THE GARDEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 502, 3 November 1928, Page 30

THE GARDEN

BY LEONARD A. GRIFFITHS,

CAPSICUM OR PEPPERS Several species ot capsicum an cultivated for their seed pods and art popularly known as Chili-peppers. It a green state they are used in salads in pickles and for making vinegar When dried and properly ground the.i make a form of cayenne pepper. Seeds should be sown in boxes 01 seed pans from October to November Earlier sowings may be made if se

j in a hot bed. and when plants are I large enough to handle, prick off into j small pots- or shallow boxes. When j about six inches high, bed out ISin j apart in a warm, sunny spot and keep | well mulched and watered during the ! dry weather. The fruit ripens late in the autumn and may be kept for three or four years in a dry spot. The seed when kept in the pods remains good for five years. ANSWERS FROM THE QUESTION BOX Soil writes his garden ' peas come UP all right, but stop growing. How tan he get over the answer: Peas draw their own nitrogen from the soil by the aid of th|:. : their roots, ,If there ' is none of this manure in the soil that is the cause pf growth stopping. On the other iitCnd. peas making plenty of growth do not require nitrogen as there is plenty in the soil, and a heavy . application would cause the nodules to become overloaded .and turn the peas yellow.

I suggest you apply 2oz Sulphate Potash and 2oz Nitrate of Soda a square yard of ground.

VALUE OF ANNUALS VARIETY FOR EVERY PURPOSE Now that the spring seed sowing has come round again and there is presented to us such a feast of varieties of plantable annuals, a brief survey outlining their respective uses to certain positions will be welcomed, we are sure, by quite a few of our readers. Some of our choicest garden flowers are to be found in what are commonly termed annuals—plants of annual duration—and by exercising a little care and method in their planting from month to month, a blaze of glory may be produced in the garden the whole year round. This class of flowering plant is particularly valuable for massed colour effects, and fortunate indeed is the amateur possessed of an artistic temperament who can arrange his tones and groups whereby a living picture is produced—which is his pride—and the delight of the passer-by. __ Our present article is intended for a rough planting guide to inexperienced home-planners, who are anxious to derive the greatest pleasure and show from their labours. For instance, some annuals produce quite commendable results in poor soils, others thrive in hot dry positions, while quite a number flourish in shady or moist situations. Oft-times the home gardener has just sufficient space to grow a few serviceable flowers for picking. Again, he mav require them purely tor ornaments and Such advice respecting the best foliage and edging plants. We have endeavoured to tabulate the brightest and most easily grown under their respective classes.

For General Bedding Purposes. Aster, Calliopsis, Carnation, Cosmos, Gaillardia, Godetia, Gypsophila, Larkspur, Lupins, Marigold, Mignonette, Pansy, Phlox, Poppies, Salpiglossis, Nemesia, Snapdragon, Stocks, Sunflower, Sweet Peas, Sweet Sultan, Zinnias. For Edging. —Ageratum, Alyssunt, Calliopsis, Candytuft, Lobelia, Calendula, Nasturtium, Pansy, Petunia. Phlox, Linaria, Verbena. Foliage Annuals. Amaranthus-, Koehia. Pyretlirum, Begonia. For Poor Soil. —Alyssum, Balsam. Cornflower, Eschscholtzia, Calliopsis, Godetia, Amaranthus, Nasturtium, Poppy, Portulacca, Celosia, Marigold. For Hot Dry Places. —Eschscholtzia* Marigold, Mesembryantliemum, Portulacca, Phlox, Zinnia, Larkspur, Salvia. For Moist Places. —Mimulus, Linaria.

For Shady Places. Anemone Antirrhinum, Aquilegia, Begonia Daisy, Delphinium, Linum, Foxglove, Pansy, Polyanthus, Primula, Violet.

VEGETABLE HINTS Thinning Out Seedlings Carrots, parsnips and onions should be taken in hand in good time, as the work is much more easily done before the plants get too large, and if a showery day can be chosen for the work, so much the better. It is not necessary to thin out the early carrots so much as the later ones, for the thinning may be carried out as the young roots are required for the kitchen. The same remarks apply to a few drills of onions which can be drawn upon for kitchen purposes. The thinning completed, a good dusting of soot applied in the evening is beneficial to all these young growing crops, and the plying 6t the Dutch hoe must not be overlooked.

T ransplanting Plant out the early-raised cabbages on good, stiff ground, as they draw 7 rather heavily for nutriment, spacing according to vigour of varieties. Should a spell of dry weather be experienced, the early-planted cauliflowers should have a few good waterings, or the curds will form prematurely. If it can be arranged maturing heads would benefit greatly by a few applications of weak liquid manure water. A planting of broccoli should now be made for succession crops. Weeding Keep the hoe .at work: if seedlings weeds be cauglit in their early stages the garden is easily kept afterwards. French beans can now safely be sown in bulk. The old Kentucky wonder climbing bean is well worth its place where a large demand has to b.: met.