THE GARDEN IN FEBRUARY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 31, 6 February 1941, Page 15

THE GARDEN IN FEBRUARY

. .The recent good soaking rains have given gardens a fresh lease of life and should'carry the various plants and crops over for a.considerable time. Nevertheless, February is usually one of the hottest, driest .months of the year, and no transplanting can be done with even a reasonable hope of success. Vegetables which may be sown this month include lettuces and radishes, silver beet, turnips, spinach, dwarf > *peas, and french beans. If seeds of these can be sown while the soil is still moist so much the better, as germination should take place very quickly with^ the ground moist 1 and warm. Other crops which may be sown are spring onions for salads, shorthorn carrots, and spring cabbages and cauli- ; flowers. -- All ( crops should be encouraged to : maintain vigorous growth in every way \ possible. Early thinning of seedling crops is important, and the' suppression of weeds, watering, and liquid , manuring, with the frequent loosening of the surface soil to conserve moisture. Tomatoes should be forming up well outside and spraying should not be \ neglected as. blight is very apt to attack the plants during damp, muggy, weather. To protect . the., fruit from caterpillars, arsenate, of lead may be addedto the Bordeaux sprayb. All side shdots should" be rubbed out from the tomato plants as they appear. Potatoes -. which, are dying down are better lifted, Tas when allowed to remain in the

warm ground they are liable to start into fresh growth as soon as rain occurs, and this spoils the crop. Onions may be lifted and' dried off as soon as they have died down. Clear all spent crops from the ground, and where the plots are not required for immediate recropping, dig and manure with superphosphate and sow down in blue lupin or other quickgrowing crop for digging in. Pests of various kinds are ripe at this season of the year; to discourage them, rubbish, of all kinds should be gathered up and burnt. The ashes make useful manure, and should be scattered over the ground while quite dry. If allowed to get wet most of the goodness is washed out.: *

There is always plenty to do in the flower garden. Layering of carnations should be done as soon as possible, so that they may be well rooted before cold weather sets in.

Many annuals are over and should be pulled up and disposed of either by burning—which is the only safe way of dealing with diseased material—or by stacking for rotting down. ! Mildew usually attacks roses and many other plants in the summer. Dust with sulphur, sprinkling it lightly over the affected plants on days when the temperature is high. Dahlias may be kept healthy and the flowering period prolonged if all blooms are picked off as soon as they commence to die and the plants are liberally supplied with water and occasional doses of liquid manure. Staking is essential to protect the plants against damage by winds. Early flowering bulbs should be planted. They do better if they have plenty of time to make roots before [flowering commences.