THE HOME GARDEN

Timaru Herald, Volume CL, Issue 22043, 16 August 1941, Page 10

THE HOME GARDEN

WORK FOR THE WEEK FLOWER GARDEN Renovate weedy lawns by sprinkling sulphate of ammonia on all weeds. In two or three weeks time the blanks caused by the death of the larger weeds should be forked up and sown with grass seed. A very light top-dressing of fine soil would be an advantage at the same time. Clean up herbaceous plants. Dig. manure, or fork up the borders as may be necessary and re-arrange the plants by thinning out the rampant growing varieties and increasing the patches of slow growing kinds. The present paucity of flowers may be obviated by planting some winter flowering kinds such as Witch hazel, winter Sweet. Yellow Jasmine Daphne mezereon, Erica melanthera or E. carnea. These are all in flower at present and like any reasonably sheltered position. Edgings of box lavender, or catmint may now be trimmed and those which have come overgrown may be renewed by lifting and breaking up the old plants. Iris borders should be cleared up and where necessary a certain amount of feeding may be necessary. Half an ounce of superphosphate to the square yard applied now will give excellent results at flowering time. KITCHEN GARDEN Herbs such as sage, thyne and the savouries may become woody and of little value if allowed to grow without some attention. Every few years they should be lifted and divided up only the young vigorous material being retained. Half an ounce of nitrate of soda per square yard will make a wonderful difference to spring cabbages in a very short time. From now on occasional dressings of this very soluble fertiliser should be scattered along the rows and hoed in. The pruning of all fruit trees and bushes should be completed within the next few weeks. Apricots, peaches and nectarines may still be left for a week or two. After pruning the trees should be sprayed and all prunings burned. Jerusalem artichokes are very useful as a temporary screen even if they are not evervman’s vegetable. They may be planted out now. Select medium sized tubers and plant five inches deep. The rows may be three feet apart and fifteen inches may be allowed between the plants.