Practical Gardening by Dianthus PEGGING DOWN PLANTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 307, 27 December 1924, Page 20

Practical Gardening by Dianthus

PEGGING DOWN PLANTS.

Correspondents will srcntly oblige by observing the following rules In seDdlns ! JUeS V-r.e\terr^S U iO ie 'In .0 „. ans we r e d th. same week--1 addressed to (Janleii Editor. ••Star" Oflice. Auckland. . , ~ 2 Write on one side of the payer, and make all communications as concise POBSi 3-Vlowcn., etc., sent for naming must b e sent separately, and if packed in n tin or wooden box —cardboara boxes are very liable to be broken transit and tht eouteuts damajed. ,I e 4_-11,p f u ii num.: anil addi.-** of th<? sender must always be aent. but a norn UO plume or initial may be given for publication.

, REMOVING TOMATO SHOOTS. ' The advice is usually given to grow Toimitoes on a single stein, but many I amateurs are rather warj- of too freely : removing shoots. The Tomato, however. is such a vigorous grower that if side growths are allowed to get away they I grow ho vigorously that they prevent I the bundles of fruit from setting, the

TO CORRESPONDENTS. T.G. (Mt. Eden) nsks: -(11 Cure fur scale on lMttOftporum crassifuliinn. & Clumps i of Iris have ••"me up <|uite I j healthy but Ihe (,' n 'SS dies ""* al "' lin ! Bowers Unvo appeared. — Hi TUe .-niisiin a snmll scale insert which fun be i found nn most I'ittosporums. Stymying with llmc-sulphur solution 1 part, water j ' :.(i parts, or red oil 1 part, water '!"> parts. ; Both these solutions can be obtained ready to mix with water, i-i The reason of the Iris not flowering must he due in the foliage not developing fully, and consequently the bulbs do not ripen pro- . perly. I should advise you to lift the bulbs anil replant. Evidently the soil or j the poxition does not suit them. KIA OUA (Napier) scut: (1) Some Carnation blooms for identiflaction. (2i liest book on Carnation culture?—in Tbe Car- | nation blooms arrived, but tbe small red : liloom referred to by y»u was not sent. The blooms were too much damaged 1o attempt to name them. It in very diffleult to name varieties of florists' flowers, as many nurserymen send out seedlings | of their own, and it Is Impossible to i keep In touch with all. The most eatisfactory way Is to send the blooms to i where the plants were procured from In I the first place. (2) "Brett's Gardening Guide." published at this office, contains, a Kond article on Carnation culture, and I is written for Auckland conditions. AMATEUR GARDENER (Devonport) asks: (11 Ilemedy for black spot on Grapes(2l Remedy for black scale on Lemons.- I (1) Ppray with lime-sulphur 1 part.,' begin to colour. If bad. spraying must ' bo done every two or three weeks. (-) ! lted oil 1 part, water lo parts, or liinesulpbur solution I-SO. O. M. 'I *o tip ouli y) nsks liotv* T.ojjun norry shoots should be layered —The shoots ! are bent down and the extreme tip i< buried about two inches deep. It is pepped or fixed down in some way or other. The whole cane can be put <Iow:i in a similar manner, but, as a rule, only t the extreme tip Iβ used. DAHLIAS. These are making rapid growth and will require tying up. Tlie ligatures must not be too tight or they will cut into the stem. The plants should not be allowed to carry too many branches, otherwise the centre becomes a mass of weak growths. At the start tlip top of the central growth should he nipped out, and four of tlie subsequent side growth should lie allowed to p'ow. Four stakes should be put in, nt a fair dis- ■ j tiinrp from the nniiti stem. Disbudding i is also necessary anil only one bloom should develop on each stem, the two or three lateral buds being pinched off. As soon as flower buds are formed liquid manure should be given two or threu , times a week. ! DON'TS. Don't attempt to revive a plant that has accidentally become dust-dry, by : watering in the ordinary way; let it soak in a bucket of water for a few hours. Don't let black fly get a firm hold on chrysanthemums before taking measures against them. The pest is more easily . dealt with during the first stage of i attack and the plants suffer less. ! Don't water greenhouse plants in the j morning if the work can be conveniently | done in the evening. Don't cut Mowers for home dceoration during tlie licnt of the day. The morning is tlie host time; they'last longer if igathered before the sun readies them. Don't leave the jraYden hngfl ]yi n <r about in the hot sun. This causes' the rubber to perish and a leaky hose is nut :rood for the average temper. I LETTUCE. ' There are two ways of growing Lettuce successfully during hot weather. One way is to sow in shallow drills and thin out in lieu of transplanting. The other is to sow in beds in the usual manner and to transplant into drills made rather wide. A combination of the two is convenient. Those not transplanted I come into use quicker than those that jare transplanted. Therefore if those, that are pulled out when thinning are transplanted they will succeed tho-" not disturbed. Lettuce plants are very suelenient and wilt very quickly undi-r hnt sunshine. The surface soil very quickly dries hence the advantage of planting iii drills, the soil at the bottom of the drills being easily kept moist, and when watering, which is necessary till the plants are established, the water is con centra ted in the drills and the plants get the full benefit from it.

