SALVIA SPLENDENS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 229, 27 September 1930, Page 6 (Supplement)

SALVIA SPLENDENS.

The Brazilian scarlet-flowered salvia is one of the best , plants for the decoration of the garden dnring the summer months. When at its best it is one of the most brilliantly coloured flowers that we have, even more so than the ordinary geranium. The plants start flowering in early summer and continue until late autumn. They may be considered weather-proof, for, although they will be better for shelter from rough winds, yet they have the ability of soon overcoming the effects of rain or wind. There are at present several varieties offered by seedsmen, some of which are improvements upon the type, although the original variety is very beautiful. The best of the varieties are Glory of Stuttgart and Pride of Zurich. Plants can be raised from seed, which should be sown in a sheltered position, and only slightly covered with soil. The plants can also be propagated by cuttings, which can be obtained from old pants which have been kept through the winter. The cuttings should be made ofyoung growths, about three inches long, and should be inserted firmly in some very sandy soil, in a shady place, till rooted. The salvia is not particular as to soil, so long as it is fairly good they will do well. A good rich medium loam suits them the best, but it is not always obtainable. There is one thing, however, which they object to, and that is shade. Shelter from the wind is advisable, but they should have full sunshine. The plant is not perfectly hardy, as it will not stand much frost, but it will come through a winter with safety if the plant or plants are lifted during the autumn and put into a box in a frost-proof place, such as the corner of a verandah. Give a watering as soon as the plants are boxed up, but be careful to keep them very dry during the winter, and should water be .needed, only give it on sunny days. As soon as the danger of severe frost is over the plants may be put out again, and as soon as the young growths are long enough, they may be used for cuttings. In districts where frosts are not severe the plants may be left out, provided they are in a fairly dry position. With suchlike half-hardy plants they may often be safely wintered by having,a piece of slate or wood propped over, and a few inches above them, so as to throw the majority of the winter's rain off. Very often it is the excess of moisture that_ causes the death of plants, which death is often put down to the effects of frost. Also frost is more severe on a plant in a damp position than in a dry one.

ASTER (Pukekolie) asks when to sow aster seed in boxes to produce plants for flowering in February.—Sow in October. Asters usually flower in about 1C weeks from seed. Of course variety and season will make a little difference. I should advise sowing a little seed about the middle and end of October, and a little more about the end of the first week In November. » X.Y.Z. (City) asks why the flowers of broad beans fall without setting beans.— ■It is due to imperfect fertilisation, and in a measure due to the humble bee, which, instead of going the right way, prefers to bite a hole at the back of the flower to get at the nectar. Go through the bed about midday, especially on fine days, and give the plants a shaking. This will disperse the pollen and fertilise the blooms. Pinching out the growing tips of the stems will cause the pods to swell. X.Y.Z. (Tauranga) asks: (1) J M ? nure help a newly planted tecoma hedge. U) When to cut tecoma hedge. (<J) Does layering or cutting back make the best hedge? — (1) Bone dust or blood aud bone. (2) Spring, after frosts are over, with a light trimming about midsummer if necessary. (3) A combination of both Cutting back will cause the plant to send out strong growths, which can be layered so as to fill up any gaps. At. the same time, if layering alone Is practised, the plants get untidy and have a lot of bare stems. AMATEUR (One Tree Hill) asks: (1) Will anemone or ranunculus seed come true to type? (2) What is the best method to increase anemones, etc., with only one bulb to start from, and keep true to tvpe?—(l) If the flowers are protected from wind or insect fertilisation and hand fertilised they can be kept fairly true to type, but as a general rule and under ordinary conditions they do not come true to colour type. (2) By division of the bulbs. This is rather slow, but tire only sure method. By-rigid selection and hand fertilisation it is possible to produce seed which will give a large percentage true to type. FLOWBRS (Grey Lynn) writes: The last two years there has been a blight on my flowers. It is almost black and destroys the budß before they come out. Can you tell me what to do to get rid of it? — From your description it is rather difficult to know exactly what the blight is, but I assume it to be aphis. Spraying with lime sulphur solution, 1 part to 125 parts water, or a nicotine spray would probably keep it down. You can 'get either of these sprays ready to mix with water, and use them according to directions on container. Spray as soon as first signs appear, and give a second and third spraying at intervals of a week.

