IN THE GARDEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 June 1938, Page 12

IN THE GARDEN

HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR.

VEGETABLES AND FLOWERS.

WORK FOR THE WEEK

VEGETABLE GARDEN.

The weather is allowing digging and trenching to be done. Keep weeds down now and you reap the benefit later on. ’ Hoeing is uselss just now. A better method is to fork over the ground burying weeds. Autumn sown Onions must be hand weeded. If there is the least sign of mildew a yellowing of the leaf tips is the sign—spray with lime sulphur I—l2o. Prepare the grpund for next season’s Onion bed. Deep, rich soil is required. Sowings of Beet and Turnips can be made, also Shorthorn Carrots, but these demand a well-drained, sheltered position. Prepare ground for planting Potatoes. Tubers should be sprouted before planting. Make a plan of the garden for future reference and rotation of crops. In cold districts sow a pinch of cabbage, cauliflower and lettuce seed in boxes under glass for an early crop. As soon as the'soil is in a workable condition get.in a sowing of peas. Seed pf Lettuce, Cabbage and Cauliflower can be sown, but only in sn'iajl quantities and either in boxes or frames protected from . birds and bad weather. FLOWER GARDEN. Border Carnations should have any bay foliage picked off. If disease i» present spray with a white oil spray, I—Bo. Beds can be prepared for the spring planting of border and seedling' Carnations. Pinks can be taken up. Plants should be pulled to pieces and planted / firmly with just a tuft of. leaves above the ground. Chrysanthemum stools required for propagating should be cleaned. Cuttings of Chrysanthemums can be planted. Choose strong shoots from healthiest plants. < Dahlia tops can be cut off a foot from the soil. When lifting roots make labels secure to the plants. This is Rose planting season. Lift Gladioli. Clean off small bulbils; keep separate from large corms. If required for stock purposes label and preserve bulbils, but if not, destroy'at once, otherwise they will pursue their habit of coming up among other varieties and the result is soon a mixture. Prune ornamental trees and shrubs, but leave the spring-blooming kinds till flowering is past. Manure and fork over the shrubbery borders when the last of the leaves have fallen. Remove suckers from grafted trees and shrubs, especially lilacs. FRUIT GARDEN. Prepare ground for planting fruit trees. What is most important, place your order at once'if you expect to get first-class stuff. Chief work in this department is pruning. This should be finished as sopn as possible. Once pruning is finished, trees should be given . a winter spray. The two which appear to give the best results are a Red Oiil spray and Lime Sulphur Emulsion. When planting young fruit trees see that the top growth is pruned • to ensure sturdy growth next season. No manure should be placed among the roots of newly-planted trees. . If the soil is poor, apply the manure as a,mulch. Cut out all cankers when pruning, also gummy spots on stone fruits.