THE HOME GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20229, 13 April 1929, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE HOME GARDEN.

THE FLOWER GARDEN. By a timely hoeing, seedling weeds are destroyed and much subsequent labour saved. Later, weeds will have to be dug under. Any plots that have been dug or trenched and are not required for more immediate planting should be sown down in lupins, winter vetches, prairie grass, or other green crops for digging in toward the end of the winter. Winter-flowering sweet peas should be sown at once In well-prepared and manured soils and in sheltered positions. Slugs have already made their appearance, attacking many varieties ot autumn-sown annuals as they come up. Liming is effective during dry weather. Eoses.—ln preparing new beds by digging or trenching, super or basic-slag should be well incorporated with the manure and soil of the lower spit. Continue the planting of daffodils, anemones, ranunculi, lachenalias, irises, ixias, sparaxis, babianas, and other bulbs as required. Seedlings—Pick oS antirrhinums, cinerarias, stocks, primulas of sorts (including malachoides), Marguerite carnations, penstemons, etc., into plant trays to harden of! for bedding out when ready. Cuttings of iresines, shrubby calceolarias, and several bedding and rockery plants should be put in to strike. Cyclamens, pansies, penstemons, improved calendulas, Iceland poppies, dimorphothecas, and beauty stocks are popular bedding plants for present planting.. Grass seed for lawns and general sowings is best sown this month. Old lawns should be renovated by topitessing and by adding a little fresh -seed.

PROGRAMME OF WORK.

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN Take full advantago of present conditions to sow and plant all seasonable crops. In sowing seeds at this season the success attained depends in a great measure upon the condition of the soil aud the depth tho seeds are sown. The drills should be drawn so that an even, smooth surface is formed at •>. depth in proportion to the size of the seed. With small seeds, such as turnip, carrot, parsnip, spinach, lettuce, beetroot, cabbage and cauliflower, half-an-inch of covering with good fine soil is sufficient. Attention must be given to the thinning out of crops. This should in no caso be left until the plants become drawn and weak. Where plants are required for filling up blank spaces lift carefully with the tap root intact and replant the tap to its full depth. Make a sowing of onions for early planting, forming a raised bed in fairly rich soil. Sowing in drills is preferable, as the plants are more easily hoed and weeded. A sowing of broad beans can now be made. These succeed well in fairly heavy soil and invariably crop better than spring-sown crops, as they set their crop before the bumble-bee attacks the flowers. In preparing ground for further sowing greater success will be attained in many cases by forming the ground into raised beds. Attend to earthing up of celery and leeks as they advance in growth. Look over late budded trees, and as soon as a proper union is formed slacken the ties.