HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 July 1941, Page 3

HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR

Fruit, Flowers and Vegetables WORK FOR THE WEEK VEGETABLE GARDEN. No rubbish should be left upon the ground to form a harbour for slugs and other jpests. Make another sowing of peas when the soil is dry enough to work; leave the drills open in the sun for an hour orltwo before sowing. Plant out autumn-sown onions in good, clean ground; give the site a dusting of old soot. Keep a watch upon early-sown peas and as soon as they show above ground take measures to protect them from slugs and birds. Break up and manure any ground needed for future cropping as well as ground from which crops (have just been removed. Green crops sown in the autumn for manuring purposes should now be turned under to allow time for the material to decay. FRUIT GARDEN. Trees becoming too large for their positions can safely be moved at this season. When pruning apples and pears, a few good shoots should be saved as scions for grafting purposes. Keep the strawberry bed free from weeds by frequent stirring, but do not hoe too close to the crowns. The wood of all orchard trees is now sufficiently ripened to allow of pruning. Gooseberries and guavas need large quantities of animal manures to get.the best results; now is the time to apply. Plant out all kinds of fruit trees and do not omit'to'prune the young trees at planting time, also any damaged roots. FLOWER GARDEN. Cuttings of varieties of shrubs which may be propagated in this manner should be cleanly cut off below a joint and placed in good, fine soil. In manuring ground that isjto be planted, mix the manures thoroughly with the soil so that it does not come into immediate contact with the roots. In the rock garden certain species of plants require renewing every year. Operations in the flower garden will chiefly depend on’ the condition of the soil, but it is not advisable to work the soil while in a sodden condition. When the soil is dry enough, put out roses and other ornamental shrubs and trees.