IN THE GARDEN

Press, Issue 22599, 3 January 1939, Page 4

IN THE GARDEN

WORK FOR THE WEEK iSPECIALLE -WRITTEN FOR THR PRESS.) [By W. J. HUMMJ VEGETABLES There is much to be done in the vegetable garden at present if a succession of vegetables is to be maintained. January is the month to lay the foundation for the next winter and spring supply of vegetables. In most gardens the soil is in a splendid condition for planting and no time should be lost in broccoli, savoys, kale and winter cabbage planting. Vegetables for salads will be much in demand from now onwards. To grow this class of vegetable manure the ground well and grow the vegetables quickly. Make a sowing ; of silver beet. This will come in in winter, when vegetables are scarce. Make a sowing of a yellow fleshed turnip. A sowing of endive may be made now. This will come in for winter salads. Plant leeks and remember that these do best where the land is rich.

Celery should be planted now. The red kinds are very hardy and will stand much hard weather. Make a sowing ot an early kind ol pea. As' soon as shallots and garlic have completed their growth they should be lifted and spread out to dry. If dwarf beans' are sown at once they will yield a good autumn crog. Dust a little potash round cucumbers, marrows, and pumpkins- They like it. Make a sowing of parsley. This will come in for winter use.

Sow prickly seeded spinach. If a sowing of stump rooted carrot is made now they may be pulled when quite young. This will save using the main crop, which should be saved for winter use.

Keep the garden sanitary by promptly burning all rubbish and diseased foliage. Rubbish harbours harmful insects and fungus diseases. Dust a little hortnap between the rows of lettuce. It will keep the slugs off. Keep the soil sweet by hoeing frequently. Undisturbed soil cannot give it* best. Make a sowing of New Zealand Spinach.

FLOWERS To produce pansy plants for setting out in autumn sow seeds at once. Choose a shaded position and use sandy soil. If sweet williams are wanted to bloom during December and January next season, sow the seeds of these now. Sow pentetemons, Iceland poppies, Canterbury bells, hollyhocks, aquilegia, and Brompton stocks. Pansies and violas may be encouraged to continue to bloom and look fresh. Mulching the plants with well-spent manure will help the plants wonderfully. Peg down verbenas, phlox Drummondi, and ivy-leafed geraniums. They produce more blooms when treated in this way. Dahlias should be kept well staked. The wet weather has caused these plants to make excessive growth. Dahlias do best when the soil is hoed frequently. Gladioli should, be kept well staked and hoed frequently. Spray roses with colloidal sulphur to control mildew. Dust a little superphosphate around each plant. This will help them to mature the second crop of blooms. Keep seed from formr ing on sweet peas. Hoe them fre-

quently and dust a little superphosphate along the row and hoe in. Rhododendrons and azaleas are how making their flower buds lor next season’s display. If these plants are given a mulch of Well-rOtted manure it will do much to help them to develop their flower buds. Trim over all spring flowering perennials, such as aquilegias, pyrethruns, and geums.

FRUIT Spray for the control of the eodlin moth grub. There is always a second brood of these pests hatched out each season. Unless the young fruit is protected from these pests, many of the fruits will be ruined. Black currants may be pruned as soon as the fruit is gathered. Cut out much of the old wood which bore the fruit. This will cause the plant to develop new growths from the. base. On these will next season’s crop be borne.

Red and white currants are best pruned in winter. Fireblight is bad this season. AH withered branches should be cut out and burned, as goon as noticed.

SHRUBS Spiraea lindleyaha is at present in full bloom. This handsome foliage plant should be seen more often. The large pinnate foliage gives a sub-trop-ical effect. The flowers are plumelike, and a creamy white .shade. .The shrub does best in an open, sheltered position. ,