WORK FOR THE WEEK.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 11998, 21 February 1903, Page 2 (Supplement)

WORK FOR THE WEEK.

To Gardeners. | Kitchen Garden.—Winter spinach should be sown, if not already in ; no time should be lost. Winter onions should also be sown ; draw the drills about half an inch deep and a foot apart; use soot freely, it acts as a fertiliser, and grubs do not like it. Most gardeners have their variety, and will grow no other, but Ailsa Craig is well worth a trial; it is a heavy cropper, of good quality, very handsome and a good market variety ; once grown it is generally voted • about the best for sowing in the autumn. Flower Garden.—This part of the garden is very bright just now, and should be kept as showy as possible by constant attention to small matters, such as the prompt removal of all flowers that have passed their best, also plants that go out of bloom ; any that need support should be staked before they are broken by the wind, probably injuring others near them. Bulb planting should be pushed on during the next few weeks; these make a better tft'tct when planted in clumps, distributing the early and late flowering varieties so that the garden looks gay for a long time.

Greenhouse.—Winter-flowering begonias are growing fast just now,, and should be encouraged to finish as firm as possible. Those who complain that so-called wintertlowering varieties do not give a display until the spring are responsible for this result, because they do not get the growth during the early summer, but in the autumn, when the days are short and the nights cold. The growth obtained under these conditions cannot give such satisfactory results as that made and thoroughly ripened during the early summer, when, the plants can have plenty of air both night and day, and, what is nure important, plenty of room, which the plants cannot get in the autumn when so many other subjects have to be put in the frames and houses. Those varieties that need stakes should have- them at once, and take care the plants are not over watered. The tuberous-rooted varieties are now in their full beauty, ani cuttings may be taken of any varieties that send out lateral or s ucker growth. The cuttings must have a growth bud at the lower joint; insert them in light sandy soil, and stand in a close frame, shaded from the sun. Chrysanthemums have made a good growth this season, and owing to the cool weather needed less water. JS'ow, with warmer weather and the pots well tilled with roots, a little assistance should be given. Where space was left for top-dressing this 'should be given at once ; thoroughly water the plants the evening before, so that all the ball of .soil will be moist ; carefullv remove some of the surface soil, taking care not to lnjme any of the roots, then put the new soil on, .making it firm with the potting stick. Wants that have been top-dressed need very careful watering for several weeks, until the fresh soil is well filled with roots. This extra care is necessary, because the new soil, not having any roots in it to use up the moisture, will not dry as quickly as that 'below where all the roots of the plant are ; therefoie it is well to sound the pots, and if they ring give water, if they give a dull sound leave them a little longer. We call attention to this little detail because so many complain of loss of foliage after top-dressing the plants. This is often caused through the roots being dustdry while the new surface soil was quite nifcist. Where the flowering pots were tilled with soil when the plants were put in a little feeding should be, given to bush and specimen plants, and rather sparingly to the plants that aie to give several large blooms. Too often'the reverse is tin* order of feeding—the plants tuat are to give a few large blooms are fed too liberally from the time the bud is saved until it begins to show colour, while the bush plants, that have about ten times as much stem and leaf and perhaps twenty times as many buds, are wateied with clear watei.; and how often a grower will find that some of the flowers" on these bush plaiii.s are as good, and sometimes better than many of those flowers produced bv plants- that have- been highly fed and had only three buds left to mature. The cause of this unexpected result is not far to find : it is owin; to the soil becoming soured and stagnant by continual feeding, the root system is impaired, many of the tender tips quite destroyed, arid are not able to finish their season's work. The result is thin blooms, a want of colour, short petals, and a great tendency to damping, while the flowers on the plants that were not fed so much are of better colour, last longer, and damp lc-s. The grower should he guided in the watering by the quantity of wood nnd foliage, also the number of buds each plant has.