THE GARDEN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 15920, 4 May 1912, Page 7

THE GARDEN.

WORK FOR THE WEEK,

KITCHEN GARDEN.

Seeds to Sow.—Cabbago, lettuco, spinach and turnips. What to Plant.—Cabbage., cauliflower, endive lettuce and winter greens.. . . The general instructions given during last month will apply to May. The most important thing is to make the most of every fine day to do those odd jobs that can only be well done when the ground is dry. This refers to moulding up celery, removing fallen leaves from between rows of onions, spinach, lettuco, turnips and other small seedling crops, putting the, lite through the surface to break it up after heavy rains have battered it down quite" hard, collecting and burying or burning all remains of exhausted croos, to Ret ready sufficient protecting" material to cover lettuce from revere fronts and breaking up all vacant plots of ground by digging and trenching. This work will emplov all available labour nr. fine. days. There should be no delaying of this work. Too frequently in the past this has boon the case, with results the reverse of satisfactory. The earlier all vacant plots are broken up the bettor, becauce a greater surfaco is exposed to the weather, and, owing to the soil being loose, the rains pass through it instead of running oft the- hard surface. ft should be remembered that every drop of rain brings come plant food with it,-and consequently the greater quantity that parses through the £urface soil the richer it becomes. Tim invariably means a greater yield ana a better quality cf crop next season. Asparagus ton?; should not be cutoff too soon. Owing to the cool, damn •lummor the plants aro growing mucji later than usual this autumn, and the. "grass" should be loft untouched until it turns brown. "Where a lot of seeds have rinoned manv will fall to tho ground, and it would bo wiso to oollect those- by removing the loose snrlace soil, as to leave them would mean ' a forest of voung plnnts which would interfere with the older .plants. Rhubarb and seakale should bo lifted for forcing. Throe roots respond to a brat much better if they are lifted and ros+rd for some time before they aro put in tho forcing frame or 11 After the recent hcavv rains potatoes should be lifted, as toleaye them any Wer in tho ground would be a misake espociallv when there is so much Sit about. ' The reader should refer to last month's notes regarding ventilating clumps of potatoes. Make a verv careful selection, putting .all that show the least sien of disease into one Sap, and only sound tubers for stor-agHorse-radu4 should be trenched out tho large roots out a-.de for use, and the small sample replanted for next SeaS ° n - HARDY FRUITS. The recent frosts will check tho growth of young which in autumn arc growing mucn later than usual, doubtless owing to the cool summer and abundant rams. It may be well to point out that it is not advisable to transplant young fruit-trees before the current season s growth is finished, and the terminal bud on each shoot formed. Of course they can be transplanted before this, but it is not recommended, and may prove very harmful to tho trec3. Young fruit trees should he pruned either before they are planted or immediately after. To leave all the current season's growth on them for the greater part of the winter and then cut it off is a mistake resulting ma great loss of force. Tho trees should be pruned as soon as possible It may bo we to point out that the trees that are not transplanted do not require such a severe pruning as those that are transplanted. Once the required number of shoots are obtained, only moderate pruning is needed hut trees that are moved should be cut hard back It may appear a paradox, but it is a tact that the harder they ar° P™ned the Soregrowth thej^;will lowing season. This is wh> exper-en-ed fruit-growers cut each shoot back ?o within two or three eves of its base. Prune the roots as well ' hnt it is a This may appear Strang bn it is a good practice to cut eacn "-" . well back to encourage *• «^*?J? of new roots from the b«« of Clean, hard roots are o little use, tie now fibrous roots that push out from the baso are great f °°W* cr ers, and consequently it is advisable to oncourage them. . , When planting . small ™' ts ;£ black currants in a damp.position and gooseberries in a ?eU dramed one Frequently the latter d.o durings^ spell ol wot weather, when water remains about their roots for any length or "Mako provision for one or'two Logan borries-one of the best and most pro fitalle of the berried fruits, little attention it rivea a heavy mop of luscious fruit every season, fruit can be used as dessert stewed, m pies, or bottled for winter use made into jam. To obtain the pest_re suits, give it a position, facing nor n. It requires a fence or wires on -J. 1 ", to.train the shoots. Any soil ™" ' but a good loam is most suitable. 3°' havo said that they have faded to secure a good crop, but no. doubt uw cause of failures has been a baa w tern of pruning. This plant,,W» ™ raspberry, bears its fruits on the jQUiiS shoots formed the previous BU ™Zcn and once a crop of berries nas ", taken from a shoot it is of no ™™"\ s use, and should be cut out. « *"' n 0 done evorv autumn, there will 0 „. further cases of failure to record. «"• pruning should bo done at once, «"

the new shoots tied in position. There may bo too many shoots, and if there aro cut out a few, because there is nothing to gain from overcrowding, it this pruning and tying be done now, tho winter's weather can get at tho new shoots, destroying any larva) of insects there may bo on them. GREENHOUSE. At present tho three most important things in glasshouso management are ventilation, temperature, moisture. With some amateurs there is a tendency to keep the ventilators rather close- at tho first touch of winter, but this is a mistake. Ventilation in plenty should be the rule, even should the temperature fall rather low. It should .be remembered that most plante aro going to rest, and others that arc growing need as much fresh air as possible. A closo atmosphere means mildew and damping, or rotting of both leaf and blossom, and, more than this, it means that the soil in tho flower pots, tubs, etc., becomes sour, and quito unfit for the roots to remain healthy. Such being tho case give ample ventilation at all times. The temperature should bo kept as low as is consistent with tho welfare of the plants, the lower the hotter, as long as tho plants aro nob harmed. In houses whero thcro are zonalo pelargoniums in flower the temperature should bo kept above 55deg as, if it falls much below this the blossoms will damp and decay. A little top ventilation should bo left on at night to keep the air moving. The amount of moisture should be kept at a minimum during this and next month. Tho plants should not actually want for water, but do not givo any until it is required.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS

A Burwood correspondent writes: — I anticipate planting an orchard. Kindly say what position is most favourable in which to plant the following. Mine is sandy soil, how deep and what kind of mulching is beet:—Apples, pears, quinces, peaches, plums. Would you plant each kind in succession or mix the varieties. The prevailing winds aro north-east. What would bo the best position, say, nearest the fence, which is composed of broom, willows and poplars, fairly thick, Gft high? Which of tho trees need the most shelter? As pears grow the highest would you advise that they should be planted next tho fence? 'Would this order suit: Pears 1, quinces 2, apples 3, plums 4, peaches 5. Any general information will greatly oblige. (1)' Plant the" trees deep enough to cover the roots with six inches of soil. (2) The most suitable manure for mulching is half-rotted stable manure. ' (3) Arrange tho tall growing pears and plums at the south, and grade others to tho.north. (4) Peaches require most shelter, being more subject to injury from frosts than the others. Notes on pruning will be found in the instructions given above.