IN THE GARDEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 March 1939, Page 3

IN THE GARDEN

HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR

FRUIT, FLOWERS AND VEGETABLES

WORK FOR THE WEEK ~ 1

VEGETABLE GARDEN. Clean away spent or pest-infected crops. Plantings of cabbage, cauliflower ,etc, can be made. If early sorts are planted now these should come in during early spring. Sow winter or prickly spinach, onions and beet, early varieties of short carrot and winter turnips. Celery can be planted. That planted earlier should be kept Sowing by frequent waterings. Spraying with lime sulphure 1-120 o control rust will be necessary. Make a fair sowing of lettuce. This sowing will give plants that will carry on through the winter. i The green crops will need weekly dustings or sprayings to keep down the caterpillars. Thin out the crops of carrots and beet sown last month as soon as large enough. Run the hoe between the drills frequently. Hoe over vacant plots and sow a cover crop to keep down weeds. Make a pit for all your vegetable waste. Add a little superphosphate sulphate of ammonia to each layer. Store onion and potato crops. Young plants of herbs give the best results; cuttings will root freely at this season. _ To encourage the formation of pods on late peas, pinch out the tips of the growths. FRUIT GARDEN. Gather fruit, crops as they mature. Pick up and destroy by burning or feeding to fowls all fallen fruit. Examine any budding which was done early; if the ties are cutting into the bark, loosen and retie. Cut away the weak canes of logan or raspberries. ■ Give peach and nectarine trees a slight pruning after fruit is gathered. Any large branches which can be dispensed with on stone frui s should be removed now; the wounds will heal quicker. FLOWER GARDEN. Lift, divide and replant ag,apanthus. They need a deep, rich soil and plenty of moisture. u k. Christmas and belladonna lilies, amaryllis and'brunv.geas should be planted nowPrepare ground for planting anemones and ranunculi. Sow anemone and ranunculus seed in well-drained positions; raise the beds above the level of the surrounding soil. Plant out carnations from layers if they are well rooted. Plant out Iceland 'poppies for winter supplies of bloom. Shade and water till rooted. Sowing of both early and late flowering sweet peas can be made now. Lift, clean and replant daffodils and narcissi. Sow verbenas, pansies, violas, primula, calendula, annual carnations, hollyhocks and spring-flowering annuals. The autumn sowing of hardy annuals is recommended, sow where they are to bloom and thin out. Disbud dahlias and thin out growths. See that the plants are securely staked and tied. Lift, divide and replant polyanthus, primroses, violas. Look over the dahlias and any affected by virus should be marked for destruction, as there is no cure. Lift the gladioli as the foliage/yellows and dry well before storing.