HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 December 1940, Page 2

HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR

Fruit, Flowers and Vegetables WORK FOR THE WEEK FLOWER GARDEN. Belladonna Lilies should be lifted and replanted at once. Keep the fading and spent flowers cut off sweet peas, otherwise the plants soon leave off flowering. Prepare the ground for sowing early or'winter flowering sweet peas. Thejseeds should be sown in their permanent position about the end of January. Anylfurther plantings of dahlias and chrysanthemums should be made at once. Earlier planted chrysanthemums should have the top pinched out when the plants are about nine inches high. Trim the edges of the lawn and scythe any long grass around or about shrubs, trees on odd corners. Cut off all spent blooms. Stake and.tie any plants that need it. Hoe the surface of beds and borders) and 'remove weeds. Plant salvias, petunias, phlox, French marigolds. Prepare .the ground for >bulb planting so as to allow it to settle somewhat before the bulbs are put in. Bulbs can be lifted now. Early lifting and planting is ( best for good results. VEGETABLE GARDEN, Give tomatoes attention toistaking and (spraying. Keep the plants to a single stem by removing all side shoots. ' Sow carrots, swedes, beetroot, silver beet. 1 Plant cabbages, cauliflowers, leeks, broccoli, brussels sprouts and other winter greens. Give the rhubarb'bed a good mulching with manure.' Cow or pig manure is good for this purpose. Sowings of saladings should be made frequently. If possible choose a slightly shaded position. PickiFrench and runner beans as fast as the pods form; do not allow them to get tough. To leave them |on the plants spoils the future crop. Make further sowings of French beans. Only small sowings, but frequent, should be made. Any seedling crops should ibe thinned as soon as large enough to handle. v FRUIT GARDEN. Spray apples and>pears for codlin moth, and spray pears, plums and cherries for leech with hellebore powder. For a liquid spray take a small quantity and soak for 24 hours or boil for half an hour before using. » Clean and fork between the rows of strawberries, and remove runners unless they are required for planting.