THE GARDEN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 16, 30 October 1940, Page 3

THE GARDEN

GENERAL ROUTINE WORK.

(Written for the “Guardian” by W. B. Beockie, N.D.H., N.Z.) SEED GERMINATION. The conditions necessary lor successful seed germination are the provision of an adequate supply of moisture, air and in most cases warmth. There are exceptions as in'the case of some high alpine plants whose seeds germinate more readily when they have been subjected to hard frost, but without moisture and sufficient air they too would remain inactive. To illustrate, how necessary it is to provide these three factors in proper proportion, many seeds of garden weeds are buried deeply when digging the vegetable plots. Even if the soil is moist these do not germinate immediately simply because one or both of the other factors necessary to start germination, namely warmth and the amount of oxygen, is insufficient. When the seeds are brought to the surface again by subsequent cultivation, if the soil is cold at the time, germination will still be retarded and it will not be until all these factors, moisture, air and warmth are in operation together that germination will take place. Moisture softens the seed coat, the oxygen of the air penetrates and under warm conditions brings about the growth of_the embryo within. SEED SOWING. Keeping in mind the above principles governing seed -germination we will proceed to tne methods of plant raising from seed used in horticulture.

The simplest method is to sow the seed directly into the soil of the garden. This is usually done by sowing in straight drills, ana tlie depth of the drill is determined by the size of the seed. Large seeds such as broad beans are sown two inches deep at least, but not deeper than three inches. On the other hand, small seeds as in the case of onions should not be sown deeper than half mi inch, while very small seeds, musk for example, must be just barely covered with finely sifted soil. In all cases air must have free access, so the soil above the seed should as far

as possible be kept fairly loose; the soil surrounding the seed must be moist and remain so until roots have emerged and penetrated to some depth, and lastly, tlio soil must be sufficiently warmed by tlio sun’s heat. Heavy ram or artificial watering after the seed is sown is detrimental to good germination as the soil above the seed becomes packed hard, thus excluding sufficient air. Ideal conditions are provided if the seed is resting upon a moist bed and covered iwith moderately dry earth which permits warm air to penetrate.

Another method is to sow the seed in boxes 1 or pots. This method gives the grower the advantage of being able to exercise complete control over all the factors governing germination. Perfect

Irainage can be provided by placing a

layer of crocks (pieces of broken flower pots) in the bottom of the receptacles. On top of the crocks is placed some suitable litter such as decayed leaves or strawy manure, sphagnum moss, or spent hops, to keep the soil above from washing into the -. drainage material below. As regards the seed soil this should always bo constituted so that, even when it is packed firihly, water will freely pass through it. A good mixture is made up of 5 parts leafmould, 4 parts coarse river sand and 3 paiTs fibrous loam, all of these ingredients' being passed through a quar-ter-inch sieve and well mixed together. Seed sown in boxes or pots should not be sown deeply, never more than twice its own depth. Very small seeds such as begonia or fern spores require no covering at all, but with these particularly, it is necessary to protect them from drying conditions by placing a sheet of glass and brown paper shading over the pot. Some seeds must have a considerable amount of heat* to germinate and others such as antirrhinums and many other bedding plants will he hastened in germination if a high temperature is artificially maintained as in a glasshouse. In the majority of small gardens no glass structure is available and difficulty is often experienced in raising plants from seed sown, in boxes in the I open air. In the main the chief difficulty is in maintaining the seed in a moist enough condition and, especially immediately after germination there is always the danger of the surface soil being displaced by heavy rain or artificial watering, resulting in serious injury to the young seedlings. To those who have experienced this sort of trouble and been discouraged by failure I offer the following method which I have found to be getting very successful. Sow'the seed in a box or pot of the soil mixture as described above and 1 cover it lightly in the usual way then over the whole surface spread a layer, slightly less than half an inch

deep, of finely crushed road metal as used on garden paths. For very small seeds finer grit is preferable, but it should be clean amid free from dust and the layer in this case should not be more than a. quarter of an inch deep. The advantages of this method are that watering may bo done daily ii. necessary .(with a rose can of course) without fear of the seed or the young seedlings being displaced and there seems to be less danger of the seedlings damping off. Also, with slow germinating seeds there is the decided advantage that green slime and moss, which quickly fojrms on undisturbed soil, cannot exist on the loose grit and so the danger of the seeds rotting, because. of an insufficient amount of air from that cause is obviated.

THE FLOWER GARDEN. 'Plant antirrhinums, tan . week stocks, nemesia scabious, verbena, larkspur, clarkia, godetia and suvingstone daisy. The soil is in excellent condition for planting, being nicely moist,' but if the surface is dry it will be an advantage to “lay the dust” beforehand by giving the area a light watering through a sprinkler. Make the soil about, the roots of the plant's very firm. Delphiniums and all tail-growing perennials should be staked and tied securely. Do not wait until the stems are blown down. The number of stems, tod, should be reduced and all weak growths removied. Examine stakes and ties on standard roses and renew where necessary. Greenfly on roses and other plants should be kept in, check by spraying with a suitable insecticide. The spray should be applied with, considerable force. Where it is desired to plant summer bedding plants in beds at present occupied by tulips the latter may be, safely lifted from, the ground) as soon as the petals fall. Transplant the bulbs with foliage attached into' the nursery garden where they can remain until midsummer. At that time they can he stored in boxes in readiness for planting out again in the autumn. THE KITCHEN GARDEN. Keep the lioe going regularly among all growing crops. Weeds growing in the drills should be removed by hand. Attend to the, thinning of parsnips, carrots, beet, lettuce, turnip, radish and parsley. Choose a dull day fqr this work if possible. Sow peas, dwarf and runner beans, maize, long-rooted beet, silver beet, spinach and another batch of saladill gs.

Riant maincrop potatoes spacing the sets 15 inches apart in the row' and 27 inches between the rows. Some dung placed below the sets has a, marked effect upon the size of the crop. Marrows and pumpkins should he sown without delay. They must have rich soil. .