THE GARDEN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 111, 20 February 1937, Page 3

THE GARDEN

GENERAL ROUTINE WORK. (Written for the “Guardian” by J. A. McPhekSon, N.D.H., N.Z.) THE GREENHOUSE. From now till the end of March, cuttings of geraniums should be taken and inserted in boxes of sandy soil. It is not necessary to 'place the boxes qnd their cuttings under cover right away. Stand them firstly in a very sunny position (yard or gravel ipath; and bring indoors as frosts appear. It will not hurt geranium cuttings to flag, in fact it is highly important to let the cuttings lie on the bench for a day before they are inserted in the boxes. "While they are rooting,, the cuttings require the minimum amount of water, an over-supply often spells disaster. It is not necessary to have a glasshouse to root these plants, a good sunny frame which can be covered to keep out frosts will do just as well. Shake old plants of primula obconica and P. Kewensis out of their pots and re-pot into fresh soil. Re-pot cyclamen, give them a cool house with plenty of light, and above all things do not force the growth with excessive artificial heat. Such would lead to excessive leaf-growth at the expense of the flowers. Continue to take the buds on chrysanthemums and when roots show on the surface of the soil in the pots, topdress with a little sweet soil to which has been added some Clay’s fertiliser at the rate or one three-inch potful to a barrowful of soil.

THE FLOWER GARDEN. Seedling wallflower in the reserve garden will now be making excellent growth. Keep an eye out for attacks of mildew and, spray the plants with lime sulphur. Seedlings of forget-me-nots should be lined out in rows, placing the plants six inches apart. Here they will rapidly build up into strong bushy plants ready to set out in early winter. Any wet day can be turned to good account if one chooses to clean and sort all bulbs. Do not u x, H»o severe when rubbing the outside skins, though it must be admitted that several tulip varieties will not- hold their outside brown coat and are not affected if this comes completely off. ■ Mildew on roses has been a great source of trouble this year. Throughout the first part of the season I used colloidal sulphur; but the attacks proved so severe that I changed over to liver of sulphur (potassium sulphide) with excellent results. (Use one ounce to four gallons of water.) Cuttings of both violas and pansies can be taken now and inserted in boxes (placed in a shady corner) or frames of sandy soil. Choose the young growths springing from the base of the plants, never the long hollow-stemmed growths which support the flowers. Insert cuttings of pentstemons in frames of sandy soil, and do not permit the leaves to flag. This is most important when dealing with this plant. Commence to plant narcissii, crocus, snowdrops, fritillarias, and lilium candidurn (the Madonna lily). Remember that the latter bulbs require pertect drainage and should not be planted deep, a three to four-inch covering over the bulb is all that one requires. Where difficulty ;s experienced in germinating antirrhinums in early spring, chiefly on account of damping off, try sowing them now in a sheltered corner. They will make sturdy plants to stand over the winter and can be planted out long before the spring sown plants are ready.

Make sowings of Brompton and East Lothian stocks and set the plants out in late winter for blooming in late spring. These plants come into bloom when flowers are scarce.

From now till frosts appear, much can be done to keep up the floral display by removing all dead flowers, especially on sweet peas and dahlias. Both these plants can be fed with liquid manure.

Agapanthus, that hardy lily with its large umbels or heads of both blue and white flowers is deserving of more consideration than it secures at the present time. Firstly, it is exceedingly hardy, secondly, it will grow under both dry and wet conditions, and thirdly it makes an excellent plant for tub work, especially where large tubs are required for formal paved gardens or near the entrance to gateways and porches. The plants are in full bloom now and should be seen to illustrate the points enumerated above. Build Frames. Frames are tremendously handy in both large or small gardens, in fact no garden no matter how small should be without a few feet of frames whether the top-covering be made of glass sashes or ordinary scrim. How many plants are lost in early spring, year after year, owing to the fact that in their young stage, they have not been given sufficient protection. And each spring we often as not grumble at the weather, when by a little labour in building frames would permit us to snap our fingers at all bad weather and smile at our sturdy seedlings safely covered and waiting the day to he transplanted to their permanent homes. Even if a frame has no top sashes it does splendid work in keeping away cold draughts which are more disastrous to most plants than a. cold sleety shower. Permanent frames may be built of concrete or brick, length in accordance with the amount of plants one wishes to raise and protect, and breadth about four feet. Six by one boards will also build good frames to last many years. Their height will vary according to the type of plants accommodated, hut it is usual to have the majority two feet six at the hack and one foot at the front. Frames lor raising seedlings and cucumbers wi 1J slope to the north while those required to grow on such subjects as Cinerarias, Calceolarias, and other cool loving plants must be built facing south. If it is required, to bring seedlings close to the glass the frames rnav be lifted

with movable platforms which are readily stood up on boxes or large pots. On the other hand if plants become too large for the frame or shall I say too tall for the frame, all that is necessary is to dig out the soil and ashes at the base and replace after the plants have been taken out. Ashes or coke breeze make the best medium for covering the earthern floor of all frames. A long frame may be divided into several sections, the first having sliding glass sashes, the second, a scrim sheet which will roll down when required and the ihird section left entirely open. This as you will see. permits seedlings being gradually hardened off as they develop by shifting them from one section to another. Cutting frames so useful for striking cuttings of Calceolarias, Pentstemons, Violas, Pansies, and a host of other plants are quickly made from six by one inch timber. ' If four feet wide it v, ill permit of weeding from either side. The sides and ends of such frames are all the one height and rest about four inches above ground, level, . the insides being filled to within two inches of the top with good rooting medium of sandy soil. A scrim covering to keep out heavy frosts is all that is necessary. Soon, many plants will require propagating from cuttings and many others sheltered during winter, so that it would be an excellent plan this coming fortnight if a few hours were spent in frame-making.