SPRING ADVICE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 762, 7 September 1929, Page 30

SPRING ADVICE

LOOKING AHEAD During the winter months there has been little opportunity for the amateur gardener to pursue his hobby before or after work on the week days. What little has been done has been on week-ends and holidays. Now, however, the very feeling of spring is in the air and the blossoms announce far and wide that spring has come. With the lengthening and warmer days comes an increased interest in the garden, and we find our gardening friend's feet turning to the garden paths to see if those bulbs he tucked away so carefully in the autumn are yet showing, or if the annuals he planted so carefully are full of vigour and life. How he welcomes the first hyacinth or daffodil, for these are indeed the sign of warmer weather and longer days. But if he is wise—and gardeners are an exceptionally tyise fraternity—he will remember that when he buried those bulbs or planted out those annuals a garden full of flowers was assured him for the spring, and now he must make preparations for the summer and autumn; for now spring is here summer and autumn follow rapidly, and the floral world is speeding up its growth. It did not matter so much the delaying of planting in the autumn or w-inter —growth was so slow —hut a few weeks overdue now will mean failure instead of success. And so he must now plan and plant for the succeeding months, so that no period shall be marred by a dull, featureless garden. And now, before the manifold duties and pleasures of the late spring and summer are upon us. let us make plans for the future, let us think where we are going to plant the dahlias this year, or the chrysanthemums, what annuals we will plant for the summer or autumn, are we going to have a bed of asters or zinnias? If so, let us make. ready to plant them when the time comes. You w'ill find that your garden looks better and is far more easily handled if you plan ahead. We will try and help you out if you have any difficulties or would like any special information on any class of plant. Write to “The Question Box.” If any of your plants are not doing too well, write and we will try and assist you in determining what is wrong.