THE WEEK’S WORK AT A GLANCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 400, 7 July 1928, Page 26

THE WEEK’S WORK AT A GLANCE

THE BUSY MAN’S CORNER THE FLOWER GARDEN Probably the most persistent impulse known to the average gardener originates in the ever present desire to improve the home and grounds surrounding it. Whether the home be large 01 small, new or old, the opportunity is always present to enhance its beauty and value by landscape improvements. There are several facts regarding such improvements which are of definite interest though not always obvious. For instance, it is surprising to learn how inexpensively many of these improvements can be made, walks, drives, garden furniture and the planting of many ornamental and flowering shrubs, these all lend charm and enhance the general appearance and value of your home. Azelea shrubs are attractive and easy to grow. They may be obtained in dwarf and tall species in a large range of colours including white, salmon, amaranth, orange, scarlet, pink and cnmson The single varieties yield more bloom than the doubles and are much more hardy. Commence planting gladioli bulbs for summer flowering. Set each blub in a handful of sand to prevent the entrance of wire worms and other pests. Set the bulbs three inches deep Continue setting Christmas lillies and all other members of this family. Tink, yellow and black arum lilies should now be lifted and divided. Plant out hardy seedlings for a spring show, such as violas, pansy, primula, nemesia, poppy, statice, lobelia, dianthus and larkspur. Virginian stock seed may be planted for edging and border work. Keep the hoe busy between the established seedlings to prevent them damping off with the continued moistuie. Roses, those popular flowering bushes, may be set at once. With the introduction of new varieties the gardener bas now a choice of scores of varieties. Climbing roses may be planted now and are useful for pergola and trellis coverings. Commence pruning established bushes, weeding out the unnecessary growth and dead wood. Lift all dahlia tubers and store them away from the wet. Cut back all dead wood on the perennial herbaceous plants and thin out where necessary. Top-dress lawns with superphosphate and bone meal, using 2oz. a square yard. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN Now is the time to make new improvements in the orchard and. vegetable garden, the planting of fruit and citrus trees, the setting of boundary hedges and breakwinds. All money spent in such works represents a real investment which pays definite dividends in real’ estate profits. Each improvement adds several times its cost to the marketable value of the property, for bearing trees are an asset to any home. Commence now and procure trees that thrive in your district. Do not be tempted to buy new and fancy varieties that have not been properly tried out, but stick to the sorts that have proved themselves heavy bearers. Plant now apples, pears, plums, nectarines, peaches, lemons and oranges. If you want a dividing line between the vegetable and flower garden why not plant a row of guavas; these dwarf growing bushy plants are very profitable, and will return heavy crops with little attention. They form a dense ornamental growth when planted about 20 inches apart, and are invaluable for jam purposes. Commence planting out rows of early onion plants. Set them nine inches apart and leave plenty of room between the rows for cultivation. Spring onion seed may still be set in drills for salad purposes. Shallots, garlic and chives all belong to this family and are invaluable for pickling and savouries. Have you an old fence or tree stump that is an eyesore? Why not cover it with a few loganberry vines? They soon yield their supports, and if properly pruned and manured will yield heavy trusses of fruit during the late summer. -All fruit is borne on the new growth, and old vines will now require severe pruning to induce new growth. Continue sowing crops of broad beans where required. Early sowings of dwarf peas may be made in warm, sheltered corners. Continue planting sets of potatoes where the ground is not too sodden to work. Keep the hoe continually in action, stirring up the surface of the soil and preventing it from becoming waterlogged. Slugs and snails are very prevalent during the wet months. Tobacco dust is better than lime for keeping down these pests. Sprinkle along the hedge rows and paling fences, and dust over all the cabbages and cauliflowers. Christmas is coming and all herbs for stuffing that turkey must now be planted.