J V* result being that there are large masses of stems and leaves and little fruit. The illustration shows the main stem of a Tomato and the black cross lines indicate where the shoots should be removed. Strong shoots often arise - from the base of the plant close to the ' ground. The tendency is often to allow these to grow with the idea of getting another crop of fruit, but there is no value in them. Certainly they may carry a little fruit but it is at the expense of that on the main stem. If late supplies of Tomatoes are required it is best to make a late sowing and planting. A sowing made now will give some late fruit. Often at the end of a bunch of fruit, especially with plants grown in

I M rich soil, there will appear a leaf and sometimes even a shoot will develop. These should be removed close to the end of the last fruit on the bunch. The illtistrAion shows exactly what is meant and where to remove the leaf or shoot. ! THINNING GRAPES. I This is a very pleasant occupation for the amateur: but to the experienced it may seem harsh treatment to cut out. so many berries, yet it is absolutely necessary that the bunches be well thinned if K ond Orapes are to be crown. When the berries are well set, ami beginning to swell freely, commence the thin-ning-out work. The illustration shows how to do the work. A is a bunch ■ready for thinning; IS is the same bunch I of tor it lias been thinned and the berries have grown a little. First, with sharp

pointed scissors, cut out the inside berries; any smalt, deformed or badly shaped berries should also be removed. Then commencing at the bottom of the bunch and finishing at the top, cut out surplus berries, so that when those retained have grown to full size, they will just have room to fill out and form a plump bunch. The three end berries at the points of both large and small shoulders should be retained; these are [shown at <'. Do not rub the berries reStained with the hand, scissors, or any- . thing else whatever, for they will show I every mark later on. Different varieties • require thinning differently but experi--1 ence is the only guide in this direction. j Litrjre round berries, with short foot- ; stalks require more room to develop than those with long foot-stalks and ■ berries of ova! shape. A full complement of stones in a berry, is four; when there are only two or one, as at D. they are larger than when there, are four. ]■' shows the bad effect mildew has on the berries; cold draughts and low temperatures are often the cause of it. BEOCCOII. Brocolli, including the purple and white sprouting for use next winter and spring, should be planted out in good firm soil to pet short jointed sturdy growths of medium height. If the soil is loose from recent digging give it a good treading before planting. Do not

MAKING A ROCKERY.

bo afraid for solid ground is the life of this crop, especially in winter. Allow two feet apart each way and hoe the surface immediately after planting to leave a mulch of loose soil on top. Give the plants in the seed box a good soaking the evening before and raise them with a fork. This saves a lot of the small fibrous roots which are broken off if the plante are pulled out. The illustration shows at A: Plants with plenty of tibrous roots for which a trowel can be use; and at B: Plants drawn from seed bed planted with a dibbler. MAKING A WHEELBARROW. A wheelbarrow is usually considered a difficult tiling for an amateur to attempt to make, but that shown in the accompanying sketches has been simplified to such an extent that anybody possessing even a limited toolbox should have no difficulty in putting it together. Begin by making the strines, which consist of two lengths of ash or durable timber, 4 feet G inches'long, by 3 inches deep and IS inches wide. Next procure I two pieces of wood, one 11 inches long, I the other 22 inches, using any kind of material for the purpose, and nail '.hem temporarily into position at the extremities of the strines, which will give the shape of the frame. Then measuring from the narrow end of the str'mee, mark off 14 inches and from the other end 20 inches, as seen in the sketch of the plan. These will give the position and lengths of the cross-pieces, which are 3 inches wide by 1J inches thick. They are slotted into the strines in the manner shown, and form the support for the bottom of tlie barrow, w'.iirii consists of tongued and grooved boarding.

The sides should next receive altcu- '< tion. They arc ma.-lo of one-inch tim- i ber, and arc Ifl inches wide ut the bottom, sloping outwards at an angle o£ , about 40 degrees. i Details of the leps are shown in the i sketch, the siope for the sides be!ii£ about 41 inches in 8 inches. They are secured to the strines by means of a. l long holt, which should rim right ! through the frame raid he secured at ! the other side by means of a washer ami j nut. Failing this, two 5-indi bolts niiiv he .iso,l. The front is made of ....<'- inch timber, and should now be fi.-.ed into |>osition. The distance from this to the end of the strino gives the size and shape of the front hracket, whl.-h is cut from IJ-im-li timber. The wh.vl must, of course, h,. purchased, a wonil-n ! ; pr iron otic shout 18 inches by 2 inches i being snitiblc. Xo" matter what colour the harrow is ! painted, the inside should lirst receive • two pood coats of red load.

Phlox Drummondi. Petunias, Verbenas, ivy-leaved Geraniums are all plants which require "pegging down." They are not plants that require staking, being of recumbent habit. It is only by, pegging them to the ground with hairpins or something similar that they can be held in position. If left without pegging they often pet blown out of place by the wind, and in many cases broken right off.