Practical Gardening

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 147, 23 June 1934, Page 6 (Supplement)

Practical Gardening

dfa.m,f .ma

FORCING ASPARAGUS

PREPARE BEDS AT ONCE. With a hotbed of littery niannre and leaves, well mixed and built up about 4ft high in a warm corner where all the light possible is available, _ placing a frame on top, the necessary means are provided for the forcing of asparagus. Allow a margin of 2ft outside the frame for a lining of fresh fermenting material to maintain the required temperature, viz., CO to Go degrees. Lay the roots closely together on a bed of line light soil, Cin deep, covering them with a further 4in of soil, leaving Bin or so of space between the surface and the glass. After planting, water, but do not saturate, keeping the frame closed till growth becomes apparent. From then onwards admit air, more or less according to the weather, taking care to avoid draughts and consequent checks to growth. .Keep the lights covered with mats during hard frost, giving 110 mor;. water than will keep the soil ;iust moist. To permit rank gases to escape defer planting till the heat begins to decline. Only strong, plump crowns are suitable for forcing. They should be at least three years old. Kadishes, early turnips and shorthorn carrots can be sown broadcast over the bed after planting, and with care when cutting the asparagus, these catch crops will not be disturbed to any appreciable extent.

GOOSEBERRY PRUNING. Gooseberry bushes should be kept open in the centre. It is a mistake to think that the more branches there are, the more fruit there will be —the result may bo quite the opposite, for when . the branches are crowded many of the buds remain dormant, while others bear only poor fruit. Thin the branches well and grow more fruit. A bush should be in

sucli a state as to make it easy to pick the fruit without tearing the hands. The shoots on the" lower and inner parts of the bush should be spurred back, but those on the outer and higher parts can bo left longer; use judgment and shorten according to strength. Strong shoots do not need much cutting back; shorten weak ones more, at the same time keeping in view the habit of

growth. Drooping varieties should be lifted by cutting off the bent portions of drooping twigs, cutting to an upward pointing bud. Those that arc inclined to grow inwards can- be corrected by cutting to outside buds. In every case much can be done to fret a good bush by cutting out awkwardly placed shoots and branches, remembering always that a bush with well-placed branches is the one that will be a profitable pleasure.

RHUBARB. i Now is a good time to prepare the ground for new plantations of rhubarb. It was introduced into England Homewhere about 1570, cultivated as a pot herb and considered superior to spinach. Tho use of the tender leaf stalks as a substitute for fruit in pies and tarts was not in vogue before the early years of 1800. Tho pleasant, refreshing acidity of rhubarb is caused by the presence in quantity of oxalic acid. It is said that the large globular pouch of unopened •flowers, when treated in a similar manner to the stalks, is of a "more delicate and mild flavour, and forms a pleasing dish/' .Trench tho ground, which must be well drained if the crop is to be good. The plant forms thick, firm roots, which go down to a great depth, and if the plant is to do what it should it must have a good depth of soil; if the soil is at all shallow or heavy, it. will be necessary to. trench 3ft deep. When trenching or preparing the ground, add plenty of good, well-rotted manure with it as the work proceeds. Leave the bed to settle for a month, if possible. The best stock for planting is single crowns; the method of splitting- up a root with a spade and planting the lump is not recommended. Cut out the crown, choosing good plump ones, with a knife, just leaving a very small piece of solid root. Plant these from 2ft to 3ft apart, covering the crowns with 2in or 3in of soil. It will be found that single crowns make much finer plants and last longer without going to seed than large divisions. If the plants are bought in, cut out all bruised or decayed portions. After planting, a liilit dressing of long stable manure should be. put on the bed, and if dry weather intervenes water should be given. No leaves -can bo picked the first season after planting; encourage a strong, sturdy growth, so as to develop a strong, .vigorous crown. The cause of many rhubarb plants giving thin leaf stalks and continually sending up flower stalks is that the plants have been raised from seed. Rhubarb, to be, true to type, should be propagated by division of the roots.

HAND-SOWING OF SEEDS. When seeds have tp be put in by hand use a long flat board 12 or loin wide. Mark out the drill along one edge of this, then kneel on'the board and scatter the seeds thinly and evenly. Cover them lightly and press down the whole row evenly with the edge of the board.

WATERCRESS.

