HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 March 1939, Page 9

HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR

FRUIT, FLOWERS AND VEGETABLES £ WORK FOR THE WEEK VEGETABLE GARDEN. Dig over land from which crops have been removed, and if not required for immediate use sow down with a green crop. Remove all spent crops and weeds; do not allow them to ripen seed. Keep beans closely gathered; this will give the plants a chance to go on cropping. Sow cabbage and cauliflower (early varieties), and lettuce for winter supplies. Sow swede and white fleshed turnips, prickly spinach and early horn carrots.

Sow onions on well worked land; these will be for transplanting later. Store away the onions when well ripened; any showing a tendency to sprout should be put aside for immediate use. Feed with liquid manure the advancing crops of celery and leeks. Supply late crops of beans with plenty of moisture during dry spells. Soil infested with leather jackets and wireworms should be treated with a soil fumigant. FLOWER GARDEN. Sow verbenas, pansias, violas, primulas, calendulas, annual carnations, hollyhocks and subjects required for spring blooming. Continue planting of narcissi, anemone, ranunculus, liliums and similar bulbs required for spring. Insert cuttings of penstemons, calceolarias and lavender These all root freely at this season. Cuttings of woody subjects, such as lavender, root better taken with a “heel.” Polyanthus and primrose may be divided and planted in their flowering positions. Lawns may be renovated by sowing more seed, topdressing with clean soil and rolling well. Chrysanthemums will need feeding now that the buds are developing; water with clear water first. Remove all the spent blooms from dahlias unless seed is required. Even then, one or two blooms per plant will be sufficient to leave. Annuals in the borders past should be replaced with spring flowering subjects. Make a good showing of larkspurs out of doors; these fill a gap for cut flowers, next. November. Plant out Iceland poppies for winter blooms; see that .they do not lack moisture, and shade also if it can be managed. FRUIT GARDEN. Now is a good time to cut out any dead wood in the fruit trees. Treat all wounds with a good lead paint, or Bordeaux paste. Any trees badly affected with silver blight should be cut out and burned, taking also the large roots. It is not a good plan to plant another tree in the same position occupied by a diseased one.

Prepare the ground fol' strawberry planting. Gather the fruit as it matures. Fruit for picking, especially apples, should be in the stage known as “hard ripe.” Pruning can commence once the trees have set their buds. It is better work now than in the depth of winter. A few green leaves will not matter.