GARDEN NOTES

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24986, 21 September 1946, Page 5

GARDEN NOTES

(Specially Written for “The Preas.”) [By T. D. LENNIE, N.Z.]

VEGETABLE GARDENS ' Spring sowing can now be carried on with vigour, for almost anything in the vegetable line can now be sown. Particular attention should be given to sowing the indispensables—carrots, onions, parsnips, globe beet and silver beet, lettuce, radish, cabbage, leeks, parsley, turnips, summer spinach, mustard and ertess. Some people think that the recent rains may have ruined their earlier sowings of some seeds such as onions and carrots. Germination will not, in my opinion, have been seriously affected.

Sprouting seed cannot be expected much under four weeks. After that period, some cause for worry may arise. Lettuce and cabbage plants are in short supply this season, hence the sowing of a pinch of seed of each is advised. Both will be ready for cutting in about three months.

French beans and scarlet rqnner beans can be sown in sheltered places, but where frosts are likely, sowing should be deferred.

-Other vegetables of unusual character, but worth while for the sake of variety, can now be sown. These include salsify, or vegetable oyster, needing much the same treatment as parsnips; endive, green curled, for salads; New Zealand spinach, very prolific; kohlrabi, and celeriac, the turnip-rooted celery. These do not require special attention, and all contribute to the season’s bill, of fare. Prepare sites for planting out tomatoes next month by digging in a forkful of compost for each plant. Make sure it is well mixed into the top spit, hot just left in the mass. Where artificial manure is to be used, leave it until time of putting out plants, when' the same mixing process should be done. Frosty weather may still be expected, and no risks need be taken with early growth, naturally rather tender. Potato sprouts showing above ground should be earthed -over about two inches. The earthing up of young growing cabbages is also good practice. The asparagus bed is beginning to liven up, and dressings of salt or nitrate of soda can be given to stimulate growth. From one to two ounces to the square yard will be adequate, but can be repeated early next month. For use in general seed sowings, a blood-and-bone mixture is the most valuable, and can be safely used when sowing most vegetable seeds. Where this is not available superphosphate and fish manure, mixed together, will give equally good results. If small birds are picking the tops off young peas, a few threads of black cotton along the row will prove a good deterrent. THE FRUIT GARDEN

Hasten red-oil spraying on apple trees. As buds are now bursting, reduce tne strength used to 1 in 20. No spraying should be applied to fruiting trees when in blossom. Tidy up the ground under the fruit trees, and apply a dressing of superphosphate, 3ib, and muriate of potash jib to each full-sized All pruning should be finished. Grafting can be done. The strawberry bed can be given a dusting of fish manure or blood and bone, at the rate of a handful to the yard row.

THE FLOWER GARDEN Sowing hardy annuals and filling tn spaces on the borders with suitable plants will now be a pleasant operation. Provided the plants are well hardened off there should be no risk in putting out your favourites such as violas, petunias, nemesia, antirrhinum, wallflower, Iceland poppy, Livingstone daisy, and 10 weeks and beauty stocks. Most annuals should be sown where they are intended to remain, and therefore should be sown thinly in rows or broadcast in patches, for many of the best do not transplant well. These include poppies (Shirley or double), larkspur, viscaria, linaria, mignonette, nas-z turtium and clarkia. Seeds of perennials can be sown, preferably in boxes of good sandy soil under glass This practice leads to a full supply of wanted sorts to be put out in their flowering places about next March, or after the summer flush display has past. Good stocks at that time of good quality pansy, polyanthus carnation, delphinium, hollyhock, dianthus, primulas, will be found very useful. The main lot of gladioli can be planted Chrysanthemum stools can be broken up and replanted in the same way as herbaceous border perennials. Spring bulbs flowering now will be helped by a sprinkling of good fertiliser along the row, especially a quick acting one like sulphate of ammonia, or fish manure. New lawns oan be sown down. Rake the surface lightly before sowing, and again to cover the seed. Germination should follow inside three weeks, ft ie