GARDENING FOR JUNE.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 31 May 1917, Page 3

GARDENING FOR JUNE.

Kit CHEN GARDEN

As recommended last month, if not already done, plant out strawberries on a well-manured plot of ground. Select plot of ground intended for carrots, onions and parsnips ; manure trench up and allow to remain in rough state until time to sow seed. iSow cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, and a little red cabbage, to have plants in readiness for planting in spring. Plants raised from seed sown this month will not run to seed. A small bed of leeics may also be sown for early planting. Broad beans sow for succession; also earliest variety of peas, in warm dry locality. Plant early potatoes in a^vvarin sheltered situation. Continue to earth up celery as required. Keep the soil well stirred around potatoonions and shallots ; hoe, weed, and mould up all crops that require it; destroy slugs by frequent dustings of lime. Wheel manure on to vacant ground, clear away all rubbish, dig and trench, and as you dig leave the surface soil in as rough a state as possible.

FLOWER GARDEN. Plant, re-arraDge, and divide all herbaceous plants, m doing which care should fae taken to keep the tallest and strongest growing varieties at the back of the borders, or in the middle of beds or clumps, and the colours and varieties so disposed that the whole may appear to best advantage when in flower. Finish planting out !ate flowering varieties of bulbs, and «tir the soil round those that arc growing. The hardier varieties of lilhes, with many others, should be planted now ; plant lib'unis from six inches deep; and other small bulbs from two to three inches deep. Stir the surface soil about spring flu waring bulbs. Make up beds of carnations, picotees, and pinks ; give a dressing of soot and well slaked lime to destroy their great enemy, the whe worm. Pansies and violas, or violets, plant; the situation selected for these should be naturally moist, but'not moist through want of drainage; the ground ought to be well dug, and if poor enriched with cow manure. Camellias, thin flower bucls where necessary, and remove all decayed blooms; by a judicious selection of varieties a continuous display of blooms may bo kept up throughout the winter months. Attend to pruning hard and deciduous shrubs and tree 3, reg"lating the branches to keep the plants in good natural form and within bounds, . being all that is annually required. Climbers on walls, trellises and arbours should be thinned out and trained if not already done.

THE ORCHARD This month prune the trees gooseberries. It is also usual to prune vines as soon as the leaf falls, but on this subject there are different opinions. Fruit trees should now be planted, for which purpose choose dry weather. It is bad to plant in sloppy ground. Plane shallow, not more than two ar three inches deeper than the tree was before, if that. Dig the land fine fii'st, and spread the roots very carefully out round the trees. Cover >vith well crumbled earth and press lightly down, securing with at least one stake. Prune down the branches, but be careful to preserve the roots (unless injured). The apples are the hardiest and do >vith the least shelter. They are also the latest to plant, Gooseberries and currants should be pruned and planted this month, and pay strict attention to pruning. Remove suckers and hunt: insects. Keep land dry and well drained for winter rains. Plant strawberries.

PAEM. Fence off turnips as required for stock. Let the young cattle and stores clean, up breaks. Keep fat stock going ahead on the new breaks. Be careful not to put stock on a fresh break towards evening, as it will be injurious for them to eat top many turnips if frosted. Young horses will winter well on swedes. Plant breaks of shelter trees; Lawsoniana and macrocarpa do well for this purpose; the former, though, perhaps, slower growing, always gives shelter close to the ground ; the latter will always be worth growing, as they maice good posts, also good firewood. See to fencing shelter hedges securely, as planting trees without good fences is just throwing money away. Out thorn hedges where required. See that drains and pipes are kept clean and running proyerly. Oq wet lands tiled drains, drains made with wood V-shaped, or drains of tea-tree scrub, will be money well laid out. Clean road sides and grub furze.