THE GARDEN.

Putaruru Press, Volume I, Issue 9, 13 December 1923, Page 1

THE GARDEN.

(W. C. Hyde, in the Journal of A gri culture ). VEGETABLE CULTURE. Hoeing, weeding and thinning the main crops arc operations of first importance at this period. If the onion crop is late and there is danger of it being attacked with mildew an application of bordeaux, 2—2—40, should be made. The seedlings of brussels sprouts, early and late broccoli, savoy, cabbage, kale, celery and leeks should now be under way. A piece of good land, well .manured, should be made ready for planting them cut; frequently they follow on the early crops of potatoes and peas. Plant them out towards the end of December, planting brussels sprouts and early broccoli first. Water the beds well before lifting the plants, and remove suckers from celery-plants before planting them in the trenches. Sweet maize should be sown now. Egg plants (aubergines) and Chile peppers (capsicums), sweet and hot, should be planted out without delay. These interesting luxuries of the garden should be more generally grown.

TOMATOES. Cultivation (but not too deep), pinching out Literals, and tying the plants to their supports are the chief operations for December. Should the plants need a fungicide spray, apply bordeaux, 41 —TO (41b bluestone, 41b quicklime, and 40 gallons water). If more convenient 61b of washing soda may take the place of the quicks’ lime. THE FLOWER GARDEN. Here, too, special care should be : taken to prevent weeds seeding. Herbaceous plants requiring support , should be given early attention. Remove all seed pods as soon as blooms fall. About the middle of the month most garden-hedges will need trimming. Backward plants can be helped with a little liquid manure. Superphosphate, sulphate of potash, and nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia are water soluble; use them sparingly and apply only when the soil is moist.