GARDENING NOTES

New Zealand Tablet, 1 April 1915, Page 47

GARDENING NOTES

(By Mr. J. Joyce, Landscape Gardener, Christchurch.)

KITCHEN GARDEN: WORK FOR APRIL. All strawberry plantations should be finished this month, so that they may be well established for the winter. If planted too late, they have not sufficient roothbld of the soil, the consequence being that they are lifted out of the ground by the severe frosts. They must be kept free from weeds, so that they may have plenty of sun and air. The old leaves should not be removed from strawberry beds, they are best left on the plants until spring. Celery can now be moulded up. It is better not to mould too high, until the plants are fully grown, when they can be earthed up again. It must be done in dry weather, and care should be taken that the soil does not get into the heart of the plant. The best way to act is to have the soil nicely dug on each side of the row, and catch the plant with the left hand, holding all the leaf stalks together tight, then, with the right hand, draw the soil all round the plant as high as possible. This prevents the earth from getting into the centre. Some people tie paper around each plant, when the soil can be placed along the row with a spade. Leeks must now be earthed im, but they need no hand work, the shovel or spade will answer best. Kail, winter green, savoys, and broccoli, may still be planted nut. for spring use. They are very useful when vegetables arc scarce. Turnips should also be sown for spring use. The white stone or golden ball are the best to stand the winter. Silver beet is also a very useful vegetable. The leaves are used like spinach, and the stalks like sea kail. If not sown before, it ought to be out in at once in good rich ground, and when the plants come up thev should he thinned ml to about six inches apart. I'ricklv spinach should also be sown, as it comes in when other green vegetables are scarce. Shallots and onions should now be stored away. A little cauliflower and cabbage seed should be sown, as it is always handy to have a few plants ready when wanted for putting out. Early potatoes should be taken up, and the seed selected for next season and stored away. Pears and apples, as they ripen, should be carefully picked, and put by carefully in a cool place. Care must be taken that bruised ones are not stored with the sound. FLOWER GARDEN. This should be a busy time with lovers of spring flowers. Now is the time to plant out all narcissi. There is no lack of choice, as there arc so many varieties to choose from. Tulips and hyacinths should not be neglected. Ixias and sparaxis are very pretty spring flowers, as also are anemones and ranunculi. There is also another pretty little bulb called tritonia, which is well worth a space in the garden. 1 must not omit one of the first harbingers of spring, the favorite little crocus. This is a good collection of old-fashioned flowers which can be purchased at a small cost. The admirer of the sweet pea should get his collection, and sow them in a -cultivated spot in the garden, where the plants will be sheltered from the cold winds and frosts of the winter. There must be a careful watch kept on them during the winter, as woodlice, slugs, and insects are fond of nibbling at the young shoots. It is also wise to sow some in boxes to transplant out where any might have failed. A dusting of soot and lime occasionally will help to keep away the slugs. Cuttings of geraniums and other bedding plants should be .put in this month : plant in boxes of light sandy soil. Towards the end of the month any geraniums which are worth saving should be taken up and put in pots or boxes to keep through the winter. .Now is the time for sowing down new lawns or improving old ones, where the grass has failed through the depradations of the grub or from other causes. Where patches are bare the ground should be scratched with the rake, sown down, then top-dressed with nice

fin© soil, and rolled, or patted- down with the tback of the spade. The lawns should, lie rolled pretty often just now after rain, as this is the time the grubs are busy among the roots of the grass. The rolling makes the ground hard, and prevents them travelling.