THE WEEK'S WORK AT A GLANCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 323, 7 April 1928, Page 24

THE WEEK'S WORK AT A GLANCE

THE FLOWER GARDEN April and May are months of genial day temperatures and cool j nights with fine conditions occasionally broken by moderate £ showers. Vast opportunity is now offering the enthusiastic home- i planner for embarking upon a big spring beautification scheme. > This is the last month for planting spring bulbs and further < delay will be fatal if early blooms are expected. For best displays < the massing of bulbs is recommended and subjects most suitable for / this purpose are anemone, ranunculus, daffodils, jonquils, iris and > tulips. * •, For borders the following bulbs are effective: —Freesias, sparr xias, lachenalias, triton!as, babianas and crocus. Growing bulbs > in pots for table decoration is becoming increasingly popular. For j this work, tulips, lachenalias and hyacinths are the most effective. < Early violets are beginning to show bloom and should be care- j fully weeded and continually hoed if good crops are required. i Backward plants may receive liquid ammonia. All house ferns and table plants require attention this month. i Dead foliage should be picked off and the plants fed with some good plant stimulant. This often helps the plants through the i colder months of the year. Flower seed sowings are most important and gardeners should \ make preparations for the coming spring effects. Sow the follow- ; ing seeds in the open borders: Mignonette, Virginian stock, linaria, j dwarf nasturtium, candytuft, linum ancl phlox. Flower seeds for sowing in boxes or frames are numerous and < gardeners must select their favourites from the following list: > Xemesia, stock, antirrhinum, calliopsis. poppy, gaillardia, aqui- > peas and cornflower. legia, canterbury bell, lobelia, pansies, violas, wallflower, swe " / Flowering shrubs such as hydrangeas should be trimmed and ; cuttings of geranium, fuchsias, roses, etc., taken. ( Lawns may be patched up and resown where necessary and \ a general cleaning up take place. \ THE VEGETABLE GARDEN The most important sowing in the vegetable garden for ti, :< ? month is onion seed. All garden plots should grow their o-v: > plants. loz of seed will raise 1,000 plants. Straw Spanish is th most favoured in Auckland district producing the biggest crop. Greens and salads should constitute a considerable portion c: ; our food. The majority of them are easily grown and are adapter to a wide range of soils and climates. Mustard and cress may no" '■ be sown in beds. Sow cress four days before mustard so that tiv_ two may be ready for cutting together. The following root crops can now be sown: Beet, turnip rooted and long red; carrot, early born and long red; onions, straw Spanish and early globe; turnips, white and golden ball; parsnip. I.ollowcrown and garden swedes. Beds should be prepared for setting ga.rlic. shallots and potat onions. The ground should be deeply worked and potash added Broad beans may be set in drills at once. Early planting i.the onlj’ successful way of cultivating this crop owing to tk bumble bee and rust during the late spring. Seeds or plants of cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, savoys, silvr beet and spinach winter, should be in everybody’s garden.' ’ Backward crops may be forced along by using nitrate of soda loz ixgallon. Deep digging and sowing of green manure is an importan: operation that should take place now. Chemical manures argood, stable manure is better and green manure, providing humus is an asset to every garden. Mustard, lupins, oats and rye are tlv principal varieties used. The herb gardens have now finished flowering and the heads should be cut off and the* plants carefully trimmed. Parslev seed may be sown in drills and plants of thyme and sage can be > carefully layered for new stock. ~ \