THE WEEK’S WORK AT A GLANCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 44, 14 May 1927, Page 25 (Supplement)

THE WEEK’S WORK AT A GLANCE

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. Continue sowing thinly in drills the following root crops: Onions, early and late turnips, garden swede, beet, carrot, parsnip, and radish. The young seedlings will have to be watched carefully and protected from the ravages of slugs and snails. May is one of the best months for broad bean planting for early spring use. They mature before the bumble bee ruins the crops. Collect and store all pumpkins, marrows, etc., before the weather gets colder. These should be worth looking after as the price of pumpkins will soar very high later on. Stack on shelves or wire netting racks where plenty of air circulates freely. In gardens that are sheltered from frost early potatoes may be planted and where these will thrive early peas may be sown. Nothing is more delightful than new potatoes and green peas. Garlic and shallots may be planted in beds in rows 9in. apart and 15in. between the rows. The distance apart for planting vegetables should be ruled by the size of the kitchen plot. If you have plenty of space don’t crowd your crops together. Extensive preparations should be commenced for the planting of asparagus, strawberries and rhubarb. All these may be planted early in June. Plant out cabbage, cauliflower and lettuce seedlings; sprinkle the ground freely with tobacco dust or lime so that the garden pests may have a warm welcome. THE FLOWER GARDEN. May is the month that heralds the coming of many early spring flowers. Violets are beginning to bloom freely; see that they are well weeded and keep continuously picking the flowers so as to prolong their flowering period. Many of the early daffodils are in leaf; when hoeing the beds be careful not to destroy or cut the bulbs. It is not too late yet for a further planting of bulbs, but don’t delay any longer. Gladioli, lilium and arum lily bulbs should now be lifted and fresh beds prepared for replanting. Plenty of sand can be added to the soil. The following seedling plants may be bedded out in warm spots in the garden:—Nemesia, cineraria, poppies, stocks, antirrhinum and lobelia; these will flower early in spring. Attend to those rose beds, cut back all dead wood and weed out varieties that are weak growers. Mulch your beds with rotted cow or stable manure. Sow the following seeds in seed pans or boxes: —Pansy, delphinium, calliopsis, gaillardia, nemesia, carnation, stocks, cinerarias, lobelia, godatia, schizanthus, poppy and antirrhinum. Cut the old wood off the herbacious plants; Michaelmas daisy, shasto daisy, golden rod, golden glow, helenium, etc. This will give the young shoots that are breaking away from the roots a better chance to take charge.

GARDEN PEAS AND THEIR CULTIVATION In sheltered gardens pea sowing should be almost a fortnightly event from the month of May to the month of November. Only by constantly repeated sowings can a succession of well-filled pods be obtained. The garden pea is botanically known as Pisum sativum, and the field pea as Pisum arvense, the latter variety being grown largely for its haulm which is used for fodder; it is hardier and has brownish red seeds. This vegetable was cultivated over 2,000 years ago for its edible seeds. The name Pisum is derived from Pisa, a town once famous for peas. Before the introduction of potatoes, peas were largely eaten by the working classes in England and Europe, and being very rich in nitrogen was doubtless the cause of the splendid muscular development among the peasantry. For the cultivation of the main crop of peas a rich loam will give the best results —a composition of which lime is a principal ingredient. For the early crops a very warm situation is necescessary, the ground in all cases being well drained. Manures should be applied accQrding to the quality of the soil. Very often peas thrive in ground that was manured for the last crop Blood is an excellent manure for peas if applied dry and raked in. On no account use nitrate of soda, as this turns the foliage yellow. If using manure in the drills when sowing peas cover with two inches of soil before planting the seed. Guano is the safest artificial manure to use at the time of planting. Rotted stable manure is easily the best manure if well dug in before planting. When the ground is ready mark the distance between the rows. If the ground room is limited of the variety. The dwarf varieties such as Wm. Hurst, Little Gem and American Wonder, should be planted 2ft 6in apart. The intermediate varieties should be 3ft 6in apart and the tall varieties about 6ft between the rows. If the ground room is limited then the distance may be decreased a little, but it is well known that peas with plenty of room thrive and bear heavier crops. Do not sow the seeds too thickly; lib wil sow a 50ft row; taller varieties, lib will sow 70 to 80ft in length. When the taller varieties are up 6in

