THE GARDEN

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11737, 26 January 1924, Page 13

THE GARDEN

Notes by Rata.

IN THE VEGETABLE GARDEN SOW BUTTER BEANS, RADISHES, SWEDES, SPINACH, AND CAULIFLOWERS. CUT DOWN GROWTH IN ASPARAGUS BEDS, AND GIVE VEGETABLE MARROW AND PUMPKINS GOOD SUPPLIES OF LIQUID MANURE. SOW BROAD BEANS FOR LATE SUPPLY. IN THE FLOWER CARDEN. SOW G AILLARDIAS, AQUILF.GIA, BROMPTON STOCKS, VIOLAS, PANSIES, AND SWEET WILLIAM SEED. PRUNE SPRING FLOWERING SHRUBS. PINCH BACK CHRYSANTHEMUMS, AND KEEP THEM WELL STAKED.

IN THE VEGETABLE GARDEN

CABBAGES. If there are any vacant plots of ground, and no occasion to crop them with successions! summer vegetables, it is advisable to sow them with early York cabbage seed, or a similar variety. These will come into use m advance of the ordinary winter green 6, and will be very acceptable. LETTUCE,. It is a good plan, at this oeriod of the year to sow some quick-hearting kinds, such as “May King,” where they are to lemain, as the operation of transplanting tends to cause them to “bolt.” Dig and manure the ground, and sow the seed thinly in drills a foot apart. As soon as large enough- to handle thin them to six inches apart. Use them for salads as soon as they begin to show a tendency to hearting, which will give more room to those that remain. Lettuces transplanted from seed beds now, should have a very rich soil, and, if possible a shady position and abundance of water. If they can be kept from bolting, they will form fine hearts very quickly. The best preventive of “bolting” is to keep them growing fast, and manure, moisture, and ehado are favourable agencies. LEEKS. Leeks should be planted out from seedbeds into deep rich soil; on dry strong ground they should be put into well manured trenches, in the same style as celery, but on ordinary good soils, it is better to plant them on the level, as they stand the winter better. A convenient mode for earthing up is to plant them in four feet beds, six rows in a bed, and tho plants six inches apart. SWEDES. The present is a good time for sowing swedes, which will come in for autumn and possibly for early winter use. Phosoliates are the best manure for this crop. A little nitrogenous manure being also desirable, a good mixture may be made by using, basic super, and bonedust ill equal amounts. The mixture may bo applied at the rate of 1J oz to the square yard, and thoroughly worked into tho soil "before sowing. Better germination will be obtained by using basic super, than by using super alone. Tho mixture suggested will bring a satisfactory response on any average soil. LIQUID MANURE. Soot and guano mate a very excellent. manure, but tho exact strength it should be made depends upon the purpose for which it is required. For soft wooded plants two ounces of fr.ujajnn and a. Landfill of soot, to

three gallons of water, will be quite strong enough, but for vegetable crops, it may be made one-thiri stronger. Liquid manure should not be applied with a watering can, to which a rose is attached, as it is wasteful and the liquid will fall on the foliage, where it will do more harm than good.

IN THE FLOWER GARDEN

Rhododendrons and camellias may now be layered to increase the stock it is the simplest and surest method of propagation, though slow; ne*ertiic-. less they are always better on their own roots, than grafted, as no dependence , an be placed on them for character, when at last they come into bloom, if the latter method is adopted. PRUNING. According to the flowering period cf the different kinds, pruning of flowering shrubs is carried out accordingly. It is really a simple matter to decide the correct time to prune, by a little observation, yet one often finds such shrubs ruined by cutting at the wrong season. The safest rule, if in doubt, is to avoid any cutting beyond the removal of weak and overcrowded growths. Such thinning is always an advantage, as it permits the proper ripening ol the remaining growth—an important point. Many flowering shrubs need no further pruning, but others which are more rampant in growth need to be kept within reasonable bounds. As a general rule, the shrubs to prune back fairly hard in the spring are those which bloom on the young growth after midsummer. Otheis which bloom in spring and early summer obviously produce their blossoms on ripened wood of the pre vious season, therefore all growth which can he spared may be removed immedialtely the flowering period is past, Don’t prune Lilacs much, any cutting out of old growth can be done after the flowers are over. Bushes which are not doing well, will be assisted by a mulching of manure applied now, and the removal of every sucker must he attended to. BEDDING PLANTS. Tall growing bedding plants need a little care now to protect them from high winds. A very effectual and expeditious method is to insert strong stakes, and run a few lengths of stout tarred string amongst them, 60 as to form a support to tho back and front of every plant small forked branches will serve the same purpose where the plants are not sufficiently regular to bo supported with etring.