GARDENING NOTES

Hawera Star, Volume L, 19 December 1930, Page 7

GARDENING NOTES

LEEKS. Most, growers fail to obtain the best results owing to neglect at the start ov not thinning out the plants in the sced-batiis. To obtain sturdy plants the seedlings should he thinned out to three inches, apart. As soon as the plants have,- stems about as thick as a lead! pencil they should be planted out either .in trenches prepared as for color v or in shallow trenchers,. For those who keep fowls* the best way is to dig trenches about one foot in depth and mix a, liberal quantity of manure in the bottom soil. Return the soil and make it linn by treading, leaving a shallow trench three inches deep., then make a hole (with a dibber), about seven inches deep and two inches in diameter. Place one seedling in each hole with its roots resting on the bottom. and put in sufficient soil to cover the roots then give, a good soaking with water. Before planting cut back the long outer leaves and) also the roots to an inch in length. They should bo spaced nine inches; apart if large stems are desired'. Leeks need plenty of moisture, and an occasional application of liquid manure. A isolution of nitrate of soda,, at the rate of one tahlospoonful to each gallon of water applied once a fortnight will make the plants grow quickly and increase the circumference; of the stems. If grown in trenches make the trench eighteen inches wide and twelve inches dee,:.; mix plenty of manure or vegetable refuse with the soil in the; bottom. A trench this size will take two: rows of plants, nine (9) inches apart; the •plants, should lie placed alternately, that is, not opposite to each other; as; they grow some earth .should; bo placed 'round them. If the top of the leaves of leeks bo cut off about once; a month:, as new ones are produced, the (leeks swell to a much Tangier sizer

CELERY. Early sowings should now be ready for planting. They should be planted out in trenches when about three inches in height. If in single rows the trenches should be one foot wide, double rows eighteen inches wide, in both cases twelve inches deep. Mix plenty of manure or vegetable refuse with the soil in the bottom of the trench and plant six inches apart in the single rows, and nine inches in the double rows. Trenches should be at least three feet apart. The soil on either side of the trenches may be used to grow lettuces or radishes until it is time to earth up the plants, which should not be done until about six weeks before they are required for use. The soil in the trenches must he keptin a constantly moist condition; nothing injures celery more than drought. Liquid manure should be applied once a week, but nitrate of soda or any nitrogenous manure must not be used, because it makes the stems soft and hollow. If a small quantity of salt he sprinkled on the surface of the soil in the trenches it will improve the flavour of the celery, check the growth of weeds, and assist to keep the soil in a moist condition.

WINTER VEGETABLES

To be complete a garden should supply vegetables all the year round, but many gardens are full in summer and practically empty in winter, wlien vegetables are usually dear to buy. Good plants for winter use are silver beet (seed of whidli may be sown now), savoy' cabbage, broccoli, Brussel sprouts and kale. In a small garden where space is limited plants should be put in between rows of potatoes, beans or peas. Plant not less than two feet apart each way and make the i soil firm before planting; loose soil causes sappv growth, and what is wanted to carry the plants through the winter is firm, short-jointed growth, and this can only be obtained bv planting in firm soil. The most important item of cultivation with these vegetables is to keep them as free as possible from attack by the cabbage aphis and the caterpillars of the cabbage motli, both of which are very destructive, and if not kept m check will cause so much damage that the planus will not be of any service; but if an cfficieut insecticide be applied, though it may not be possible to keep them entirely free of the pests, the plants- will be sufficiently bealtliv to recover when the autumn rains fall. Tobacco dust sprinkled on (the plants at frequent intervals is a good remedy, or quassia solution (’made bv boiling two ounces of quassia chips in one gallon of water, to which a .small quantity of soap has been added); or a mixture of one I teaspoonful of black leaf 40 and two of arsenate of lead to one gallon of water is every effective if sprayed on nl frequent intervals.

TOMATOES. Tomato plants have in most cases not made much growth this season owing to Jack of sunshine and low tompjoratum Any ibaickward plants should have an application of nitrate of soda at the rate of one level tablespoonful to a gallon of water once a week for the next three weeks, or until thev show .signs of rapid growth. Any blossoms showng on these plants should he picked off to give tlie plants more strength to grow. When the plants are growing well give each plant three ounces of a mixture of two parts sunerpliosphate and one part sulphate of potash : mix this with the surface soil for a distance of a foot or so from the .stem and water it in. Tie up the plants as they advance in growth and pinch out all side shoots which grow at the junction of the base of each leaf and the stem of the plant.

HO IT INK- WOIUy. Spray every fourteen days with .Bordeaux ‘ solution (summer strength); alien fruits form add two tcaspoonsful of paste (or one of powder) arsenate of lead to kill caterpillars. Spray potato foliage with Bordeaux solution (summer strength one pound Bordeaux powder to each ten gallons of water; one pound of treacle added will make the solution adhere better). Spray every fourteen days or more often in showery weather.

Spray apricot, peach, plum and nectarine trees with Bordeaux solution (summer strength) or lime-sulphur solution, one part to one hundred and twenty-live parts of water, where, trees are affected- with leaf-curl, die-back disease or bladder plums. Spray four or five times, and in the case of badly afl eeted trees spray every fourteen days through the growing season. Spray apple, pear and quince trees with arsenate of lead solution (two teaspoon >f til of paste or one of powder to each gallon of water). Spray the whole of the foliage and fruit with a mistlike *:pray every three weeks until fruit is ready for use. Plant cabbage, broccoli, Brussels l sprouts, celery, kumara, and tomato plants. Plant out all kinds of seedlings of flowering plants. Sow seeds of biennial and perennial dowering plants.

( Sow seeds of hardy annual flowering plants for late flowering. Sow all kinds of beans, beet (round), broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cucumber, Kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard, radish, spinach (New Zealand variety), savoy, silver beet. ,turnip. Cease cutting asparagus and clean the beds free of weeds. Top-dress with manure. As soon as the foliage of springflowering bulbs has turned yellow they should be lifted, cleaned and dried for storing. Daffodils and freesias need not be lifted until they have become overcrowded.