THE WEEK’S WORK AT A GLANCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1028, 19 July 1930, Page 30

THE WEEK’S WORK AT A GLANCE

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN PREPARING GROUND. —With the spring months looming ahead gardeners should now be hard at work with the spade preparing the ground for early plantings of peas, beans, potatoes, etc. Deep digging and soil cultivation are two of the most important factors in the vegetable gai’den. The soil may be turned over and left in the sod for the rains and winds to break up. Green manure or bonedust may be dug in to enrich the soil. WINTER SPRAYING. —Fruit trees may now be sprayed with various liquids according to their requirements. Winter spraying is important as the spray may be applied with greater strength while the tree is dormant, thus killing out diseases and insects lying hidden in the bark and crevices. Red Oil is a good all-round winter spray and may also be used on lemons and oranges to kill out scale and smut. ATTENTION TO TREES. —Grass and weeds should be removed from round the trunks and roots of all fruit trees. Blood and bone and super may be dug into the soil as a tree tonic. Commence to prune the trees before the sap starts to rise, removing all dead wood and ingrowing branches. Care should be taken to cut back to an outside bud to encourage the new growth in the right direction. THINGS TO PLANT. —Cabbage and cauliflower plants may be set at once. Early potatoes may be spread out to shoot while the ground is being prepared. Shallots, potato and tree onions may be set at once. Sow a few rows of broad beans. Herbs such as thyme, sage, mint, etc., may be lifted, divided and replanted in fresh soil. Rhubarb, asparagus and strawberry plants may be set in well-manured beds FRUIT TREES. —Commence planting at once fruit trees such as apples, pears, plums, peaches, nectarines, while yet the sap is dormant. Lemons and oranges may be set in sheltered positions, also passion fruit. Shelter trees such as pines, maerocarpa and privet should be planted at once in well-trenched soil. SEEDS TO SOW. —Make small sowings of lettuce, cabbage and cauliflower in beds or boxes for setting out later. Sow in drills turnip, swedes, radish, parsnip, carrot, onion and leek. Thin sowings are advisable as better plants are produced and less work is required when thinning out. AMONG THE FLOWERS HARDY ANNUALS. —Gardeners should now be planting annuals for spring flowers. Among the most hardy for setting now are dianthus or Indian pinks, scabiosa or pin-cushions, calendulas, snapdragons, cinerarias for shady spots, cornflowers, nemesia and stocks. Choose where possible open, sunny aspects where they will receive the maximum amount of sun. BORDER PLANTS. —There are many subjects that can be used for border and edging work and beautiful colour schemes may be worked out with a little forethought. Primula malacoides is a dainty lavender flower excellent for shaded or sunny borders, dwarf blue lobelia flowers for weeks on end. Violas, yellow and blue, are beautiful when massed together. Other useful subjects for planting now are mimulus. pansy dwarf and snapdragon. ROSE HINTS. —New varieties should be planted without delay. Established beds should be pruned back, cutting away all dead and diseased growths. Dig over the soil between the bushes and manure with bonedust. Dwarf annuals may be dotted about in the bed in clumps of six to make a bright show until the roses commence to flower. SHRUBS AND TREES. —Ornamental trees may be planted at once. Dig the holes deeply, loosening the subsoil before planting. Use plenty of rotted manure and bonedust in'tlie process as the tree has to stop there for a number of years. Some popular and showy varieties for planting now are pink luculia, golden acacia, blue lasiandra, hydrangea, scarlet azalea, boronia, heaths, daphnes, rhododendrons and camellias. SUMMER BULBS. —Gladioli bulbs are becoming more popular each season. They may be planted from July till October and will flower from September till January according to the time of planting. Set the bulbs on a handful of sand to protect them from worms and insects. Tiger lilies, Christmas lilies and auratum and arum lilies all may be set from now onward. HERBACEOUS PLANTS. —PeopIe desirous of making a perennial border may do so now. Ileleniums, Michaelmas daisy, golden rod, eampanqlas, golden glow, cannas and iris should all be set at once. This type of plant is a gross feeder and the ground should be heavily manured. Established clumps may be lifted and divided this month if so desired.