HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 September 1941, Page 8

HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR

Fruit, Flowers and Vegetables WORK FOR THE WEEK VEGETABLE GARDEN. Get spinach, carrots for early crop, turnips, round beet, parsnips and peas to succeed the early crops. Sow parsley seed, for the present crop will go to seed with the increasing warmth. Put in a few more rows of potatoes to follow the earliest crop. Net much planting or sowing can be done while the soil? is in a saturated condition. Take advantage of fine spells to fork over the surface of the soil where sowings are intended; recently-moved soil soon dries. Plant out onions, lettuce, cabbage and cauliflower' plants. FRUIT GARDEN. Make a final .onslaught on trees affected with woolly aphis; a stiff brush dipped in oil will make' short work of them,Bonemeal lightly forked in around Jthe roots of fruit (trees is of great benefit if done now; use a'coarse grade. Trees for grafting over should,be cut back; make a point of paring the cuts smooth after the use of the saw. Cut down recently-planted raspberries, loganberries and allied fruits to (within one foot of the ground, to ensure strong canes; Late-planted trees will need some attention during the next month or so in case of a dry, windy spell. An occasional watering and mulching with litter will make all the difference to the early growth. FLOWER GARDEN. . Dahlia seeds can be sown now in greenhouse or frame and will soon germinate. Complete the planting of roses as soon as possible. Make the main planting of gladioli corms as soon as the soil is in good condition. Any planting of spring-flowering bedding plants should be completed without delay. As soon as the bulbs (have made sufficient growth to define the rows, lightly prick over the soil between them 1 and keep the weeds removed. Old stools of chrysanthemums should be lifted, divided into small pieces and replanted.