in the bottom of the trench will facilitate rooting. When all the cuttings are inserted, fill in the trench with soil ’and make it flrm by pressing it with the feet; They must not be disturbed for about twelve months, during, which time a strong root system and several vigorous shoots will have been formed,- and they will then be fit to move into their permanent quarters. When planting, take out a hole about 2 feet in diameter and fork up the subsoil, at the same time Incorporating leaf-mould or well-decayed garden refuse. Tread this firm and replace about 6 inches of the top spit, which must also be made firm. Then place the plant in position; spread out the roots and fill in the remainder of the soil.

A tomato plant, which is bearing fruit for the second season, Is the possession of Mrs. F. W. Hutchings, of Fitzroy, New Plymouth. Commencing life as a strong seedling at the beginning of last season the plant produced 156 good tomatoes. A cutting was taken in April last, and potted in a mixture of leaf mould and sand. After spending the winter in a glassed-in porch it was planted out last spring and struck immediately. Already 35 tine tomatoes have been picked this year and the plant is carrying 160 tomatoes in various stages of development. It is quite possible that about 350 will have been picked by the end of Hie present season. The plant is about Oft. high by Bft. broad.