The Home garden

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24103, 23 October 1941, Page 17

The Home garden

Flowers Hollyhocks raised early in the year should now be planted in their flowering quarters. A border of annuals can be very effective if sown in bold groups. Heavy soil will be improved by the addition of burned ash or sand before raking the soil to a fine tilth. Autumn-raised antirrhinums and those increased from cuttings should be transferred to the beds. I lardy ferns may be divided and replanted now if needed. Make fresh plantations of violets from the best of the runners. Many rock garden plants may now be propagated by pulling them into small pieces. The Greenhouse All varieties of begonia Rex can now be increased by root cuttings. New growth is now appearing on the calanthes and the necessary annual repotting should be carried out. Bulbs that have flowered in pots or bowls should be placed out of doors in a sheltered position to ripen off. Bright sun and lack of shade will soon take the colour out of ferns. Keep the floor of the fernery damped down at frequent intervals. Split up the old plants of Isolepis gracilis, making three or four out of each. When repotting stove and greenhouse plants, add peat to the compost as well as' a little old manure and sharp sand.

.By KEPOS

The Orchard Keep a sharp look out on all green shoots for attacks of green and black aphis. Outdoor vines will need disbudding; remove shoots not required for extension and those which are barren. Autumn-fruiting raspberries cut down a few weeks ago are pushing up new shoots. These should be reduced to five or six per stool. Apple and pear trees growing on grass land are apt to suffer from lack of nourishment: keep a circle free around the tree and apply fertiliser. Late-planted trees will appreciate a soaking of water if a dry spell ensues. If there is any spare manure available it will be better used on the raspberries and loganberries; fork in lightly. Vegetables Make another small sowing of globe beetroot; the tap-rooted varieties for storing can be sown at the end of the month. Sow the main crop of carrots and thinout the earlier ones as soon as they are large enough to handle. Parsnips require a long season of growth and should now be through the ground; keep these and all other seedling crops well hoed. The staking of the peas should receive attention; the dwarf ones repay for small stakes to keep them off the

ground. Prick-off the celery seedlings for the main crop in some rich compost. Seakale thongs planted a few weeks ago are now pushing up some growth; when this is sufficiently advanced, disbudding will be necessary.