Practical Gardening

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 209, 3 September 1932, Page 6 (Supplement)

Practical Gardening

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HARDENING OFF PLANTS. The need for properly hardening off plants and also the heed' of slight protection for some of the more tender subjects have been apparent this past season owing to the frosts experienced. In many cases the frost was severe enough to kill the plants, l)Ut even when not killed the check on the plants must have been sufficient to make a lot of difference to the final result. In every garden where plants are raked under glass or even -when they are purchased, means should be taken to give them a measure of protection for the first few days. This is necessary even in eum-

mer, the small plants may have been ! brought out of a glasshouse, and grown in partial shade and if put out right away they wilt and suffer, where, ae a day or so in the open air and a. light shade during the middle of the day will harden the foliage, and when planted they grow right away. No great expense is entailed in fitting up a suitable position, it can be of any size, this depending on the requirements of the garden. The materials of which it is made can be easily procured, and the covering can be made of sacks cut open. The main point to observe is to make it rigid, so that the supports and covering not blow down with the first puff of wind and smash the plants. Select a nice, sunny border, and fix the supports at two or three feet apart. Nail the covering to the top so that when not in use it can be rolled up. THE EAST LOTHIAN STOCK. This is a very fine variety of slock and is practically perennial. Certainly it does not have the range of shades that are found in the Beauty and Ten Week sections, but as border plants they are really.fine. Their chief drawback is. the attacks of cabbage aphis and fly during the hot weather, but this can be overcome by spraying in early summer, before the pests have done any damage. Grown in pots, they are admirable plants for greenhouse decoration. Seed should be sown in spring and the resultant plants pricked off and grown on in the usual manner. Plant them at about fifteen inches apart as soon as large enough. Throughout the summer the surface must be kept loose and well cultivated; in fact, this, with an o-ca-sional application of naphthalene, will keep off cabbage fly. For pot work -the plants can be lifted as soon as the flower buds show; the doubles are known by the rounded buds, the singles being long and thin. They should be lifted caip.fully with a ball of soil attached ard placed in 7in or Bin pots. Make quite firm and give water; stand the 'pote in shade till the plants get over the shift. As outdoor border plants they are quite hardj't and after flowering the plants should be cut down. They will put forth new shoots and will commence to bloom a few weeks later. VINERY. After pruning and cleaning the vines and the cleaning of inside of the structure there is not much to do until the vines commence to start. With a fev.days' sunshine there is soon a swelling of the buds noticeable. Once the flow of sap commences there is a tendency for it to rush to the highest point, with the consequence, if the rods are tied up to the roof, the top buds burst first and are strongest. Later on this is in a measure counteracted by the flow of sap being sufficient to supply the lower buds, but the early buds always have an undue advantage. To counteract tliie,

the rods should not be tied up until the lower bude are swelling. Let the top of the rod hang down eo that the top bud is level with the bottom bud. This may even retard the top bud slightly, but it will soon get equal once the rod is tied to the wires. This rule is also applicable to many climbing, or scandent plants grown against walls', etc., and to bring down the topmoet branches until the lower buds have burst before tying them up will result in a much better and equal distribution of the growths, STAINING FLOWERS. Those people who arc not content with flowers as they find them may be pleased to hear that they can, without difficulty, turn roses blue. That, at least, » tjie statement made in a trade paper. "If," we are told, "pure white, freshly'cut roses with long stems are placed for an hour in a solution of two or three grammes 0 of methylene-blue and two grammes of ealtpetre in 100 grammes of rainwater, they will turn sky-blue, drinking the solution like pure water. It is added, red roses, however, placed in the same solution, turn a curious light green. Pure white half "blown roses, freshly cut and placed in red ink, or an aniline solution, will absorb that colour and appear like genuine red roses. Tins absorptive quality of plants is utilised by the flower vendors of Naples in cold weather when flowers are scarce. One often sees at the street corners bunches of blue or purple flowers for sale, that appear at first glance to be heliotrope, but they are in fact the common Alyssum maritinnim, which grows there at that time like weeds, and that have been coloured by this process. The flowers do not lose their natural fragrance, and find ready sale. The florists of Florence, by similar means, change frecsias and white lilies to scarlet. As an experiment the thing might be .worth doing— once, but (lie idea of stained flowers does not commend itself to most people. If they were put into water they would probably lose some of their stain."

