IN THE GARDEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 April 1939, Page 9

IN THE GARDEN

HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR FRUIT, FLOWERS AND VEGETABLES WORK FOR THE WEEK VEGETABLE -GARDEN. Where early forced rhubarb is required, lift some roots and expose to the weather for a few weeks. Now is a good time to lift and divide the herb beds. Examine the onions in store from time to time to remove decayed specimens.

Fill up any gaps in the plantings of cabbage and keep the spray pump in action to combat the moth.

Plant out red cabbage for pickling purposes. They enjoy a patch of firm ground.

Lift and store root crops in districts subject to severe frosts. Dig over roughly any vacant ground; the birds will pick out many injurious grubs and insects.

The use of a solution of alum, one ounce to the gallon, sprayed on lettuce is the best slugicide.

Prepare the soil for the sowing of broad beans. Now is the time to lift and plant winter rhubarb. Prepare the ground and make a sowing of onions for spring planting. Sowings of 'lettuce and radish can be made for winter use; sow on slightly-raised beds. Celery and leeks will benefit with applications of liquid manure. Draw a little up to the leeks each week. The celery can be moulded up as required. Choose a dry day for the work and either put a tie or hold the stalks close together with the hand to prevent soil from entering the centre. FLOWER GARDEN. Prepare the ground for planting hedge plants. Autumn planting of evergreens is advisable. Top-dress any of the shrubs or hedges that have a worn-out or impoverished appearence. Anemones and ranunculi can be planted when soil is suitable. Plantings of Iceland poppies, sweet peas, beauty stocks can be made. Cuttings of pentstemons, violas, .antirrhinums can be planted. These autumn cuttings root well in a sandy compost; keep close for a few days. Herbaceous plants that have finished flowering should be cut down. Liliums of most kinds can be lifted and replanted. The basal shoots of Chrysanthemums should be cut away until floweris over. The next few weeks will be an excellent time to transplant evergreens of the shrubby type. Insert a batch of cuttings of the shrubby calceolarias in a cool position. The arrears of planting for spring flowers should be taken in hand as soon as the weather conditions are more favourable for planting. Keep the soil stirred between the earlier-planted anemones when they show through the ground. Cut down the dead stems of herbaceous plants and tidy up the borders. See that the chrysanthemums are well secured against damage; the plants become heavy when in flower. FRUIT GARDEN. Any fruit not thriving will appreciate a fresh top-dressing of good soil. Root prune over vigorous and iunfruitful trees at this season. Raspberries should be. tied into position and the beds cleared of weeds, then give a good mulch of manure. Where anthracnose has been prevalent among raspberries and logans, give a spraying with Bordeaux. Pruning can commence. Do not under-estimate the value of the sterilisation of wounds.