HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 July 1939, Page 3

HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR

FRUIT, FLOWERS AND VEGETABLES WORK FOR THE WEEK FLOWER GARDEN. Rose pruning should be taken in hand toward the end of the month. After the roses are pruned, manure and dig over the beds. When making a new garden, remember that efficient drainage gives the best results. Leaves and leafmould are excellent manures for flower beds. Dry wall gardening can be proceeded with while the rest of the soil is too wet to work. Put chrysanthemum cuttings in boxes or pots as they are obtainable. Border carnations should be gone over and cleaned of all decaying or dead foliage. Finish digging borders in dry weather. Cut hedges, clean out drains and clean up paths. Lift dahlias and place in shelter; they must be stored if frost is prevalent. Dahlia roots from which cuttings are to be taken should be placed in the greenhouse in gentle heat. Heavy rains consolidate the soil in flower beds; stir over lightly during fine spells. Keep .the soil loose along the base of the rows of sweet peas and take care that the young seedlings are not blown about. Attend to climbers by pruning and tying up. Plant a few gladioli. Weed bulb beds as weather permits. VEGETABLE GARDEN. Dig and trench all spare ground. Sow a few early peas; select a fairly warm, dry position. Plant a Jew early potatoes; a warm, well-drained soil is necessary. Continue planting out autumn-sown onions when the soil is dry enough. Plant out cabbage, cauliflower and lettuce plants. At the first opportunity sow early carrots, turnips, beet, radish, lettuce and spinach. Protect young crops from slugs by either spraying or dusting with alum. Sow lupins for a soiling crop on any vacant plots. Fork over any weedy surfaces between growing crops. Make a small sowing of celery under glass for the early crop. |f the mint bed has become a tangle of roots, dig it up, trench the soil, adding some manure, and replant good pieces. Directly top growth is visible in the parsnips, lift them and store in the coldest part of the garden. FRUIT GARDEN. Prune and spray established fruit trees. Pick up and burn all prunings. Make a new plantation of rhubarb. Fruit trees should be planted as they come to hand. Commence spraying as soon as pruning is finished. The winter Bordeaux spray should be put on the peaches and nectarines at the first sign cf bud movement. Complete the pruning of vines under glass, then clean the rods with a good insecticide, Stone fruit trees should have an application of lime at least once in every three years. Where leafless fruit trees are covered with lichens and moss, apply the caustic soda spray. Citrus trees after cropping will need an application of manure. The pruning of citrus trees should beiattended to as soon as the crops have been removed.