Kitchen Garden.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 282, 29 November 1890, Page 2 (Supplement)

Kitchen Garden.

Tcie lat-3 warm, moisfa weather will have caused many of the crops to come away with Increased vigour; it will also have given a splendid opportunity for planting or sowing tbo late crops."' Late potatoes should now be far enough advanced for earthing up. Before doing so break up the surface soil between tho rows with the fork, as the lafco rains will have caked tho soil. Aa the early crop of potatoes cornea tho ground it should be again dug and manured and planted with a late crop of some other kind. Celery will make a good rotation crop after early potatoes. To grow celery well deep trenches, about eighteen inches deep, should be dug. Into tho bottom of the trenches aboufa six inches of well-rotted manure should be_ placed, and on top of the manure a few inches of pood soil should be placed. The young celery plants should be planted in this. The soil should be well watered after planting, so as to settle the young plants. Leaks : Where a few extra fine ones are required they ought to be dealt with in the same manner as the celery. Por ordinary crops of leaks the soil should bo liberally manured, and tho plants planted in rows and about six inches deep. A few more cabbage and cauliflower plants can yet be put out. It 13 a good practice to plant these between tfea rows of early potatoes. Tho potatoes will shelter and protect them till they get established and the potatoes will be lifted before the cabbages, etc., will require to bo earthed up. All advancing crops of the above earth up aa they require it. Lettuce: Prick a few more ; tie up advanced plants for blanching. Cress, mustard and radishes: Continue tho usual, eowinge, but sow in a cool, moist place. Pumpkins, melons, marrows, tomatoes, etc., if not already planted or sown should be placed out at once, as tho season is advancing, and ib is as well to gee thorn well established before the very,dry weather seta in. When planting out now spo that every plant is well settled in tho ground with water. Continue the usual sowing of French and the running variety of beans ; earth up the different sowings a3 they grow, and provide stakes for fcha running varieties. I'eas on moist heavy soils, still continue sowing for succession. All growing crops should be earthed up and tho tall varieties staked. Continue thinning all advancing crops of vegetables, giving each plant sufficient room to inUy develop, as the qualitjt of the crops will in a great measure dependpn the •space allowed each. Slugs and snails have nearly got over for the season, but where they are still putting in an occasional appearance on seedlings coming through the ground dust them with lime in the evening. All debris of spont crops should be taken away to tho rot heap at once. All weeds should also be kept under, never on any account allowing them to get large or produco seed, as seed weeds will only give future trouble. At this season of the year, if the whole kitchen garden is kept in good order, ib will almost in some -respects look as well as the flower garden.

Flower Garden. The late moist weather at the beginning of the week should have been taken advantage of for- planting out all- manner of bedding plants. Where such have nob been put out, the first favourable opportunity should be taken advantage of. When possible, it is always better to plant early, so that all the plants may get established by the rains, as it will save endless trouble in watering. Where beds have been planted and the plants well established, ib would be advisable to mulch. Mulching is an almost? imperative necessity, especially in such places where an abundant supply of water cannot be obtained. Scocls of balsams, portulaca, phlox Drummondi, sunflower, etc., can still bo sown oubin the open border. The whole of the above are useful for filling up blanks which may have occurred in the borders. All tender annuals which may have been raised under glass should be hardened off and planted out as early as possible. Coxcombs, dwarf' and pyramidal, sheuld be planted. The latter makes one of the best for cut flowers during the autumn months. Many of the bedding plants will now be making rapid gro-vbh. See that they are pinched back and pegged down, not allowing them to grow beyond their due bounds. Chrysanthemums : Still plant out. See that each plant is properly established with water after planting. The chrysanthemum likes plenty of manure in the soil in which ib ia grown. Dahlias: These should all fcfe planted now. These also like a very generout treatment vii the way of manure. All early spring flowering bulbs and tubers, such as anemones, ranunculus, etc., should be lifted as thoy ripen off. Dry for a few days in the sun before storing part for th,e summer. Gladioli which were planted otito early in the spring should now be getting their flowering spikes. See that each is staked and properly so as to prevent) them being broken with tho wind. Rosea are stiil making a capital show. To keep this up give liquid manure frequently, and pick off all flowers as they are spent. Clirabera are now making vigorous growth. See that they are. properly trained and; tied up, cutting out all superfluous shoots. See that all tall growing plants aresecurely staked and tied- Tho surface soil in the mixed flower borders should bg, frequently stirred with the hoe. This will nob only keep weeds under bub will increase the atmospheric action ia the soil; conseqontly a much better growth. Lawns: The late moiafc weather will have caused the grass to again come, away strongly. Keep very ehort with the mower and, allow the cub debris to remain on the ground. This will act as a mulch, and as ib rota will enrich the ground. The roller should again be used where the lawns are used for tennis, etc. Walks week the walks should all bo raked. This raking weekly will nob keep them with a nice fresh surface, bub will keep all seed vyeed3 under. The verges of grass on walks and borders should also be cub frequently, as this will greatly add to the appearance of the place. Greenhouse. Give liberal supplies of water fco all quick,growing plants. Continue re-potting all quick-growing plants whenever the roots demand more pot room. As a large, number of planta will now require liquid., manure frequently, ib will always Uβ better to keep a stock on hand. The. besb way ia to keep a box or barrel for the pu& pose, into which put a shovelful of animal manure, fill up with water and stir up; Leb it settle for a few hours and strain off for use as it is required. Tho ajbove will

supply both moisture and food. The abufe will also be found useful for many of the kitchen garden crop 3 and the flowers in &ao borders or beds. Give plenty of air durtnsj the day, shading during tho hottest part ol the day.