THE GARDEN

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17193, 9 November 1923, Page 10

THE GARDEN

WORK FOR ALL SEASONS

KITCHEN GARDEN. Seeds to Sow - Beans, beet, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, cress, lettuce. onion (for salad), parsley, parsnip. pea. radish, spinach, turnip, vegetable marrow. What to plant—Cabbage, cauliflower, herbs, lettuce, potatoes. The main crop of runner beans can be put in now. Those who took the risk of making an early sowing will reap the benefit of an early supply ; this crop should be grown as near the water supply as possible so that the plants can get a liberal supply when it is needed. Trench the ground two feet deep and put a liberal quantity of well decayed manure near the bottom of the trench and if the soil is on the heavy side, also a quantity of burnt garden refuse and if possible some soot. Runned means make a strong growth if they have plenty of room for their roots, and -.he haulm Unfortunately these plants rarely have enough room at any stag;e of their seasons growth. The seeds are put too near one another, and the young plants are' not thinned, the result being a crowd of tangled weak shoots, with small leaves, and small pods. The best method of sowing is to put two beans close to each other from twelve to fifteen inches between each pair, and if both germinate remove the weakest one. This will give each plant left ample space to make a robust growth and develop a good crop of large fleshy beans. Make a small sowing of late broccoli, kale, and savoy. These will produce a batch of plants for filling the quarters that will he vacant at ter clearing off the early crops. /Tomatoes are being planted in. dnree numbers. If all produce an average crop there will he a heavy supply. Tomatoes need a little constant care for several week after they have been set in their final quarters, particularly support against strong winds, especially if they are in very open positions. The strong East winds often twist the plants until they break. Keep the roots moist, but not too wet. Over much water is not good as it retards the formation of new roots. If there are only a few plants shade them during the hot days but remo/e the shading material as soon as the heat of the sun begins to go off.

HARDY FRUITS. There are heavy crops of goose berries this season. The fruit should be thinned as soon as possible by picking the largest, and using them. Strawberry runners should be secured as early as possible. The most satisfactory method of preparing new runners, is to set aside a few plants for the purpose. Remove all ‘their trusses of flower buds, and peg the l.rst plantlet on each runner into the soil. After this keep every subsequent runned pinched off. Prepare the new bed during January to give time for the soil to settle down before the new plants ax-e set out. This method is not new. It has been practised for

many years by gardeners, and its value has been proved. Loganberries are sending up more sboot.s than should be left, on the plants. Too many are harmful to this season’s crop and also to future crops. Select as-many growths as is necessary and then cut all the others off. Train I he new shoots so that they get plenty of sunshine, to ripen every inch of them as the heaviest crops om the best fruits are produced on these. Apples should be exaimined and where too crowded thinned. It pays io thin apples, both for home use, and the market. The. fewer fruits each tree has to develop, the less number of seed (pips) it has to man;re, andthe greater quantity of pulp, it ran pack round the reduced number of seeds. ’Woolly aphis and other pests are on the move. Spray as soon as any are noticed. It is bv prompt and constant attention that the pests of fruit trees are controlled.

FLOWER GARDEN. Weather conditions have been on the dry side for bedding plants. These should have good nursing for a week or two after thew are put in their summer quarters to assist them to become established in their new positions. Don’t over water the plants. This is harmful. Give them a thorough soaking and then put the push hoe through the beds to loosen the surface Different plants need differing treatment. Those that were in pots will need less attention than those put out from boxes. Do not keep the ground too wet. but find time to damp the foliage during the afternoon on hotdays. Don’t wait until the cool of evening. Spray them ovei'hoad as soon as the heat of the sun begins to go down. Thoroughly harden all soft subjects such as alteimantheras, begonias, coleus, irisene. etc.. before planting them out. It is a good plan to stand the boxes of plants ou the flower bed several days before putting them in the ground. This will cause their .soft shoots and tender foliage to become much firmer than it was in the frame ground. Specimen plants, or vases in different parts of the garden are tery effective. Select plants suitable for the different positions. Fo an exposed position one of the marguerites would answer. These will stand wind and heat without harm. For a shady corner out of the wind one of the free flowering fuchsias is vevv effective Select a variety that flowers freely and over a. long sanson. The single varieties are best. Arabella, Miss Marshall, are two excellent varieties for this purpose. Put them in pood cod. not too light, water them well and the results will be satisfactory. ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT. | T.Y.—lt depends on how much of the 1 tree is affected. If only small | branch, cut it off. T fear, howeved, ; that you will lose the tree. Up to the present date no cure has been found for silver blight.