Late Summer In the Garden

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 41, 18 February 1943, Page 3

Late Summer In the Garden

"\yFATHER conditions still vitally affect planting operations for the winter. Unless adequate preparations are made during dry PLANTING IN spells failures in DRY SPELL establishing seedlings will be numerous. Success is easy to attain, however and the method has been referred to before in these columns. At least 24 hours before setting out the plants, saturate the ground thoroughly. The seedlings may then be planted, even in bright sunshine, and immediately watered again. Thereafter they will require to be kept moist with occastional heavy waterings until they are properly established. If artificial manure is used do not make the mistake of placing a handful below each plant. This form of manuring may be economical in that fertiliser is not wasted 011 areas which the roots cannot reach, but on the other hand if the roots of young seedlings come ,into direct contact with it the plarit stands a good chance of being killed. Fertiliser should, therefore, be mixed well with the soil when applied in this manner, and should be placed well down. The safest manures to use are, of course, the natural ones, such as compost, rotten" vegetation, seaweed and old animal manure. The best lettuces will be found to grow in such material, and it is usually the case that the richer the material the quicker will the crop mature. Lettuce can still be planted, but will require copious watering.

* * * * JVfpST important of the crops to plant for the winter are cabbage, cauliflower, celery, savoys, leeks and silver beet. Sowings CROPS FOR are also somewhat THE AVINTER restricted. Except in cooler districts early peas and dwarf beans may be sown, also early shorthorn carrots, parsnips, borecole, endive, broad beans, early beet, silver beet, onions, parsley, potato onions, garlic, prickly spinach, turnips, swedes, early varieties of cauliflower and both early and late varieties of cabbage. Attention should be paid constantly to the blanching of leeks and celery. Both these crops should have an unchequered career. Regular feeding with liquid manure is necessary to produce crisp celery if the soil is not sufficiently rich, while this treatment will also benefit leeks, though it does nof require to be applied so frequently. Tomatoes should be picked as soon as they show colour. This will save them from attacks by birds and will prevent cracking due to rain. The fruit will ripen readily indoors. Ground not required for winter crops should be dug and planted with greens for digging in. Blue lupins, peas or oats are the best.

gPRING and early summer displays • •in the flower garden will depend to a large extent upon the work that is done during the next FLOWER few weeks. Bulb plantGARDEN ing should be in full swing now. Most popular varieties are narcissi, freesias, anemones, ixias, babianas, lachenalias, grape hyacinths, ranunculi, sparaxias, irises, crocus, cyclamen, hyacinths and tulips. With the larger bulbs take care to see that drainage is adequate, otherwise there is a prospect of their rotting during the winter. Deep digging is essential, and if the soil is inclined to pug place a handful of sand beneath each bulb. Plant out winter sweet peas, Iceland poppies, violas, pansies, stocks, winter marigolds, geums. gerberas, cinerarias, carnations, aquilegias and antirrhinums. Seeds of hardy annuals may still be sown. Seedlings from last month's sowing should be given every attention. The ground should be kept fairly moist and some protection given' on hot days. If hosing restrictions make it impossible to water regularly, give the seedlings a thorough soaking at least once a week from a bucket or watering can. Order dahlias for next summer's planting while specimen blooms are available; at all events take a note of names and varieties. Cuttings of most shrubs can be taken now, including hydrangeas. Make the cuttings of these about four inches long from the tips of un flowered shoots. * * * * ESTABLISHED beds of strawberries need attention now. Pull out the big weeds, clip off dead, browned and CARE OP badly spotted STRAWBERRIES leaves, spray the plants with a weak lime and sulphur solution as a safety measure, and then apply a dressing of bone meal or some good strawberry manure. Failing this, topdress the bed with old farmyard manure to help nourish the crowns that are now developing for next summer's fruiting. A bed of strawberries should never be left down for more than three years. They are at their best the second year, and after the third year's crop should 6e dug under. Strawberries respond well to good, treatment and care taken in correct manuring is amply repaid by heavier crops.