THE HOME GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21100, 6 February 1932, Page 8 (Supplement)

THE HOME GARDEN.

* THE FLOWER GARDEN. Preparation must be made for the sowing of annual and biennial seeds, both under glass and in the open ground, for winter and spring plantings. Iceland poppies, calendulas, candytufts, larkspurs, viscarias, clarkias, antirrhinums, pansies, cinerarias, primula malacoides, Virginian stock and mignonette are all early flowerers. Karc'ssus, sterbergia, or autumn crocus, nerines, zephyranthes, muscari, or grape hyacinths, scillas, or wood hyacinths, and other hardy early-flowering bulbs should be planted. Winter-flowering sweet peas should be sown in shallow trays or other receptacles and the ground prepared for their reception when ready. Chrysanthemums require special attention to tying up, pinching off side shoots and taking the buds as they appear after the middle of this month. Attend to the usual tying up of dahlias and regulating growths, also to spraying for caterpillars, mulching, watering and disbudding. Continue layering carnations after well watering the soil. Bud roses if necessary and loosen the ties from those previously worked and taken. Treat all vacant ground by manuring, deep digging or trenching. Dry weather is ideal for this work and also for lawn making and other improvements. Mulching by frequently stirring the surface soil is necessary at this season. A mulch of grass clippings or other materials is most beneficial during dry weather.

PROGRAMME OF WORK.

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. It is during the hot, dry weather that skill and care is required to obtain the most satisfactory results in the culture ol vegetables and other crops. Mulching or frequent soil stirring is. an important factor in the results obtained. When watering becomes necessary give copious watering at reasonable intervals instead of frequent sprinklings. An occasional use of liquid manure is also beneficial. Weeds left to grow among growing crops are thieving vagrants. II allowed to develop quickly they rob the grower of much of the results of his labour. Practically all vegetables suitable for summer cultivation have a preference for a fairly rich, loamy soil, well charged with humus by the incorporation of animal manures or decayed vegetable matter. Any spare ground sown down in fairly heavy green crops and dug under after it has attained a suitable height, provides the soil with most of the elements required for vegetable crops. Weeds, grass clippings, path scrapings, dead leaves, or, in fact, all kinds of vegetable matter should be placed in a compost heap, giving an occasional sprinkling of lime. When decayed this provides the best of soil for seedling beds and for raising succulent vegetables. The spraying of tomatoes will need to be continued to protect the fruit from caterpillars. The fruit should, of course, be well cleaned before being used.