The Garden. [By Hortus.]

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 358, 10 April 1889, Page 3

The Garden. [By Hortus.]

I Kitchen Garden. , If the young strawberry plants are jnot already planted out they should be when the first rains occur. The earlier they are planted the stronger the plants will become and the better the crop next season. Only the strongest of the runners should be used, and plant in rows about twenty inches apart and fifteen inches from plant to plant in the row. Cabbages and cauliflowers : Continue planting afewplants every three weeks, so as to keep up a succession tor use.' Use plenty of water so as to keep them growing. Earth up the more forward plants. To keep the cabbage fly off these use a mixture of soap, kerosene and water. This should be applied with the syringe to the plants about once a fortnight. Celery : Plant out another row for late crop. Tie loosely the stalks of the growing crops and earth up, leaving rather more than oix inches of the foliage exposed. To grow celery well plenty of water must be used to keep the roots pretty moist. Leeks : Still continue planting out a few more rows for late crops as soon as the weather breaks. Earth up the earlier crops. To grow leeks well rich ground is required and a plentiful supply of water during the dry weather. Tomatoes : Still tie up a few of the growing shoots. They may have time to mature their fruit if the season be favourable. Keep down superfluous growth and also thin out some of the older leaves that may be covering the fruit. This will allow of a freer access of the sun's rays, so as to cause the fruit to mature faster. The fruit as it begins to colour should be picked off. It will ripen well if placed in the sun. This will also leave greater force in the plant for swelling other fruit. Water about once a week with liquid manure where soil is poor ; where the soil is rich, clear water will be sufficient. Late cucumbers and marrows : Pinch back and give plenty of water s>o as to keep them growing. Rock melons : Keep pretty dry. Unripened, raise up ; clear off the foliage so that the sun's rays may have some chance to ripen the fruit. Late onions, as they become dry, store prist in a cool, dry, airy shed. Sow a few rows of carrots and turnips, and also a few rows of winter spinach. Frequently stir the surface soil between the rows ot growing crops. This hoeing not only keeps weeds under, but keeps the soil cooler and moister and also helps to geb the ground better {grated. I have always believed that a great deal of the success oi growing vegetables during the winter and summer depends upon the manner in which the soil is handled during the autumn months. Whenever a piece of ground becomes vacant. of any crop it should be either dug or trenched as deep as possible, and plenty of manure placed in it ; the more manure the better. It does not matter whether such is wanted for immediate cropping or not ; such labouring should take place, and the piece not wanted for crop sown down in green crops. Some do not caie to sow in green crops because they do not require green food for cattie, but such green crops can be dug into the ground during the winter, thus digging into the ground many valuable properties that it is impossible to obtain from any other measure. Oats, in my estimation, are the best to use for this purpose. Flower Garden. This is the best month of the year 1° make alterations in the flower garden and pleasure grounds. This month is generally dry and cool. Now, work can be ] carried on at less expense and less trouble, i Grass seed can be sown towards the end of the month and the place in about two months will have again the appearance that nothing ot importance had been done. If alterations are left till the wet weather sets in then everything will be in a muddle all winter, and the new sown grass will not get a proper hold before the dry weather i of next summer sets in. Mixed flower borders : Unless where plenty of water i has been usod, everything will be at a ] standstill through the want) of moisture. Dahlias : Continue tying up and giving • plenty of water. The above should be good for a large number of flowers yet if \ they receive iair attention. Chrysanthemums are now beginning to show their blossoms. See that each plant is properly staked and tied. Give liquid manure at least once a week. Where extra large flowers are wanted thin off flower buds on each flower stalk, leaving only from two to four on each shoot. Early spring flowering bulbs and tubers should now be planted out in sets. See that each set receives - some r'ch, good suitable soil while planting. ] Those bulbs' and tubers' positions in the • border should be uroperly marked so that ' they will not be interfered with when ' the border receives the annual autumn '' digging and manuring early next month. ' All decayed debris of plants should be ) cleared away and the surface soil lightly i broken up with the hoe. Bedding plants ! where plenty of water has been used should ' as yet be racking a good show. Pinch ! back strong growth and continue giving plenty of water. Now is the best time of ' the year to take off cuttings of all the differenthardybeddingplants. Thecuttinars should be placed in rows in a propagating bed especially prepai-ed in some cool, shady part of the garden. See that a greater number of cuttings are placed out than will actually be required .«o as to make provision for looses. The cuttings should be kept in a moist state and shaded during the day for a few weeks or till they begin to make roots. Many of the hardy annuals will have giown from self-sown seed. These can also be transplanted to the seed bed, where they can grow till the borders are redugand manured when they can be planted out in the border. They will give very early flowers next spring. A few of the hardy annuals should also be sown in the bed with the object of transplanting. Lawn : Keep the grass short, roll occasionally. Begin to prepare for the annual top- ! dressing, which should, where possible, be given, this month. All soil for top-dressing, ' if not already turned, should be turned at ! once. Greenhouse. Continue giving plenty ot air and water freely every evening t > all strong grow- ; ing plants. Continue to repot cineraria*, calceolarias and primulas as soon as they ; have rilled their small pots with roots. : Late-sown cinerarias for planting out in the \ flower borders should be pricked out into j boxes. Calceolarias should also be treated ] in the same manner. Last spring I saw a j splendid show of these plants out in the . open, and they should be more used in ( bedding, especially where a warm sheltered j position can be given them. Chrysanthe- , mums in pots should be liberally dealt with j in the shape v of liquid manure. Camellias ] and azaleas in pots placed out in the open , should now be r moved under glass so as to , bring them into flower earlier than those in , .the open border. Coleus : Strike a few j cuttings of each variety. The young plant s now struck from cuttings will stand the j winter better than strong, well - grown • plants. They will also occupy less room. , Commence to reduce shading. The sun's ( rays are not so powerful now. Look over ■ all plants so as to clear them of insects ] before the winter sets in. <