] EASILY GROWN IN GARDEN. I 1 1 1 Watercress is a good salading and is ( really very beneficial, especially during ' autumn, winter and early spring. It is quite common; m fact, so common that , many people do not think it worth eat- 1 injr, it has a bad fault, and that is if . it gets away in a creek it grows so fast that it becomes weedy and is credited ( with choking up watercourses. This may be .so, but cats and dogs can become a ( pest if allowed to run wild. However, it . is not generally known that good water- . cress can bo grown in any garden during • autumn and winter. Choose a piece of ground close handy to where you can give it a can of water every day (usually no shortage of water at this season), surround the piece with some boards, old wooden boxes broken up will do, level the soil, put in about an inch of sand, and plant some pieces of watercress about two inches apart. Keep watered, a can every day when not raining. A fejv weeks will give you a supply of watercress. Make several plantings or one large' enough to give a continuous supply. Half an ounce of sulphate of ammonia, dissolved in four gallons of water, and applied occasionally, will help. When tired of it, take away boards and dig watercress under, and it will be finished with. You will by this means obtain a supply of clean healthy shoots and no fears of it becoming a weed. MOSAIC DISEASE OF TOMATOES CAWTHRON INSTITUTE BULLETIN No. 2. Infected tomato plants exhibit such a wide range of symptoms that the extreme forms were long considered the effect of different ■ diseases. Temperature, rate of growth and age of the plants at the time of inoculation all influence the symptoms, which as a rule are exhibited only in the leaves, fruit, etc., that are young when inoculation takes place or that develop subsequently. Tissues fully mature at inoculation frequently show no change in appearance, liven on young leaves the symptoms may become fainter with time, or may cease to appear (masking of symptoms). Failure 011 the plant's part,-however, to express visible symptoms docs not mean that, the virus has vanished from the cell-sap or that the plant is no longer able to transmit the disease. The common symptoms of mosaic is a mottling of light green and dark green areas on the leaves. The darker areas may be thickened and raised, whereas the lighter areas are often thinner than in the normal leaf. The transition from thicker to thinner portion tends to buckle the leaf and cause irregularity in leaf contour. Incision and narrowing of the blade occurs under certain conditions, and in extreme cases the leaflet may be reduced to a ribbon-like structure. Only one of these symptoms may be present on the plant at one | time, but more often several occur, either simultaneously or in succcssion. Simple mottling is general under summer conditions. In winter, autumn or early spring there is a greater preponderance of crinkling with or without mottling. When the length of daylight and the temperature arc abnormally reduced tlio "fern-leaf" type (blade incised and narrowed) begins to predominate. The plant if infected young may be stunted. Provided true mosaic only is present tlio fruit does not usually mottle. The disease is systemic, i.e., the point of inoculation may be in a leaf half way up the plant, but the poison spreads throughout the plant, and in a short time juice crushed from a distant leaf contains infective virus like the inoculated leaf.

Effect oil the Crop.—The influence of mosaic disease on the tomato yield varies from season to season, and even more, according to the age of the plant at the time of inoculation, plants infected eavly in the season suffering considerably greater reduction in yield than those infected later. In glasshouse plants the difference in yield between mosaic and healthy plants is not usually marked, but it may be considerable in outdoor plants. In the latter, infection early in tho season has on occasion caused a reduction of up to SO per cent in yield, whereas in the same season's plants infected late showed reduction ranging only from 2 per cent to 11 per cent. In New Zealand loss due to pure mosaic is seldom serious.

Transmission. —There is much diversity of opinion as to whether tomato seed transmits the disease, but as the matter is still in d'oubi it is wise to avoid taking seed from diseased plants. The virus can persist in active condition in plant debris in the soil for several weeks, but, it is believed, cannot outlast a whole winter in the soil. Insects sucking or feeding upon infected leaves then passing to healthy plants and there resuming tlicir sucking inoculate the second plant in the process. Apliids, leaf/hoppers and flea-beetles, but especially apliids, are involved in mosaic transmission, from tomato to tomato and from other mosaic plants to tomato. Tlio host range of tomato mosaic includes species of nicotiana (e.g. tobacco), physalis (Cape gooseberry genus), horse-nettle, nightshade, potato, datura, capsicum (pepper), and petunia. Once established on tomatoes the disease is still liable to be spread by insects, but more especially by man in the lateralling, training and picking processes incidental to tomato culture. Infected juice even when dry on the hand's or clothes will transfer the disease if rubbed or pressed on to the tomato plant.

Control.—lf mosaic develops in plants up to the time of planting out tlicy should be rogued and burnt. In the case of plants infected ill the field, regulation of work on them to the end.of the day, or frequent washing of the hands with plenty of soap, will prevent the spread likely to take place through handling.

STIMULANTS TINDER GLASS IN WINTER. It is necessary to give stimulants it all seasons to plants which have filled tlieir pots with rcots. There arc many plants which flower naturally in winter, and these want help in their period of greatest activity as well as those plants which flower in summw. Bulbs, for instance—take the narcissus family, which are very strong rooting—the flowers are now within the bulbs, and their size and brilliancy depend upon tho nourishment given. Liquid manure must, however, be diluted.

