GARDEN NOTES

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 39, 10 December 1920, Page 13

GARDEN NOTES

THE VEGETABLE G ARDEN. Every advantage should be taken to transplant cabbage, cauliflower, celery, leeks, eto. If the sowing of parsnips and silver beet has failed, or partially so, I should stili fecommend a resowing. Sow also for succession, peas, French beans, lettuce, radish, turnips, carrots of the early horn kind, parsley for wrinter us® and spinach. Asparagus beds should be carefully attended to by way of weeding, and all young stalks kept carefully cut, as' previously hdvised, until the final cutting takes place, which should not be later than the first week in January. If it is cut much later than this date it does not give time to make vigorous growth to build up strong crowns for another season before the early frost sets in. THE TOMATO. This will be a busy time just now among tomatoes in the way of pinching out side shoots as they appear, the tying up of the stems as growth demands, watering, and airing. The latter must be regulariy attended to, or serious results will occur, such as blight and sleeping disease. Both these and other complaints are bi'ought on by bad ventilation. There is nothing worse for bringing on these troubles than a hot, damp, and stuffy atmosphere, and also the dropping or nonsetting of the bloom. Outside tomatoes should be regulariy attended to by staking and tying, or, if against a wall, tacking and spreadin.g out each growth, to admit of suhlight and * air. Watch the plants in case any of the following diseases make their appearance : — Yellow spot on leaves (called Cladesporium dentriticum), sleepy disease, white tomato fly, leaf curl, etc. Fortunately, the true yellow leaf is not very prevalent. It is a very troublesome disease. As soon as it makes its appearance the plant should be sprayed at once with Bordeaux mixture. Sleepy disease attacks apparently strong and healthy plants ; very often the strongest are attacked first. The leaves droop, and fall quite limp in a few hours. On the first indications of this trcuble, if a good water ing with a weak stimulant will not fetch the leaves up again, pull the plant out by the roots and dust the ground with fresh lime. Rieh animal manure should be avtsided in growing tomatoes. It is often the cause of the trouble, Care should be exercised in watering. Keep the soil moist, but not wet Clo.se atmospheres are also injurious. Ventilate freely on all .suita^le occasions, leaving open some top vent at nights, except when the weather is very coldToo loose soil is also detrimental to the well-beirtg pf the tomato. ' The rapidlvflitting little white fly becomes a great pest if it is aliowcd to aecumulate. On its first appearance fumigate the house with Nicoticide or 'XI. All," or if you have hot water pipes paint with wet powdered sulphur and turn on the heat. This will also clear green fly and other pests. But be sure not to attempt tp burn the sulphur, or you will 'destroy the plants. THE GREENHOJJSE. Pot on cyclamen seedlingg as they fill the small pots wrth roots, using two parts good turfy loam, on© part of clean sharp sand. Keep an eye on old tubers that have been stored away in a comer after their fiowering, so that they are not allowed to become dust dry, or they will become blind and crack,' and be spoiled. Pot on primulas as they become strong, but never do this until their pots" are well filied with roots, using clean pots, good drainage, and good, open, rich soil. Hardy ferns under glass are very beautiful just now, and are just the elass of plants that an amateur might grow with advantage when his greenhouse is not 11 a position suited for the cultivation of flowers. They do well when planted out on rocky mounds, if the vrork has been well put together, so that the roots of the plants have a cliance. Good loam , leaf, or bush mould, with a free supply of sharp sand, will grow well most varieties. Others may be grown in pots arranged upon low stages. Many of the maidenhair ferns are very suitable for growing in cool ferneries in conjimction with more hardy kinds. When well grown upon low stages they make a fine set-oli against the rockery. At this season of the year ferns, when making their new fronds, require a lot of water and a moist atmosphere. Shift on into larger-sized pots young ferns that may require it, using plenty of drain. age when potting. Ferns like moisture, but they cannot endure stagnant moisture. Plenty oi moisture and good drainage is the lifc of the fem