SEASONABLE WORK

Evening Star, Issue 20132, 23 March 1929, Page 24

SEASONABLE WORK

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN Take advantage of dry weather when it comes to ply the hoc freely to .keep down weeds. A little neglect now and weeds will soon east their seeds and give trouble later on. Advantage should also be taken during rain or showery weather to plant cabbage and cauliflower from the early autumn-sown seed taking the strongest, the rest may be left in the seed beds for the winter. Lift and store potatoes as they become ready, and box up the set size to sprout for future planting. Earth up celery ns it becomes ready, and if the weather is dry give the trench or roots of tho plants a good watering previous to earthing. To earth celery up in a dry condition may cause it to run to seed for the reason that very little water can get at the roots after earthing. Leeks; Draw a little earth to the roots, and plant others where necessary. Plant out lettuce during dull or showery weather. Cut down parsley in order that it may make new lives before winter. Take up and dry onions before storing. Spinach should he hoed and thinned out as soon as the thinnings are of a useful size. Dig manure and trench all vacant ground. AUTUMN TREATMENT OF RASPBERRIES .Raspberry bushes, after the fruit has been gathered, are often allowed to take their chance. But such treatment is not conducive to the formation of strong growth for tho next year’s supply of fruit. No time alter fruiting .should be lost in giving the canes more room to develop. By removing tho old canes and any surplus and useless suckers. There arc often serious defects through raspberries not fruiting, the canes dwindling to almost nothing, with the fruit poor and half tho size it should be. This occurs both in heavy and light land. One reason is allowing the plants to occupy the same ground too long. On clay lauds the roots go down to find plant lood. and they find the conditions worse there than on the surface. Thus decay ol the fruiting wood occurs. On light soils much tho same happens. 'there is no feeding material in the soil, consequently heavy feeding material must be given once or twice a year to produce, good fruit canes, ft is useless to feed raspberries and to allow old fruiting canes and suckers to remain for months on the plants after the fruit is gathered.

These stickers rob all the next season’s fruiting canes of the nourishment which should go to build up a strong, hard, and well-ripened cano, the size of. a walking stick for next season's supply of fruit. At this time all the old fruiting canes should bo cut away and only sufficient young canes_ Jett for the next season’s supply of fruit, choosing those that are strangest and in a healthy state. When the canes are very strong and vigorous Gin will be sufficient to leave, and in no case should they exceed lOin. From Gin to Sin will bo better. The more canes the greater the tendency of the canes to weaken. This means much less fruit and poorer quality. These canes that are left should not he pruned in any way, but left to develop to their full capacity. Of course, where suckers or new canes are required for new plantations, more must he left, ami these should be as far away from the old stools as possible, so that when they are dug up for replanting the old stools will bo very little the worse. After the removal of the old fruiting canes the bushes should have a good mulching of manure. The removal of old canes need not occupy a. long time, and those left should bo tied to supports. But the canes left for next season’s fruiting should not be cub in any way, but allowed Iree growth until late in tho season. The final topping or printing should bo done in early spring. Middlings of manure should ho given raspberries immediately after fruiting ceases and as soon as the old limiting canes and surplus suckers are removed for the purpose of building up strong canes for next season's fruiting. STRAWBERRIES Plant out strawberries in newlyprepared ground as previously advised. THE FLOWER GAROEH Preparations should now bo, made by digging or trenching as circumstances | demand lor planting bulbous rooting plants. Various kinds of these which were taken up alter blooming and.] ripening may be planted, such as lilies, narcissus, tulips, hyacinths, crocuses, | snowdrops, anemones, ranunculuses, and others, all of which may he got ! in with advantage. With some the sooner the better. Perennials that have done flowering alter being cut back may he transplanted, rdso carnations, pinks, primroses, polyanthus, seedling pansies, and violas. Propagate if required cuttings ol evergreen and other flowering .shrubs. Sow seeds of stocks, both ten week and others, also mignonette and various other annuals, for flowering early next season. Chrysanthemums.—Watei these with liquid manure, and pay attention to taking tho buds as previously advised, or, in other words, thin out the buds where really good flowers are desired. Remove seed pods from roses, also suckers. Tie up and train climbing roses. These are making a lot of growth now, and should he attended to without delay, or these strong growths may bo blown out or be broken by heavy winds. Prune and tie or nail in other creepers. Tie up dahlias, chrysanthemums, and other tall-growing plants. Gather seeds of all choice plants. Continue the work of laying down new lawns from seed or turf as required. Alow lawns and roll alter heavy rains. This will keep the surface smooth and in good condition. Clip verges of paths and beds to give a clean and tidy finish. THE TOMATO HOUSE Generally speaking tomatoes at this season of the year arc more or less subject to that troublesome disease tomato blight or Dactyliura roseum. It is a kind of mildew, which forms largo brown spots, and if not checked in its early stage or when first seen quickly spreads all over the house. In such 1 cases it is best to remove all or nearly all the leaves. Although the fruit jvill not grow, in size after the leaves

have been removed, it will ripen quite well. Wher tho trouble is only partial I should advise trimming the leaves. Remove all yellow or scared leaves, and trim half of each of the remaining leaves to admit more light ami air. We are at a season now when very little water will be required. Give abundance of air, especially on hot days. Give this both day and night except when very wet and cold changes occur. Still continue to remove all side shoots or surplus growth. ANSWERS “ L.A.8.” asks when should olearia hedges be cut.—Any time that they require clipping, excepting in mid-winter, when frosts are severe. Now is quite safe. Very little more growth will be made alter clipping now. “ Suvla.”—lf the Beauty of Nice stock is double flowered, it will be useless for seed. Seeds come from single flowers. (2) If yon cut the tops fairly hard back they will give some second bloom next season, but young ones are best. “St. Clair,”-—Yon sny your lawn was,.so badly affected with grub that you dug it np. Leave the surface as rough as possible for the winter, apply a good dressing of fresh lime, and in spring give the ground a good dusting of artificial manure, and sow flown again. A little clay mixed in the soil will do good, but good loam soil is better, or farmyard manure. “ Club Root.”—(1) 1 should advise liming and manuring well your ground, as most likely it will be somewhat exhausted. The most practical advice 1 oau give you to get rid of club root is to follow the principle of rotation of crops, a subject that 1 will explain more fully in my notes next week. (-) You say your peas were a failure this season. Reas cannot be successfully grown without lime. Trench and manure your ground. Then topdress with Ircsh lime. Do this at once. Leave it for the winter, and sow and plant, in spring. I think you will find your crops will do better, II.C.