THE HOME GARDEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21332, 5 November 1932, Page 8 (Supplement)

THE HOME GARDEN

THE FLOWER GARDEN

The soil being moist and warm, growth is most luxuriant, and flowers are everywhere in glorious profusion. Keep the hoe going on favourable occasions to stir the surface soil and kill seedling weeds. Climbing roses are now at their best, being a great profusion of lovely blossoms. Tie the long shoots up and spray if necessary for aphis. Continue to bed out phlox Drummondii, French and African marigolds, verbenas, marguerite carnations, asters, gaillardias, etc. Make first planting of zinnias and scarlet salvias, also asters. Sow seeds of asters, annual chrysanthemums, godetia. clarkia, balsams, ornamental grass and other hardy annuals. Continue the planting of chrysanthemums for all purposes. Well firm the soil around the roots. Fibrous-rooted begonias belonging to the semperflorens section for bedding and borders should be planted this month. Take up and renew old violet borders and divide and replant single crowns, after deeply digging and well pianuring the ground, also renew old beds. Celosias, portulacas, cosmos and amaranthus should be planted toward the end of the month. This is the time to start planting all varieties of dahlias, according to space and requirements. See notes on this page. Take up if necessary bulbs that have ripened off their foliage. The soil between early-flowering narcissii may be forked up and planted in shallow-rooting annuals.

PROGRAMME OF WORK

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN

The sowing of melon and other trailing plants should be no longer delayed. Earlier-sown plants that have been raised under cover should be thinned, leaving about three of the strongest to grow from each plot. The planting out of well-hardened tomato plants for the main crop can now be made, while the stakipg and training of plants previously planted should have attention. Earth up and stake peas, and make further sowings to keep up a succession. Make another sowing of dwarf beans. Manure and prepare trenches for planting out a row or two of celery for early use, as the earliest-sown plants should soon be ready for planting, while another sowing can still be made for later planting. Ground selected for planting the main crop of potatoes should be placed in readiness for planting. The ground for kumaras, Cape gooseberries, egg-plants, chiles, chokos and other heat-loving plants should be placed in readiness for planting.** Thin seedling crops, at the same time weeding between the plants and keeping the ground well loosened up. Good cultivation at this time is not only a means of conserving moisture, but it liberates plant food by assisting bacterial action in the soil, thus assuring more healthy growth. Keep the soil between recently-planted onions frequently hoed and free from weeds. As the warm weather approaches no effort should be spared to maintain a supply of lettuce and other plants for salad purposes.