THE HOME GARDEN

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 62, Issue 4428, 21 May 1941, Page 7

THE HOME GARDEN

WORK FOR MAY.

FLOWER GARDEN. ’c,\jgs, snails and woodlice are ali a y looking for cosy corners in wr«ch to spend the winter. Therefore / remove all refuse, weeds and decaying vegetation which might afford them shelter. Plant all spring-flowering bulbs not already attended to. Sow seed of hardy annuals and perennials. Plant out gaillardias, delphiniums, sweet williams, aquilegias, geums, pansies and antirrhinums. Rose cuttings usually strike well if attended to now. Plant out carnations. Lift gladioli, as foliage turns yellow. If you can obtain fresh lily seed, it should be sown now. Most herbaceous plants can now be lifted, divided and replanted. Roses can be planted soon. Thoroughly prepare the beds. Divide and replant polyanthus and primroses. VEGETABLE GARDEN. Sow cabbage, cauliflower and winter spinach. « Plant out leeks, celery, herbs and silver beet. Earth up celery as growth demands. Plant out sturdy strawberry run-

ners in well-prepared and fairly rich soil. Give the asparagus bed a dressing of well-decayed manure mixed with a little salt. Plant out rhubarb, shallots and garlic. Enrich established rhubarb beds with old cow manure. Lime all plots that were manured for previous crops. GLADIOLUS BULBS. HOW TO CLEAN AND STORE. As soon as gladiolus bulbs are dug it is well to cut off the tops close to the bulbs with a pair of shears or scissors. Never tear or twist off the tops of large bulbs, a sthis will tear the bulb.scales and injure the bulbs. After they are topped, spread the bulbs, if many, out on a sack or box for a few days to dry under the house or in a dry, airy shed. When dry, they may be put into suitable containers, such as boot boxes, with the name written on each box. If they go into winter quarters before dry they are apt to mould. After the bulbs have been stored about six weeks the old dead shrivelled bulb usually loosens its grip on the base of the new one and separates easily. At this time a cork layer is forming to make a dividing cushion between the two.

This is nature’s way of isolating the dead bulb from the living one; and preventing the spread of decay from one to the other. We can further assist this by breaking off the old bulb and dried roots which are of no further use. It is also a good plan to put a light sprinkling of napthalene in with the bulbs while in storage during the winter months to kill any vermin, such as thrips, etc. ANSWERS TO INQUIRIES. Kowhai Attacked by Caterpillars: The specimen forwarded is the caterpillar of the kowhai moth. Spray foliage With arsenate of lead to check its activities. Herbaceous Perennials: These plants are divided and replanted in late autumn or winter. You will find that nurserymen will be sending out orders during the next few weeks. Carnations are already available for planting. Lime for Compost Heap: “Can you tell me what is the best form of lime for use on a compost heap?” Carbonate of lime is most satisfactory. Unslacked lime is too severe in action, while the ground agricultural limestone is too slow. Time to Plant Waterlilies: Between April and August are the best months, although small plants can be transplanted at almost any time if they are out of water for only a few hours. GOOSEBERRY CUTTINGS. STRIKE QUICKLY NOW. The gooseberry is one of the most easily propagated of all fruits, for almost any piece of the bush will strike if inserted in the ground at this time of the year. To get shapely bushes, a little more care should be taken in the selection of the shoots for use as cuttings, and in their preparation before putting them in. Pieces of this year’s growth, about 12in long, which should be stout and straight, are cut just beneath a node or leaf bud, selecting a large, heavycropping variety. Remove about one inch of the weak tip with a sharp knife and cut out all the dormant buds except the top four. The cutting is then ready for insertion in a sunny position of the kitchen garden. Insert the cuttings in rows 12in apart, the cuttings being 6in apart in each row. TURNIPS NEED LIME. Turnips are real lime-lovers, no matter whether they be early, midseason or late varieties. Thus, no matter whether your land be light or heavy, that essential ingredient has to be supplied to the soil beforehand. TEST OLD SEEDS. It is a simple matter to test old seeds, so do this and be guided by the result as to whether you sow or not. Take a piece of blotting-paper and corrugate it so that it will fit into a flat dish. Line the bottom of the dish with sand, moisten it and then place the blotting-paper over the sand. Sprinkle a given number of seeds in the furrows, stand the dish in a heated greenhouse or other warm place, and see that the blotting-paper does not dry. After a few days the seed will sprout.