THE WEEK'S WORK.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 301, 19 December 1931, Page 22 (Supplement)

THE WEEK'S WORK.

THE FLOWER GARDEN. Finish planting Chrysanthemums. Dahlias can be planted. Weather is particularly good for planting bedding stuff. Zinnias, Salvias, Asters, Cosmos can be planted. Make sowings outside of Marigolds, Salvias, Portolaccas. Chrysanthemums should be sprayed, tied, disbudded and mulched. Pick off all spent Rose blooms. Dust plants with sulphur or spray with Bordeaux. Sweet Pea blooms should be kept closely picked. Tie in the long shoots coming from the base of Rambler Roses. Stake tall-growing herbaceous plants. Gladioli should be staked and tied. See that the ties do not cripple the flower stem. Get rid of any annuals that are over and replant the beds. lloeing and stirring the soil around plants of every description is THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. essential. Light digging to produce a loose surface mulch is a good method of conserving moisture. The use of lawn cuttings, old manure and leaf mould as mulching is to be recommended. Late sowings of Peas need a deeply worked soil. Make further sowings of dwarf Beans. Haricot Beans can be sown. Tomatoes need disbudding, staking and spraying. During hot weather green vegetables should be forced with quickacting soluble manures, such as sulphate of ammonia, super. Melons, Marrows, Pumpkins can be sown. Pinch out the tops of Melons so as to produce side growths. These carry most fruit. Make sowings of Lettuce to keep up the supply. Rich soil and slight shade is best during summer. Spray Carrots with an insecticide to kill aphis.