Life in the Garden.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIII, Issue 8, 25 August 1909, Page 39

Life in the Garden.

Practical Advice for Amateurs.

SEEDS TO SOW THIS MONTH. Flowers.— Asters, Candytuft (giant flowering), Empress Carnations, Clarkia, Dianthus, Godetia, Hilychrysum, Larkspur, Lupins (annual sorts), Mignonette, Nemophila, Shirley Poppies, Schizanthus, Stocks, Sweet Peas. Vegetable.— Asparagus, Broad Beans, Cabbage, Cauliflowers, Cape Gooseberry, Early Horn Carrot, Cress, Leek, Lettuce, Mustard, Onions, Peas (William Hirst, Gradus, Daisy), Parsley, Parsnip, Radish, Spinach, Tomato, and White Turnip. Planting.— Potatoes, Artichokes, Rhubarb, Herbs, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Lettuce, Onions, Shelter and Fruiting Trees and Bushes, Roses, Gladioli Bulbs, Lilies, Tuberoses. ■it GENERAL GARDEN WORK. PRING always brings us faee to face with any amount of work in our gardens, and some amateurs are occasionally puzzled what to set 'pbout first; we would strongly urge that first place be given to planting such things as roses, fruit trees, or shrubs, which may have been overlooked or have arrived late; all such should be got in at lonce. Then choose a dry situation in w’hich to plant early potatoes; some of the fine old Kidneys are again on the market, and are well worth growing. Continue t< plant broad beans for successional crops. Sow early peas. Onions can still be sown this month, and autumn sown onions can be transplanted. Continue planting out cabbage, cauliflower, and lettuce. Saladings should be sown every ten days, where a succession is required. A few early carrots and parsnips may be sown on deeplydug ground. Carnations, hollyhocks, antirrhinums and penstemons can be planted out when soil is suitable. Dig over all vacant land in readiness for future work. Where seedlings are being raised in frames or greenhouse, see that air is freely admitted, without cold draughts. Unless this important point is carefully attended to, the seedlings will get “drawn,” and will never make nice, hardy, “stocky” plants. Finish pruning and regulating the branches of fruit trees. Any grafting required is best done during August. Where fruit trees have not received their winter wash, they should be attended to without further delay. DAFFODIL SPECIAL. Our Daffodil Special is now in course of preparation, and we hope to publish same about the end of this or early next month. J* SOWING SEEDS IN BOXES. Many kinds of seeds cannot be successfully raised outside, and it is often necessary, in order to have early resu ts, to sow indoors some kinds which can be raised outside. A greenhouse or a hotbed frame are the most desirable structures in which to raise seedlings, but where the amateur has none of these

a few boxes and several panes of glass will serve the purpose for most things, Boxes are easily made, a kerosene case or soap-box ean be made into two or more in a few minutes. They should not be more than 3J inches deep. Bore three or four holes in the bottoms for drainage, over which place a large piece of elinker or part of a broken flower pot. Coarse screening should be placed over these, and then fill the box to within j-inch of the top with finely-sifted soil, which should be firmly pressed down, especially in the corners. When sowing the seeds, make rows with a strip of wood, regulating the depth according to the size of the seed to be sown; it is not advisable to make rows for very fine seeds, such as petunia or lobelia (these are best sown on surface which has been made perfectly smooth, and then very slightly dusted with sand)After having sown the seeds, cover lightly with fine soil and sand mixed, water thoroughly through a very fine rose. This must be carefully done so as not to disturb th e seed.