PRACTICAL GARDENING

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 224, 21 September 1929, Page 6 (Supplement)

PRACTICAL GARDENING

Correspondents win greatly oWlge by ODservmg tne following- rules in sending questions for publication In these columns:— I—Letters should be in not later than Tuesday to be answered the same week—addressed to Garden Editor. "Star" Office, Auckland. 2.—Write on one side of the paper, and make all communications as concise as possible. 3—Flowers, etc., sent for naming-, must be sent separately, and, if possible, packed in a tin or wooden box—cardboard boxes are very liable to bo broken In transit and the contents damag-ed. 4—The full name and address of the sender must always be sent, but a nom ao plume or Initial may be given for publication.

temperature than others, yet they all need abundance of fresh air, which is only obtainable under natural conditions. Many of the ills that affect our present-day plants could be traced to this forcing or speeding up to obtain a result a few days ahead of our neighbour. ' Many of our cultivated plants growing in their natural wild state aie attacked by the same diseases that attack them in the cultivated state, but the difference is where the wild naturalgrown plant is able to throw off, grow out of, or withstand the disease, the cultivated variety has had all the vigour forced out of it and at the first attack the plant collapses .beyond recovery. The first rule to keep plants healthy is to produce strong naturalgrown seedlings, even if it does mean being a little late in a crop. On the other hand it means a healthy crop, and that is not altogether a side issue nowadays. PRUNING- VIGOROUS TEA ROSES. In pruning strong growing varieties of tea roses first remove any growths that are badly placed or are likely to create overcrowding by cutting them away close to their base; all other growths reduced by from one-third to

one-half their length, according to vigour. To obtain iirst-class or exhibition blooms severe pruning would be necessary. However, few exhibitions are now held, and blossoms of decorative value are chiefly to be desired. STARTING- BEGONIAS. As the days get warmer the dormant corma of begonias will start into growth without artificial heat. They can be started singly in small pots, as shown at Fig. 1, or a number can be placed together in a box, as at Pig. 2. The latter method is best where there are a large number or where small pots are not available. Be careful to place the corm right way upwards. The crown has a slight hollow, while the base is rounded. Fig. 3 shows a corm the right way. If placing in boxes, put a thin layer of light soil at the bottom and place the corm on it. If in pots, well crock the pots and partly fill with light soil or leaf mould. Do not cover the crown of the corm. Keep the soil moist, but do not be over-generous with water until they have commenced to grow. As soon as the corms have started into growth and roots have begun to take hold of the soil, those started in boxes should be potted (Fig. 4). As soon as the roots reach the sides of the pots they must be shifted into a larger size, as at Fig. 5, a plant ready for potting being shown at Fig. 6. The soil for begonias should be light and porous, containing plenty of leaf soil and sand; the soil for the later pottings may be stronger. The potting should be firm, but not hard. It is a mistake to allow begonias to become potbound and starved

in the early stages, as it causes them to flower prematurely, and they never make good specimens. Those who do not possess a greenhouse can pot them and grow them on a shelf on the verandah. The pots should be examined regularly to see that they do not become dry. Shade and frequent syringings with clear water are necessary whilst the plants are growing. PRICKING OUT. Pricking out is the term applied to the operation of transferring seedlings from the boxes or pots in which they have germinated into others, or direct into frames. For the purpose of illustration we will take it that we are using boxes about three inches deep, ten inches wide, and fifteen inches lolig, inside measure. Our first step ie to make a i, few holes for drainage. Next make a I compost that will suit nearly all sub- , jeefcs, for which purpose we will take • three parts fibrous loam, one part each

Carrots, 80 to 100 days. Celery, 150 days. Chokos, 60 days. Cucumbers, 75 to 105 days. Egg fruit,. 100 to 120 days. Endive, 65 to 75 days. Onions, 120 to 180 days. Horse radish, 180 days. Sea kale (from roots), 1 year. Leeks, 100 to 120 days. Lettuce, 45 to 75 days. Melons, 100 to 180 days. Mustard and cress, 30 to 40 days. Parsnips, 100 days. Pumpkins, 130 to 150 days. Radish, 40 days. Rhubarb (crowns), 60 days. Rhubarb (seed), 2 years. Salsify, 150 days. Spinach, 80 to 100 days. Tomatoes, 90 to 120 days. Turnips, 65 to 90 days. Vegetable marrows, 75 to 105 days. Watercress, 60 days.

of leaf-mould and decaying manure, and a little sand. Mix all these together and pass through a half-inch sieve. Cover the bottom of the box with larger

pieces and fill up with fine coil, pressing it down gently. Now put a thin layer of sand on the surface, and then, making a hole with a dibber, lift the young plants. In the illustration A shows a section of the box with drainage soil and plants in place; B the box filled with plants in a rather inore advanced stage of growth; C is a frame into which plants have been transferred; D is a blunt-point dibber. EHUBAEB PLANTING. Rhubarb of both the summer and perpetual varieties may be planted or seed of the latter may be sown. The latter method would be better than planting cut sets, but young seedling plants are quite as good as seed, and, of course, quicker in results. Though the winter or perpetual variety does not give such largo sticks as the summer sorts, it is recommended for the cottage garden to tho exclusion of larger kinds, for it yields produce all the time in moderation, and in quantity When the other is dormant. Rhubarb requires rich ground. Give stable manure if possible, as much as you like. If this manure is not available give superphosphate, kainit and nitrate of soda, two ounces of the first, one ounce of the second, and one and a half ounces of the last, each per square yard. Give half when growth begins and the other half a few weeks later. Plant all rhubarb at least two feet apart in the rows and thirty inches apart between the rows. FROM SEED TO MATURITY. Approximately the following table gives the time elapsing between the sowing of vegetable seeds and maturity: Artichoke (Globe), 180 days. Artichoke (Jerusalem), 150 to 180 days. Asparagus (crowns), 15 months. Asparagus (seeds), 4 years. Beans (broad), 120 days. Beans (French), 50 days. Beetroot, 40 days. Brussels sprouts, 90 to 120 days. Cabbage and cauliflower, 90 to 120 days.