THE GARDEN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12404, 23 August 1918, Page 2

THE GARDEN.

WORK FOR THE WE*K. KITCHEN GARDEN. Reeds to Sow—Beans, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, carrot, cress, cucumber lettuce, mustard, onion, peas, radish, spinach, turnip and tomatoes. ■TN hat to Plant—Cabbage, cauliflower, .garlic, herbs, horse-radish, rhubarb, scakalo and eschalots. Weather conditions are more favourable lor sowing .seeds. The warm sun shine will .soon dry and warm the surface soil. if it is worked up loose, by putting the cultivator or Dutch hoethrough it several times, lint don't he in too great a hurry. .Remember, seeds germinate, better and the small plants grow taster and stronger in warm soil that has been thoroughly cultivated. August is probably the best month for transplanting asparagus. Tim plants are just starting the new season s growth and there is little risk or laihire. The reason so many plaids jail to grow when transplanted early in the, winter is that the fools rot. Most, ol the. large roots are hollow, and many of them are bruised or broken, 'this admits water into Urn hollow roots and deeoniposil ion sets in. This goes through Iho crown and destroys it. I.lds does not, occur when the plants aVe moved in (he spring, alien the plants are waiting into activity. Tin' bruised and broken roots soon heal, and fresh ones are formed. A'-paragns will grow in almost, any soil, Iml gives the hesa results when grown in a friable, loamy soil, rich in humus.

Drainage L of great, importance, and when selecting a site for the bed make sure that the surplus water can get away. Although water is necessary during the summer months, if the bed is inundated during a part, of the winter when the plants are leafless, some of the, plants will perish. If the site selected is on the wot side, put a pipe drain about 12in below the surface to lake away the-surplns water. Manure is not often necessary when making a new bed. unless the soil is very poor. Ordinary garden soil is rich enough ior the lirst two seasons, but after that the plants will require manure in some form.

. Foot soil should have n liberal dressing of cow or pie- manure- These nro nclior and more lasting than stable immure.,

The bed should be oil wide, and contain three rows ol plants, one in the centic jflitl one ]f?in ironi it on each side. I lie iilanis should he set loin npart in the rows. .Mark off the bed, and take, out a drill the full width of, the spade, din deep. Put 'the soil | lOlll ld\is drill on the other side of the bed Then lay the plants along the centre oi the drill loin apart- Next take out the centre drill, puttiiirr this soil on the plants on No. 1 drill ° Distribute it evenly and break all big nmps. Set the plants in this drill, and li samo performance on The third, -putting the soil from this on the plants in the centre drill. After setting the plants in. this, pub the soil that was taken from the first drill on these plants. This is a simple but very effective way to plant asparagus. The crowns arc all put at an equal depth, -the roots should bo put in their natural horizontal position, and there should he no crowding of the roo t.s. The plants begin at onc° to send tin their new growths., ami it- is very rare that nnv plant fails to grow when planted this way. .FLOWER GARDEN. Ri tilling roses is now in full swing, •>ncl it is a good «ign to find so many, people hiking such a keen interest in nits work. There is one point in pruning loses that deserves mores attention, ibat is, the,different characteristics of the warions .varieties- Some varieties make throe times ns manv shoots as ethers and require nyire ‘severe thinnmg- Others of shy growth need hard pruning to encourage new shoots from -hen base. ; Jn most wardens we sec men pruning all varieties alike, just as tlyey would cut a hedge with no more understanding or regard to their differing needs. LAWNS. Lav ns should be top-dressed as soon ii lS I ”’ or,i .’-s* very ncccs- ?, k°°P the biwo in good condi.loll. it ice consider how many barrow a ol grass are removed every siim■"7-. 'V 1 V- 0t U I 1 " rot uvnecl. wo eaulot but ieahs c the necessity of returning something to feed the grass plants. Guud soi. is lit,, most suitable material. ■ mav be c.ifhcult to obtain, but do nut pul. poor, hungry soil on.the imJ iurished plants. U would be advis- . bio to examine the soil before acceptseerlJ \ ' - So !. ls i,ro JllH ~f Weed suit li.l AV °+ ”'!■ ,f Posfiil,lp - 'FHcmost s able k s that from a grass paddock tli.i-, has not been broken im for a c«. ti,e ~i of its ° ‘ S ?i ,w io F’hvc as much Then f’ 111 * ’ n ;,s four r- V fo,i^i 0i ‘ six ,i|( -’ h( ’ s the soil, low ~- , i IIUI s,x * because the ifivu no go the poorer (h 0 quality. Hue is no need to ]nil t!l J s ;] Uuough a .sieve unless it contains a lot J sUmps . the sieve will eiove many °1 tlm grass roots, which tlini'°fn^ 00( -(/' )0 * or illp £ n,ss plants ter i/tii 111 la ' v I , V ]t ' does not niatcte ,1 ! 1 05 18 ant l um P. v - n 's t-lie air,* r 'm’ L P' 1 ? Bke • I , t cr,um ble anil visahh. tn rV! i IIIG S0)l - U ma J T be ad'i.abli: to lift t,lio grass plants a little before the top-dressing is put on If tile soil lias settled down very hard and the turf become th.n, taken- garden iork am! gently lift, the surface. Rut something on the tincs—a piece of wire. or some other material— -so that the ground is broken to an equal depth ad over the surface. This admits air into the soil and it is surprising how' much better the grass plants grow after they nave been loosened after top-diessiim he lawn Do not, be in a: hum- to roll It, -is much oi the goerl the plants would deiiyc ti-om the top-dressing would be nullified by heavy rolling. Let the soil lournm loose mi- a weex or two, until the iicsh blades.or grass push through it- ami then put a light- roller over k. wlmn the soil is quite dry. The plant}u l make fresh roots in this mow soil il it is ?wt. crushed down like concrete. JMs weh to go over it with the back 11 J iJ ic f,. ;,Hpi : to break the Jumps. Rolling, however, should not oe done until the new growth is well aooie tlie top-dressing. A goor! lawn is a great feature, and a little extra attention i s repaid a hunaredlolcl.

SPRAY! MG. Any spraying that has to bo done should receive attention at once. Flowering poaches should bo sprayed with Bordeaux as a preventive against “leaf cn.l, and all trees and shrubs that ore. affected with scale, with some oilv insecticide. ] Ids work should not he neglected, but should receive attention at onto.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. v•'^P ara s u Si” Ashburton, writes; tour .garden notes have been mv guide -since I started a garden about eleven years, ago, and [ have bad splendid results. I, want to make an asparagus bed. Kindly furnish me with a Utile information, ts it time onmHi to plant now? How shall I make the bed? T can secure cow-dnim only. AVhere can J secure plants?”—You can obtain the plants from any iinrsei-yniau-We Jiave, answered your questions in “Work tor tho Week.’’