THE HOME GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21130, 12 March 1932, Page 8 (Supplement)

THE HOME GARDEN.

PROGRAMME OF WORK.

THE FLOWER GARDEN. After the recent rains the soil has been in a perfect ntate to pulverise and bring into a fit condition for the sowing, of hardy annual seeds for winter and early spring. Now is a suitable time for the bedding out of Iceland poppies, giant perfection and beauty stocks, lobelias, gaillardias, antirrhinums, sweet Williams, wallflowers, etc. Conditions have been most favourable for the germination of seedling weeds, which have come up in abundant crops and should be hoed up to maintain a clean surface. Attend to the planting of narcissus, anemones, ranunculus, ixias, and other popular bulbs. Iris tingiltana, the beautiful Algerian species, bulbs that have been properly dried off, should be starling and ready for replanting. Winter and isummer-flowering sweet peas are universal favourites for cut flowers.- Transplant the winter * flowsrers and sow seeds of the summer varieties, • either in pots or other receptacles or in the open ground. Dahlias are about at their best. Attend to keeping the branches tied up, spray or hand-pick for caterpillars, which ara very numerous. Also pick off some of the superfluous flower buds. Bow under glass cyclamens, Chinese primulas, carnations, herbaceous calceolarias, primula obconica, nemesias, stocks, pansies and several other varieties. Take off layers of carnations. Put in cirttings of several varieties of rockery and spring bedding plants. Prooeed with the formation of lawns and treatment of vacant ground.

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. The recent good soaking rain, together with the warmth still in the soil, has resulted in exceptionally rapid growth ol recently-sown and planted crops. Rapid growth is by no means confined to sown and planted crops, as weeds spring up apace and soon take possession unless kept under by frequent hand-weeding, hoeing, or light digging. Soil that has been previously deeply and roughly broken up is now in excellent condition for fining down and placing it in fine tilth for further sowing and planting. Give special attention to thinning seedling crops. Growth is now so rapid that they soon crowd and weaken each other if left unthinned. Plant out cabbage, cauliflower and other colworts; also lettuce, in well-manured soil, while the more-estab-lished plants of the colwort family should be given a sprinkling of nitrate of soda along the rows before earthing up. Potatoes that have ripened should be dug without delay, or the tubers are almost certain to start again into growth. Onions, shallots and garlic, if not akeady lifted should be lifted and stored. Keep celery and leeks free from weeds, but defer earthing-up celery until the plants ana well advanced. Scarlet and other runner beans are among the most useful of vegetables, and by giving occasional waterings wfth liquid manure will continue to give good crops. Clear all ground of spent crops and well-manure and deeply work-up the soil in readiness for other crops. After the late rains every portion of the ground carrying crops should be deeply hoed over.