HOW TO BIG. Many people would consider it quite unnecessary to suggest that there are right and wrong ways of digging a piece of ground, but, as with everything else, practice at digging will soon show the difference between a veil dug and a badly dug piece of ground. The most important work in the garden at the present time is digging, and, although i : t may appear commonplace, yet it makes all the difference between success and failure. Digging in the autumn is very essential; the ground can then be dug and left rough, and the weathering it will get during the -winter will sweeten and free it from pests, and at the same time will bring the soil into a friable condition for spring planting and sowing. Tho right way to dig ground is illustrated in the annexed sketch. To

dig the plot or section marlced A, a trench one spit deep and two spits wide should be got across it, as shown, and the resulting soil be placed on one side near where the work will finish at B. Digging is then proceeded with, and when the end C is reached the open trench formed is filled with soil B from the trench made at the commencement.

Unless a trench is opened to commence with the soil will be higher at one end of the plot than the other. The spade should always be driven into the ground in as upright a position as possible, and be driven in as deep as practicable as at D, whilst the spits should not be too large, and an open trench must always be kept in front of the spade. A piece of wood shaped as at E will be found very useful for removing any soil which adheres to the spade.

HOW TO SOW HORSERADISH. Horseradish, a vegetable ■which presents few cultural difficulties, is usually left to its own resources in an out-of-the-way corner of the garden. Good. roots cannot bo expected under such conditions, and thoso who have had disappointments in paet seasons should replant their beds without delay. To eradicate the roots from a particular plot is a difficult matter, and for this reason it is advisable to lift them and replant on the eame plot. If new beds are to be made, however, choose an open position. Dig deeply and manure liberally at a depth of from 18in to 24in. Almost any piece of horseradish will grow, and, as examples, two suitable roots for planting arc shown in the sketches, one representing a scraped stick from the kitchen, the other a crownlese piece. For preference,

however, «elect cuttings about eight inches long by half an inch thick, each having a growing point. They should •bo placed about 12in deep, in rows 18in apart in positions 6in, to Bin apart. Having placed the cuttings in position, fill each hole with fairly light sandy soil. If the work is carefully done and the hoe is kept going during the summer, long, shapely produce similar to that shown in the sketch should result. When winter comes the crop may be stored like beetroot or the roote may be left in the ground to be lifted as required.

SPRAYING TOR LEAF CURL. Leaf curl on peaches and nectarines is one of the most persistent troubles we have, and as almost every garden has one or two trees the result is that leaf curl is as common as cabbages. Now, this disease pasees the winter within the ecales that cover the leaf buds, ready immediately the spring comes and the buds burst to germinate and infect the minute leaves. The time to attack this fungus is now, just as the buds begin to move. No time should be lost, in fact, it in a. job that should come before any other, and within the next few days every peach and nectarine tree should be eprayed with lime sulphur solution, one part to 15 parts water, or Bordeaux, 5-4-50. If left till the leaf buds ehow green, half- this strength must be used. The plum trees should also receive a spraying before the flowers open, to control plum ruet. Brown rot is also controlled by this spraying, and actually it is the most important spray of the season, because it tends to deal with fungoid diseases just as , they are beginning to emerge from the winter rest and prevents further propagation. Later sprayings are necessary to control spores which will have escaped and which unless controlled will again epread the disease.

ERICAS. Ericas are natives of South Africa, and delight in the warmest and sunniest parts of the garden. When purchasing plants select those of a healthy and vigorous nature, and under no circumstances accept weakly, starved specimens, as these invariably die immediately after planting and are worthless at any price. Having received the plants, be quite sure that they are moist at the roots before placing them in tho ground. If at all dry, thoroughly water and allow to drain for an hour or two before planting. Sandy peat is ithe most desirable, but any soil will do provided it is not of an actually limy nature and is well worked and moderately rich. Pruning is an important operation, and consists mainly of cutting back the flowering growths immediately after the flowering period is over. Small, compact growers like Au'tumnalis and Ventricosa require small or no attention in this direction, but varieties like Intermedia, Hybrida, and Webbleyana quickly lose vigour and become unsightly if allowed to grow at will. Failure to establish ericas is traceable chiefly to two causes, namely, the purchase of stunted, weedy plants, and the lack of moisture at the roots during the first few months after planting. The remedy for both things is obvious. Start with good healthy plants, water well before planting (if dry), and plant at a depth, not greater than iiir deeper than the plants had previously been ■ planted. Prune back all straggling growths after the flowering period on the tall, strong varieties, and water carefully, particularly when newly planted.. Ericas will grow and bloom for many years if the few simple rules given above are adhered to, and no class of plants is more desirable for garden decoration, while many of the kinds are suitable for room decoration as a cut flower. MANTJTtE FOR GOOSEBERRIES. Farmyard manure is by far the best for gooseberries, but it is not often that it is obtainable in sufficient quantity. Boneffie&l given at the rate of four ounces per square yard, or the same quantity of blood and bone, can be applied with a beneficial effect. Fish manure has proved of value, apply at the same rate as the bonemeal. Hoe the eoil beneath the bushes so as to keep a. loose, well cultivated surface.

