GARDENING NOTES

Taranaki Daily News, 30 November 1934, Page 12

GARDENING NOTES

THE WEEK'S WORK. THE FLOWER GARDEN. Plant asters, celosias, salvias. A sowing of zinnias made now will flower well in autumn. Continue planting dahlias and chrysanthemums. Mulch rhododendrons and azaleas. Beds and borders should be hoed frequently. Herbaceous plants will benefit by a mulching of old manure. Always stir the surface soil after a watering with the hose. If newly planted stuff is shaded for a few days they take hold of the soil more quickly. Sow seed of sweet williams, aquilegias, canterbury bells, hollyhocks to flower next summer. THE GREENHOUSE. Attend carefully to watering and ventilation. Shade according to plants’ requirements, but try and avoid the need of excessive watering. Sow seeds of cineraria, primula sinensis P. obsconica, P. malacoides, P. kewensis. Pot on begonias as they need it.. Also prick out any seedling gloxinias or begonias. Fumigate immediately the first sign of aphis or thrips are seen. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. Sow peas to keep up a succession. Beans, both the 1 dwarf and runner sorts, can be sown as required. Mulching peas, beans and other vegetables is of great assistance during a dry spell. Sow celery. Prepare trenches; they can be utilised meanwhile for lettuce or spinach. Make successive sowing of lettuce, radish and spinach. Kumaras can be planted. A loose, well worked soil is more essential than manure to this crop. Tomatoes can be planted. Pinch our laterals and keep plants tied to their supports. Keep the surface of onion bed loose and free of weeds. Sow beet, silver beet, perpetual spinach and turnips. THE FRUIT GARDEN. Any trees that have set very heavy crops should be thinned. Peach and plums should be sprayed for peach crab and shothole fungas. Use arsenate'of lead one ounce to gallon for bronze bettie or plurri leach. Spray apples and pears for codim moth. Use arsenate of lead as above. Mulch newly-planted trees, currants and raspberries.