In the Garden

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 12 May 1939, Page 10

In the Garden

HINTS FOR AMATEURS THE VEGETABLE PLOT All spent crops and other vegetable refuse should be either burned, buried or rendered innocuous in the compost heap by mixing it with lime. Always have lime handy. By this means you get rid of insect pests and fungus Lime not only kills insects, but it sweetens and otherwise benefits the soil. There is no royal road to combat pests but cleanliness and watchfulness. Observe these two principles, and slugs snails, etc., will die a natural death.

If this ig made a regular practice, the garden will soon be quite clear of these pests especially if the surface is kept continually loose with the hoe, as the birds will then have a chance in assisting in their destruction.

In every case plants which have to stand the winter should have well-drained positions in as warm and sheltered a part of the vegetable garden as possible, and though seedling cabbage and cauliflower will stand the winter in the open, if a cold frame is available they are better sown in it • but the sashes should not be put on except in very wet, cold and stormy weather.

At all seasons, when digging, it is a good plan to skim two inches of the surface soil off and bury it in the trench the digging proceeds; by this mean a very large number of slugs, snails, and the grub of caterpillars and their eggs will be got rid of.

Potatoes should have some attention. Thu early varieties in store will need picking over to remove all that show signs of disease. Later varieties should be lifted and stored. Select the seed tubers and store these separate from the table sample. During fine weather all ground from which crops have been clawed should be deeply dug and well broken up. Rhubarb for forcing can be lifted now and the root left on the surface exposed to frost and all kinds of weather, but if it is desired to form a new plantation

iiiimiiiiiimmiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiT? this is best done in August when growth is about to commence.

Lift kumera crops before they start to make secondary growth. In sowing onions for early planting select a warm, sheltered position, and soil that has been previously manured. Wood ashes or soot is an excellent mat-

esial to incorporate with the soil for this crop. Cabbage for spring and early summer can be planted out now, but a well-drain-ed position as well sheltered as possible should be selected. Dwarf peas and broad beans can be sown now to provide early crops next summer, and the seeds of cabbage and cauliflower can also be sown to provide plants for putting out early next spring. ’MIDST THE FLOWERS Carefully weed among the rows of seedling anmones, ranunculi, and other autumn sowings that are above the ground. Loosen the soil around the clumps and betweent the rows. Fallen leaves at this season litter the garden and grounds, necessitating frequent raking and removal to the rubbish heap, there to rot and turn into leaf mould.

Place a label or other mark to lillies that have died back to denote their positions, and prevent injury when digging near them.

See that all vacant spots are deeply dug or trenched and manured. If not wanted for immediate planting, sow with suitable winter cover crop.

For a border for early flowering, Virginia stock provides a most atraetive display and completes its season of flowering in time to prepare the border to replant with fibrous rooted begonias. A mixed packet of seed comprises several colours. The crimson is the most attractive. Viscars is another hardy annual that can be utilised for bordering. Car dinais, the brilliant crimson, is the showiest. To obtain the best and most lasting results. Virginia stock must not be grown too crowded. Armeries, or thrifts, may be planted now. They are splendid, free-flowering, very hardy perennial bordering plants. Arrange the plants from lin to 9in apart. The giant thrift produces large flowers that are excellent for cutting. They retain their brilliance for a long period. A dwarf variety of box is a popular edging plant where the winters are very severe. Box edgings, neatly clipped, are very pleasing. Now is the best time to dig in basic slag with which kainit may be mixed. Early-layered carnations should be ready for lifting or replanting or potting as the case may be. Those that have to be planted out should be got in soon to get established before the winter sets in, or it will be better to delay transplanting until spring, as forst has a tendency to lift newly-put-in plants, and unles 8 these are refirmed or attended to they may die. The rose is the most popular and fragrant of all flowers. It may be planted any time from April to Augpst. The earlier planting is done the better but if conditions are adverse then it is better to wait. Planting should not be attempted if the ground is saturated, for when the soil is so wet that it canot be properly firmed round the plants or worked among roots, The wet ground is so cold that the roots do not heal and make no growth, damaged roots, instead of healing quickly, probably die further back. If the plants arrive from the nursery when the soil conditions are bad, heel them in a sheltered corner until conditions improve. Alternatheras are tender subjects. Dig up and place in a glass frame sufficient plants for propagating next year’s supply Take off cuttings of iresines and strike them under glass.

Ornamental tree s and shrubs can also be planted now and preparations made for carrying out any proposed alterations to paths, lawns, beds, and borders. After the leaves are raked up and the spring flowering plants are bedded out, there is a period when some time should be available for alterations, and no time, should be lost in getting on with them. Pansies and violas to be propagated by cuttings or division should be got in as soon as possible, The young growth which comes up from the base of the old wood is best. Any good loam will answer, but to have good and abundant flowers they should be liberally treated with wellrotted manure.

Though gladioli and montbretias will stand the winter all right if left in the soil, they really do better when lifted, rested a bit, and then replanted in well--manured, well-cultivated posixions in the mixed borders.