THE GARDEN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 40, 27 November 1940, Page 3

THE GARDEN

GENERAL ROUTINE WORK. (Written for the “ Guardian ” by W. B. Brockie, N.D.H., N.Z.) PLANTS UNDER GLASS. Cinerarias for flowering in pots next winter should lie sown: without delay. Good drainage must be provided in the seed pans by filling tbfcm almost halffull of crocks. Some dry beech leaves placed over the crocks will prevent the seed soil from washing through. A good seed compost may be made up of 5 parts leafmould, 4 parts sharp sand and 3 parts fibrous loam, all of these components being passed through a- quarter-inch sieve and well mixed together. Make the soil, to half an inch from the rim of the seed pair, very firm, and quite level on the surface, then stand in, a. basin of water so that the water level is about half an inch below the soil level. When the surface of tiro soil is quite wet bring the seed pan to the bench and sow the seeds thinly and as (evenly as possible. Cineraria.- seed is very small and requires only a. light dusting of fine soil as a covering. Place a sheet of glass over the pan and shade with brown paper and stand in a shaded position in the greenhouse or in a glass-covered frame. When the seeds have germinated remove the glass and shade with a. single sheet of newspaper during the daytime until the seedlings are well established. Subsequent treatment will be to prick off the seedlings into boxes and as growth proceeds to pot them on into three-inch, five-inch and seven-inch pots. Through all of these stagps the best soil to use is a mixture of 3 parts good free loam, 2 parts leafmould and 1 part sand. Keep the plants growing steadily in a. cool position through the summer and never allow them to become dry, though overwatering should ble avoided, especially after repotting. When the flowering stem appears water with weak liquid manure. Tuberous begonias should be shifted into their flowering pots before the roots become congested in thte smaller receptacles. Apart from the kind of materials used for the soil compost it is most important that the latter should be roi%h, light and rich. Perfect drainage is essential. Young seedlings raised this season will require shifting from the seedling boxes into small pots.

Fuchsias raised from cuttings in early spring will have filled their fourinch pots with roots and at this stage they should ba given a shift into eightinch size jf large specimens are re= quired. For medium-sized specimens a shift into six-inch pots will he sufficient. THE FLOWER GARDEN. Sweet-william should be sown now, either in the open garden soil or in boxes. When the seedlings are about two inches high transfer them to a rich, Avfcll-cultivated and well-moist-ened nursery bed, spacing them six inches apart a ; nd one foot betAveen the rows. About April they Avill be large enough to plant out ini their floAvpring quarters. If soavu. in boxes the seed should be spaced thinly to avoid overcroAvding. At all stages SAveet-Avillinm should be groAvn in a sunny position. Even light shadei will induce spindly groAvth. Sow Canterbury bells and groAV the seedlings on in boxes of rich soil until autumn, when they should be planted in the flower border.

Continue to plant all kinds of annuals and summer bedding plants. For filling spaces in the herbaceous border quick maturing annuals are useful. These include nemeskt, visear ia, godetia, clarkia, dimorphotheca, larkspur, stocks and candytuft. For formal bedding where the display is to be carried well into the autumn use zonal pelargoniums, salvia, antirrhinums, French and African marigolds, petunias, 1 zinnias, fibrous rooted begonias and edging plants such as blue lobelia, agetatum, coloured-leaved varieties of pyuethrum andi any of the dwarfer growing ornamental foliage plants. Another ,batch of gladiolus .lliay be planted. Place the coy ms four inches deep in the ground. A sunny position should be chosen for them.

Hedges of laurel and privet should be. trimmed at this time. Box edgings, too, ma.y be clipped hard back if this has not already been, done. Continue to stake 1 ' tall-growing perennials such as delphiniums and michaelmas daisies. These are making fast growth after last week’s rain and if not supported they l will be almost sure to fall ovpr. A good number "of the weaker stems of michaelmas daisies may be cut out from the base when staking. Clip over the tops of aubjreitia to encourage even, growth of th>3 multitude of young shoots springing from the base. When these are an inch or so in height the clumps may be divided and replanted. After cutting over the tops sprinkle some light soil over the basal shoots to induce the formation of healthy roots. Pansies and violas should have the flowers picked off when they have withered. This will prevent them from seeding and direct their energy into further production of blooms. Keep the soil well cultivated to a depth of about two inches around the plants and occasionally fork in a little blood and bone manure. Watering with liquid cow manure is also beneficial. Annuals sowin in the open border should be rather drastically thinned to ensure that the plants remaining will make vigorous growth. The thinnings may be transplanted to fill other spaces in which case, however, it will be best to 1 choose a wet or dull day for the job. Large clumps of polyanthus may be divided 1 and the divisions replanted in a shady position fo provide good plants for bedding out next autumn. THE KITCHEN GARDEN.

Where carrots are affected by greenfly immediate steps should be taken to destroy the pest. If they aw allowed to multiply the leaves may be completely devoured and the crop will be a total failure. From now on to thcmiddlta of January it is a wise precaution tci spray the plants at fortnightly intervals with suitable insecticide. An efficient and cheap sprsviiw solution can be made by dissolving half a. pound of ordinary bar soap in two gallons of boiling water with the addition. of half a cupful of kerosene. Apply this mixture rather forcibly to the plants with a pressure pump or syringe which, of course), must be fitted with a-nozzle that will give a fine spray.

Use the solution while it is still fairly watvrn. Spring-sown onions will he stimulated to make rapid and healthy growth if the rows are given a light sprinkling of sulphate of ammonia. This should be hoed in,. Young cabbage that have established their root system will alsoi be' benefited by a similar application. A teaspoonful of nitrate of soda, given to each cabbage at the beginning of the hearting stage will bring about rapid growth of firm succulent leaves. Eeniovc laterals and basal shoots from tomatoes. Sow green peas, dwarf French beans, long-rooted beetroot for winter usss, silver beet, spinach, turnips, lettuce and radish. Thin carrots, onions, lettuce and parsley. . „ Keen the h<*> going among all growing crops.