GARDEN NOTES.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 20, 30 July 1920, Page 13

GARDEN NOTES.

the vegetable garden.

Late sowing generally means late gathering, especially as regards peas. When the rniddle of August is approaching no time should be lost. I do not mean to say that seeds should he rushed in irrespective of the condition of the- land and the state of the weather ; but as soon as the surface is dry and the soil works kindly the seeds should be got in. For cauliflower and cabbage a good deal of assistance may be given bv way of a few barrow loads of warm staBle manure put into a heap and a few inches oi soil placed on the manure and the seeds sown in it. By this means good and strong plants are procured sooner than if sown in the ordinary seed bed. Strong, healthy plants are. very desirable, more especially wbei'e club root.has previously made its appearance as strong plants are not; nearly so subject to this disease as stunted plants are. Use plenty of soot and lime if club root has previously made its appearance. Plant early potatoes on warm, dry situations. Early varieties, such as Snowdrop, Dalmeny Early, Beauty of Hebron, and Early Ashleaf, should be planted closer than the later kinds, that have to mature and grow to their full size. Pr#atoes for early lifting may be planted 2ft from row to row and 1ft in the row. The depth to plant depends upon the nature of the ground. Six or eight incbes, or even nine inches, is not too deep on hot, sandy, or yery warm open soils, when it would he ruination to plant them that deep on cold, wet soils. Plant four inches deep in the latter case. If the ground has been well trenched and manured nothing more will be required at planting, but if this has not been done artifical manure of some kind should be used, such as phosphates and superphosphates or bone meal and others. These manures should be sown along the drills at time of planting. The ^planting may he done in different ways. for ground that has been well worked and manured the long dibble is the best and most expeditious of all. This long dibble is made of a thick, round piece of light wpoa with a .very blunt end. Bore hoies tlirough it — =the first 4in from the bottom end, and two others 6in and 8in, for regulating the depth to plant, according to the nature of the ground, as above expLained. Through one of these holes is pushed a short, round piece of wood 9in long, to aet both as a tread for the foot and to preyent the licle being made too shallow or too deep, and on the top of the thick piece a cross piece 1ft long should be nailed to act as a handle. It is surpfising how easily and quickly potatoes may he planted with this kind of dibble. Lay the line at the ciGtance required, make the lioles, drop in the sets (e'yes upperrno'it). draw some soil over them, and the planting is complete. The next hest way when artificial manure has to he used, and where the grourid has not been manured previously, is to lay the line and draw drills with a deep-draw hoe, plfice the potatoes along the drills, then sow the bone meal or artificial manure previous to drawing the soil over the sets. Sow onions when the7 ground is nice and dry. Tread the ground well, rake ft tread it again, rake it very carefully and not deep, but make it v,ery smooth and level on the surface. It should be as smooth as a table and firm, if good, sound, hard tubers are desired. If the ground is at all, still, give the bed a good dressing with wood ashes and soct before preparing it Sow the seeds very thinly and shallow, not much more than £in in depth. Cover very lightly with the back of the rake. If you sow your seed deeply all your labour will be lost, as they will surely come very necky, and not tuber as they should. Sow also Early Horn carrots, parsnips, and turnips as the soil g,ets warm and dry. Lettuce should be sown on a rich warm bed, as advised above for cauliflowers. THE FLOWER GARDEN. It is one of the merita of hardy annuals and biennials sown in late summer or early autumn months for blooming the following spring that they need very little attention. Still, they should be kept scr.upulously clean and i'ree from weeds. Such varieties as have to be transplanted should be watched, and the first favour able opportunity taken for transferring them to their flowering quarters. The verbena should be grown with as little artificial aid as possible; in fact, the more nearly it is treated as a hardy plant tho more vigorous and free blooming will it be. A temperature of 55deg to 60deg wili suit it well until the seedlings get a good start; then gradually bring them as nearly hardy as possible. Sow in pans or boxes, with rich, mellow; and very sweet *>il.