GARDENING NOTES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 2 January 1925, Page 6

GARDENING NOTES.

(By “Waratah.”) I take this opportunity to wish all the readers of these notes a Happy and Prosperous New Year, and hope that they will exjierienoe more favourable conditions for their operations in the garden than they have, experienced so far this season. Those who care for their gardens have had to endure many annoyances and disappointments this season owing to the depredations of slugs, snails and woodlice; and the two gales recently experienced caused considerable damage in most gardens. However, it is to be hoped that the balance of the summer will bring more favourable conditions, and console us for the past misfortunes. The rainfall in December was much heavier than usual' and has saved much trouble in watering, and growth will be rapid. Constant attention in the way of tying up plants of tall growth will be necessary to prevent damage by winds, and the* hoe will need to be frequently used to destroy the weeds which will spring up. All faded flowers should be picked off to prevent seed formation, and so prolong the flowering period. This attention is particularly necessary in the case of sweet peas and pansies, which soon cease to flower when seed pods are formed. This is a good opportunity to give lawns a thorough rolling while the turf is in a moist condition. A sowing of cineraria seed should be made now to provide plants to flower next spring. VEGETABLE GARDEN.

Pinch out the tops of broad beans and peas when well covered with flowers to induce the pods to set. Keep tomato plants tied up to their stakes as they advance in growth, and pinch out all shoots that appear at the junction of leaves and stem as soon as they can be handled. Spray the plants with Bordeaux mixture (11b Bordeaux powder to 10 gallons water) at intervals of tbyee weeks. When fruit has formed pick off the dead blossoms which usually adhere for some time to the fruit, as they form a lodgement for the spores of “black rot,” the worst fungoid disease which attacks tomato plants. Sow dwarf French and butter beans for succession. Sow. beet for succession. _ Sow carrot, Early Horn, for succession. Sow mustard, cress and radishes for use in 'salads. Sow peas for succession. Sow silver beet. Sow spinach. The New Zealand variety is the best kind to sow now, as the variety known as round or summer spinach bolts to seed in hot weather before sufficient leaves that are fit to use are formed. The seed of New Zealand spinach should be soaked for 24 hours before sowing. Sow turnips for succession. Plant broccoli in firm ground free from fresh animal manure. Allow a space of 2ft Gin between the plants. Peg down long shoots of marrows, pumpkins, cucumbers and melons; place the peg close to a joint and. draw some earth up over the joint'. The vines will send- out roots at the places that are pegged, giving additional nutriment to the plants. If these plants are not pegged down the winds blow them about and damage them seriously.

Pinch out the growing points' of melons and cucumbers when the shoots are about one foot in length to induce, the formation of side shoots, on which the fruits are borne.