IN THE GARDEN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 31 January 1930, Page 8

IN THE GARDEN

BETTER WEATHER CONDITIONS

THE VEGETABLE PLOTS

The fine sunny weather experienced lately has enabled a good deal of leeway to be made up by those who spend thenspare time in the garden. Iho sunny days have also had a good effect on all vegetables and flowers, which have responded freely to more seasonable weather conditions. marrows and pumpkins are growing fairly well, but need more warm sun to fruit properly. Silver beet may still be planted. Broccoli is a better crop to grow than cauliflower as they stand ihe winter well Brussel sprouts and borecole are excelcellent winter greens specially in frosty districts. It is' not too late to plant celery, provided plenty, of moisture. is available. Plant in prepared trenches and earth up when the.plants have made good growth;' f For late planting' the selfbjanching varieties are the most suitablein mild climates but tiny will not-stand frosts. • Celery must never be allowed to suffer. from want of water, as any check to. the plants spoils the crop. lift the tops of the kumara plants to prevent them rooting at.the joints. Potatoes should be lifted' as soon as ripe, which can be judged by the condition of the tops.- As soon as the tops commence to turn yellow the potatoes are'ready to lift. ' It is always wise to.be'careful"to remove "all small tubers from the ground, otherwise they grow and prove a trouble in the succeeding crop. The tops of potatoes are better Tjurnt to avoid any possibility of spreading disease. Carrot, swedes and turnips .may be drilled along in rows and thinned out when large enough to handle. Make the rows with the hand fork and thorou'ghly soak the soil after preparation. _ Then sow - the seed along the wet drills and cover with dry soil, watering lightly when finished.

Broccoli for succession still to be planted out, and where other winter greens have not already been got in, such as drumhead cabbage, curMwj Scotch 'kale, and savoys, rio timo should be lost. Take care to water them until them become established. Should clubroot bo prevalent, dip the roots before planting into a puddle of fresh cow manure, soot, and soil well mixed. This will stimulate growth, and to a great extont prevent clubroot. Garlic and shallots should ' now be lifted end stored for later use. The beds may be filled up with any vegetable for greens such as spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts or kale. Always remember the principles of rotation and do not plant two vegetables in succession belonging to the same family. To force along lettuce "and cabbage crops nitrate of soda is excellent, 1 tablespoonful per gallon of water every 10 days. For a general fertiliser among root crops blood and bono is good; sprinkle along the rows and hoe in. Keep a close watch upon cucumbers, melons marrows, and pumpkins, and up the. least sign of their being attacked with, aphis, spray with a solution of black leaf 40. All diseased potato or pea haulm should bo burned. Do not place it on the rubbish heap to spread the disease. Onions that the turning yellow with maturity, or it may be due to mildew, should have, the. necks bent over to hasten maturity. Once the tops begin to go, the quicker tho crop is out of the ground is better. Shallots and garlic should be treated like onions, and as soon as possible get the bulbs harvested and stored. Sow all empty spaces in the garden with green crops for .manuring purposes. This is the cheapest way to build up the soil, in fact ii is tho only economical way to produce humus. Cabbage fly can in a great measure be kept in check by the black leaf solution. Asparagus beds should be kept clean and free from weeds to encourage the tops to make as much growth as possible to build up strong crowns for next season's supply. Backward autumn crops such as lettuce, etc., can be pushed along with nitrate of soda, loz to a gallon. Apply after a good watering in the evening if possible. - • \ ; ~:i-k

’MIDST THE FLOWERS TV following seeds may now be sown: —Iceland poppies for winter flowering, beauty stock for early blooms, pansy and violas for bedding, antirrhinum, larkspur and oalliopsis for borders, anemone and ranunculus for making young bulbs for late spring flowering. Dahlias should be gone over regularly and the number of buds reduced. This is especially necessary where circumstances do not permit watering. Seedling dahlias can be safely planted, provided a little water can be given for a few days. Fill any vacant beds with zinnia, scalvias, petunias, phlox drummondii. Chrysanthemums will need tying, and the soil around the plants should be kept stirred. If aphis appears, give a spraying with a nicotine spray. A few well-ground pots of mignonette form a delightful addition to the greenhouse during winter. The best way is to sow a few seeds in a din pot, filled with ordinary soil, with the addition of some lime rubble. Thin out the seedlings early to three or four to each pot, and keep in a light, airy position. When the flower heads begin to show, liquid manure will bo an advantage. All bulbs not already lifted should be lifted without further delay if they are to be transplanted this season. It is rather unsatisfactory to leave them in the ground until the proper planting season as they may start into growth and if they are moved then it will mean late blooms. If the violets are affected, spray them with a lime sulphur solution. Apply liquid manure to such plants that are supposed to blossom in the autumn. The delphiniums for one will respond to this treatment. If the violas have finished flowering, they should have their tops taken olf to induce suckers for next autumn s planting. As long as they continue to bloom,'however, they should be left. , Watering and liquid manure will help them to keep blooming. Hydrangeas should have the spent bower heads removed, which greatly improves their appearance, and they should receive regular waterings. Continue to sow winter flowering sweet peas. What better flower could one grow for use during such a lean period.

Seeds of all kinds of perennial plants can be started in boxes now in a shady part of the garden or in a glasshouse that has been well clouded. At all times it. is important to sow the seed thinly and to prick the plants out into other boxes as soon as they can be handled easilv. Delphinium seed sown now will Ik! quite likely to make an attempt to flower before the winter. These young flower spikes should bo cut off as soon as they are seen. Aquilegia seed is better if soaked in warm Water for twentyfour hours before sowing. Add a teaspoonful of vinegar tv each cup of water and this will assist germination to a great extent. Hoses need going over, and all seed pods cut away. What is required is a sort of half pruning, cutting back the flowering shoots to a strong bud. When preparing ground for planting daffodils and narcissi use no manure, but a little basic slag and bonedust. Layer lavender or rosemary where young plants are required. Cuttings can also he used to increase the stock. Dahlias now require a lot of attention. For good blooms the plants should be disbudded and frequent waterings with liquid manure will greatly help. Dahlias are great feeders and respond readily to this treatment. For caterpillar attacking the leaves and buds, spray with arsenate of lead. Layering of border carnations can be done at once. The perpetual varieties can also bo layered; but cuttings in early spring produce the best winter flowering plants. The panting of many autumn flowering subjects can still be done. Polyanthus, cyclamen, primulas, Iceland poppies, delphiniums, carnations, primroses can bo sown now. Make a sowing of mignonette. • This old favourite should be found ill ovary garden, not brilliantly coloured pj'.'haps, but delightfully scented. Beds and borders that are to be planted up with bulbs in the planting season, may be prepared as soon as possible. This is especialy recommended if expensive bulbs arc to be planted. Prune rambler roses by cutting away all the old flowering growths. Tie in securely the young growths, and if too many are coming reduce them to the strongest.