THE GARDEN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18332, 14 February 1920, Page 5

THE GARDEN.

iWOEK FOR THE WEEK.' KITCHEN GARDEN. • Seeds to,Sow. -Cabbage, cauliflower, cress, .lettuce, onions, endive, turnips, * P What to Plant—Cabbage, cauliflower, kale, savoy and winter greens. Beans, both dwarf and runner, are coming in fast, the late heavy rains having given all vegetables a greax stimulus. Don'tneglect to gather the beans as soon as they are big enougn for use. Go over the plants twice a week and pick all that are large enough for the kitchen. Finish preparing the ground for the autumn sowin E or onions. .Many people make a regular practice to bend down the tops of onions, some with excellent results, but in some cases many bulbs are spoilt, because, in bending down those plants that have thick necks one can do more harm than good by forcing the tops down and breaking the neck, more or less. This in some cases causes the bulbs to crack, in others the bulbs start to push out Jresh leaves (or blades) from the centre. 4 Either of these conditions is detrimental to the keeping qualities of the bulbs. Onions that have thick necks will not keep in good condition long, while those having very thin necks will, if harvested with care, keep in good condition for many months. Another interesting fact regarding onious with thin necks is that their growth will need very little attention from the cultivator, because the necks will fall over gradually at the right stage of development, without any assistance. Onion seeds have been very mixed during the last few seasons, so much so, that in almost every sample one would have several varieties, with a "large proportion of thick neck bulbs. This suggests carelessness in growing the seeds, and the planting of thicknecked bulbs to produce seeds, instead of selecting those with thin necks and a good shape- One'or two of the best bulbs should be selected and planted in the spring to produce seed. By this practice one could soon obtain a supply of the best quality. Beed that would produce onions that would keep sound until the best price is obtainable. FLOWER GARDEN. Roses are giving a splendid lot of flowers just now. The present lot of blossoms is better than the first crop, and the strong growth gives promise of a good autumn display. Probably this is the best part of the season to select the varieties for planting in the autumn and winter. One can note their condition as to vigour and quantity of blossoms and the quality of the flowers. There are a few of outstanding merit that should be in every collection, and there are others that should only be planted in largo gardens where there are large collections. The small collections need a more careful selection to make sure that each one is of robust health and continuous in flowering. Itambler roses are making strong growths; and to give these young shoots ample exposure to light and air some of the old flowering wood should be removed. Begin with those that have finished flowering, and out out most of the wood that carried this season's crop of flowers. Don't hesitate to prune freely; the new shoots will soon fill up the hare spaces, and the old flowering wood is not wanted, because it cannot produce suohgood blossoms as the young shoots. , The reason why so many rambler rosea get poor and scraggy is retaining so much of the old, useless wood. This prevents the young shoots acquiring strength, and the/result is a partial success. Keep the hoe busy between growing plants, and don't neglect thinning out and pricking off seedling plants. The grass on lawns will grow faster after the recent heavy rain. Put the machine over the lawn regularly to keep the stronger growths out off and so give the finer varieties every chance to grow. Keep the edges of walks and beds" out neat. If these are untidy it detracts from the neatness of the garden. GREENHOUSE. Cinerarias are growing fast and should have plenty of room, light and ventilation. Probably *hw is the most , important period of the growing season for these plants. If they are crowded they lose vigour, development is checked, and the plants form their head of flower long before they should, and no matter how generous the after treatment they cannot acquire enough strength to make those largo masses of blossom that are the glory of a wellgrown cineraria. Don't hurry the plants, let them grow slowly in cold frames. Keep them cool by giving some ventilation during the night and not too much shade during the day. Never let the roots receive a check for want of larger pots. It is safer to put tho plants into bigger pots too soon than too late. Remember the roots grow fast, hut once they suffer a check they never recover the same degree of vigour. Water sparingly. These plants derive a lot of sustenance from the atmosphere, therefore this should be kept moist by syringing or damping the plants overhead with a watering-can and a fine rose. Although the plants are almost hardy, they are soon made sick-by giving too much water to their roots. Over watering causes more failures in growing cinerarias than all other troubles, but it is well to keep the foliage damp, and as a preventative against insect pests put a little one of the many insecticides in the water when damping the plants overhead. Soot-water is excellent for this purpose; it not only keeps insect pests away, but gives the leaves a dark, healthy shade "of green that is a sure index of robust health. Hydrangeas are most useful when ; grown in small pots with one large truss of flowers. They come in during tho spring when flowering plants are wanted for house decoration. Cuttings taken now, put in small pots filled with sandy soil, and put in a cold frame, will soon make roots, and with one shift into larger pots make good decorative plants.