SILVER. BEET.

Tn sunny, well-drained vegetable gardens roots of silver beet may still bo planted out for spring use. At this time of the year planting should be done only when the soil is friable, that it?, when it will crumble in the hands. Silver beet like a rich, deeply-worked soil, and an open sunny position. A part of the garden where plenty of vegetable matter has been dug in recently, suits it well. Later "on the beet plants may bo lifted and potatoes or some other root crop can take their place. All the hoeing and stirring up of the soil that is necessary for the successful cultivation of silver beet will help to put it into fine condition for root crops to follow. Those who already liavo a crop of this useful vegetable coming on should hasten its growth as much as possible. Hoc whenever the soil is in good condition and give nitrate of soda (loz in 1 gallon of water) at regular intervals. When giving nitrate of soda to sneli vegetables as cabbages, cauliflowers, lettuces,. etc., it is as well to dissolve it first in water. If the nitrate of soda is sprinkled in the dry state about the roots, the bushy nature of the plant often prevents rain or moisture from reaching and dissolving it.

"NEW" VERSUS "OLD" KOSES. In Uiis fust travelling age when we arc looking all ways at once for Homotiling iliat is better, and expecting it, it is not surprising that we bulk many of the older varieties of roses together in that common phrase "out of date." If a rose is over ten years it is "often considered as too old or out of date. Mareclial Niel was introduced in 1804 and at the National Eoso Society spring show held on April 13, 1934, in London, it was first in u. stand for twelve blooms of one variety and one of the blooms was awarded the silver gilt medal for the best bloom shown by a nurseryman. Mrs. Beatty and Violet Simpson were runners up, both introduced more than fifty years after Mareclial Niel. The fact that Mareclial Neil does not do well about Auckland is our loss, and it is worth a little trouble to see if we cannot make ic amenable to our conditions. Among other veterans finding places in the honours list were Mrs. Herbert Stevens (1910), Kichmons (1908), Mrs. Foley Hobbs (1910). Among the new arrivals wero Samuel Popys, creamy white; Phyllis Burden, ivory white tinted with rose at the margins; Miss England, certificate of merit, cream coloured passing to~ yellow at the centre, foliage ample and clcan, blooms broad petalled and full; Ben Cant's Yellow, a hybrid; Pernetiana, stated to be a .sport from Lady Hillingdon; Lady Susan Birch, ivory white, shaded with peach at the centre. A fair gathering of ivory white or cream complexioned babies, along with Samuel Pepvs, with a sallow face, rather an unusual colour to apply to the "Prince of Diarists."

TREATMENT OF YOUNG CROPS Such crops as cabbages, autumn-sown onions and lettuccs are liable to injury through frost partially pulling them out of the ground and leaving the soil loose about the roots. As soon as the surface is dry enough, after the frost has gone, gently tread round the plants to settle them firmly into their original positions. The ill effects that would otherwise ensue are thus avoided.

CHRYSANTHEMUMS.

All except the lato flowering kinds of chrysanthemums aro now over, and amateurs should think about taking their cuttings for next years' plants. It is a mistake to leave clumps to flower year after year. The best flowers are obtained from cuttings taken each winter. Cut back the old flowering stems to within Oin of the ground, and the roots will throw up a number of strong young shoots. Many growers have already done this, and the suckers aro coming away freely. If these shoots get too tall—Oin and over can be considered too tall —cut them off level with the ground and wait for the shoots that will be thrown up later from which to take cuttings. The amateur who wants a fine display of flowers for the garden, and a nice lot of long-stemmed blooms for the house, can take the cuttings now. The outside shoots, that is, those that are farthest away from the flowering steins, are the best. Some of these pull away with a few roots already attached, others come away without roots. Place cuttings in a small raised bed in some sparo part of the garden. In September plant out in their permanent positions. Somo varieties are very slow about sending up shoots, and the old roots should be left where they aro until they do. Occasionally it is necessary to take .shoots from the old flowering stem, but do not do so unless the plant refuses to send tip any basal shoots, as tlio shoots from the stem seldom make such strong plants.

OLD POTTING SOIL. Though the professional gardener often hns access to more potting soil than he can use, the amateur may certainly be excused if lie hesitates to throw away what appears to hi in to be good compost; for in many instances compost that has been used once is in reality only half worn out, and if properly treated can hardly fail to be extremely useful during the next season. Such potting soil, passed through a quartcr-incli sieve, is of the greatest value in producing clcan, wellcoloured carrots, shapely beetroot or parsnip, and clear-skinned potatoes or turnips, while the advantage of sowing the main crop of onions in drills partially filled;with potting soil must bo seen to be believed. Again, this old potting soil is an ideal medium in which to prick out the seedling plants of lettuce, celery, or. cauliflower preparatory to planting in their final quarters. Moreover, everyone who uses artificials for topdressing knows how difiicult it is to distribute them evenly over the surface. This difficulty will be considerably minimised by mixing the artificials with twice tlicir bulk of sifted soil, and for this purpose surely old potting compost has a distinct aklvantage over ordinary garden soil.

