THE GARDEN.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 914, 6 September 1889, Page 18

THE GARDEN.

WORK FOR SEPTEMBER. The Fruit Garden-. Although fruit trees may he planted for the next month yet tlifere will be nothing gained, but the reverse by delaying the operation any longer. If any pruning has been left it should be finished at once, and all grafting should now be done. It may have been found advisable to leave the pruning of gooseberry bushes owing to the depredations of sparrows ; if so, the pruning may safely be done now, leaving the shoots which are best furnished with bud 3. Keep the strawberry beds lightly hoed over to destroy young weeds. Now wilL be the time to give a final look over the garden with a view to filling any vacancies ; complete manuring, or anything else necessary. The cultivations of the grape vines will now commence again, as most of them will have broken. They should be carefully tied into theirplaces ; syringe them every fine evening on closing the house, which should be done early, before the sun is quite off the glass. The Kitchen Garden. Continue, according to need, former sowings of onions, leeks, carrots, parsnips, beet root, cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, spinach, parsley, radish, lettuce, mustard and cress, and make during the month two sowings of peas. Stratagem, telephone, or ‘ Veitche’a Perfection ’ are all good. About the end of the month the various kinds of broccoli may be sown. Some of the best varieties are ‘ Adams’ Early White,’ ‘Snow’s Winter White,’ ‘King of the Browns,’ ‘ Leamington.’ These varieties should afford a supply from about July till November. Rhubarb and seakale may still be planted, and now is the time to plant asparagus. Open up trenches wide enough .to hold the outstretched roots of the plants, and deep enough to all for replacing about three inches of soil over the crowns. Plant out Jerusalem and globe artichokes, and renew the plantation of horseradish ; the various herbs may also be divided and transplanted. Celery sown last month on a hot-bed should now be gradually hardened off, and when large enough be pricked off into the open ground about four or five inches apart, there to remain until they are large enough to be put out in the trenches. If the hot-bed on which are the cucumber plants, tomatoes, &c., is declining*_in heat it should be assisted by having a bank of fresh manure laid against it all round, or a fresh bed be made up. * Young cucumber plants raised in small pots should be potted, and so soon as roots show through the hole at the bottom, move them into five-inch pots, previously warming the soil, and water with tepid water; place the plant's rather lower in the pots than they were before. After the water has drained through re-plunge them in the bed. Fresh litter should be got ready to make up the bed on which the plants are to be grown.