IN THE GARDEN

Southland Times, Issue 22475, 10 November 1934, Page 7

IN THE GARDEN

SEASONAL ACTIVITIES. The following interesting seasonal notes for the information of gardening enthusiasts compiled by Mr L. F. Sired were read at the monthly meeting of the Gore Garden Club on Thursday evening: Vegetable Garden. Thin out and weed all seedling crops as soon as large enough to handle. During dry weather the ground should be watered along rows before thinning, so that the roots of the plants left to grow may be as little disturbed as possible. Regular sowings of green peas should be made at intervals of two or three weeks. If the soil is dry at the time of sowing it is a distinct advantage to thoroughly water it before sowing the seed; this will help them to germinate better. Dwarf and runner beans may now be sown in sheltered places. Complete the sowings of carrots, parsnips and beet, as soon as possible. Make small sowings for succession of lettuce, radish and spinach. Keep the surface of the soil between the rows of growing crops well stirred by frequent hoeing to encourage growth and destroy weeds. If you use the hoe regularly, you will not need to use the hose, except during a very dry spell. Sow now Savoy cabbage, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, curly kale, ana drumhead cabbage for winter use. All green crops such as lettuce, cabbage, spinach, etc., will respond to application of nitrate soda. It is applied m liquid form half an ounce to a gallon of water is quite strong enough, ana should be given while the ground is in a moist state. Apply only when the plants are well established. Strawberry beds should be kept free from weeds. Be careful not to use the hoe near the roots of the plants. Strawberries are very impatient of drought and will not produce good fruit without plenty of moisture. Should it be necessary to water the plants during a dry spell, they should receive a thorough soaking. Lawn mowings if placed around the plants, will answer the double purpose of keeping the fruit from being splashed with soil _ during rain, and will assist to retain the moisture in dry weather. Flower Garden.

Now is the best time to plant out the various bedding plants. Almost every variety of bedding plants may be obtained from the various nurserymen and seedsmen, and for small gardens it is more economical to purchase the few that are needed than go to the trouble of raising them from seed. When purchasing it should be borne in mind that the largest and freshest looking plants are not necessarily the best Unless the plants have been well hardened off they will receive a severe check when planted in the open ground. Before planting the beds should be prepared by deep digging. A sprinkling of blood and bone or a good mixed fertilizer should be raked into the surface. Allow room enough for each plant to develop to its full extent. Crowded plants never give good results. One of the best bedding plants of recent production is the Ursinia. It has brilliant orange daisylike flowers with deep purple zone, and makes an excellent cut flower. It should be grown in a sunny situation. Sow now hardy annuals such as Virginian stock, mathiola, and mignonette where intended to flower. Nasturtiums are a very showy annual. The tall varieties are very useful for covering unsightly objects. The dwarf sorts for edgings and dry banks, as they do particularly well in hot, dry, sunny positions; in fact will flower more profusely on poor soil than on rich soil. The new semi-dwarf double variety Golden Gleam conies true from seed. The more recent hybrids of this fine variety can now be obtained, locally; these are also said to come fairly true and should be well worth growing.

The beginning of November should see all border chrysanthemums well established and making good progress. The frequent loosening of the soil around the plants is important, but care must be exercised, as being surface rooting much serious damage may be done by the indiscriminate use of the hoe or fork close up to the plant. Although chrysanthemums do not require much water in normal seasons, watering may be necessary during very dry spells. When this is done it should be done thoroughly, and as soon as the surface has dried sufficiently the hoe should be brought into action to loosen the crust which will have formed. Bushy plants are desired for decorative chrysanthemums, and while some varieties are naturally of this habit, many kinds are inclined to grow spindly unless encouraged to grow side shoots. This is done by breaking out the top of the leading shoot when it is from six to eight inches high, and again when the resultant three or four branches have grown four or six inches long. This refers to the decorative varieties, not those grown for show blooms. It is well to get the stakes into position as soon as possible, a good method is to place three stakes round each plant and loop the string from stake to stake. Do not put in one stake and tie the plant as though it were a sheaf of grain.