FOR THE WOMAN GARDENER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 November 1940, Page 9

FOR THE WOMAN GARDENER

SOME USEFUL HINTS. The welcome approach of summer weather is a reminder that many unwelcome visitors make their appearance in the garden at that time. It is necessary, therefore, to be prepared with a spray pump and some spraying substance, for spraying is universally acknowledged to be the best remedy for garden pests and fungus diseases. When cutting roses, cut the blooms with long stems. This does away with the necessity for a light pruning after every blooming. Remove withered blooms, cutting them back to an eye pointing outward. The reason for this is to preserve the balance, to allow light and air to penetrate to the centre of the tree, thus inducing healthy, vigorous growth. An occasional application of weak liquid manure to the plants in the borders will encourage bigger and better blooms. This is easily made by standing dairy or stable manure in water when applying, till the liquid is the colour of weak tea. Poultry droppings placed in a bag with a spadeful of soot and immersed in a tub of water (rainwater for preference) and stirred every day for a week is excellent, and should be applied to the roots of the plants after watering or after a shower of rain. The results justify the trouble. If it is not convenient to make the liquid manure, your nurseryman will provide a complete fertiliser. These fertilisers are made up in balanced proportions, are clean to handle, and are comparatively cheap. By pinching out the centres of antirrhinum seedlings when they are about four inches high, more flower spikes are encouraged, and the growth is bushier. African marigolds should have the centres pinched out when they are about a foot high.