THE GARDEN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20042, 3 September 1920, Page 10

THE GARDEN.

WORK FOR THE WEEK", KITCHEN GARDEN. i _ Seeds to Sow.—Bread beans, best, s broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, celory, cucumber (in heat), leek, lettuce; onions, parsnips, pens, spinach, tomato, turnip. What, to Plant—Artichoke, asparagus, chives, cabbage, cauliflower, garlic, herbs, potatoes, rhubarb,'shallots! Seed solving and routine work will claim all the time of gardeners just now. .Piefcr to last week's notes, and. push forward the spring work. The I weather must be considered when seed ) sowing is undertaken; it will be better to wait a week and have sitccees than risk failure. FLOWER GARDEN. If there arc any arrears of ' work make an effort tjo get these brought up to date at once. The lengthening days . and the increasing sunshine will bring in more routine work which must have attention" to secure success. Seed i sowing in the opon can be done during, the latter part of the month, but the ground must be prepared first.- Too much attention cannot be given to this work; it is a. mistake to dig over a patch of, ground and sow it with flower seeds at once. The ground ( is more or less lumpy and much air is among the lumps- This condition is not favourable to germination or for.the few . plants that- up. The- quarters where small seeds are to be sown should-be dug over with a garden fork several times before the seeds are sown; -at each digging break all lumps and remove stones and any other obstruction 1 material. Keep a sharp lookout for grubs and insects; destroy what you can. and by turning the soil over the small birds will get some and the I sun and winds may destroy the larvae. There are many beautiful half hardy as well as hardy annuals that can be raised in the open, but, in small gardens only a few of the many cau be grown. P!n.nt3 that arc. raised where they are to flower generally give better results than those that are transplanted, if the seeds are not sown too lavishly. "When putting in the seeda it is well to estimate how many plants 1 can be successfully grown on the area that is sown. Unless this i 3 done you i havo no guide as to how many 'seeds Ito put in. Having made the estimate, i sow twice the number of seeds if the I seed is fairly good. This quantity should give all the plants Tequired. Tho fault of transplanted seedlings is that they are raised in such crowded conditions that when they are pricked off it takes a, long time to • get over tho shift. This is a big check on the young seedlings, and at a time when they should have all the assistance possible. One of the results of thi3 check is that the wee.seedling plant forms its flower buds long. before it should, with the result that the plant fails to-attain half the size it should, and gives but a few inferior blooms. Keep the hos busy among border plants. Do not wait - for a crop of weeds to come up before using the hoe. . The hoe (no matter its size) is not' necessarily used for killing weeds, but more to cultivate the surface soil by keeping it free and opsn. Some herbaceous plaut3 will require attention, the phlotf for example. These plants send too .many shoots from each clump; if all are "left they cannot make a strong head of bloom, and only small heads are possible. These only last a short season, and are soon over, but if the shoots are ihin r ned the heads of blossom are much i larger and are effective in the garden twico as long as the small ones. The shoots that aid removed can be made into cuttings; I hey root readily in, sandy soil, in a cold frame. Penistemons need similar treatment. Michaelmas daisies give the best results if they are transplanted every spring. Lift the stools, plant portious of the outside shoots, and throw tho centra away. Many other border plants need* similar treatment. GREENHOUSE. "With increasing sunshine, houses containing small and flowering--.plants should havo more shade during tho day. There will be periods of hot sunshine, aud if flowering plants are not shaded from the fierce rays of the sun, ; their term of usefulness will soon- be over. Cinerarias and primulas Buffer most from hot sunshine, therefore shade should he provided at once. Movable blinds are best, and althougii rather costly, are more profitable. Permanent (or feed) &hade is. bad for flowering plants, but harmless for. evergreen plants, such as aspidistras, palms and ferns. - : " Examine seeds that were sown last month, and if any- have failed, sow again. Tho plants that are big enough to handle should be pricited off. If room is limited, put the seedlings into boxes or pans, rather close to each other, ana put- them into other boxes later on. Remember that the seedlings' suffer less if pricked off very early before their roots are tangled one in another. Hundreds of cyclamen, primulas, begonias and similar seedlings perish every spring, because pricking off is delayed too long. Bedding plants are growing fast, and. need . constant v attention. Avoid crowding,"and too much heat. Get the hardy kinds into cold frames as soon as possible, Zona-les and ivy geraniums do better in cold frames than in a close, crowded glasshouse. Heliotrope is another plant that needs cool treatment. After the cuttings havo rooted, thoy get strong and sturdy, and are more fit_ for setting out in the open garden in November. Herbaceous calceolarias are growing fast. Give each plant plenty of room; the loaves of one plant should not touch those'of the plant next to it. l)on't coddle these plants, remember, they are nearly hardy, and soon suiter from want of room and fresh air. Water sparingly; if tho soil is kept very wet "the plant» get uick, their leaves turn brown, and the plant gradually dies. Let the soil get fairly dry, then "ire the plants a thorough soaking. _ Lilies that are - being forced are liable to attacks of green aphis. These k insects secrete themselves in the centre of tho growing stem, hidden amono the .unfurling young leaves. The best method of dealing with these pests is to spray the plants at regular.intervals, is / if the insects are left alone they poison the buds, and the flowers will be lost