to Bin, they should be staked before the haulm bends. THE GARDEN BEAUTIFUL “A home is not a home unless it is surrounded by a wealth of flowers.” There are many beautiful and stately homes that are utterly spoilt by untidy and neglected gardens; it is impossible to have the ideal home unless the grounds surrounding it are refined and in keeping with the house. Many old and unsightly homes or long-vacated coach stables are made beautiful by the trees, shrubs and creepers that surround them. There is no better investment a man can make than beautify his home garden. The value of his property increases 25 per cent, his health increases 25 per cent, and the pleasure he installs in his home is ample payment for the little trouble taken.

valuable for growing Cactus. Sempwidiuns or any plants that adapt themselves to a dry situation. The styles of this potware | are numerous and varied and give | a pleasing effect dotted along I driveways. SOW SEEDS THINLY A very common mistake among amateur gardeners, especially those doing garden work for the first time is the sowing of seeds too thickly. Vegetables which come too thick get overcrowded and should be thinned out but often the beg»inn£r does not make a satisfactory job of this. Cases in which thick sowing is justified are: (.1) If the seeds are known to be a low percentage of germination (.germination tests can easily be made by placing 50 or 100 seeds between layers of moist blotting paper). (2) If the soil is so stiff that delicate seedlings have difficulty in getting through. (3) If it is desired to utilise the extra plants, either by transplanting or for greens. (4) If there is danger that many of the plants will be destroyed by insects or other pests. Vegetable crops should not be sown too thickly and require to be thinned out early, partly because delay means overcrowding and weakly plants, and also because there is less disturbance of the roots of the plants that remain if the work is done while the plants are yet small. In order that seeds may germinate it is necessary that moist earth come closely in contact with them. After

they are covered, therefore, the soil, if at all dry should be pressed down. TULIP CULTIVATION More beautiful than a rare oriental rug, more inspiring than the work of a famous painter, a treasure alike for royalty and peasants, glorious yet humble, they are a common heritage to the lover of the beautiful. Every year their popularity increases, every home should grow a few bulbs either in the garden or in bowls of fibre in the house. Like other plants and bulbs there are numerous varieties and classes of tulips. For amateur cultivation, Darwin and Parrot tulips will prove the best and most satisfactory strains to grow. The aspect for planting should be well sheltered from the winds on level ground because of the advantage of rain falling on the ground and sinking into the bed. Well rotted cow dung dug well below the base of the bulbs and a scattering of sand on the surface of the ground will cause the bulbs to come out of the soil at lifting time clean and of a bright brown colour. Tulips should be lifted every year and stored in a cool, dry spot in trays or boxes. Some varieties grow taller than others; these should be planted in the centre of the bed and the shorter varieties round the edge. Plant the bulbs 6in apart and 2in deep. If growing in a pot of soil plant 5 bulbs in an Bin pot. v - BULBS GROWN IN WATER Practically any well-ripened bulb may be in water. The best receptacle is a shallow bowl or basin Procure some clean pebbles or sand and place in the bottom of the bowl. Bulb fibre and moss packed tightly round the bulb keeps t from moving about. Then fill the glass with w&ter and place in a cool, airy position. When the bulb commences growth bring into a light position in a warm room. Hyacinth and Narcissus lend themselves especially for this work. IN WINDOW BOXES Many charming effects may be attained in gardenless areas with the help of a few simple window boxes. A mass of bloom can be attained through the spring and summer months if this form of garden culture is adopted. Drainage is a most essential point with box work —to see that the water does not lodge in the bottom and so sour the soil. Many seeds and plants are suitable »r window box culture. Among the annuals may be mentioned such showy subjects as Mignonette, Lobelia, Alyssum, Phlox, Petunia, Nasturtium. Pansy, etc. Along the back of the box perennials such as Geraniums. Irisene, Lantana Asparagus, etc., often give a charming effect, with a few trailing annuals sown along the front which could be changed to suit the months of the year. PHOTOGRAPHS APPRECIATED The garden editor will always be very pleased for interesting photographs of plant life submitted with a view to publication. Photographs addressed to the garden editor, if forwarded in open packages, marked “Photos Only,” will travel at book rates A short description of the photographs should be -written on the back. In doing this place the photographs on a hard surface to prevent the pen or pencil from creating a depression in the paper. The Puzzled Gardeners’ column is available to all readers, who are invited to send in queries which will be answered promptly. Suggestions from readers will be appreciated at all times. “GIVE ME A GARDEN’' I want not a garden where people pass With measuring look and censuring eye. And know each time I "have cut the grass And where I have planted things and why. Where windows look, with shades halfdrawn, | Like tired eyes on a dull parade, On the well-pressed sod of an empty lawn And the lonesome cool of the maple’s shade.

