THE GARDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2856, 9 December 1908, Page 10

THE GARDEN.

OPERATIONS FOR THE WEEK

FRUIT GARDEN.— Fruit prospects *re good. There has been the average heat, and tbe consequence is that fruit of all descriptions looks well. Remove all runners from strawberry plants as Eoon as they appear, except auch as are required for replanting^ in which case the young runners should be encouraged to make roots by pegging them down In the case of old worn-out beds, *s

Coon as- the fruit is gathered the plants should be dug up and destroyed and the - $*d dug over to sweeten prior to receiving aa autumn crop of vegetables. Newly-planted trees of all kinds should be looked over and kept secured to the stakes.

s KITCHBN GARDEN.— Soy a successional •crop of beitaa upon l«m<i from whicb the «»rfy potatoes have been removed; sow also 'ii-mips upon the damp soil available. A large planting of celery should be made now ** coon as the land is prepared, as when < ice started this crop is more independent t : rain than many other vegetables, as from, the fact of the plants being planted in trenches the soil when once vrell soaked <!ces not dry up like surface soils. EarlyBv>wn parsnips Biiopld be stiong enough lot thinning out, which is beat done before the plants become large and over-crowded. As Pn as thinned out, the whole should be well d. Prepare the quarters for planting out earliest crops of autumn cabbage, caulirer, broccoli, savoys, etc. A good dressing decayed mamTr: should be dug into the foil, which must be dug deep-, and should be leld in readiness for planting until the ■weather is favourable. In the warmer diaIrtcta and special localities where cucumbers «r« grown, they may still be sown, «s these fhuts grow very rapidly when soira <v? jr Uie

soil is warm if given plenty of moisture, 'l'omatoes, in localities where they can bs grown outside, must be kept free from weeds, removing the lateral shoots from the centie of the plants in order to expose the fruit to the sun and air. ■ FLOWER GARDENS— AII dead and faded flowers should be removed from rose bushes. Carnations may now be layered, selecting the earliest and strongest snoots for the purpose; some old spent potting soil should be introduced around the base of the plant to encourage the growth of the new roots. Tie up all young stems of penstemons. phloxes, etc., and peg down the growths af all trailing plants such as phlox Drummondi, etc. Box and other nedges should now bs clipped. Fill up all vacancies in the borders, which should now be filled with the summer occupants, and the soil must be kept moist by frequent waterings. Tulips, hyacinths, crocuses, narcissi, and scillas may be lifted as soon as the foliage is quite dead, placing the bulbs in the sun to dry prior to storing them away. This process ripens the bulbs and makes them flower more freely the following season. Bulbs in pots may be turned out of the soil, dried, and stored away with those lifted from the open ground.

GREENHOUSE ANT> FRAMES.— PIants growing now will require constant attention in watering, etc., as the pots soon, become full of roots, especially in the case of softwooded plants, which must be kept growing. These will be greatly helped by the free use of liquid manure, taking care not to give -it too strong at first. Pelargoniums should 'now be about at their best, and should be shielded from the hot sun. or the flowers will not last in beauty many days. A light coating oi green-tinted wash painted on the inside of tae~ roof so that rain cannot wash it off is the simplest summer shade ' for tfie greenhouse. Camellias that have finished their growth .should 1 be removed from the greenhouse and placed in shady and sheltered .positions before being exposed to the weather. Azaleas should be kept growing freely until they set tlieir buds. These plants should be well syringed night and morning, which, will help to keep down the thrip, to which these are very liable. Tuberous-rooted begonias for late summer flowering should receive another shift into larger pots and be placed in a shaded, airy part of the greenhouse to prevent them becoming drawn up. i'ems will require a considerable amount of moisture now, and should have water sprinkled about, the floor and stages ones or twice during the hot days and eyunged freely overhead. They require to be kept cool, but the ventilators must be regulated during high winds, which often destroy the tender fronds.

VINERY. — Vines need constant attention now, all young shoots nipped back to one leaf, and the earlier the bunches are thinned the better as a saving of sap. It has been said that an amateur cannot thin his own grapes properly, as he is afraid to cut away the quantity to ensure a good bunch. 'At least two-thirds of the grapes should be cut out. and one bunch to a foot on each side of the cane is an ample crop.