HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 July 1941, Page 8

HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR

Fruit, Flowers and Vegetables WORK FOR THE WEEK VEGETABLE GARDEN. Continue to lift root crops and to- manure and trench or dig all vacant ground, leaving the surface as rough as possible. Set the potatoes selected for seed up on their ; ends in shallow trays and place in a light but frost-proof shed to sprout. Seakale and chickory can be lifted in preparation for forcing, and rhubarb intended for replanting can also be lifted and placed at the bottom of or fence, in the meantime. Materials for making up a hotbed can be collected and stored in a dry shed.

Sow early peas (Blue Bantam, Little Marvel or Greenfeast suit the average Masterton soil and weather conditions best), and some Globe red! beet.

FRUIT GARDEN.

Continue to plant fruit trees and bushes, ano’ to, prune all trees and bushes except peaches and apricots.

After pruning, burn the twigs on the ground and scatter the ashes among the trees, afterwards digging over (lightly, taking care not to damage the surface roots.

If trees are not making satisfactory growth mulch with farmyard manure, but as a rule they make plenty of young growth, in which case an application of chemical manure later on will be sufficient. Spraying should be delayed until severe frosts; are past. FLOWER GARDEN. Continue to prune shrubs and lightly to dig /over the borders, or, if growing in the grass, to clean ar ring round them. All kinds of trees, roses, and shrubs can (be planted while the soil is in good working order and as leaves are all down now they can be cleaned out from the bottoms of the hedges and (Under shrubs. It is still possible to plant wallflowers, polyanthus primroses, biennial stocks, Sweet Williams, Canterbury Bells, antirrhinums, carnations, and all kinds ofialpine and herbaceous perennials. Manure and dig over the herbaceous borders, ,and fork lightly among the daffodils, which are now appearing above ground. Keep the rock garden /clear of weeds ( and dead leaves, and dust under mat plants with freshly slaked lime to destroy slugs, or water them with lime water.

Prune rambler and ,climbing roses,, and tie them up securely to their

supports.