GARDEN & ORCHARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 3500, 12 April 1921, Page 7

GARDEN & ORCHARD.

Bx

D. Tannock.

WORK FOR THE WEEK. THE FLOWER GARDEN. The flower garden can be kept tidy by raking up leaves and mowing the lawns, but, as tne season is nearly at an end, it is not worth putting much labour into the beds and borders beyond clearing away any annuals which are past, and cutting the old flowers off the perennials. Advantage should be taken of the slack season, and the fine condition of the soil for working, to trench the new rose beds and borders, also any new herbaceous and shrubbery borders which are to be formed. As most soils are deficient in organic matter, liberal quantities of strawy stable manure and all old garden refuse and compost heap should be buried near the bottom of the trench, to encourage deep-rooting. Even when autumn planting is to be done, it is an advantage to get the beds and borders trenched early and to leave them loose and exposed to the air for some time. Evergreens can be transplanted now, provided they are watered well after planting; and deciduous trees and shrubs can be shifted as soon as the leaves begin to ripen and drop off. It is usually claimed for autumn planting that the soil is still warm enough to encourage root action, and that the damaged roots have a chance to heal up and form fresh root hairs before the cold weather, when a complete rest sets in. Being partly established in the autumn, growth is rapid in the spring; and there is little evident delay or deterioration due to transplanting. Orders for roses should be forwarded to the nurserymen at once if this has not been already done. There is still a scarcity of nursery stock, and “first come, first served” is reasonable procedure for the nurserymen. VEGETABLE GARDEN AND ORCHARD. Growth in the vegetable garden will soon be at an end, and this is a period of harvesting ; and preparation for root-pruning, transplanting, and the planting of new trees and bushes should be well in band. Though some old trees can be restored to health by cultivation and manuring, in many cases it is a better policy to dig them out altogether, and after manuring the soil to replant with young and vigorous varieties. Progress is still being made in the raising of new and improved varieties, and though there are many of the old kinds which cannot be beaten, many gardens are planted with varieties which are, at the best, second rate, and could be removed to make room for new ones. Potatoes should be dug now, as even the late kinds are liable to start into second growth should we have warm, moist weather. Throw aside the best-shaped second-sized tubers from tho most productive plants, to be greened and kept for seed, and put the table-size away in a dark cellar, or pit them in a dry part of the garden, where they will not be in the way of the trenching and digging during the winter. When pitting potatoes, a shallow trench should be made round the site of the pit and the soil placed round to keep the tubers in their place. Pack them up as steep as they will lie, with a sharp ridge on top; then thatch with straw or grass which has been drawn to make it straight; and dig a deeper trench round the base, throwing up the soil and covering the straw to a depth of 6in or more, which will be sufficient to keep out all tho frost we are likely to get, and to keep the tubers dark and dry during the winter. The trench round the pit which is formed by throwing up the soil acts as a drain, and keeps the pit dry. If the tubers are at all liable to sweat, a wisp of straw should be put in tlie ridge to act as a ventilator, and other wisps or drain pipes put in near the base will admit fresh air. Carrots and beetroot can also be lifted now, but except in districts where the winter 13 very severe, or when the soil where they are growing is required for something else they can be left in the ground and pulled as desired. This means tramping over the ground in wet weather, and it is probably wise to lift a quantity and to bury them near a path, -where they can be got at quite easily. IV here frosts are severe they can be stored in heaps in the cellar and covered yiih sand or nice light soil. Celery, if not already attended to, should receive its final earthing up, and a little soil can be drawn up to the leeks to blanch the stems. GARDEN COMPETITIONS The judges appointed by the Town Planning Branch cf the Amenities Society have this week completed their adjudication of gardens entered in Competition B, for tho most attractive garden not larger than j,acre. The first prize is tile cup presented by the Horticultural Society. The awards were as follow:—Mr G. Chance, Dunottar, 72 points, 1; Mr IV. Holmes, Roslyn, 68 points, 2; Mr H. A. Salmon, Dunottar, 66 points, 3; Mr Napier, Dunottar 64 points 4; Mr D. E. Ivory, Pitt street, 59 points, 5; Mr A. S. Sinclair, Kaikorai, 52 points, 6; Mrs E. Hunter, South Dunedin, 47 points, 7. The school gardens were also judged, and the following points awarded : —George Street School, 67 points, 1; Albany Street School, 53 points, 2. The judges were Mr A. Bathgate, Mr IV. G. Reid, Miss Burton, and Miss Joachim. The garden gaining the highest aggregate points for competitions A and B was to win the championship cup. This honour is divided. Mr Napier, of Dunottar, and Mr IV. W. Holmes, of Roslyn, being equal with 133 points. Mr IT. Salmon, of Dunottar was second with 131 points.