THE HOME GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20656, 30 August 1930, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE HOME GARDEN.

I THE FLOWER GARDEN. Conditions are now favourable for planting flowering and other gums, and also pepper trees, acacias, and several other pot-grown trees and shrubs, all of which succeed better planted at this season. Evergreen climbing plants grown iu pots should always be planted in the spring when the soil and atmosphere becomes drier and warmer. The planting of the different kinds of deciduous trees and shrubs should be completed at once as some are bursting Into new growth. Planting of gladioli should be done now to have them in flower early in December. Insert the corms to 3in. to 4in. below the surface, arrange them in rows or in circular groups about Bin. apart. To guard against scab and fungus disease that sometimes attacks the gladioli, immerse the bulbs for 30 minutes in a solution offloz. formalin, 40 per cent., to 4 gallons of water before planting them. Dahlias for early propagation should be carefully sorted over and evenly placed under a glass frame to restart them into growth. Cover the tubers with fine earth, leaving the crowns bare. Hasten on with the planting of evergreen trees and shrubs, hedge plants included. Complete the planting of roses. / Bed out nemesias, ten week stocks, larkspurs, antirrhiI nums, carnations, penstemons, lobelias, correopsis, verbenas, etc. Sow under glass seeds of zinnias, petunias, scarlet salvias, African and Trench marigolds, miniature sunflower, Phlox drummondii, and other varieties for seasonable plantings.

PROGRAMME OF WORK.

IStIE VEGETABLE GARDEN. Prom this time onward almost every variety of fairly hardy vegetables can be sown and planted. In sowing or planting the condition of the soil is an ailimportant matter in the success attained, and too much attention cannot be given to manuring and preparation. Seeds sown in drills afford better facilities for working the soil, keeping down weeds, thinning seedlings, and applying fertilisers. In sowing care should be taken not to cover the seeds too deeply. A covering of from four to five times the diameter of the seed with fine soil should be sufficient for this season's sowing. Continue to plant out autumn-sown onions in well prepared ground, care being taken not to place the roots too deeply in the soil, the soil being made firm around the roots. Jerusalem artichokes can be planted any time now. These can be planted in any part of the garden not required for other crops. Break up and draw the soil up to cabbages, cauliflowers, peas, broad beans, and other crops that are benefited by earthing up. In no case neglect to give established asparagus beds a good sprinkling of nitrate of soda. Scattered evenly over the whole beds, newly prepared beds, or plots can be planted any time during the present month. The planting out of rhubarb, both of the summer and winter varieties, should no longer be delayed. For these the ground cannot well be too deeply worked or too heavily manured.