THE HOME GARDEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18897, 20 December 1924, Page 24 (Supplement)

THE HOME GARDEN

PROGRAMME OF WORK.

THE FLOWER GARDEN. Hydrangeas growing in tufas and pots m;st be liberally watered and also receive an occas onal liquid-manure watering. They delight in moisture during the flowering period. Echeverias cultivated for bordering and edgings should not be allowed to flower. Spent flowers should be cut off from sedums. Dwarf-growing; dark-leaved, large-flowering cannas form an excellent back row to ireslnes and fibrous, bedding. Begonias with a front row of golden feather are most effective as a border to the entrance approach. Pompom or boquet dahlias are suitable for small gardens and planting near the edges of the mixed border as a foreground to the taller growers. Plant now. Window boxes may be replenished from time to time and kept gay by plants that are growing in pots, and also by the planting of verbenas, lobelias and other suitable free flowering annuals. Perennial Delphiniums and thalictrums should be supported with neat stakes. Remove spent central Cower heads from the delphiniums to promote side flowers and new flower stems. Carnations and picotees need frequent attention to disbudding and picking off spent flowers. Malguerita chrysanthemums arc also greatly benefited by cutting off the dead ..lower heads. Zinnias, salvias, portulacas, petunias, asters, salphiglossls, gaillardias, miniature sunflowers, celosias lobelias are all suitable for present planting. Complete the planting of all dahlias and attend to the tying up and regulating the branches of those that were planted early and are now beginning to flower. Always grow dahlias upon one stem near the ground. Make it a rule to stir the surface soil where practical at least once every week. A top-dressing of fine scoria around some of the plants in the rockery will prevent the soil baking and retain the moisture.

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. Keep French and runner beans closely picked; it is far • better to give away or destroy tnern than to allow then to mature and stop growth. In saving seed from any variety of crop always select from the best and most promising plants. Tie a piece ' of raffia or tape to the plants, so as to distinguish them wfcrn the seed is matured. By careful selection varieties can be greatly improved by this means. Asparagus should no longer be cut. The beds siiould be thoroughly cleaned of weeds, and receive a good dressing of some stimulating mr.nvre. The quicker most vegetables can be grown the more palatable they are for table use. To obtain this resalt they require to be well nourished from the time the plants are raised until they are ready for use. One of the secrets of success in gardening is cultivation. Good cultivation without fertiliser of any kind will give better results th the liberal use of fertilisers where cultivation is neglected. • Earth up peas, beans, cabbages, cauliflower and other colworts. When growing freely a sprinkling of superphosphate or nitrate of soda will be beneficial. Giving stimulants to growing plants is interesting work for the experimentalist. In shower-/ weather it may be done by sprinkling artificial manure of suitable character along the rows of the plants, and hoeing it in immediately it is applied. Superphosphate can safely be used for most varieties of vegetables. "" Continue to spray potatoes, tomatoes or other planl* liable to be affected by disease. Examine grafted and budded trees. If making too many shoots, pinch out and regulate the shoots, leaving only the number required to form a shapely tree. Continue to spray all kinds of fruit trees to protect the fruits and foliage from codlin moth, leech, beetles and other pests. This is the more necessary after h'e-.vv • rains, as the material previously applied is naturally weakened by wet weather. " J