THE WEEK’S WORK AT A GLANCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 910, 1 March 1930, Page 30

THE WEEK’S WORK AT A GLANCE

AMONG THE FLOWERS LOOK AFTER DAHLIAS AND "MUMS.” —Dahlias will be growing strongly and will need supporting; see that they are regularly fastened to their stakes or the first wind that comes along will snap them off at the top tie. Chrysanthemums, too, need regular attention and need to be firmly staked, for they are every bit as brittle as the dahlias. MANURE HELPS. —A muicli of manure about both dahlias and chrysanthemums will help them wonderfully, for not only will they receive additional supplies of food from it, but also the soil will be kept cool and moist in a nice growing condition. WATCH ASTERS. —Asters must be watered regularly. The early planted ones will be coming into flower now, but will not be nearly so good as those we can expect next and the following month. Water and an occasional application of weak liquid manure will keep them moving in the right direction. Caterpillars eating the leaves may be held in check by using Arsenate of Lead. SPRING BULBS. —Commence planting all spring bulbs for a later display such as tulips, hyacinths, anemones, ranunculus, ixias, tritonias. iris, babianas, freesias, alliums, crinums, jonquils and daffodils. FLOWER SEEDS. —Autumn sowing of flower seeds is equally as important as spring, and heavy plantings should take place now if gardeners are thinking of growing their own plants. Here are some of the best to sow now: Cineraria (Annual). —Sow in pans or shallow boxes, covering seed very lightly. Cineraria do well, but require a little attention. Columbine (Perennial). —Sow seed this month in an open seed-bed, and hurry the young stock out into the flowering quarters as early as possible. Primula (Annual). —Sow this seed anywhere you like in a light soil. It germinates freely. Malacoides is the name of the outdoor bedding variety. Verbena (Perennial). —Plant in hot position eight to twelve inches apart. Grows to a height of from six to eighteen inches. Very eager. Antirrhinum. —A useful biennial, supplying many beautiful colours. Excellent border or bedding plants; also valuable as a cut bloom. Poppy (Annual). —Iceland poppy seed is usually sown this month. Raise in boxes, and transplant as early as possible into the flowering quarters. A further list for autumn sowing will be published next week. AMONG THE VEGETABLES WEEDING. —Weeds are most active now and most summer sorts are about to seed. Get them out right away and save work next year. There is nothing that makes the working of a vegetable, or, for that matter, the flower garden easier than regular -weeding. There is no easy method of keeping the weeds down; just hand-pull them or chip with a hoe. » LETTUCE FOR SALADS. —Lettuce is still needed for salads and should be sown -where it is to grow and thinned out afterward. Lettuce, like many other plants, may be transplanted, but is fifty times better if sown in rows and thinned out. Let -the plants stand about nine inches apart. WINTER CARROTS. —Carrots may also be sown, and a sowing made every three weeks till about the middle of April. They will be in bearing during the winter and are not only useful as vegetables, but are much appreciated in soups, etc. Make good sowings. Remember to sow only on land heavily manured for a previous crop, as freshly-manured land makes the roots fork. BEETROOT. —Beetroot can also be sown. Do not transplant this line as is often done. Transplanted plants are slow in growing and never make the large roots so much appreciated. Turniprooted Egyptian or long-rooted sorts are both popular. The longrooted sorts give the heaviest return, however. TWO ROOT CROPS. —Radishes are still necessary for salads, and can be sown every fortnight. To get the best out of this line they must be grown quickly. Rich ground is immaterial, but daily watering is necessary. Thin out for large roots. The main crop of swede turnips can go in right away. Sow where the plants are to grow, and thin out to 15 inches apart. Use when half grown. WINTER GREENS/-— Seed-beds should be prepared and sown for cabbages, cauliflowers. If you followed out last month’s advice and sowed your seed of these lines earlier they will be well up by now. They should be kept moving by liberal applications of water assisted by a mulch. If the plants in the seed-beds or boxes are too thick, they may be pricked out when in second leaf about four inches apart to prevent them becoming spindly and drawn. PLANTING OUT.— Where there is plenty of water available, as in most suburban gardens, there is, of course, no need to wait for rain to fall before setting out the plants, and they may be moved right away out of the seed-boxes when in second leaf into the place where they are to grow. Always select the largest and throw away the weaklings. As most gardeners raise about four times as many seedlings as they can use this is easily done and makes for a better crop. It doesn’t pay to grow weaklings.