HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 June 1938, Page 5

HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR.

VEGETABLES AND FLOWERS. WORK FOR THE WEEK VEGETABLE GARDEN. Prepare ground for planting early Potatoes. Stand seed Potatoes in trays to sprout before planting. Clean up vacant plots and sow a soiling crop if not required immediately. Root crops can be lifted, stored and ground dug. Fork over the ground between standing crops to bury weeds, etc. Onions in store should be looked over and any showing signs of growth picked out. Make a sowing of early Peas in a warm, sheltered position. A sowing of Broad Beans can be made; these need a heavy soil and do well in cold districts. Give the Rhubarb bed a good dressing of stable or cow manure. If this is not available, use the compost heap, with the addition of superphosphate. Clean up the Asparagus bed. As soon the “grass" is brown, cut it down and burn it on thel bed; rake off the top soil and give a dressing of manure or rich compost. Prepare new Asparagus beds. These should be deep rich soil and well drained. FLOWER GARDEN. Clear away plants that have finished flowering. Vacant beds should be manured and dug over. Herbaceous borders can be manured and forked over; any renovating can ' J be done. u . Before clearing away dead flower stalks, etc, plainly label and mark the positions of Lilies, Paeonies, etc. This is a good time to plant Liliums; there are some that should be planted earlier, but for the majority this is a good time. Prepare new Rose beds. Order the new varieties as soon as possible; ■planting can be done now. Evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs can be planted. Bulbous Iris can be planted. Tulips can also bel planted. Prepare the ground for new lawns. > The soil should be firm and consolidated before seed is sown. x FRUIT GARDEN. Pruning of most trees can be commenced. , Early pruning of the outdoor vines is recommended. Cut out useless trees. There are plenty of good, useful varieties without troubling with decrepit or out-of-date sorts. Prepare the ground for planting new trees. Drainage is most important, do not use fresh manure. ' _ Plant small fruits such as Loganberries and Raspberries as soon as possible. Strawberry planting should be done as soon as possible.