YELLOW TURNIPS. Although most persons without even a square foot of kitchen garden are aware of tho existence of the red-topped, purple and white varieties of turnips, very few kitchen gardeners ever entertain the thought of striking away from tho beaten track by sowing one of the several very reliable yellow fleshed varieties.' If these kinds were given the treatment accorded to the others, tliey would become established favourites.

ALPINE WALLFLOWERS, j

A ROCK GARDEN GEM.

The Alpine wallflower, Cheiranthue Alpinus, is one of the most cheerful flowers to have on a rockery during early spring. The blooms are relatively large, and comparable to some of the common wallflower in this respect, but they are of a soft shade of yellow, and produced in flat corymbs or tosses a the end of foot-high stems. Thelower Dart of the plant is more woody ana fig upon the soil gives off the more erect flowering stems: The plant is quite at home amongst stones or on the top where the branches can hang over a l e( jo-e. In all cases it must be placed where the roots can get a deep root run, then even during a dry spell it will carry through and-thrive year after year. Ihe plant" is perfectly hardy, strictly perennial, and of the easiest cultivation It can be propagated by cuttings taken durin" midsummer, rooting quite easily if kept moist and shaded for a. short time after planting. It can also be raised from seeds, although seeds aie not always obtainable.

CYCLAMEN. When these come into full bloom feeding should bo discontinued, or only given at long intervals, and then only when well diluted. Watering must be done very carefully. Do it during the> early part of the day, po v aring the water over the edge of the pot, and taking caie that it is not splashed into the centre, otherwise the flowers will damp off and the display of bloom will cease or at least diminish, without any apparent cause. Many a fine batch, of cyclamen has been ruined during the dull days of winter through over-watering. Once the soil gets dry the plants must be watered, but this should be done during the morning of a bright day, so that any surplus moisture evaporates before evening. new flower beds.

New flower beds an the lawn may be made at the present time, or old ones turfed over as desired. If required, this is the best time to alter the whole system of flower beds. Other _ work is slack, and the soil is in working condition, so that any turfing or seeding can bo quickly and readily done. If possible, each bed should bo trenched 3ft deep, and if tho subsoil is not too good, procure some good grass turves —often the roadside will furnish these —sufficient to fill the lower ISin or so.

CONSTITUENTS OF WOOD ASHES* Fifty pounds of wood ashes will contain approximately 4.Gib of potash, 1.471b of phosphoric acid, 21.771b of lime, and 1.211b of oxide of iron, all valuable plant manures, generally necessary to apply artificially. Other constituents not so valuable arc magnesia and manganese, usually plentiful in all good soils. A COMPLETE MANURE. A complete artificial manure must contain the three elements, nitrogen, phosphoric acid and potash. The effect of tho first is to increase leaf production and growth, but retarding the ripening of wood; phosphates, on the other hand, hasten tho ripening of tho wood and the production of flower buds, and tubers, and so restrict the production of foliage; potash is said to givo "quality" to the flowers and fruit, in so much that it intensifies tlio colouring. TO CORRESPONDENTS. E.E.P. (Mount Albert) asks: (1) Can T get Chinese gooseberry plants by planting 1 lie .seed from (he berry? (2) What time of year should- they be planted? (3) Will they grow in tho Sou(h of England (1) Yes. (2) Sow in spring. (3) Yes. Actinidia Cliinensis, or Chinese gooseberry, is quite hardy in England, and has been grown (here as an ornamental climber for the last fifty years. PITTOSPOUUM (Grey •'Lynn) writes: I liave a young pittosporum hedge which has been in for three years. It is growing very uneven and some of the bushes have shoots 12 to 15 inches long. This year I intend to prune each bush separately.. Which, is the correct month to do the pruning and how should it he done?— Prune (lie hedge about August. Yon should cut the long shoots, back hard; you could out last season's wood back to within two buds of the base. The medium shoots should only be topped and any short ones left. This would even up the top of the hedge. As soon as the plants eommenco to grow go over the , hedge with li knife, even the thumb and finger would do. and nip out the top of any young shoots that are getting away. You would find by a lit tie attention and probably towards the middle of summer that you would have brought the top even enough to use hedge shears again.