THE HOME GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19418, 28 August 1926, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE HOME GARDEN.

THE FLOWER GABDEH. Hasten on the planting of all varieties of shelter and ornamental trees, also flowering shrubs, hedge and other permanent plants, and securely stake all that require support. This is the best time to transplant all varieties of the gum (eucalyptus) family. They are usuallyi grown in pots, and may be planted now with perfect safety. Small plants a few inches high always succeed better than larger. The root action is better and there is risk of their blowing over when a few feet in height. Complete the pruning and spraying of deciduous treos and shrubs. Ail are benefited by a little judicious thinning, and is a necessity in this moist, humid climate, where mosses, lichens and other parasitic growths abound, and also to destroy latent insect pests. Evergreen shrubs, notablj oleanders, olives, golden and other euonymues, camellias, olearias, etc., that are subject to scale insects, should be sprayed with the caustic alkali solution. Old azalea bushes, that are moss-covered, should also be treated. The old stools of dahlias, that were stored for the winter, should be overhauled, cutting off some of the superfluous tubers and placing them in a frame closely together with names attached and covering the roots with fine earth or sawdust and sand mixed together, leaving the crowns exposed. Now is a busy time sowing seeds for succession, boxing off those of previous sowings as soon as they are ready to prick off, and placing in frames to grow on until large enough to remove outside to establish, preparatory to bedding them out.

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. Transplant autumn-sown onions and make a further sowing for using in the green sUte. Onions for pickling purposes, too, may be sown. Draw wide, shallow drills and sow fairly thickly. The silver skin is one of the best for this purpose. Attend to the earthing up of peas, beans, cabbage and - other colworts. Before drawing the earth up to the plants, apply a small sprinkling of superphosphate or nitrate of soda to the soil. Early-planted potatoes, too, must have attention. As a rule early sets are planted shallow, or at most not more than 3in. or 4itt. in the soil. At this depth the young tubers are produced near the surface, and are more in need of protection by earthing Prom this time onward almost every variety of vegetable may be sown with every prospect of success, but to keep up a succession, especially in small gardens, the quantities sown should only be in keeping with household requirements. Zn gardens of limited area there is often a tendency at this season to sow and plant the whole of the ground at one time, leaving little or no spare ground for succession crops. It would be far better to sow in smaller quantities and more often so that supplv of fresh vegetables could be maintained. Special attention must be given to weeding and thinning out seedling crops. This is best done as soon as they show their rough leaves, and should in no case be neglected until the plants have become drawn and weak. Manure and prepare ground for cucumbers and marrows that are being raised in pots. See that the plants are well hardened before planting out.

PROGRAMME OF' WORK.