THE GARDEN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10301, 4 November 1911, Page 12

THE GARDEN.

.WORK FOR THE WEEK. KITCHEN GARDEN. Seeds to Sow.—Beans (broad, dwarf * Kid runner varieties), broccoli, _ cabbage, carrots, cress, celery, capsicum, lettuce, melon, mustard, onions (for salad), peas, radish, savoy, spinach, turnips and vegetable marrow. What to Plant.-— Cabbago, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cucumber, lettuce, potatoejs and tomatoes. '• November is the mouth for highTpressuro work in tho kitchen garden. The heat increases rapidly with the lengthening of the days, making the earth warm enough to start many seeds into growth that have to bo sown under glass during September and October. .This should suggest making good any shortage there may be in any crop, it Tg not too lato to sow any kind of seed. Cucumber, capsicum and marrows sown now will give better crops than many • fihat were raised in heat during the and of September and beginning of October. . Beans in variety should be sown according to the demand there is for this .vegetable, llunners should be sown in ehallow trenches prepared the same as - celery trenches. This inav give a, little additional labour, but the returns will 'inore than compensate for it. _ Broad beans are useless if sown, on light soil after this date. Another sowing may , ,• be put on heavy land, but they would come in at a time when there, are many other vegetables available. But the main crop should be sown early in the month. Put this on land that was manured last season. Broccoli should be sown for succes- ' ision. These plants will be large enough to plant on the quarter now under early potatoes. ' , Brussels sprouts should now be -.11 ' their final quarters. These require a long season's growth to give good sprouts. Give them an open position, good heavy soil and plenty of rich , manure. ■ ';' Another pinch of cabbage seed should be sown to'raise plants for. early winter uso. Avoid tho large varieties, and sow the small varieties, as these are , much more useful, and give a better " "return' from a small garden. Tho main crop'of carrots should have . >, been sown last month, hut a small mmntity of seed should bo eown every ' threo or four weeks to use when very small for soup. The main crop should ' ins thinned early and severely. Cauliflowers should be set out early. Put them in their final quarters as as they arc largo enough to 1 ■ v&andlo, water them in. and keep them moist at tho root until they make 0 iresh start. If these are neglected &fter being transplanted and become "i , Vory dry they will form small heads ■ /' prematurely (called buttons). If possible, prepare celery trenches during the first half of this month. Xhis is possible only in large gardens, as in-small ones an earlv crop, such as Eeas or potatoes, have to be taken off efore the trenches can be picpaTed. The object in preparing the trenches Komo time "before setting ont the plants 'is to allow the manure to decay as -, much as possible before the plants are ■ ' put out. It is a peculiar fact that, although celery plants like plenty of manure, as their roots do not take kindly to fresh (or green) manure. The more it is rotted, the better for celery plants. < Manure from last season's • hot-beds i 3 about the best one can have i for celery trenches. When preparing ' ■ the trenches, keep tho surface soil for the plants to grow in, and throw out the subsoil for moulding up the plants. Too often tho surface, which is the best

SultiVated soil, is thrown out, and the i . manure mixed with the subsoil. This '* }s a great-mistake, and is the reason why the plants are so long before they 1 ( make a good growth after being trans- ■ ' 'planted.' Another mistake often made is to make the trenches too deep. The depth should bo determined by the character of the soil and the configura- " tion of the 'surface. On high, well drained positions the trench may be taken out eighteen inches, but on low land, where the subsoil water cannot readily pas 3 away, six inches is deep '.nnough. The soil can be piled against . the plants to blanch them; but if the " ' >"Oots stand long in water growth is arrested, flavour lost, and decay may sot in at any time. , Lettuce should have constant atten- > lion, from now until the end of Febru-

