WORK IN THE GARDEN

Southland Times, Issue 24339, 21 January 1941, Page 8

WORK IN THE GARDEN

By

RIWHI

WORK FOR JANUARY

THE . GLASSHOUSE The key to success is to admit plenty of fresh air and to maintain the coolest possible temperatures during o weather. . . Strike cuttings of geraniums, pelargoniums, fuchsias and hydrangeas. Sow seed of stock and mignonette lor winter flowering. Plant corms of cyclamen. Pot on cinerarias and primulas. Feed begonias. Prick out seedlings of perennials. Attend carefully to chrysanthemums in pots out of doors. THE FLOWER GARDEN Keep dead flowers removed from all plants. Water as necessary and feed dahlias, sweetpeas and gladioli. Keep the surface soil stirred at all times. Stake and tie chrysanthemums, perennial phlox, gladioli, Michaelmas daisies and heleniums. Clear away all spent stems or plants from the herbaceous border. Overhaul lawns for weeds ana recut edgings. Overhaul and replant the rockery. Give careful attention to the building of the compost heap. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN Sow lettuce, turnip, radish, spring onion, silver beet, cress and mustard. Plant cabbage, broccoli, leeks, celery and kale. . , Suppress all insect pests and plant diseases, and burn all diseased remains. Harvest shallots and autumn-sown onions. Feed celery weekly and also the outdoor tomato crop as the fruits swell. Keep the hoe going among all young growing crops. THE FRUIT GARDEN As small fruits are harvested, summer prune, and completely prune black currants and raspberries as previously advised. Summer prune fruit trees (see last week's paragraph). Budding should be done and strawberry runners should be layered. GREEN MANURING The maintenance and building up of the humus content of garden sou, especially in relation to the vegetaole garden, is one of the most important single factors in fertility and soil health. The ideal method is to compost all growth and apply it to the soil when decay is already well advanced. However, easier methods can also be used to advantage, and one of these is to grow and dig in a green manure crop. Now is a favourable time to sow such a crop. Many varieties may be used, blue lupins, oats, barley, vetches, peas, clover, white mustard. If additional nitrates are desired sow the lupins, clovers, or vetches; if time is a factor sow mustard, for at this time of year it will be ready to dig in in seven weeks. One other advantage in using mustard is that it acts as a soil fumigant, destroying such vermin as wireworms.

Any plot or area that is to remain vacant for some time should be sown down in one of these crops, sowing thinly in four drills or even broadcasting. When the crop reaches the stage at which it is just about to flower it should be dug in deeply. This can be done efficiently by digging a trench across one end of the area, pulling a strip and placing the plants in the trench where they can be chopped up with the spade, the cleared strip being then dug over into the first trench. The surface should be left rough. Such treatment as this will improve the qualities of both heavy and light soils, giving them a greater capacity for retaining moisture in dry seasons, and a greater capacity for holding plant foods in wet seasons when plant foods are often leached out in the drainage water.

GLADIOLI Gladioli, beautiful late summer flowers, will soon be throwing up their tall spikes. As each corm produces only one or two flowering stems it is absolutely necessary to stake and tie before there is any danger of the heavy spikes causing the plant to snap off in some gust of wind. Gladioli prefer cool conditions at the roots and in order to provide this the beds should be mulched with old compost, stack bottom or lawn mowings, the first for preference, for from it the showers will wash down to the roots that little extra that makes such a difference. If perfection is aimed at a weekly application of soot water will round off the programme of care and attention. From the point of view of decoration readers are recommended to note the beautiful shades and forms now available in the primulinus type of gladioli. CABBAGE FOR SPRING Cabbage for spring is such an important crop, coming into use at a time when green vegetables are most valued, that some details will be given as to methods of cultivation. Seed of such varieties as Harbinger or Flower of Spring should be sown now in drills or broadcast. Sow in a sunny corneron fresh soil and when the seedlings show a second pair of leaves prick them out into nursery rows about fourinches apart. The pricking out of the plants into nursery rows is, perhaps, the most important part of the whole procedure. It furnishes the plants with strong, fibrous rooting systems lacking in all plants brought straight from the seedling bed to permanent quarters. Plants that have been pricked out are not nearly so likely to bolt in the warm weather of spring, and are much better equipped to face up to the rigours of winter. Line the plants out in their permament quarters on firm and moderately rich, well-limed ground in late March or early April. Subsequent attention consists in keeping the surface cultivated throughout the whole period of growth. THE CELERY CROP Just at this time celery which has been properly treated begins to grow by leaps and bounds; this is a sign that its roots are appreciating the fare provided in the trench. It does not mean that a programme of heavy feeding with liquid manure should be indulged in. Such treatment may accelerate growth, but later will be the cause of stringy, hollow and even rotting stems. Instead, then, make a fortnightly application of salt at the rate of one ounce to a yard of trench. Water the salt in and do not allow- it to come into contact with the leaves. All seaside plants—and celery is one of them —are fond of potash and the purpose of the topdressing of salt is to free supplies of potash foods in the soil. As soon as possible each plant should be tied loosely so as to encourage a compact habit that will make the process of earthing up much easier. Earthing up should be started early next month with the raising of the surface by about four inches. Before doing this the plants should be retied and the surface given a sprinkling of lime. All •yellowing or projecting leaves should also be removed. A second earthing , to the extent of another four inches

should be made at the end of February, and according to the growth made, the level may be raised at fortnightly intervals till the stems are covered. Great damage can be done by earthing up too soon and so stifling the young plants. With late crops earthing up may not commence till March, when the plants should be more than half grown. So long as the earth is sweet and not too moist at the time of earthing there is no better way of blanching stems of celery.