THE GARDEN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 245, 24 July 1940, Page 3

THE GARDEN

GENERAL ROUTINE WORK.

(Written for the “Guardian” by W. B. BaocKiis, N.D.H., N.Z.) THEjQREENHOUSE. Abutilous flowers during autumn and winter and for that reason are well worth growing. Tlieir bell-shaped flowers, beautifully veined are much used in floral work. Propagation is effected by cuttings of side shoots taken during the spring and summer months, but the largest speciments from cuttings are of course obtained by starting them as early as possible. The plants may be grown on for several years until the roots require to be accommodated in a tub or they may be planted in a bed of soil in the floor ot the house. . For decorative work in the small greenhouse, however, it is more satisfactory to raise a batch of plants annually from cuttings. When flowering is over the plants are pruned hack to vigorous well-ripened wood and top-dressed with rich soil. This will encourage the growth of sideshoots which can then be cut off with small heel of the older wood and inserted in pots of sandy soil. These cuttings form roots move quickly if they are placed in a. propogating frame with a temperature of about 65 degrees. During their period of active growth a bullions require plenty of water, and when the pots are filled with roots applications of weak liquid manure every week will be beneficial. Continue to take cuttings of Japanese chrysanthemums as these become available, if new growths are not- being produced freely place the pots in a glass covered frame in a sunny position and water now and again with tepid water. The best cuttings are those which emerge from the soil a little distance away from the main stem. Shoots having a flower bud at the top or those produced on the old stem are unsuitable for cuttings. Until the days become- warmer aim at keeping the roots of all pot plants as dry as possible, without causing injury or wilting. The atmosphere too should be kept fairly dry by judicious ventilation.

Remove all dead and unsightly

leaves

THE FLOWER GARDEN. Seed soil should be prepared for the busy season of plant raising, which will soon arrive. A good mixture is made up of five parts finely pulverised leaf mould, four parts coarse river sand and three parts’ fresh pasture loam. To avoid trouble from weed seeds, damping off disease, and worms the seed soil should be sterilised. A simple and effective way of doing this is to bake the soil on a sheet of iron oyer a fire. During this process the mixture should be turned oyer all the time. Soil so treated should be stored in a clean bin and turned with /a spade now and again to aerate it. It is too early yet for sowing the bulk of summer flowering annuals, but where glass protection can be given a sowing should be made of antirrhinums, Iceland poppy, bedding lobelia ten week stocks, larkspur and scabious, b'ow thinly and cover the seeds very lightly with soil. To protect them from mice and birds place a sheet of glass over the box and shade with brown paper to preservo an even degree of moisture. Ornamental conifers, especially the colour forms, are particularly valuable for their brightening effect during the winter months. Golden, yellow and variegated forms of cupressus lawsoniana, the bright rued cupressus ohtusa crippsii and Juniperus chinensis aurea aro most popular, all of them being well suited for lawn specimens. Small growing kinds which attain no more than a loot or two in height may be used for the front of shrub borders or on flic rock garden. In all. eases where these conifers are planted in association with other trees and shrubs they should be given plenty of space so that they can develop symefrieallv. All of them bate shade and if other bushes are allowed to encroach upon their space, so that the branches become entangled it is always the conifer that suffers most. The trouble is that once the branches of a conifer become dofoliated growth ceases and they die leaving an ugly hole in the tree. Push on with the work of planting and transplanting shrubs and trees. Where the ground lias not been previously trenched dig out a wide and deep hole and in replacing the soil mix in a liberal quantity of decayed vegetable matter. Shrubs planted in deeply cultivated and enriched soil soon form an extensive root system, thus ensuring healthy top growth. Boxwood edgings that have become ragged and overgrown should bo dug up and replaced with small rooted pieces or cuttings, in preparing the former it is a good plan to chop oil

the bulk of the roots with an axe. All that is. required then is to pull the divisions apart and trim the top growth with a knife to the desired length.

THE FRUIT GARDEN. The pruning of fruit trees and hushes should be completed as soon as possible. With young fruit trees it should always be remembered that the primary objet of pruning is to form a. strong, well balanced framework as a foundation for the future tree. It should he the aim to keep them open in the centre to admit, light and air for the development and ripening of the fruits as well as to facilitate spraying, pruning and harvesting operations. THE KITCHEN CARDEN. To obtain large onions seed of a suitable variety should he sown now in boxes filled with rich soil mixed with leafmould and sufficient sand to ensure good drainage. Make the soil moderately firm and sow thickly, covering the seed very lightly. After watering stand in a temperature of GO degrees until germination occurs. These seedlings may be planted out directly from the seed box in September or if larger plants for setting out are wanted they may bo pricked off into other boxes. Ailsa Craig and Cranston’s Excelsior are reliable varieties for the production of large exhibition bulbs. If the ground for the onion bed has not already been prepared this work should be/ attended to immediately so that the soil will have consolidated by the time of planting. Onion roots penetrate deeply so ,he bed should he deeply trenched and well supplied with plant food in the form of organic manure. Broad beans require a good rich soil, and may be sown in a warm sheltered spot as soon as the ground is in suitable, condition. Sow in drills three feet apart and three inches deep. Elarly peas may also he sown in a warm north border which has* been trenched and manured in early winter. Autumn planted cabbage and cauliflower will he benefited with a sprinkling of lime hoed into the surface of the bed. Later on when the plants are forming hearts give them a dressing of nitrate of soda at the rate of 11b to 40 square yards.