jiry_. It" is easy to grow lettuce in Spring, autumn and winter, but during 1 .the next four months it is quite diffor- { ent. "'.'■ Plants 'of a kind are grown, v iint not the large,, crisp, tender heads ,?o much desired. The only way to '.' 'Becure tho better sample is to give •'• . conditions that will ensure a quick and , constant growth. To do this food and moisture are necessary. Therefore use ■ .'.plenty of manure, and select .1 posi- • tion where water can be supplied. Sow , the;seed where the plants are to ma'ture, to avoid having.to transplant them during the hot weather. A few ,-" "branches of trees or shrubs put on the north side of the plants to temper the ' intense heat would, do much to secure a'constant growth. ~ ■» Tomatoes may now be planted in the •, open. Many set out their plants early . '', in October, but most of these have ->', been destroyed or crippled by frosts. - • proves that unless one has Lwarm, sheltered position well proted from late frosts, nothing is ' gained from setting out the plants be- -- fore. November. The soil is cold and the roots do not take kindly to a cold .. Soil, a3 they prefer a warm one. This [ - is the reason why so'many plants that __■, are put' out in November give ripe '■'* fruits before those planted a month */• earlier. Select a warm position, and ' do-not plant too deeply. Just cover the roots, as they will go down if they franfc to, but tho tomato is not a deepfooting plant. Be sparing with nia- . ; Jiure. This makes a good mulch on the surface, but if too much is dug into , Hie soil it will encourage strong growth und largo leaves»but not a heavy crop. Over-much manure will make largo fruits, but they will bo watery and Jight. The flesh of a tomato grown in Jj • good soil without manure is much firmer and heavier, and of better flavour than those grown in soil'made over-rich with an abundance of ma- - nuro. It is advisable to keep the jnanure on the surfaco and to use it as fconulch later on. If possible, grow the iomatoes- trained to a stake or fence as this gives much better results ' '' nu °™ g row 'ng thom on the soil. - Uhoose a very open position, whore the - plants can get all tho sunshine there , Is, as this will ensure firm growth and 4 heavy crop. I FLOWER GARDEN. Beddmg-out should be pushed on as Mat us possible, taking care to thoroughly prepare all plants by gradually hardening them off before ■ " 0f . h "«feiung off" is responsible for most of the deaths that occur among beddmg plants. The seedlings are SL Ce l and ] on t0 a «»to a fair Bize then sold while they are very soft and tender, but if planted out at once many perish from the sudden change , from.a close irame or glasshouse to an open space, where they are scorched by the sitn and shrivelled by the wind Sweet peas that aro well through the ground should be thinned, leaving the plants about twelve inches apart This - bjay seem a big space to give between the plants, but it is not too much, as any less would mean moro or less Crowding. Once tho plants have formed flower buds feed thpm regularly during dry weather. Bone dust is a good rertdiser._ Give a little at a time, and tors it with the sail by hoeing the ground. Manure water is a first-rate ■ stimulant and food. Get a quantity of sheep or cow manure, put it in a bag, Slace this,in a tub of water, leave it a ay or two, and then move the bag by pressing it with a strong stick. This frill bring the strength of the manure through the bag. When using it, re- • member it is better to use it too weak than over strong. Soot water, made on the same linos, is an excellent foot] JO alternate with manure water. • The herbaceous border will need at- ,,- Bention. Many plants will require

and the result is that many subjects, such as Delphemums, Gypsophylla, tall pomies, etc., aro broken down by the wind. Once theso aro injured for want of support they cannot regain an upright position, and remain more or less unsightly all through the season. Staking nerbaceous plants should be done in such a way that while giving the necessary support, the natural habit or poise of the growth should not be destroyed. Many beautiful plants are made quite ugly, if not likleous, by tioing them up in a bundle to one stake with a strong tie to a central stake. The better way is to put several to oach plant, according to the number of shoots on the plant. A plant with from five to eight shoots should have three or four stakes put some distance from each other. Then tie one strong growth to each and put a string around the several stakes; this will afford all the support necessary. The growths that are tied, to the stakes will hide thora, and the string that is put round the stakes will support _ the smaller growths and the clump will look quite natural. Tall, unsightly stakes are. not needed, because it is as the bottom where the support is.wanted. If this is done the top will be able to keep erect.

A correspondent asl«: " What colours blond together in bedding out?"_ Individual "taste must decide this. Combinations that please one appear very different to another. This is seen in decorations in every department of lifo, and no hard and. fast rule can be laid down. In bedding out some prefer strong contrasts, such as red and white, blue and gold, while others would declare this arrangement garish, hard and anything but'pretty. There are many colours (or shades) that blend, and masses of bronze and yellowshades planted together give a lovely combination. The varying shades of blue and purple, pink and heliotrope, cream and pale pink, are very beautiful, but it is quite impossible to suggest a "blend" that would be acceptable to all tastes.