The Garden.

Southern Cross, Volume 9, Issue 51, 8 March 1902, Page 4

The Garden.

By “ Murihiku.”)

NOTES FOR MARSH. 1 j

Vegetable Garden.—Work in the garden this month, though not of the most important character, should be carefully attended to if the grower desires a plentiful supply for the house during the winter and spring months. All parts of the garden under crop, which will allow of doing so, should be gone over thoroughly with a Dutch hoe, the weeds gathered up, and vacant spaces dug up and allowed to lie exposed to the weather during the winter, which will render the ground more fit to receive a crop in the spring. Clear off all pea and bean haulms when cropped, and store away stakes for future use. Celery will require a good deal of attention just now, both as regards watering and earthing up. This latter operation should always be done on a fine day, care being taken to keep the soil from getting into the heart of the plant. Autumn-sown onions generally sueceed well and keep better than those sown in spring, on account of having a much longer season to mature, and those who purpose making a sowing should get them in without delay. On no account should the sowing be deferred later than towards the end of the month. The best varieties for the purpose are Brown Globe, Brown Spanish, and Giant Rocca. Small sowings of radish, lettuce, spinach, and mustard and cress for winter use may still be made, also main crops of cabbage and cauliflower for planting out in spring may be sown at any time during the month, though the sooner the better, so as to be well grown before severe weather sets in. It is also a difficult matter to save these from frosts, etc., so that as warm and sheltered a spot as possible should be chosen tor sowing on. If there is likely to be a shortage of cabbage for late autumn-use, it will be well to plant a few London Market or Imperial cabbage. These will mature in about two months’ time, before the winter ones are ready. Lift and store all potatoes as they ripen. It left long in the ground, the early sorts especially are‘liable to make second growth, which is injurious. Fruit Garden—The ground for new strawberry plants being in good order, planting may be proceeded with, selecting strong, well-rooted runners, and planting about 2£t Sin between the rows, and 15in between the sets. The old beds should be gone over, the dead leaves removed, ground stirred up and covered with a top-dressing of manure to protect during the winter. Gather and store apples and pears as they ripen, great care being taken to avoid bruising. The best methods of keeping these fruits is to store away thinly on shelves in a cool, dry place.

Flower Garden. —We have now arrived at a time when frosts sufficiently hard to destroy the bulk of our tender plants, which are left unprotected, may be expected, and as the operation of covering them nightly would entail a good deal of work, few care to take the trouble necessary to save the beauty of the gardens for a few weeks longer. If desirable, however, a double thickness of scrim or sacking supported over the plant will be sufficient. A judicious selection of annuals and biennials put in now will provide a good supply of cut flowers during next spring and early summer. Godetia, candytuft, mignonette, sweet pea, calliopsis, antirrhiniums, wallflower, campanulas, dianthus, etc., may be mentioned as specially suitable. Next month being the proper month for planting spring flowering bulbs, the ground for these may be prepared, the best soil being of a sandy nature, and worked fairly deep. Existing beds should be gone over and dead leaves and foliage removed. Chrysanthemums should be staked and kept neat and trim, and those for indoor decorations removed under cover at once. To obtain blooms of large size, as seen on our show tables

they require to be attended from their first growth, but moderately good blooms may even yet be had by disbudding to two or three buds on each shoot. This course is not recommended, however, unless large flowers only are desired.