THE GARDEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 December 1939, Page 8

THE GARDEN

AT HOLIDAY TIME. FORESIGHT AND CAREFUL PLANNING. The flower-lover does not always regard holiday time as an unmixed blessing, for generally the holidays come at a time when the garden is ablaze with summer blooms, and the thought of being deprived of their beauty after working so hard to attain it is just another of the gardener’s many trials. 1 However, with a little foresight and careful planning just before the holiday, everi a few weeks of hot weather, and the dry winds that accompany it. will not harm the most cherished plants. First of all,* give beds and borders a thorough soaking, enough to let the moisture seep through to the lower layers of soil. After a day or two, go over the soil between plants and shrubs with a Dutch hoe or cultivator, being careful not to injure the roots of young plants. This not only destroys weeds and insect pests, but it helps to conserve the moisture. Next, lay a mulch about two inches deep of peat-moss lawn clippings, leaves, or old, wellrotted manure round the plants. Peatmoss is ideal for this purpose, as it is entirely tree from weeds and insect pests.

Snip off all dead blooms, and cut any flowers that are full blown or in bud. This saves the untidy appearance of petals strewn all over the beds and borders. Friends or the local hospital will appreciate the flowers. Cut. the lawn twice in opposite directions (this will prevent it from growing too quickly) and leave the hedges neatly trimmed. Attend to the staking of tall plants or plants that are easily damaged by wind or heavy rain—many a valuable plant is lost through neglect of this simple precaution. Heaps of or rubbish left lying about will encourage snails or slugs, so burn off all woody stems, and if you have a compost heap add the rest to it.

By using these precautions the mind of the gardener will be at ease during the holiday, and the garden will be in a reasonably tidy state on her return.