SAPRE AUDE (Ellerslie). asks: Is It right to earth a shrub or young tree up or to have the soil around it below the surface of tlie ground to hold the moisture?—As a general rule and under the usual conditions prevailing here the best method is to plant shallow and draw the soil up to the stem of the tree or shrub. On the other hand, in drier districts and at some seasons when watering is necessary directly after planting, the method of forming a saucer-like depression around the stem is useful to impound the water supplied. N.P. (Devonport) asks: (1) Why jonquils, daffodils and belladonna have lots of leaves but no flowers? (2) yVhy crepe ferns turn yellow?—(1) It is because the bulbs have not properly matured or ripened the season previously, and may be due to overcrowding, and need lifting and replanting: or it may be due to the foliage not being allowed to properly mature and lie down naturally before being cut off. I do not think you can blame the soil, although if soil Is poor, manure will improve the size of blooms. Belladonnas and jonquils require a welldrained position In full sun. (2) The reason is no doubt due to uncongenial conditions. Most ferns roqulre shade, a soil chiefly composed of leaf-soil or decay- , ing vegetable matter, and plenty of water, but one most important Item often missed is that they need perfect drainage. for although lovers of shade and moisture, anything approaching a waterlogged soil is fatal. Just what is the reason of your ferns not thriving I cannot say unless I know more about the conditions, but some of the ferns from high altitudes are not easy to grow in the ordinary garden. ICELAND POPPY (Mount Eden) writes : The roots of my Iceland popples are being attacked by a wire worm, and the plants die off. Can you tell me how to get rid of the pest?—ls it due to wireworm? I think perhaps it is due to excessive wet soil. At the end of the flowering season it Is no unusual thing for Iceland poppies to collapse and die, in fact, it is very general. If it is wireworm you can catch them by placing r. pieces of carrot or potato just below the soil, and in close proximity to the other plant If you examine these every morning you will find the wireworms. Wireworms are a nuisance on soil just turned out of the sod, but in gardens the use of superphosphate, nitrate of soda, etc., keeps them down. Make holes about six Inches deep, and put in a pinch of naptlialene, fill in the hole with soil. This will get rid of the wireworms, but the' napthalene must not be placed too close to plant roots. It is best applied at digging time, scattering it on the soil just ahead of the digging operations.

JP V. (Devonport) writes: (1) My lawn, partly shaded, is becoming overrun with moss. Can I check or cure it. (■>} I am told, that mushrooms can crown in a grass lawn under certain conations. Is this so, and if so when and how to plant' the spawn?—(l) kive tne lawn a good faking, so as to tear out as much moss as possible. Then give a dressing of lime and a topdressmg of sand. The moss is due to dampness, and if the soil is naturally wet only draining will effect a cure, but the lime and sand will check the growth for a season. (-) I have been told the same thing many times, but I have failed to iind anyone who can give me tangible proot or suecess. Mushrooms are parasitic on horse droppings,-and these must be present for the mushrooms to grow. Raise the turt, place a heap of fresh horse droppings on • the soil, replace the turf, insert a piece of mushroom spawn, carefully mark each position, and I shall be glad to hear ot the result. K.R. (Morningside) writes: Can you tell' xne what is wrong with my aspidistra, the leaves are turning brown. * It was healthy a few months ago. I have given it small solutions ot nitrate of soda, but it seems to do it harm, so have stopped it? —There is something wrong with the soil or roots. Turn tile plant out of the pot and wash all the soil from the roots. Procure a clean pot, not too large, but just large enough to take the root comfortably, without regard to the leaves. Procure some new clean soil with a fair admixture ct sand. Place plenty of drainage in the pot and then repot the plant. Keep tlie thick roots like stems, from which the leaves come, on top of the soil; the roots that come from the under part ot this stem should be in the soil. Press tbe soil Arm and stand the plant in a warm, sheltered, shady position. Water when the soil is dry, but do not give more than necessary to keep the sou moist until the plant commences to grow. AMATEUR (Sandringham) asks: (1) Preparation of beds for leeks and celery and necessary cultivation? (2) Is it beneficial to put lime and household retuse on heap of garden weeds, etc., to .form compost? (3) Will this be a suitable bed for marrows and pumpkins, and what is the best procedure for growing these vegetables?—(l) The soil for leeks and celery needs to be good. -Che best way is to dig out trenches a spit deep, that will be about nine inches. Throw the soil on to each side and keep each side the same height. Make the bottom of the trench about two feet wide and let the side slope up a fairly sharp angle. Place a good dressing of manure in the bottom of the trench, and dig it a spit deep, breaking the soil up well. Cow or stable manure is best, but failing that, use superphosphate or bonedust, allowing about two ounces to each yard run Of trench. The trenches should be prepared at least a month before the celery is put out. Each trench will take two rows of celery, the plants being planted alternately. (2) Lime added to garden refuse is all Tight in a way, but too much lime only releases valuable plant food into the air. Household refuse is of some value, but. the trouble of storing and keeping it in a sanitary condition outweighs its value many timesThe best way to deal with both is to dig a trench two or three feet deep, throw the refuse, etc., into this trench, giving : it a dusting with lime. Keep the refuse to one end and as soon as the trench is full cover with the soil taken out. In this way you will improve the soil by trenching, dispose of rubbish, etc., any plant food will be available by the roots, and you will be spared the trouble of trving to hide a nuisance under the guise of utility. (3) Marrows and pumpkins give good results if planted in good garden soil under tlie'usual garden conditions. Sow the seed on mounds of soil about, six inches above the surrounding level. This ensures slightly warmer conditions and better drainage. The sowing of these vegetables on old manure and refuse heaps, is all right as a covering to what is an eyesore, but it usually results in a tremendous growth of vine and leaf and little fruit. Treated as ordinary garden crops they are much more profitable.