THE GARDEN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18008, 19 November 1926, Page 4

THE GARDEN.

WORK FOR THE WEEK. KITCHEN* GARDEN. Seeds to sow—Beans, beet, cabbage, cress, endive, lettuce, melon, onion (tor salad), peas. savo>', spinach turnip, ATgetable marrow. What to plant—Broccoli. cabbage, capsicum, cauliflower, potatoes, winter greens. It is well to provide plenty of green vegetables for winter and spring use, both in large and small gardens, so that during the dull months there will be a change, and the family yvill hay’e some green vegetables as avcll as roots. Last week, we suggested sowing a pinch of green curled savoy*. To this we might add curled kale, curled cabbages (named coleworthy) . Sow noyv The young plants can be set in any piece of ground, and also between royvs of late potatoes. Clear away the haulm of earlv peas as soon as the crop is gathered. It left on the ground for some time, thrips and mildew yvill develop, and spread to the younger crop. Pinch off the tops of broad beans to encourage the pods to fill. Examine the clumps of shallots, and if the bulbs are covered with soil carefully draw some of the ground away from them, so that the sun can ripen the bulbs—too often yve find the roots much too deep in the ground. Mould potatoes. Keep the cultivator busy among growing crops, and do not faiT to yvatcr all salad plants, no matter what kind. Never suffer them to want water. These plants, to be digestible. must be crisp and tender, conch tions that are quite impossible if the plants have not had a sufficiency oi water. Make it a practice to damp them overhead after a hot day- This will make them fresh and tender, and yvill tend to keep insect pests ayva\'. HARDY FRUITS.

Strawberry runners should be secured as earlv as possible. The best and most profitable method of cultivation is to treat the crop as an annual. Get the la.ver pegged down some time in November, and when the required number arc secured remove all that form after. This yvill concentrate more force in those that are pegged down. Water them in dry- yveather to keep them groyving. With just ordinary attention these lav-ers yvill make strong crowns by* the end of January, and some time during February will give large crops of berries. The grass grub yvill not eat the new roots. These pests spoil many of the plants in their second season.

Examine gooseberry hushes yv)iich were transplanted last yvinter, and remove all shoots that are not wanted. Do not leave them on the plants until the winter, but cut them out as soon as possible, so that the plants may develop strong new shoots, yvith plentyof flower buds for fruiting next sea-

Remove all surplus raspberry suckers. Old stools arc very persistent in sending up many more than are required. and if left too long they interfere with those that are to give the new season’s crop. FLOWER GARDEN.

Cutting grass on lawns needs more than ordinary care to keep the lawn in good condition. Different soil gives different results if the grass receives the same attention. While it mav be yvell to cut the grass y-cr\- close on rich, holding land, it yvould be wrong to do so on light, poor soil, unless there is unlimited suppl>’ of yvater. Where the soil is on the pcor side, it is yvell to remove the grass box, and let the cuttings fall on the plants. When this is done cut often, so that the cutting? are short. The short cuttings fall off and decay-, forming surface food for the grass plants.

Attend to pruning flower shrubs, especially’ in small gardens. Plants of prostanthera are about over. Cut the shoots that hay’e floyvered* hard back to within a few inches of their base. They’ will soon send out new shoots, probably’ too many. These should be reduced in number. There are other shrubs that need pruning. The genister, for example, soon grow untidy if they’ are left to grow several seasons unpruned. Remove old flower heads from azalias and rhododendrons. The late varities are nearing their close, and the sooner the>- are relieved of their thousands of seed pods the better. Do not give syveet peas too much yvater. Many* are spoiled by too much kindness. Remember that their roots are just about in the rich manure that yvas put in the trench, and this is quite enough for the present. Later on, yvhen the plants have reached the bottom of the trenches, give them one good soaking each week.