IN THE GARDEN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 9 January 1931, Page 3

IN THE GARDEN

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK THE VEGETABLE PLOTS The best advice to amateurs during (lie present dry spell and the restricted use of the hose for watering purposes is to keep the hoe moving. Another sowing of dwarf beaus may bo made. There is always a risk with late sowings. The main point is to keep the plants growing. Do not stint moisture. Plant out savoys, cauliflower, broccoli and leeks. Frequent small sowings of broccoli should be made. Support the growths of asparagus. If the growths are allowed to get broken and spoiled it acts detrimentally to the next season’s crop, which depends upon a proper maturing of the summer and autumn growths. Any vacant ground not being utilised for a time should be sown in lupins, oats or turnips, and the crop dug in later on. Green manuring checks weeds out and adds humus to the soil. Give the rhubarb bed a good dressing of manure. If stable manure is not available use superphosphate and bonedust, and mulch with old garden refuse, such as lawn mowings, old ieaves. Remove the flower stems of rhubarb. It is exhausting the plants to no purpose to allow them to seed unless the seed is really required. Tomatoes are now requiring plenty of attention. All lateral growths should be pinched out and all plants securely tied up to their supports. They should also be kept well sprayed, especially during this humid weather. To keep down the caterpillar pest, it is well to add arsenate of lead to the Bordeaux mixture when spraying. All crops sucli as carrots and parsnips should be kept thinned out as the different sowings come on. A small sowing might be made now for winter use. Most of the work in the garden at present will consist of pushing the plants forward as quickly as possible. This may be helped a lot by constant use of the hoe or rake to keep the weeds down and the soil in a good condition.

Pumpkins will now be well forward. If they have not already been pinched back this should be done without delay. The object is to get as many runners as possible, so they will carry, a large number of medium-sized pumpkins. The same may be done to marrows but they do not as a rule grow so long as pumpkins do. Rock melons and water melons alsq should be pinched back as soon as they have four or five joints. Four or five runners to each plant is quite enough for these melons to carry unless they are under glass, in which case this number may be doubled. As soon as the melons have set fruit liquid manure will be a great help, to them but it must not be too strong to begin with. Celery may still be planted but large sized plants must not be expected if planted now. Leeks may still be sown and if plants are available may be planted out. ’MIDST THE FLOWERS Attention must bo given to staking and tying of the plants in the borders. Tall growers are likely to go down unless they are supported. The layering of border carnations can be commenced as soon as everything is ready. The plants must be thoroughly cleaned of bad or old foliage before commencing the work. Seed of perennials and biennials can be sown. Hollyhocks, Canterbury bells, sweet Williams, marguerite carnations, myosotis, wallflowers, can all be sown now, and will produce strong plants for autumn planting. The soil around, dahlias should be kept loose with frequent hoeings to encourage a strong, free growth. The dahlia plants should be encouraged to produce three or four shoots as near to the ground as possible. This may mean that the top of the main stem may have to be pinched out to encourage the side growths. Chrysanthemums must be kept growing by having the soil round the plants kept loose and friable. See that the plants are kept securely staked.. Plants for garden decoration that have not been stopped should be stopped as soon as possible to encourage a dwarf, bushy plant. A topdressing of about an inch of nice rich soil can be given to the strongest plants. At the same time too much manure, so as to Droduce a soft, sappy growth must be avoided. A little Lonedust mixed with the topdressing can be given. Spoilt and dead blooms should be removed from plants as soon as possible. The majority of annuals can be kept flowering over a much longer period if the dead blooms are removed so as to prevent seed forming. Any seed pods on rhododendrons or azaleas should be removed. It takes a lot out of a plant to have to produce seed, and is a waste of energy if the seed is not required. Shrubs as they go out of flower should have a pruning. As a rule all that is necessary is to keep the plants a good shape and bushy, and to prevent them becoming leggy or straggling about. This may mean hard or very light pruning, according to the variety. As a rule a great deal of pruning is not required. Sweet peas must be kept free of old. blooms and seed pods if they are to continue blooming. Violets, now they are out of flower, are apt to be overlooked. Yet, it is a time when care and attention are of utmost importance if the plants are to bn kept healthy. During dry weather violet plants are very subject to red spider and it is only by keeping the leaves thoroughly clean that we can ward off an attack. Unfortunately, it is not until red spider has a good hold of the plants that its effects become noticeable. All plants should be thoroughly sprayed with clear water regularly, special attention being paid to the under sides of the leaves. The soil about the plants should be kept well stirred and free from weeds. If any new plants are wanted for autumn, leave sufficient runners. A watering with a solution of one ounce nitrate of soda in two gallons of water benefits the plants. A mulching with well-rotted manure will assist the plants through the hot weather.

Even if blooms of carnations are not required for any other purpose than house or garden decoration, it is advisable now to carry out a little disbudding. so that the buds left may develop into fair-sized flowers. Staking and tying should also be attended to in good time. Be careful not to make the ties too tight,, or the stems will get snapped.