IN THE GARDEN

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23813, 5 December 1942, Page 3

IN THE GARDEN

, • WORK FOR THE WEEK

[By W. J. HUMM.] VEGETABLES

It is now time to get the celery crop on the way. Quite often when the trench is made all the fertile soil is removed and the manure is placed on a clay subsoil, with the result that the crop will as often as not be a failure. Leave at least eight inches of good, fertile soil in the bottom of each trench, add a quantity of well-decayed manure, and dust superphosphate at the rate of one ounce to the yard. Plant only young, healthy plants. To get the best crops celery must be kept on the move from the time the seed germinates until it is fit to use. Golden self-blanching is quite a good early kind, and Coles Crystal White, Solid Ivory, and Clayworth Pink are reliable late varieties.

Leeks should be put in as soon as possible. They take from 30 to 35 weeks to mature, and do best in a deeply-worked soil, to which plenty of well-decayed manure has been added.

Give tomatoes attention. The early planted ones are now making rapid growth. They should be kept well tied, The best method it to train with only a single stem to each plant, removing all side shots as soon as they appear, Prepare ground for broccoli and savoys, cauliflowers, and kale. These crops will come in during the late autumn and winter. Work the soil deeply and dust lime over the surface at the rate of five ounces to the square yard. Maintain supplies by making successive sowings of carrots, peas, beans, spinach, turnips, beet, and all salad crops. Plant marrows, pumpkins, and cucumbers. Stake runner beans and peas. Plant cabbages and cauliflowers. Make a sowing of swede turnips for winter use. Thin carrots as soon as thev are large enough. Sow a line of parsley. An open position suits parsley best. Brussels sprouts are one of the hardiest of the cabbage family. They need a long growing period, The seed is best sown early in October. Sowing thinly is most important, failure with this crop often being traced to the starving of the young plants in the seed bed. The soil should be dug deeply in the autumn, and by spring it should be settled. At the time of digging incorporate some well-decayed manure, leaving the surface as rough as possible. In the spring, hoe the surface and give a dressing of lime at the rate of 4 ounces to the square yard. The position must be open. The young plant should be sturdy and well-rooted. Plant these two and a half feet in rows and three feet between rows. During the warm weather shower the plants in the evening. During the summer, hoe, but not too deeply. FLOWERS Many bedding plants may still be planted. Heliotropes, salvias, French and African marigolds, zinnias, asters, petunias, and ageratums do well if planted now. There is still time to plant dahlias and chrysanthemums. Give gladioli water during periods of dry weather. Sow now polyanthus, anemones, ranunculi, wallflowers, and forget-me-nots. Sow Canterbury bells, Sweet William, aquilegias. pyrethrums, and Iceland poppies. Daffodils, hyacinths. tulips, and other spring bulbs may now be lifted and stored. Do not keep the bulbs out of the ground too long. Stake dahlias and other perennials as they need it. FRUIT To keep fruit trees in vigorous health lightly cultivate under the trees throughout the summer. Fruit trees would be improved if given liquid manure occasionally. Mulching with well-decayed manure would also be helpful. Where trees arc bearing heavy crops thin out the fruit. An over-cropped tree means small fruit of an inferior quality. In all cases remove one of all twin fruits. Also remove all badly-placed or undersized fruit. Thinning fruit is possible and important where only a limited number of trees are grown. Thinning also prevents over-taxing the energy of the trees and often ensures a crop yearly instead of a heavy crop only once in two years. Pay special attention to insect and fungus pests during the summer. To give the trees their annual winter spraying is not enough to control fruit tree pests. It is from now on that many pests do harm. Keep a check on codlin moth grub, leaf-roller, and black slugs by spraying with arsenate of lead, one ounce to four gallons of water. Fungus diseases L such as leaf curl, mildew, brown rot, apple and pear scab, may be held in check by spraying with lime sulphur. Use this at the rate of onethird of a pint to four gallons of water. Cut out and burn any dead or dying branches. Fire blight may be the cause. SHRUBS From manukas, many interesting and valuable garden plants may be selected. Sir George Fenwick, a double white form, is flowering well this season. The crimson-flowered manuka, septospermum nichollsii, is still a most popular plant. Many fail with manukas because they plant them in uncongenial positions. Manukas do best planted in a sunny position, away from the influence of large tree roots. One important factor in their cultivation is the timely removal of all seed pods. As soon as the flowers fade the plants should be clipped over.