THE GARDEN

Southland Times, Issue 24819, 11 August 1942, Page 6

THE GARDEN

AUGUST PROGRAMME By RIWHI August is a very busy month with all gardeners. Time lost during winter has often to be made up, there is much preparatory work to do out of doors and many seeds to sow under glass. Besides this there are seedlings of half hardy annuals such as nemesia, antirrhinum, lobelia, and tomatoes to be pricked out Cuttings of chrysanthemums should be potted into separate pots and should be given more air with a view to hardening them off. Cuttings may be taken from geraniums which have been wintered indoors. Pot plants may be topdressed or divided and repotted during the month. Wherever they are found to be pot bound the shift to a larger pot will be of immediate benefit. THE FLOWER GARDEN Rose pruning should be done now and should be completed before the end of the month. Cut out old diseased and dead wood and shorten back strong growths to an outward pointing bud, leaving four or five buds in all. Weaker growths may be shortened back to one or two buds. At the first opportunity loosen up the surface soil in all flower beds and tighten up any plants loosened by frost. Fork in some old leaf mould around polyanthus, anemones and ranunculi and give another dressing of lime to wallflower beds. Beds dug but vacant should be forked over to aerate them and warm them up. Where the herbaceous border has not been attended to, digging, manuring and liming should be considered as urgent.

The planting of trees, shrubs and roses may be continued till the end of the month, but planting at the earliest opportunity is advised. With late plantings particular care should be taken to see that conditions for proper establishment are as favourable as possible. Shelter from drying winds and even watering may be necessary. For the planting of evergreens late August is very favourable apart from the danger of windy weather. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN Most important here is to complete the winter digging programme. Lime should be applied liberally to all dug ground. Areas where greens are to be grown may still be manured. Areas already dug and weathered down may be forked over preparatory to seed sowing. No general sowings of seeds should be made till mid-September when the soil will have reached a temperature at which germination of most seeds will be possible. Seed'- of early crops such as spinach, lettuce, turnips, peas and broad beans may be sown on sheltered sites where the soil has been well prepared. Young cabbage, cauliflower and lettuce may also be planted out where sheltered sites are available. A few early potatoes should be planted where they can be given protection from frosts. Seed potatoes for the main crop should be in trays sprouting. Autumn planted crops need a pick-me-up in August—some concentrated fertilizer given in small doses and a good dressing of lime will serve the purpose well.