THE WEEK'S WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 77, 31 March 1928, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE WEEK'S WORK.

THE FLOWER GARDEN. Plant Lilium candidum, Sternbergia, Freesias, Nerine, Amaryllis, and other autumn and winter (lowering bulbs. Any further piantinga of Narcissi and Daffodils should be made as aoon as poaaible. Anen.ones and Ranunculi can be planted. These require rich soil, and nothing suits them better than cow manure. The manure must be put down a few inches below the bulbs. Prepare beds for Cyclamen. These need a rich soil, and the soil should be well prepared. A well drained poaition ia required, and the corms should be left half-way out of the ground. Chrysanthemums are now developing the flower buds. Many are showing colour, and care must be taken to see that caterpillars are kept off. Once the buds show colour do not give liquid manure, but the plants must not be allowed to suffer for want of water. Disbudding will be necessary even with plants that are grown on the terminal buds and intended for decorative work. Dahlias have come through the dry summer well, and are now making a good show- Keep the spent flowers cut off, and remove surplus buds. Sowings of hardy annuals for early flowering can be made. Almost any variety of hardy annual can be advantageously sown now. Plantings of Stocks, Wallflowers, Antirrhinums, Gaillardias, Pansies, Canterbury Bella, Sweet Williams, and many othera can be made! Sowing* of early flowering Sweet Peas can be made. They are beat sown in the open ground, and a careful watch must be kept for slugs. A well sheltered and well drained position is necessary if they are to be successful. The summer flowering Sweet Peas can be sown either in pots for planting out later on or in the open ground. Where the ground is ready, and the small seedlings can be tended, the open ground sowing usually gives the best results. Roses are making a nice autumn growth, and if the planU are lightly pruned, and dead flowers removed, the autumn display should be very good. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. • Many crops have made a lot of growth since the rain, and crops that were almost despaired of have picked up, and may yet give a fair result. Pumpkins, Marrows and Water Melons should have the points of the main shoots pinched out to help to swell the fruits that are setPlantings of Cabbage and Cauliflowers should be made. Plantings that suffered badly from fly should be replaced. Burn all bad leaves and dress the ground with fertiliser before replanting. Tomatoes are ripening slowly. Keep all side growths pinched out, and it is still necessary to spray for caterpillars. The ground between any standing crops should be hoed to keep down weeds. If cleaned now it will keep clean for a good part of the winter. Celery and Leeks should be earthed up as required. Both these crops need abundant supplies of water and also liquid manure. Crops like Potatoes, Kumaras, Onions, Eschallots, that are ready for harvesting, should be dried and stored before the bad weather comes. Prepare the soil for early Potato planting. The seed should be in boxes and forming nice sturdy sprouts. Early Peas can be sown in well drained soil- It should be well prepared, and the drills made on ridges. Sowings of Turnips, Lettuce, Radish and Spinach can be made. Where it is intended to plant fruit trees during the coming season, preparations should be made by preparing the ground. As the fruit crop matures the different varieties should be harvested and stored carefully. Summer pruning, either more or less, according to the tree, should be done. It is particularly easy to see dead wood, and also to see what of the inside branches require cutting just now. Lemons and Oranrres are now commencing to make growth, and an application of manure will be advantageous. Any pruning necessary can be done now.