THE GARDEN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 282, 10 September 1941, Page 3

THE GARDEN

GENERAL ROUTINE WORK

(Written for the “ Guardian ” by W. B. Rkookie, N.D.H., N.Z.)

PLANTS UNDER GLASS.

Bedding plants germinated a week or two ago should he pricked off into boxes before they become stunted or drawn. Place some decayed leaves or other fibrous material not over rich in nitrogen in the bottom of the box •to act as drainage and fill up with soil to no less than half an inch from the top. The depth of the boxes used is usually about three inches. In the case of clarkia, godetia, cornflower, dianthns and other light-rooted annuals two inches of soil is quite sufficient. If it is much deeper the soil is likely to fall away from the roots when transplanting them to the border. Annuals to be sown now include phlox drummondii, nemesia, sweet sultan, larkspur, ragetes, French and African marigolds, jacobea, nicotiana, calendula, brompton and ten-week stocks, scabious, nigella, sunflower, zinnia, viscaria, statice and lavatera. Sow thinly in well-drained pots of light soil. Cover the seeds lightly with the compost, and place a sheet of glass shaded with paper over the pot. During bright days give abundance of ventilation to cinerarias, cyclamen, primulas, schizanthus and other spring-flowering plants. Ornamental foliage plants such as dracaenas, crotons and palms should now be given a fairly moist atmosphere to promote i healthy growth and discourage the spread of thrips and red spider which

cause much damage. Damp the floors and benches every morning and spray the foliage with a fine syringe. Old fronds on maiden hair ferns should be cut off close to the base as new growths develop to take their place. Those plants requiring re-pot-tiqg should not be given a large shift. Use a compost made up of equal parts rotted of leafmauld and sand with a little broken charcoal added. Fuchsias should be syringed daily. Young plants rooted from cuttings and now in four-inch pots will require potting on as soon as the roots have made a thin network round the ball of soil. They may be shifted into six or eight-inch pots according to the size of plant required. THE FLOWER GARDEN As soon ’as the soil is in good working order the herbaceous border should receive its annual renovation. All michaelmas daisies, solidagos,

heleniums, rudbeckias and hehanthuses should be lifted completely from the border. Phloxes, delphiniums, pyrethrums and shasta daisies do not require to be divided annually but if growth has become- congested they too should he lifted and replaced with

small pieces. When the plants are removed the border should be well dug over, breaking up all lumps and a light dressing of decayed manure may be mixed in. Replanting should then be proceeded with keeping the taller growing sorts towards the- back, though here and there a few of these may be brought towards the front to form bays in which the dwarfer kinds should be planted. The border when in full growth should present an undulating appearance; straight lines and any suggestion of rigidity should be avoided.

Plant gladiolus for an early batch in rich, well-drained soil. The conns should he set four inches deep. Ornamental shrubs including conifers may still he planted hut there should he no delay in getting them in as it is important that-they should establish new roots before the season of drying winds which is not far away.

Give frequent cultivation to beds of spring-flowering plants. If polyanthus flowers are being mutilated by sparrows stretch a few strands of black cotton above the rows. Sow sweet peas. The best soil for these is fresh loam which has been deeply trenched during the winter. Plants raised in boxes last autumn should be planted one foot apart. Hedges of golden privet should be trimmed now with the hedge shears to encourage a dense growth of yellow shoots during the spring months. Where it is the practice to trim golden euonymus and golden yew these, too, should be attended to now. Untrimmed plants of the golden euonymus usually produce a few twigs which have reverted* to the green colouring. These should be cut off below the junction with the older wood. Plant hollyhocks, geums, gaillardias pentstemons, carnations, potentillas, coreopsis and gazanias. In the bog garden or moist border Japanese iris may be divided and replanted, also the bog primulas, but with these as much soil as possible should be retained on the roots so that they will receive as little check as possible. Gentiana septemfida grows and flowers beautifully under boggarden conditions. Other plants suitable for this section include lobelia eardinalis, three feet high with deep crimson foliage and scarlet flowers, saxifraga peltata which sends up its tall flower spikes before the leaves appear, astilbes in great variety, trol lius and gunnera scabra, a rliubarb-like plant with leaves, often a yard and more across.

THE KITCHEN GARDEN.

Make frequent sowings of radish, lettuce and turnips. Sow globe beeet for an early supply. To hasten . germination soak the seed in cold water for IS hours. As almost every seed will germinate sow very thinly, one inch apart being close enough. Give a light dressing of salt to tho bed before sowing. Sow brusseis sprouts, cabbage and cauliflowers for planting out in late October. Sow thinly in drills and label with the name of each variety.

Green peas should lie sown fortnightly. A trench two inches deep and six inches wide, should he drawn out with the draw hoe. Sprinkle the seed oyeni.v and fairly thickly. To protect the youngplants from birds cover the rows with wire netting guards or stretch black cotton thread over them. Tall growing

kinds should be staked when they are two inches high, branch stakes ot spruce,, being 1 the best for the purpose. Sow parsnips, carrots and salsify in rich ground that has not been recently manured. Vegetable marrows and pumpkins may he sown in pots to give them a good start when planted out in October. Place one seed in each four-inch pot: of rich soil and stand in a light position on the greenhouse bench. Sow tomatoes in pots in the greenhouse for an October planting in the open garden. Plant early potatoes in rows two leer apart spacing the sets one foot apart in the row. Spread a little rotted stable manure along the bottom of the drill when planting then after lightly covering the sets with earth sprinkle a little sulphate of potash over them before tilling the drill. Leeks and parsnips should be lifted and stored so that the soil they occupy may he cultivated. The leeks are best covered with earth; the parsnips can ho placed in a hole in the ground in a shady place and covered with a damp sack.