IN THE GARDEN

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24280, 10 June 1944, Page 7

IN THE GARDEN

I WORK FOR THE WEEK I v | (<a eclally Written for “T!ie Press.”) | [By W. J. HUMM.I t! | VEGETABLES MHie most important work at present d*P he vegetable garden is preparing I next scat-mil's crops. Make sure ahe soil is given thorough prelion. If manuring is clone with vfcrci manure, be sure to place it down. Where crops such as beet, lips, or carrots are grown, placid manure too near the surface cause them to develop side roots, lanure can do its work unless the is frequently cultivated and kept from weeds. The more the sursoil is stirred and aerated the r the crops will respond. Manures 0 t take the place of cultivation, more the soil is cultivated the i productive it will be. To get the vf«t out of the soil do not overlook the ■ tine of crop rotation. ‘‘■l where the sod is well-drained plant mJbage, cauliflower, broad beans', and ufrly peas. Lift and store root crops S&ji the exception of parsnips and ; ’l’jichokes. Plant chives, rhubarb, c|Lne," sage, mint, and all herbs, pijrbs’do best in a sunny position. ijLy should not be .planted under ■fts prepare beds for asparagus now, iX(plant in spring. Do not leave rubinlying about the ground; it keeps lie air and warmth from doing their litrlc. Dust a little carbonate of lime ■.‘lound cabbage and cauliflower plants. | FRUIT ' I Now is the time to give the orchard , thorough overhaul. All trees which ■ ce'past their usefulness should be rejoved. It is impossible to keep young jjes clean if there are a few old j-orn-out trees in the orchard. Each „ K should be kept healthy and clean c rit cannot produce to its fullest. Re--Ijieinber that each variety of fruit tree ■%s different characteristics; some are %ite productive when quite -young, &Mile others delay their fruiting iiljeriod until they are many years old. i%ne kinds of apples, English plum iilinii many kinds of pears often do this. Hjadly-chaincd soil or planting too Pdeeply often causes trees to be fruitfffss. Quite often fruit trees arc pruned ffjrioo heavily, and instead of producg fruit growth they can only prorifuce wood growth. Unless one can do |%ore for the tree than the tree can for itself, the tree should be left Each variety requires difi 'laent treatment. Watch carefully each tree’s fruiting system, for this is fJthe chief guide in the art of pruning. MPruning can only be learnt by exvfl«riMce. : < Prune plums, apples, and pears now. Ipiant all classes of fruit trees, includ■iing walnuts. Fruit, trees require from c|l2 to 15ft spacing for their develop- . |«ent. Always plant gooseberries . v n a liell-drained position. Black currants ■Jiad raspberries will grow in a damp -Imposition of the garden, but they must fp given good finder-drainage. Plant I‘ ‘dewberries and loganberries now. SHRUBS Erica Darleyenis is at present in (all bloom and will remain so for maty weeks. This dainty little lowjtowing plant should be better known. It is free flowering, good matured, and ifill endure hard frosts without harm, life flowers are small and the colour bright purplish pink. The flowers Whe the plant from top to bottom. ;t does best when planted in the full

I FLOWERS Clean up beds and borders and be careful not to dig too deeply round my early flowering plant. Do not jrune early-flowering shrubs now. Hiey are best pruned when their lowering period is over. Buddleias (with the exception of buddleia alter- ! oilolia) may be pruned now. Buddleia 1 colvellei is better not pruned. Tama- ! rix (with the exception of tamarix ' plumosa) may be cut hard back now. a Plumosa blooms in spring; if pruned iMW the flower effect will be lost. Pytus mains parkmannii, Sir Heaton Rhodes. and Coronaria are three of the finest flowering apples in cultivation, tee. should be more freely planted. Plant all classes of roses. June planted roses always give good results. | Spartium Junceum is one of the best i dowering shrubs for a dry, windy position. : Rose pruning may now be underfl taken. Do not prune yellow banksia, Copper Austrian, Persian yellow, or any of the rose species now. If any pruning is needed, do it after the lowering, period is over. Burn all primings and rose foliage, as they may contain blight. After pruning spray roses with lime sulphur. Use it at one apart to 12 parts of water, g Pauls scarlet' climber is one of the •yinost satisfactory climbing roses of its | colour ever produced. It flowers most | freely, is a good grower, and the foli- | age hangs on well into the winter. | Chaplin’s 1 pink climber is also a I Worthy climbing rose. Any lilies required should be plantI*d as soon as possible. The stem I rooted kinds should be planted deeply. I Box makes a splendid edging. These k may be planted now. It takes 100 | plants to lay 20 feet. (■= — ~