! Give me a garden behind a wall. ; Where sentinel hollyhocks guard the | Where never the world comes in at all Or the dangerous noise of a manmade day; Where every casement frames a scene That the hand of God has painted free, | And faerie fancies dance between The flowers for only my heart and —Lawrence McKinney. PLANTING SPECIMEN TREES j June is the correct month of the year for tree planting. It is desirable to have at least one good specimen tree I in the centre of a lawn in everv garj den. The best trees for such a purpose are the Cedars, the Deodar or Indian Cedar, grown to a pyramid shape, is the favourite of the Cedar family. A very quick and beautiful growing tree for forming a specimen is Sequoid Gigantea; and the beautiful Japanese tree Crystomeria Japonica makes a fine isolated specimen, as do many varieties of cypressus and Thuja. It is a fortunate thing that none of the coniferae are very particular as to the soil, though they do best in a good deep loam that is fairly light and well drained. When planting a tree it is desirable to put a cartload of new light soil into the hole prepared for it; that is, of course, if the suitability of the natural soil is doubted. After planting, staking should be carefully done to prevent the tree swaying about in the wind.

CARE OF INDOOR PLANTS Now that school holiday time is here and everybody is rushing about from place to place, indoor plants suffer more than at any period of the year. With the house shut, up and the windows closed all day and the sun beating down on the iron roof, many deaths are caused in the plant life. Perhaps the most popular of drawing-room plants are the palms and aspidistras. These are really not hard to grow, although many complaints are often made by people who do not understand their treatment, and invariably ileglectaccounts for many palms dying off. A few short hints on the principal facts of indoor pot culture may prove helpful. The most important thing to remember when buying a new palm is to be sure that you procure it from a reliable shop'or nursery mam; beware of hawkers or auction rooms, as invariably palms and plants picked up cheaply are diseased and not properly established. Every three or four months an application of liquid manure or clay fertiliser. weak solutions, could be used with advantage. This should be sufficient to give the foliage a nice green healthy appearance. Palms require fairly small pots and with the help of a little manure they should not need repotting for at least two years. Pot plants should not be allowed to become dry or caked hard. The best way is to plunge the pot in a pail at least twice a week and leave to soak for half-an-hour. Scale often takes its toll on palms, attacking the foliage. A weekly sponging of water will keep the leaves clean and reduce the likelihood of disease. Never expose the foliage to the sunlight. as the warmth turns the leaves yellow and often scorches them. If these few simple hints are remembered the loss of palms should be greatly reduced.

