LATE SEASON

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 82, 3 October 1929, Page 26

LATE SEASON

GROWTH AT A STANDSTILL

A HESITANT SPRING

;" (By "Practical.") NOTICE TO READERS. ' Tfeii lolumn ii intended principally tir firdtners with small plots, and the aim it .to make It as practical and useful as pot•ible. Inquiries on any matter of gardening interest will be welcomed. The rule tor correspondence is that ail communieaend address of the writer, pot for publication, but as a guarantee..- of good faith. This rule will b* strictly adhered to. This is your aolumn—male* us* «f it

- ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS, '"incognitum."—The plot,of ground you intend to sow down a^~a lawn next autumn might with advantage be utilised by S planting potatoes. ' The cultivation which is necessary for the po'ato crop would be cood for the ground. You could also sow somo peas and lettuce, both of which would be finished before you wanted to sow the grass seed. Whatever you decide upon, the important tiling to remember is that the cleaner-=you get the ground i before sowing, the less trouble you will have with weeds later. **.Vr.C."— lt is rather difficult to advise in the circumstances you mention without N : seeing the place. Two inches of soil is Tery little to grow grass on, but if you ' leave the clay and rotten rock throughout the summer, stirring the surface occasionally, it will form a rooting medium by the time you require to sow it down ; The top soil you have saved would be , improved by turning over once or twice v and mixing in some line. Then before you finally put on the soil givo it some -■• bonedust. The clay would also benefit by a dressing of lime, which should be ■ -worked in. The bank is a more difficult problem. Except sowing it down in grass and planting shrubs, I can't see what can " nid^TthT'd'fflculty^ y °U Say' tho PIPeS

Spring seems very loth to eomo this year, and the few very short spells of warm weather we have had have invariably been followed by a cold snap which severely checks growth. Most seedling crops are practically at a standstill, and it seems as though everything will be very late. It is important in a season like this to make a point of loosening the surface of the ground as soon as it is dry enough after each heavy rain. This has a marked influence on the warmth of the soil, "allowing air and the sun's rays*to penetrate, moisture to evaporate, and at the same time checks any weed seedlings in the early stages.. THE USEFUL GLADIOLI. These popular flowers are excellent subjects for summer bedding, and lend themselves for this purpose in an endless number of ways. Being of upright growth, it' is easy to associate them •with other plants. A border or bed devoted to paeonies may be made bright throughout the summer and autumn by planting gladioli in the open spaces; the same practice may be followed with iris beds. The gladioli are useful for associating with carnations in beds or borders. They are also invaluable for adding colour to and filling bare spaces in herbaceous borders. None is more useful for this purpose than the well-known G. Brenchleyensis, which produces its spikes of bright scarlet flowers in profusion. A rich, deep loam of medium texture is the most suitable in which to «row gladioli, but they will thrive in almost any-garden soil. A heavy, retentive soil may be made suitable for them by being -well worked and having plenty of burnt garden rubbish and wellrotted stable manuro added. Very Jight soil should be dug deeply and mixed with a liberal amount of rotted cow manure. If possible, the- ground should be dug and manured in the autumn; then m the spring it will only be- necessary to move the surface soil with a fork preparatory to planting the conns. The present is a good time for planting gladioli, but if a succession of flowers is desired until late in the autumn, planting may bo done at intervals for the next two months To obtain spikes for exhibition purposes, gladioli are best grown in rows made inches apart on well-prepared beds, allowing twelve inches between the conns in the rows/which should be planted to a depth of three inches. JJunng the growing season a mulching of stable manuro will promote strong growth, and applications of liquid manure, given after tho spikes appear, will greatly assist in the. production ot fine inflorescences, which should bo supported by neat stakes as they develop. _ The practice of lifting the conns in the autumn should be rigidly followed, as this enables the ground to be worked to better advantago

NARCISSI AND PREESIAS. Most of the narcissi are past their best, while many of the early-flowering varieties are quite finished. After flowering -tho bulbs throw up strong foliage which becomes somewhat unsightly and a decided nuisance when other planting has to bo done I wouia warn readers against tho very common practice of cutting this foliage the beds look tidy. It is by means of flu* foliage- that tho bulbs build ut> their strength for the following season 4 blooming, and unless the foliage is left to mature naturally, the bulbs will be greatly weakened and tho subsequent blooms will be accordingly poorer! If the foliage is doubled down half-way and tied round with raffia the unsightli-

ness will lie done away with, and it will be comparatively easy to do the necessary weeding and forking of the beds with little trouble. When tho foliage commences to die off naturally it may bo removed, but not before.

Freesias spread very rapidly from seed, and to prevent them coming up all over gravel paths as well as the flower borders, the flower spikes should be cut off as soon as the blooms are over. Freesias, like most small bulbs, multiply very freely by natural increase of tho bulbs, but any specially good varieties may be increased by seed. It should be borne in mind, however, that seedlings do not always produce plants similar to the parent. Many, in fact, will not be worth keeping, while others may tura out really fine. Where time and space can ■be spared, it is interesting to experiment with seed. If sown as soon as the seed is ripe, the young plants should flower the following season, although the first season's flowers may probably be-small. As the young plants are difficult to lift without injury to the roots, it is advisable to sow the seed separately one inch apart and allow them to remain until they die down after the first season's flowering. WMle in flower any which are not worth retaining should be destroyed— only those of special merit being kept. . CARNATIONS. Next to roses, carnations are the most popular flowers with most people, combining as they do variety of colours, sweet scent, good lasting powers, and long stiff stems. The plants are thoroughly hardy as far as cold and wind are concerned, but constant wet or muggy weather conditions are liable to bring on mildew and other fungoid diseases. Overhead dustings with lime, wood ash, or sulphur will help very largely to keep these troubles in abeyance. Young plants which were put out in the autumn should be commencing to push up strong growth, and to ensure a sturdy plant tho. leading growth should be stopped. This is done by pulling out the centre, which causes side growths to-push out. Hold the plant firmly with the left hand, and with the right hand givo a sharp pull to the centre growth, which should come away cleanly. Old carnation plants should be gone over and all dead or diseased leaves be Removed and burnt. Loosen up the soil round the plants and work in some lime and wood ashes. The following is recommended as a good manure for carnations when they commence floweringThoroughly mix 5 parts superphosphate, 2 parts dried blood manure, and 1 part sulphate of potash. Use one ounce of the mixture to each gallon of water and apply once a fortnight, first watering the plants with plain water