GARDENING NOTES

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 8, 4 March 1925, Page 53

GARDENING NOTES

WORK FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH. Give the garden a thorough good hoeing all over the growing crops so as to get rid of all weeds before the autumn sets in. The autumn weather being generally cool, vegetation grows freely, and if the weather should happen to be wet it will be hard to keep it in check. The celery trench should have its final earthing up; also leeks should be moulded up. Sow a good breadth of Golden Ball turnip or White Stone for winter use. These kinds stand the winter best. Now is also a good time to put in a bed of autumn onions. Winter spinach should be sown now; the prickly is the best for standing the winter. Sow thinly, and if too thick when it comes up, thin out to about 6 inches or a foot apart, so that it may develop good leaves. Cabbages, brocoli, cauliflowers, Brussels sprouts, and Savoys may be planted out. If the ground is rich, plant wide apart. Plenty of manure for this class of "plants should be always dug in, as they never should get a check from the time they are planted until fit to use. Sow a little seed of the above for planting out as needed, also a good breadth of lettuce should be sown. Give

cucumbers, pumpkins, and marrows a good watering of liquid manure to help them along. Go over the tomatoes and thin out all surplus growth. When squares of ground are cleared of crops, they should be thoroughly manured and dug in roughly and left until wanted for use. The Flower Garden. —March is a good time to plant out all kinds of bulbs, such as tulip, hyacinth, daffodill, crocus, snowdrop, ixias, and sparaxis. Plant a nice batch of .freesias in a sheltered situation by the verandah, where they will get plenty sun; also a few in pots or.boxes for house decoration. All little flowers, such as primroses,, daisies, cowslips, auricula, pansies, etc., may now be planted out. Violets should also be planted in a nice cool situation. All kinds of hardy annuals and perennials should be sown in well-prepared patches in the borders. Commence to put in cuttings of well-ripened wood of geraniums. Most of the budding plants may now be propagated by cuttings. Collect seeds as they ripen and cut away all spent flowers from roses and other plants. Keep dahlias and chrysanthemums well watered. Keep the sprinkler constantly in use during the dry weather. Mow and roll the lawns regularly. The grass should get special care now to keep the grub down; good heavy rolling will keep them from travelling. If the grass is not looking quite healthy, a good sprinkling of fertiliser would not be amiss. Keep the weeds well in hand by a judicious use of the planet, or Dutch hoe. Winter will soon be coming, and if it catches a crop of weeds in the garden it will be hard to get rid of them. Collect all fallen leaves and other spent vegetation and cart them to the dung heap. They are invaluable for the cultivation of flowering in the garden. The Fruit Garden. —Spray for codlin moth' and other pests if their appearance warrants it. There are always directions for use in the cans and tins sold by seedsmen, etc. Pick ripe pears and plums and get rid of them as soon as possible. Prune away all surplus" wood from apples and pears. Clear away, if not done already, the many shoots which spring from the base of the raspberry plants, leaving about six of the strongest canes. A good spraying with some suitable insecticide wilt do them no harm, as they are very often infected with a grub which destroys the buds. When the pear seng or leech has made its appearance the trees should be sprayed with hellebore or some other convenient remedy to destroy them. Strawberry beds should get a good dressing of well rotted manure. New beds may be planted. Pick up and destroy .fallen infected fruit.