THE GARDEN

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17699, 20 November 1925, Page 5

THE GARDEN

WORK FOR ALL SEASONS

KITCHEN GARDEN. Seeds to Sow. Beans, beet, cabbage, cress, endive, lettuce, melon, onion (for salad), peas, savoy, spinach, turnip, vegetable marrow. What to Plant.— Broccoli, cabbage, capsicum, cauliflower, potatoes, winter greens. It is well to provide plenty of green vegetables for winter aiad spring use. both in small and large gardent, so that during the dull months there will be a change and the family will have some green vegetables as well as roots. Last week we suggested sowing a pinch of green curled savoy. To this one might add curled kale, small cabbages (named coleworthy). Sown now the young plants can be set in any piece of ground, and also between rows of late potatoes. Clear away the haulm of early pease as soon as the crop is gathered. If left on the ground for some time, thrips and mildew will develop and spread to the younger crop. Pinch off the Yops of broad beans Jo encourage the pods to fill. Examine the clumps of shallots, and if J the bulbs are covered with soil carej fully draw some of the ground away from them, so that the sun can ripen the bulbs- too often we find the roots much too deep in the ground. Mould potatoes. Keep the cultivator busy among growing crops, and do not fail to water all salad plants, no matter what kind. Never suffer them to want water. These plants, to l>e digestible, must be crisp and tender, conditions that are quite impossible if the plants have not had a sufficiency of water. Make it a practice to damp them overhead after a hot day. This will make them fresh and tender, and will tend to keep insect pests away. HARDY FRUIT?. Strawberry runners should be secured as early as possible. The best and most profitable method of cultivation is to treat this crop as an annual. Get the layers pegged down some time in November, and when the required number are secured remove all that form after. This will concentrate more force in those that are pegged down. Water them in dry weather t>. keep them growing. With just ordinary attention, these layers will make strong crowns by the end of January, and some time during February will give large crops of berries. The grass grub will not eat' the new roots. These pests spoil many of the plants in their .second season. The moths lay their eggs in the plants, sometime in October or early November, and young grubs develop later on and feed on the tender roots. The results are small leaves* and h very* poor crop. Examine gooseberry bushes which were transplanted last winter, and remove all shoots that are not wanted. Do not leave them on the plants until the winter, but cut them, put as soon as possible, so that the plants may develop strong, new shoots, with plenty cf flower bud.s for fruiting nr*t season.. Remove all sro-pTas raspberry dockers. Old stools are very persistent, in sending up many more than required, and if left too long they interfere with those that are to give the new season's crop. FLOWER. GAR DEN. Cuffing grass on lawns needs more than ordinary care to keep the lawn

in good condition. Diflereni soils give different results if tlm grass receives the same attention. While it may ho well to cut the grass very close on rich, holding land, it would ho wrong to do so on light, poor soil, unlcsthere was an unlimited supply of water. Where the soil is on t lie poor Ride, if is well to remove tlie grashex. and let the cuttings fall on the plants. M lien this is done cut often, so that, the cuttings are short. I 1 »* short ends fall between the stems, and soon cujl up and decay forming suriace food for the grass plants. Attend to pruning flower shrubs, especially in small gardens. Plants «>f prostanthera are about over. Cut the shoots that have flowered hard hack to within u few inches of their lia-c. I hey wiU soon send out new shoots, probably too many. These should Iv* reduced in nmnjlier. so that they arc not overcrowded. There are other shrubs that need pruning. The geuister. for example, soon grow untidy and useless if they are left to grow several seasons uiiprimccl. Remove old flower heads from azaleas and rhododendrons. The late varieties are nearing their close, and tlie sooner they are relieved of their thousands of seed peris the better. Do not give sweet pons too niueli water. Many are spoiled by too much kindness. Remember that tlieir roots arc* just about in the rich manure that was put in tlie trench, and this is quite enough for the present. Later on. when the plants have reached the bottom of the trenches give them one good soaking each week.