EARLY TRANSPLANTING. Very few gardeners pay sufficient attention to the matter of sowing seeds of euch things as . lettuce, cauliflower, ca-bbage, and Brussels sprouts. The tendency is to sow a whole packet of seed at one time. The seeds are sown thickly and overcrowding is the result. Even the thick sowing and the eventual overcrowding could be remedied if early transplanting were practised, but how seldom is transplanting as seedlings practised with such things as vegetables. The usual method is to allow them to grow in the seed rows until the ground is ready for planting, then pull them up and put direct into their permanent position. Much better plants and far better results would be obtained if, when the plant has made the third' leaf or 60, it is transplanted into a nursery bed where it has room to grow, sturdy and strong. Such plants should be lifted with a ball of soil and planted with tho trowel. This advice applies to all the cabbage tribe including the plebeian cabbage. It is, however, especially applicable to the cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts, and it will be found' that early transplanting will give good cauliflowers on soil where at present they usually "bolt" or only produce small "buttons." I>uring the week or so following, transplanting the odds will seem to be in favour of the nontransplanted, but it must be remembered that it is the roots and not the tops that count most in a lijrlit eoil or during dry weather, and a plant with a mass of fibrous roots must give better results than the usual type which has only a long bare taproot.

CABBAGES. To quicken the growth of spring cabbages stir the soil between the plants with the hoc on every occasion when tho ground is dry enough. An applies,- , tion of sulphate of ammonia about half a teaspoonful to each plant, should be given and the soil drawn up to the plants. A further planting can be made of cabbages and cauliflowers, and a sowing of seed, put in now will give some plants for putting out after the early potatoes are lifted.

CLIVIA FOR ROOUC OR GREENHOUSE. Cliyia is a useful, ornamental and easily grown greenhouse plant that will soon bo showing flowers, especially if grown in a greenhouse. The flowering period is generally from September to December. The clivias belong to the Amaryllis family, have large, fleshy straj,-like leaves and thick, thong-like roots. They are often called the Cape Thong Lily, although, of course, they are not true lilies. In colour the ilowcre range frgm pale yellow to deep orange scarlet. When the flowers are partially open tho plants should be removed to a cooler place. Clivias are excellent window plants, as the bloome last a long time in good condition. Kieh loam with the addition of a little leaf-soil, and sufficient silver sand to keep it porus is an ideal compost in which to grow them. They require an abundance of water throughout the growing season; an ideal place for them is on the stage of a vinery. When growth is completed about the end of March, water should be gradually decreased, although being evergreen the plants must never be quito dried off. Repotting is not often necessary, for clivias generally flower best when the pots are fairly full of roots. Liquid - manure water applied two or three times weekly alternated with clear water when the pots are full of roots will be beneficial. An annual topdreesing of rich soil in spring is also desirable, first removing with an old label the old surface soil. Propagation is easily effected by division of the old plants. Choose those pieces farthest away from :'ihe centre, and pot them up separately. This is Ibest done immediately after flowering. Clivias are aleo easily raised from seed, which germinate readily in a moiet, warm temperature. The seedlings should be potted singly in quite small pot* and repotted as is necessary. They will not flower, however, under two years. If one is desirous of saving eeeds they ehottld resort to cross pollination, when, with luck, they may get something new.

RADISHES. Theee may now be sown in the open garden. A rich eoil should be given, and eowing should be thin. Cover with, a little straw or bushy sticks until germination takes place. ■ ■ n. ,". : SPINACH. This is ueeful for eowing now on Eght . or medium soils. Either the prickly or round seeded varieties may be eelected, but Victoria is the variety chiefly eown.

SEEDS TO SOW NOW. How to Sow the Plant to Plants When Beady for Name. Seeds. Transplant. Apart. Use. Broad Beans ... Rows 3ft apart — — November Cubbage Open ground Cabbage 2in Late summer and early autumn Cauliflower In boxes Cauliflower 3in Jan. and Feb. Celery In pans or pots Celery, liin March white small Onion (seeds) .. Open Thin out Gin Jan. to March Onion (plants) . Open Plant Cin January I.eeks Open ground Leeke 91u March Parsnips Open grounil Thin out 9in March Peas . Open ground — — November Spinach Open ground Thin ont Sin October Turnips Open ground Thin out Gin October Lettuce Open ground Lettuce 3in October Potatoes Open ground — — November