HOME GARDEN

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 17 August 1934, Page 8

HOME GARDEN

WORK FOR THE WEEK FLOWER AND VEGETABLE PLOTS (By “Salvia”) These salads are very welcome in early spring. They may be sown m boxes or outdoors. Shallow boxes should be filed with fine soil, the surface made firm and level and the seeds sown thickly on the surface. _ 1 ress the seeds into the soil with a piece of fiat board. Water with a fine spray or hose so as not to disturb the seec s. Shade for a few days until seeds- germinate. Cress should be sown five or six days before mustard, when both are required for cutting at the same time. Cut for use while still in their seed leaves before the rough leaves appear. If sown outdoors choose a warm border for the first few sowings. Later on during summer sowings should «e made in partial shade. Sow broadcast in small beds or in wide flat-bottomed driTls, and cover with about quarter or an inch of very fine soil. Plenty of water must be given in dry weather. Sowings should be made at intervals ot seven to fourteen days according to the demand. TURNIPS.

A small sowing of turnips may be made now. For the first few sowings a sunny position is desirable. Although turnips like a rich soil, it is not advisable to sow them m soH to which fresh manure has just Tieen added or luxuriant tops will develop at the expense of the roots. Sow in drills about fifteen inches apart, and thin out first to three inches apart and finally to six inches. The drills should be about three-quarters of an inch in depth and the seeds sown thinly, inm out the seedlings to the proper distance as soon as they can be handled comfortably. .Small sowings should be made at frequent intervals until December as turnips do not remain m, good condition long. “Early -Snowball” ana “ Early White Stone are good kinds to grow, and for those who like a yellow turnip “Golden Ball. Turnips should not be sown -in December, January and February. During March a sowing to stand all winter may be sown. Those who like swede turnips should sow Laing’s Garden Swede during the early part of November and again in autumn. . When the soil is in poor condition some superphosphate at the Tate of four ounces per square yard should be mixed with soil before sowing and to check “club root” the surface of the soil should be dusted thickly with lime. CARROTS.

A few early carrots may be sown- as soon as the soil is in a suitable condition. -Sow in a sunny position m soil free from fresh manure. If the soil be in poor condition, mix some superphosphate with it at the rate of four ounces per square yard. Make the drills one inch deep and twelve inches apart. Sow thinly and thin out as soon as the seedlings can be handled to an or so* apart, the later thinnings can be left until the roots are large enough to use, the final thinning should be to six inches apart. “Early Nantes” or “Early Horn” are the best varieties to sow early in the season. For the main crop sow “James’ Intermediate.” “-Manchester Table” or “Guerande” (Oxheart, this is a short carrot of large diameter with practically no core) - . Sow In drills one and a half inches in depth and fifteen inches apart, and gradually tain out to six inches apart. ’Those who like a continual supply of young carrots should sow “Early Horn” or “Early Nantes” in November and again in January and to supply roots in spring, in early March. The main crop should be lifted in April and stored in sand or stacked on the floor of a shed and covered -with litter. JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES Plantings of these may be made now. Choose medium-sized tubers and those which are as smooth as possible. It is important to plant only the best-shap-ed tubers, because artichokes are naturally inclined to be ugly in shape which makes it difficult to prepare them for the table, and it is only by judicious seiecTion that tubers of good shape can be produced. The, tubers if large may bo cut in the same manner as seed potatoes, allowing two “eyes” to each set. Plant in trenches six inches deep allowing a space of about fifteen inches between the tubers. The rows should be at least three feet apart. The soil should be well worked and fairly well manured, although fresh rank manure should not be used. If chemical fertilisers be used apply a mixture of two parts superphosphate and one part sulphate of potash. ROSES. When the soil is sufficiently dry and in lit condition for working, the rose beds and borders should be lightly forked over and all weeds removed. As the work proceeds carefully remove all suckers that have come up from the stems and roots below 'the ground. Take away the soil, laying roots bare, in order to find where the sucker starts from, and" cut it off closely, so that no dormant buds are left to grow later on. Carefully return the soil and tread it firmly. All rose stocks are liable to produce suckers, and a frequent cause of sucltering is damage done to the roots by digging with a spade. A top-dressing of well-rotted animal manure, if obtainable, should be applied now; this will act asi a mulch and prevent the soil becoming dry later on. Chemical fertilisers may also be applied now, if not already done, a mixture of three parts blood and bone manure, one part superphosphate, and one part sulphate of potash is an excellent fertiliser. Mix thoroughly and apply two ounces per square yard.

BOUV ARDIAiS. These should be cut back to a few inches above where they were pruned last season. The pruning should be done with a sharp knife, just above a pair of leaf buds. Small plants that are not a year old should have all the thin weakly stems cut away, leaving only the strong ones to make the main stems of the future plant. Give the plants a good dressing of well-decayed manure, or, failing that, a good sprinkling of bone-dust, as soon as the pruning is done. TUBEROUE BEGONIAS 'These tubers may now be placed in shallow boxes in a light compost of equal portions of loam, leaf mould and sand. It is advisable to stferilise the leaf mould by heating it to destroy any spores of fungoid diseases or eiggs of| insects. No heat is required to start

the tubers, 'out they should be placed s in a cool, airy greenhouse or frame and : allowed to start naturally. Grown in this way they are more sturdy and pro ; duco finer flowers than tubers that have been forced along in heat. Any tubers showing signs of decay may be saved if the decayed portion be cut out; if left, the decay will spread and destroy the whole tuber. REMINDERS. Plant as soon as possiblp now shelter and ornamental trees, shrubs, hedge

plants, fruit trees and rose bushes. Complete pruning of fruit trees. Prune rose bushes. Plant rhubarb roots. Plant cabbage, cauliflowor and lettuce plants. Plant Jerusalem artichokes. Plant sprouted sets of seed potatoes in a Warm sheltered position. Plant seed potatoes in shallojv boxes to sprout. Expose to as much light as possible to keep the sprouts sturdy and protect the bo±es at night when of paper.

• Sweep lawns to scatter worm-casts, and roll well after the soil has been! washed down among the roots of thei grass. Mow grass .as soon as sufficient} grow-th has been made. ; Spiv under glass: Cape gooseberry, cucumber, imelort, and tomato seeds. Also seeds of hardy and half-haTdyt varieties of flowering plants. ' iSow when weather conditions ara favourable, peasj broad beans, cabbage/ cauliflower, carrot, cress, lettuce, mustard onions, spinach, turnips, frost threatens by covering with sheets