GARDENING NOTES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 7 May 1926, Page 6

GARDENING NOTES.

(By “War at ah.”)

RIPENING TOMATOES. On the chance of their ripening many fruits are left on the plants, with the result that they become spoilt. The fruits only just changing colour, as well as those whiclr are green, may be ripened quite easily if removed from the plants. They should be wiped dry if damp and placed in boxes. First place a layer of hay in the bottom of the box, then one of tomatoes, and another of hay, and so on until the box is full, cover with a lid, and keep in a dry place. Every fourth day or so they should be examined, and the ripe ones taken out. Two boxes are most convenient, as the green fruits can be placed in one and the partially ripened ones in the other. STRAWBERRIES. Now is a good time to make a new strawberry plantation for fruiting next summer. In some districts where the soil is of a heavy nature the plants may he profitably grown for three years, but on light soils the crops are usually small after the second year. The largest fruits are obtained the first year, the _ heaviest crop the second, after which the beds begin to deteriorate. To get the best results the soil should be deeply dug and well manured and made very firm before planting. Select strong, well-rooted, one-year runners, and plant in rows 30 inches apart and 12 inches between the plants l in the rows. Ground that was trenched and manured last autumn for eavlv peas or potatoes will be quite suitable without fresh digging. TO DISSOLVE BONES.

Bones are a very valuable manure, but unless brought to a fine powder they are a very long time before becoming available as plant food. Those who have a quantity of boues will find the following method of dissolving them useful. Take a large watertight barrel, and cover the bottom with about six inches of dry soil; on this put a layer of bones of the same depth, and cover them with wood ashes (these must he dry, if they have been allowed to get wet the potash will have been dissolved and the ashes useless for this purpose). .On these place another layer of bones, then ashes, and so on until the barrel is full. Leave it exposed to the rains all summer and winter until spring. Then on removing the contents of the barrel the bones- will crumble to powder under u slight pressure, and form one of the most valuable manures ready for immediate use, Four ounces of this bone manure is the proper quantity. to apply per square yard when preparing ground for sowing or planting, mixing it well into the top spit of soil, or as deeply as possible round fruit trees, etc., without injuring the roots. ARTIFICIAL MANURE FOR ROSES. The following mixture is recommended for roses. It should bo thoroughly mixed and applied in autumn or winter: Three partsi bonedust, one pai’t bone and blood, one part sulphate of potash, and half an ounce of sulphate of iron to each bush (if none has been applied recently). BROAD BEANS. A few broad beans sown now will come in early and he very welcome. The seeds should be sown in soil which has been dug but not manured; in rich soil the plants run to leaf and the pods fail to set. Sow the seeds four inches deep and six inchesi apart in the rows, which should be 30 inches apart. They are very hardy, and will stand severe frost without damage. An application of lime to the surface soil is very beneficial to the plants; in some soils deficient in lime the plants grow vigorously, but do not produce pods. In some seasons the plants suffer from attacks of “rust,” and if is a wise precaution to spray tire plants with lime sulphur or dust with flowers of -sulphur occasionally, commencing when the plants are a few inches high, as this disease may, be more easily prevented than cured. ROUTINE WORK.

Plant rooted layers of carnations. Prepare ground for planting fruit trees, roses, shrubs, and hedge plants. Finish planting spring flowering bulbs. Plant stocks, wallflowers, polyanthus, pansies', dimorphotecas, etc., for spring flowering. Lift, divide, .and replant herbaceous perennial plants. Plant strawberry plants. Sow broad beans and an early dwarf variety of peas in a warm, sheltered position. Make final sowings of cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, onions and turnips. Sow in raised beds in a warm, sheltered position. Harvest pumpkins, squashes, marrows and melons. They keen best in a cool, dry, airy shed. Cut- down stems of asparagus as soon as tlie foliage has turned yellow. Lightly fork up the surface of the bed and remove all weeds, being, careful not to damage the crowns while doing so. Ho not apply a dressing of animal manure, as it keeps the bed too. wet and coldi during winter, and is likely fo cause the roots to decay.