HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 June 1940, Page 8

HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR

Fruit, Flowers and Vegetables WORK FOR THE WEEK VEGETABLE GARDEN. When a row of celery has been lifted, fork over the ground and leave rough; this will be an excellent site for peas. Plant out the autumn-sown onions when the soil is dry enough. Set seed potatoes on end in trays to sprout. Progress in the vegetable garden will depend on the weather; when the soii isjvery wet it is best left alone. Broad beans that are coming through the soil should be well earthed up. ) Where manure is available for a hotbed, this should be made up and will be.found useful for early crops and'raising seedlings. FLOWER GARDEN. Clumps of Iris stylosa should be relieved of all decayed foliage and be given a dressing of sharp sand to discourage the slugs. Prick over the pockets in the rock garden and protect tender specimens of alpines by a sheet of glass. Many trees and shrubs fail to received benefit from the winter rains owing to the hardness of the soil around them; prick over with a fork. Where young plants of conifers are developing two leading shoots, remove one of them. FRUIT GARDEN. Apple canker is often met with in badly drained position; cut out the bad branches and burn them. All kinds of fruit trees can be planted during spells when the soil is dry enough; it is a bad policy to plant in sticky ground. While manure is good for fruit trees, those which are making wood and no fruit should have none for a season. Thin down the canes of raspberries to about five of the best in each clump.