GARDEN TOPICS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 139, 24 March 1948, Page 2

GARDEN TOPICS

Among the Flowers

(Written for the “Guardian” by A. P. MORGAN, F.R.1.H., N.Zj

Lily of the Valley Clumps of this old-time favourite should be renewed at this, time of the year if they have become overcrowded. Provided that the leaves have turned yellow the work of lifting, dividing and replanting can be carried out any time now. The old plants should be lifted carefully and the bed thoroughly and deeply dug, at the same time working; a liberal dressing of old animal manure or compost into the lower levels of the soil. Well firmed soil is necessary for good results, and the ground should therefore be well trodden before replanting is carried out. The best pieces to plant; are those crowns having a strong bud and a good bunch of well-formed roots. These should be planted four inches apart with the crowns just below the surface of the soil. Lily of the valley thrives best in a deep, well enriched, moist soil in a partially shaded position.

Gladioli

Early planted ones should be lifted as the leaves turn yellow and before the plants have died down completely to ensure that the bulblets are still firmly attached to the main corm. Spread the plants out to dry in an airy place until the stem is brown and the leaves crisp, then cut off the stems one inch above the eorms and put the conns away in well ventilated boxes until the time comes for cleaning and examining them. If it is desired to increase the number of plants the small bulblets can be saved and stored away in paper bags for the winter. They may be sown in shallow drills like peas, early next summer, and a proportion of them will flower the same season. Two years are required, however, for the majority of them to, bloom.

Annual Dressing of Lawns To keep lawns in first-class condition they should be given an annual dressing of fertiliser during March or April. The most suitable mixture consists of 3 parts sulphate of ammonia, 1 part super and 1 part sulphate of iron applied at the rate of one ounce to each square yard. Hormone weedkillers are best applied to established lawns when weed growth is most active and temperatures are relatively high. This means that late spring and autumn are the best seasons for an effective kill, and as soon as lawns begin to “green up” again after the recent rain would be a most opportune time to apply any of the hormone weed-killers. After preparation, the solution can be applied to the lawn either by means of a watering can (to which is attached a fine rose) or by a haversack or stirrup pump, ft is very necessary to choose a calm day if using a pump, as, spray blowing on to adjoining beds or borders of flowers or vegetables will cause damage. In addition, a spray pump used for hormone weed-killers must be thoroughly cleansed with hot soapy water and kerosene before being used .again to spray garden plants. Hormone weedkillers are the most effective and easiest means by which a lawn can be freed of weed growth, but they require to be understood and handled accordingly. Where grass has suffered from wear or the attacks of grass grubs or caterpillars, bare patches will now be showing. These should be carefully and lightly forked to break the surface, and fresh grass seed should be sown as soon as the soil can be broken down to a fine tilth.

Iceland Poppies For a fine display of flowers in spring and early: summer Iceland poppies are ideal and provide no end of excellent cut flowers for indoor decoration. Plants should be set out in well dug ground early next month; they appreciate lime, which should be applied at ilb per square yard and worked into the surface before they are planted. For size of flower and variation of colour the modern strains of Iceland poppies are a tremendous advance on the older types, and should be included in every garden planting scheme. They thrive under cool conditions, and the best flowers are therefore obtained from autumn plantings. The planting of all types of springflowering bulbs should be continued, with the object of completing the work as soon as possible. Early plantingmeans a better root system formed before the cold weather sets in, and this in turn means a better display next spring.

Polyanthus can be broken lip and planted out where they are to flower, first digging the ground and incorporating plenty of well decayed manure or compost as the work proceeds. Other plantings for spring and early summer displays could include Avallflowers, myosotis, Canterbury bejls, ten-week stocks, and beauty stocks. Other work in the flower garden this month includes the taking of cuttings of geraniums, violas, pansies, fuchsias, hydrangeas, pentstemons, lavender, all of which are easily propagated in a cold frame or sheltered corner of the garden. Pure sand is the best medium in which to root -all this type of cutting, and provided they are kept damp and sheltered from winds and strong sun, little difficulty should be experienced.

Vegetable Garden Both the diamond-backed moth and white butterfly caterpillars are causing particular havoc this season on all the members of the cabbage tribe. The white butterfly caterpillar is a dull, velvety green colour with a slender orange stripe down the middle of the back and may be anything up to U inches long. Large pieces are eaten out of the leaves and the accumulation of black refuse in the axils of the leaves is characteristic. The diamond-backed moth chews small pieces out of the leaves from the underside, giving a shot-hole effect, the upper surface often being left over the holes as a colourless semi-trans-parent skin. There is no accumulation of black refuse on the leaves. The caterpillar itself is pale green, not over one-third inch long and wriggles vigorously when disturbed, usually dropping to the ground by a silken thread. It can be controlled on its own by spraying with nicotine sulphate at 1 fluid ounce to a gallon of water to which has been added ioz of soap or soap powder. Both types of caterpillars are, however, usually found together, and it is then necessary to make up a combination spray consisting of ljozs of arsenate of lead and 4 fluid ounces of nicotine sulphate to four gallons of water. Frequent spraying is necessary, and Derris dust may be used in addition. Rowings in the vegetable garden

could 'include silver beet and prickly and perpetual spinach, parsley, and broad beans. Early cabbage (Flower of Spring) and lettuce sown now will give sturdy plants to put out in a warm corner before winter, and be ready for use in early summer.