THE FLOWER GARDEN.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 59, Issue 73, 29 April 1930, Page 10

THE FLOWER GARDEN.

The dahlias are still going strong and are Avorthy of a little care ixi keepxiig the dead bloorns cut off. AVliere tlie plants are getting lieavy, cut away some of the lateral growths so as to reduce the tops. Chi-ysanthemums are now getting to the best. The blooms are cfpening fast and the ties need a look over every day or so to see that they are safe from a storm. Blooms needed for sliow purposes can be held baek a few days by shading. Now is the tinie to go over tlie dahlia collection and turn out all that are out of date. Make the selection of new dahlias now and place your order for next season. The drv season has somewhat retarJ"d bulb growth. It has allowed planting to be carried on rather late, but wliother it will be an advantage remains to be seen. Cuttings of shrubby or bedding calceolarias, pentstemons, antirrhinums, violas and pansies can be inserted now. Tliis is tlie best time of tlie year for inserting cuttings of evergreen shrubs and trees. The usual conditions requix-ed for cuttings are perfect di-ainage, moist soil, even and moist temperature, shading. The inajority of hardy annuals can be sown now. Autumn sowing gives much tbe best results. Sow ten week and beautv stocks. Sow iia pots, boxes or tlie open ground.

It is best to shade till the seedlings appear. Once the seedlings show, profcect from cabbage fly by spraying. Make a sowing of early and Summer flowering sweet peas. The ground for planting them should also be ready now.