Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

WORK FOR THE WEEK.

To Ga_d-»_-S-

Kitchen Garden. — The potato crop will now claim considerable attention. The lata eevere frost, and heavy rains have caused more or loss damage. The tubers tuifered more from frost, as, owing to the cool season, the haulm had not ripened as early as usual. Complaints are heard from all] quarters that the crop is light, whioh, considering the weatlier experienced, is hardly to be wondered at. This general lightness. of crop should induce gardeners to make the ''best of whan tbey have and lose no time in getting those that are fit to lift dug at onoe and properly stored. Ail that are fi& for the table _hould be picked up first,, when quite* dry, and stored in narrow clamps on high 'ground. If the "pit" (or "damp") is. 3't 6iu wide and about the same in height from tha ba.se to the apex, it will be quite large enough. It is a well known fsat that potatoes stored in small clamps i-eta.in their flavour and quality much better bhaai those stored in Large pits. There are several reasons for this. Perhaps ihe two most hnportamb are — firstly, in laJge masses the tubers may heat, ii put together before H_~y are quite dry ; and, secondly, tho moisture arising from tlie large mass oi tubers cannot escepe ek>, readily from a targe clamp aa a email one. The potatoes should ba/coverod as fast as they are put into the mound, and tbe covering must, vary according, to the amount oi frost experienced in the district— the greater the number of degrees of frost the thicker the coverino-. Any blanks in- rewrfitly-planted eabbage, cnuliiiower or lettuce beds should be made up and every preparation mad. for tbe winter. Tomatoes are badly bit with the frost— pick all fruits that are full grown and put. f hem in a eold frame or greenhouse, where most of them "Will ripen. Hardy Bruits.-*- Tbe late high winds have proved disastrous to hanging crops of apples and pears, the violence and constant changing of the wind having brought down large numbers of these fruits just as they were developing their flavour and keeping qualities. In many instance- the trees also have lost large branches aud many fruit spurs. Truly, gardeners may well call the gale of March. 31 a cruel wind. It is on such) occasions that- one can see the advantage of dwarf-trained fruit trees. These certainly give a little more work in tbe matter of pruning, but do nob lose nearly so much. fruit as the taller ones. Attend to''__strawbetry beds, keep tbe runners out away from tbe plants, and thus direct the energy ' of the plant to forming; leaves and trils**. of ilower-buds. If there are any blanks fIU t_e_i up oac »? n^ S et on tlie ground while it is Sticky aud very wet. Flower Garden. — Apart from advice ' in previous issues that half hardy and other tender bedding plants should be potted up and placed under shelter, the severe frosts experienced during the last week in March should 1 warn gardeners' that the time for d_lay has p-wed. amd there is no „___*& f<w leaving tender subjects) out- after this date; Summer flowering Vi6lefcs and pmisies are sending up a number o-f'ycrang shoots, and these, if taken off and- pit in sandy soil, -will soon root and mak^ %toe plants for puttingout loiter on. C_E_a__riis^tha- w_r« layered early should "have made a nice lot of fresh roots, and this should be tue signal for taking them away from the old stools and putting -them into a nubsery bed of prepared soil. It is a mistake to purchase oarnatioas direct from tihe layered bed, as very often. the root* are 'not sufficiently 'mat«red to sustain the plant if seut a <Jistss__. t particularly if planted in soil that baa had but little preparation. T_» correct way to tree* layw* i*-to- take them from around the_eld plants, carefully separating those with .troag from others with, weak roots. The former may be planted in » prepared nursery bed, where plenty of fibrous material has been incorporated with the ordinary soil, while those with very weak ''roots should be put in. a frame pr sheltered corner, where tbey can be nursed into strong plants. As fast as the flower beds are elearedof summer subjects ttey sbbulci be filled with, spring flowering plants— trail" flowers, Canterbury bells., violas, iberis, praiiroses, polyaiibhu., silehe and phlox Nelsoni. Narcissus, hyacinths and other spring flowering bulbs may also be planted. All bed. that are to be filled tii _ae_>sus should hav« a carpet ,of some dwafffgrowing plant. Aubretia usM as a ground-

work for yellow narcissus gives a good effect, and a long season of bloom may be secured if several varieties of narcissus are planted- in one bed, comprising an early, a medium and a late variety. The bulbs are eo cheap now that a few hundred will cost but little compared with the same varieties a few years ago. In planting, each variety must be distributed evenly all oyer the bed, say everv third bulb in each row, bo as to secure bloom all over the bed.

This article text was automatically generated and may include errors. View the full page to see article in its original form.
Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TS19030411.2.8

Bibliographic details

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7678, 11 April 1903, Page 2

Word Count
863

WORK FOR THE WEEK. Star (Christchurch), Issue 7678, 11 April 1903, Page 2

WORK FOR THE WEEK. Star (Christchurch), Issue 7678, 11 April 1903, Page 2