HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 December 1939, Page 3

HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR

FRUIT, FLOWERS AND VEGETABLES WORK FOR THE WEEK VEGETABLE GARDEN. Early maturing onions can have the tops bent over to assist development of the bulbs. Later-sown peas will require abundance of water during dry spells. Spray members of the cabbage family with nicotine sulphate to prevent attacks of diamond-back moth. Pinch out the tips of pumpkins, rock melon and marrows when they begin to run. Thin parsnips and other seedling crops. Hoe onion beds; give a dressing of soot. If onion mildew appears spray with lime sulphur or Bordeaux solution. Keep the hoe going among the crops; vegetables do not suffer so much from dry conditions in well-worked ground. Celery and leeks can be planned in well-manured ground. ' Sow cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and other crops for winter use. Keep lettuce and radish well watered. Sow lettuce in a shady, wellmanured place. Spray tomatoes for caterpillar. Remove lateral growths and keep the plants tied up. Sow carrots and beetroot. Sow silver beet and perpetual spinach. FLOWER GARDEN. Mulch the plants in the herbaceous borders with lawn cuttings. Spray the chrysanthemums with Bordeaux mixture as a precaution against rust. Trim, hedges and the edges of lawns to give the garden a neat appearance. Watch the dahlias for caterpillars, which make their; appearance this month. Plant salvias, zinnias, marigolds, portulaca, petunias, verbenas. Divide primroses and polyanthus. Stake delphiniums and tall herbaceous plants. Give liquid manure and muich delphiniums, perennial phlox, etc. Hoeing beds and borders is necessary to keep weeds in check. Stake tall growing herbaceous plants. Put in cuttings of hydrangeas. Insert cuttings of pansies and violas in a shady position where they can be kept moist. Cut down plants of the marguerite family to induce fresh growth for blooming in autumn and winter. Keep dead and spent flowers cut. off. Gather sweet peas to prevent seeding; the plants will need liquid manure. Cut off dead rose blooms; cut the plants back as they go out of flower. Tie up the long trailing shoots of rambler roses. i Border carnation blooms must be kept tied to sticks. Plant dahlias; stake and hoe those that are growing. FRUIT GARDEN. The peaches and nectarines are due for another spray with lime sulphur, one in 120, to control brown rot. Look over the grafts, and any which have not taken should have the growths from the stock thinned out for budding later. Plant out tomatoes for later crops and keep the side shoots from the earlier ones. Blistered leaves on red currants are caused by aphis; it is best to pick off and burn the worst leaves. Plum .trees that are deficient in lime have been shedding their fruits freely; see that this deficiency is made good by the autumn.