Spring—Main Planting Time

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31782, 12 September 1968, Page 12

Spring—Main Planting Time

The main planting time of the year is in spring, and it is during this period that the main plant growth and development occurs.

During this period, almost all vegetable seeds can be sown; bedding plants and other shrubs are also put into the ground. In spite of a heavy upsurge in the commercial sale of vegetables, seed merchants report there has been no decline in the sale of vegetable seeds and plants.

less work in planting shrubs and then planting a few flowers around them for decoration. I feel they are finding there is a lot of work in straight out flower beds,” Mr Chun said.

Apart from planting, general work in the garden must continue to include hoeing against weeds. Fruit trees need to be sprayed for leaf-curl, black spot and codling moth. Partly because of the increased heat and partly because of the preoccupations ot Christmas, many gardeners tend to slacken off their gardening programme during December and therefore, the spring is perhaps the busiest time of the year in the garden. Above all, care is needed in spring gardening programme because at this time of the year, plants are tender and many new shoots are appearing.

Mr D. Chun, a local seed merchant, reported that there had been a slight drop in the sale of cauliflower plants and there was not much demand for beetroot and silver beet plants. He said there had been an Increasing demand for lettuces in the past few years and attributed this to the availability of plants in boxes. The sales of bundles of lettuces had dropped, he said. Mr Chun said there had been a fall in demand for flower seeds and an increased demand for shrubs. “I think this is because gardeners are finding there is