LAYERING Plants which are commonly increased by layering are strawberry, carnation violet and such shrubs as rhododendron, luculia, etc. Layering has this advantage, it provides good-sized plants at once. The shoot or branch to be layered is bent down so that at one point it touches the ground. At that point it is slit about half-way through and the slit portion is secured in the ground by means of a small ; peg. It is usual to place fine soil or sand round the split part so as to , help roots to form more easily. LAWN DRESSING BEFORE THE SUMMER MONTHS There is nothing that lends more charm to the appearance of the home than a well-tended lawn. A neatly-cut and well-rolled lawn is a good sight to look upon, quite apart from the flora, effect of dazzling flower-beds with their various colour schemes. April and May are good months to patch up the bare spots in the lawn that may have occurred owing to a bad summer, etc. Rake the dead gras?from the unsightly places and add some fine soil before sowing seed. Half an ounce of good lawn seed mixture per square yard should be sufficient and afterwards top-dress with good loamy soil. The best top-dressing manure to stimulate the growth and thus reduce the annual weeds is as follows:—101b superphosphate, 51b sulphate of am monia, s!b bonedust, enough to cover 100 square yards. This is used at tbi rate of 3oz to the square yard. By doing this now you will improve your lawn 100 per cent and also help to keep that lovely green appearance through the ary summer months. WATER LILY CULTURE Contrary to general belief water lilies may quite well be introduced into a garden where no pond or lake ifavailable. Of course, the best effect is gained when displayed in a pond, but excellent results are obtained by growing lilies in barrels sunk in the gar- | den. The barrels should be 2ft in depth. The best material for lilies to | root in is a good loamy soil with plenty , of decayed manure mixed with it. The i roots are planted in the heap of soil ! before the water is poured in.

If possible, the water should be slightly warmed and softened by’ standing in the sun before pouring into the tub. If there is any fear of the lilies' roots not remaining in position a few flat stones can be pinned round them. If a tub of water is crowded with

plants the foliage and flowers will ris. in heaps, instead of gracefully tloutin? an ordinary-sized barrel. After-cultivation simply consists o seeing that the lilies have plenty o water and preventing its stagnated it mav be aerated. If space permits, some other aquati plants may be grow n over rooks rouiv appearance. WINDOW BOXES the mud specks on the window, cause, by the rain splashing on the soil. Thi in the'’ window* box is covered with . Incidentally? the fibre prevents th. Plants are'kept coollmd damp. ' MANURES AND FERTILISERS Stable Manure The most valuable of all manure: is that from the farmyard or stable, lo it supplies the soil with humus or moult which is essential to the continue* fertility of the land. Basic Slag Supplies lime and phosphates and i valuable for top-dressing lawns. 1 may’ be applied with advantage in tlv autumn at the rate of Goz per squaryard.

Sulphate of Ammonia Is a quick-acting nitrogenous fertitiliser, used chiefly to push on cabbage and lettuce. Valuable when mixed with potash and super for tomatoes, loz to the gallon, in liquid or £oz per square yard and raked in. Nitrate of Soda Used in the same way as the above, and at the same rate, but it is quickeracting and needs to be used with greater care or it will force the plants into weakly' and spindly growth. Bonedust This is a splendid fertiliser, but slow, and may be applied in the spring to almost anything without fear of hurting the crop. It is useful also for all bulb life, also for mixing in potting composts. Wood Ashes - Ashes from the garden fire are rich in potash and may’ be applied with advantage. Sifted and kept dry they are splendid * for onion and carrot crops, scattered freely on soil. ANSWERS TO PUZZLED GARDENERS H.J., Epsom.—We thank you for your kind remarks about our paper. The best varieties of apples for your situation, are as follows: Delicious. Jonathan, Gravenstein and Granny Smith (cooker). Prepare the ground for these now and plant early in June. S.M., Papatoetoe.—Yes, rhubarb may be lifted. A spade will be found useful when cutting through the roots. Bo careful not to destroy any ey’es in the crown of the root.