GARDEN NOTES,

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12064, 20 July 1917, Page 3

GARDEN NOTES,

.WORK FOR, THE WEEX. KITCHEN GARDEN. Seeds to Sow.—Broad beans, cabbage, cauliflower, cress, lettuce, peas and spinach. What to Plant.—Cabbage, cauliflower, garlic, potatoes, rhubarb and sea-kale. Thorough surface cultivation of all plots that are to be sown with seed should be pushed forward as fast as climatic conditions permit. Asssuining that the land has been dug or trenched early in the winter, and the surface thrown up rough, the soil will, if dry enough, break down line by putting the cultivator through it. This work should not be lett until tho seeds are to be sown. The land should, be scarified several times beforehand. Every t-ime the Planet or hoo is put through tho surface. fresh soil is brought on top to benefit from wind and sun, insects and their larva?, if any, are exposed to birds and possible frost.*, which will destroy some, if not; all ol' them, leaving the surface soil not only moie friable, but sweeter and freer from insect pests. All other gain from thorough surface cultivation is that the plot settles down firmly and even all over, a condition that has much to do with an even germination of the seeds.

If any artificial manure is to be applied, those that arc rather slow in action, such as bone manure and basic slag, should be. used during one of these preliminary hoeings. Others that dissolve quickly, such as guano, kainit. etc., should bo used later on, either when the seeds are sown or after thov are sprouted. Different soils need different treatment. Some of the heavy, stick} 7 kinds should be forked through, because the blades of the cultivator or hoo will not go deep enough to break the. hard lumps just below r,ho surface, and if these are not pulverised they will interfere with tho roots of the crop, especially carrots, beet, parsnips and potatoes.

To grow Brussels sprouts successfully, three things are necessary:—(l) A long season for making their growth: (2) plenty of space between tho plants and (3) a fairly heavy soil. Unless these conditions can lie given success cannot be expected. Some of the most successful growers in England and Scotland sow tho seed in the autumn in cold frames, protect the seedlings from sever© frosts during the winter, and set them in their final positions in tho spring. In the majority of gardens in New Zealand there is need for protection. Seeds could be sown in a warm corner in the autumn and set out about tho end of July or early in August. This would give them plenty of time to make a steady, strong growth. "When sowing early peas don't put the seed too thick. Tho cause of failure with many rows of early peas is due to overcrowding. It is a puzzle why tho early varieties are sown so much thicker than tho latter varieties, but it is a very common practice, probably duo to a wrong idea. When looking at a row of William Hurst Inst September, tho writer of those notes asked. "Why put them so thick?" The reply was: "They are- only a dwarf variety, and they do not require as much room as tho tall sorts."

This is partly correct, but although I the rows of dwarf varieties may be put closer to each other, according to their height, the plants in the row need just as much room. Three inches apart in the row should be the minimum. It is not the number of plants in the row, but the amount of space each plant has that will determine the crop, other conditions being equal. Lime is good for peas, and it is impossible. to obtain a crop of well-filled pods from soil that is deficient in lime. The plants grow and flower, but many of the pods will have less than half the peas swell (or mature). They fail to grow, and then we say that they do not yield well. Lime in any form is good, but the best is oyster shells, ground very fine, and used freely. Lime slaked and covered from the air is next best. This powdered lime can be sown with the seed, or scattered over tho voting plants after they are up. In the general scheme of manuring the garden, add lime in some form to the quarter set apart for peas. FLOWER GARDEN. With lengthening days and genial weather there aro clear signs of growth in the garden. .Many herbaceous plants aro coming into life, bursting the shields that have protected their buds during the winter. This movement is a signal that if there are. any more herbaceous plants to be transplanted, the work should lie done at once. Many give much better results il they aie transplanted every .season, others every I second and third, according _to the kind. Some may be left- undisturbed five or six years, but all those- that increase rapidly should be taken up and replanted every other .season. The herbaceous phlox .soon deteriorates if left undisturbed for several seasons. It forms many new shoots which aro overcrowded, and starve ono another for want of light and air, and .although these are thinned out by removing t-wo-thirds of them, tho heads of blossom will bo comparatively small and remain in flower but a short time. If the clumps arc taken up, drndod and replanted after the ground has been , trenched and manured, they make a strong growth with large heads of flower, which make a good show for many weeks durinir the .summei. lludbcckia Newmani is another herbaceous plant that gives the best results from lifting and replanting every season- ~ , , . R. Golden Glow. too. should betaken up and replanted to obtain a big quantity of its golden blossom. Space Avill iifl l> permit or <ill herbaceous plants that should betaken up, divided'and replanted in the sprang, but a little observation would soon indicate which should have this treatment. The work should be done as soon as possible before the new shoots leave tho root stock. Roses should be planted as soon as possible. The ground is in good order for planting all kinds of shrubs and trees.

The mild weather is encouraging roses lo make it Little new growth, and somo people think their roses should i lie pruned at once. This is a mistako. Tho priming should not be done until the end of next month, or early m September, except, in very warm positions that are free from late frosts. If the pruning is done now, ihe shoots that should give the first crop of flowers will begin to push out at once, and the young buds run the risk of injury from late frosts. Although the growth may not show any signs of injury, the buds suffer, and when they should develop into blossoms the petals will appear as though they had been eaten by caterpillars or grubs. This is the result of the frost. Such being the case, if we want to secure the first crop of flowers in a. perfect conditionn, pruning must bo deferred until the end of August.