THE WEEK'S WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 307, 28 December 1929, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE WEEK'S WORK.

THE FLOWER GARDEN. Keep tho garden tidy throughout the holidays. It is a time of visits and nothing detracts so much as a neglected garden. The season has made it possible to continue Dahlia planting right up to the present. Dahlias planted now will be all right for autumn flowering. Chrysanthemum planting can still be done. The season has been ideal for planting. Chrysanthemums planted early should now be ' breaking. Restrict the "breaks" to two, or, at most, three; in case of some of the weaker sorts one is quite enough. A topdressing of cow or old stable manure will be beneficial. Failing stable manure mix four parts bonedust, one part sulphate of potash, one part nitrate of soda. Mix a pound of this with a kerosene tin of soil, and topdrcss the plants, using two or three handfuls to each plant. Gladioli should have the faded blooms picked off, unless seed is required. One or two of the lower pods is quite sufficient to save. Weeds are having a glorious time, and where the seeds come from it is difficult to guess. If only the seeds we sow would stand as much rough handling, and language, and grow as well, gardening would be very much easier. Pick off spent blooms of Gaillardias, Coreopsis, Roses, etc. Hydrangeas are now beginning to flower; a little liquid manure will help the plants. Planting of Salvias, Petunias, Celosias, Marigolds, Cosmos, may still be planted.