IN THE GARDEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 January 1942, Page 3

IN THE GARDEN

HINTS FOR THE AMATEUR WORK FOR THE WEEK VEGETABLE GARDEN. Early cauliflowers are growing freely and will appreciate applications of liquid manure. ; Directly summer spinach begins to run to seed it should be hoed-up; if between rows of peas it can be left to act as a mulch. Maincrop celery can be planted in the positions prepared, but if this crop is to follow peas, a week or two later will suffice. During showery weather established asparagus beds will benefit by a sprinkling of fertiliser or any spare liquid manure applied. Thin turnips before the seedlings become weak and spindly.

FLOWER GARDEN. Self-sewn seedlings of lupins should be suppressed as they are usually of a mongrel type. Established beds of lily of the valley will be improved if they are given two or three applications of liquid manure during the growing season. Climbers growing against walls and buildings often suffer from dryness at the root through not receiving rainfall; give a good soaking. The bearded irises should be lifted every third year and this should be done immediately the flowering period' is past. Make a sowing of lupins in the open ground during the , next few weeks to provide young plants to take the place of the old ones.

FRUIT GARDEN. . When aphis is very prevalent among the friut trees spraying with a good nicotine insecticide can be recommended. When apples and pears are falling for no apparent reason, the fallen fruits should be inspected for signs of grubs. Silver leaf is now apparent among stone fruit trees; affected branches should be removed and burned. Shorten the side growths of red and white currants to six leaves.

VEGETABLE MARROWS CUT WHILE YOUNG. Growers of vegetable marrows would do well to adopt the system of stopping laterals as used by cucumber growers. Plants left to grow entirely by themselves make a great deal of growth which carries no fruit. Such branches take nourishment to waste, and retard the development of the fruits on other branches. A system of pinching at the second joint beyond a fruit saves this waste. Lateral growths will be induced and speeded up and if the earliest marrows are cut for use while young, bearing may be prolonged indefinitely.

SEASONABLE TASKS

IN THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. All vegetable seedlings must be thinned before they become crowded. In most cases the work is being carried out in two operations, first reducing clusters to single seedlings, then a week or two later thinning to wide enough apart to allow of maximum ! development. If radish seeds were sown thinly there will be .little need for thinning until the most forward roots are ready for use. Root crops like beet and parsnips, which are usually sown in clusters, may receive their final thinning at once, reducing each cluster to the strongest seedling. When thinning seedlings, remove all weeds at the same time and finish off by hoeing between the rows.

A point to bear in mind when thinning onions and carrots is that disturbing the seedlings will cause them to give off their respective odours and so attract the flies whose maggots do so much damage to the roots. This can be counteracted in large measure by dusting flaked naphthalene or sawdust impregnated with kerosene along the rows. A better method, however, is that of spreading the lawn cuttings along the rows each time the lawn is mown.

DAHLIAS HOW TO TREAT THEM. ‘ Good growing weather makes a vast difference to the rate of growth of newly-planted dahlias. Watering and feeding do not enter much into the scheme of things at this early stage, though it is not, as is so often imagined, necessary to wait until blooms are forming before commencing to feed. Just as soon as really stout growth is being made, the plants will appreciate some additional help, though in the early stages great care should be taken not to overdo things.

Weak solutions of natural manure are all that can be recommended so early in the season, and, if there is the slightest sign of the foliage wilting in strong sunshine, it must at once be discontinued. In this way, dahlias indicate in no uncertain fashion that they are being treated over-generously; the foliage will go quite limp and then revive in the cool of the evening. Within a few days, if feeding is discontinued, the symptoms will disappear’ and the plants should be given a rest for a week or two.

CAKED SOIL

DEAL WITH IT THIS WAY. It. is easy to write that the hoe should be used frequently to maintain a loose surface. It is difficult, however, to make an impression with a push hoe upon ground that is more like a concrete floor than friable earth. It needs rain to soften baked soil before hoeing can be done properly. He is wisest who seizes every opportunity following showers to do more surface tillage. One needs to work very carefully as close as possible to rows of seedlings without actually disturbing them. They want relief from the tight grip in which they are held, but their soft stems must not be bruised by rough usage of the hoe. In the border areas well clear of the plants one can ply the tools with greater vigour and go in to a depth of two or three inches.

1 IRISES t — A POPULAR ERROR. A popular misconception that all irises like damp, shady places is a long time in dying. Actually, nothing could be further from the mark so far as the bearded irises are concerned, for these all revel in sunshine and com- , parative dryness. There is no better place for the bearded iris than a slightly raised bed or border facing north. When preparing the soil, make cer- ( tain that is contains plenty of lime. , There is nothing to beat old mortar ' rubble for this purpose, well broken up , and dug in at the rate of one pound i per square yard. Failing this, hydrated I limo can be used at half a pound per square yard. Be sure to break up the soil as deeply as possible. If the subsoil' ’ is heavy and appears to be badly ' drained, work in some sand or grit to ' keep it open. SUMMER SPINACH i? KEEP UP THE SUPPLY. | It is important to keep up the supply | of spinach, which is rich in vitamins 1 A and C and contains more iron than almost any other vegetable, together with a fair amount of carbohydrates. At this time of the year summer spinach should be sown for it grows rapidly. With proper care and attention it is possible to gather it three or four weeks after sowing. Summer spinach is apt to go to seed quickly if the ground is not prepared properly. Fork over the soil and add organic matter liberally. Rotted leaves, composted vegetable refuse or similar matter’ may be buried four or five inches down and into the top two or three inches a good fertiliser with an organic base, such as blood and bone i 1 or fish fertiliser, should be forked in at three ounces per square yard. WIREWORM MENACE HOW TO DEAL WITH IT.

Wireworms are very destructive pests in the garden and are frequently present in large numbers in newly dug grassland. They feed ravenously on plant roots and as they remain in the soil for as long as five years it is not to be wondered at that the damage done infested areas is considerable.

A dressing of a good soil fumigant in winter or early spring is useful in driving away the pests, but to eradicate them, baiting must be resorted to. The usual procedure is to insert a peg into a piece of potato or carrot which is then buried in the soil with the top of the peg to show the position. Examine the traps once a week. As the pests dislike soil disturbance, frequent hoeings are useful. Crops attacked may be assisted to recover by giving a dressing of a nitrogenous manure. RED BEET SOW FOR WINTER USE. Frequent successional sowings of small varieties of globe beet may be sown to provide roots for the salad bowl and for general summer use. For winter use it is quite soon enough to sow the seed now. Beet succeeds best in soil of good depth that’ has not been manured for a season, but was then well, enriched.

Drills should be two inches in depth and 12 inches apart. Wet and heavy soils can be dressed after digging with ashes from the garden bonfire. When the young seedlings are well above the soil, thin out to a few inches apart, leaving the strongest and best plants.