Have You A Problem?

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 66, 19 March 1938, Page 17 (Supplement)

Have You A Problem?

AMATEUR writes: Bow deep to pmt in amaryUist Should they be liftedT Plant amaryllls so tliat the neck of the bulb Is Just above ground. Lift the bulba only when they are crowded. W.J.B. writes: The leaver of my rock melons are dying off before the fruit is mature. Can you tell me what to 4o for (t, particularly prevention for next year's effortT Due to mildew, partly owing to th« past wet weather. Spraying with colloidal sulphur will eontrol it, but the plants should be sprayed Just as they begin to flower, and again when fruit has set. M.S. asks: What co»» I do about my passion fruit vineT There is very little fruit, and tchat there is wrinkles up while green and drops off when a fair site. The leaves turn yellow and drop off. Could you give me a remedy, as it is a good kind and teas once a beautiful, healthy plantt It is only three years old. „ Sprayinr with lime snlphur solution, 1-120, will control Jt, but the spraying must be done in the early season—that is, before the flowers open and directly the fruit 18 y.O. writes: I have sent you an apple which is badly bruised to all appearances and eventually goes quite rotten. It is not a bruise, having been picked off the tree, which had fully half the crop in the same condition. The other half are perfect. Due to brown rot. Sprayinr with lime sulphur, 1-120, periodically, after apples are set will control It. S.B. asks: What is wrong with the beans enclosed. The first lot were quite clean but the latter crops are all infected with the diseaset Due to bean spot. Spraying with Bordeaux or colloidal snlphur will control it. As a rule it does not do much damage till late in the season when nights hegin to get moist and chilly. Wet and cold soils aggravate the disease. Seed should not be saved from an affected crop, as the spores can be transmitted per medium of the seed. Hot/a asks: Can you ten me what is wrong with my Hoya. I enclose leaves and | shoot. It seems to be dying from the tips, also leaves are falling after turn-1 ing brown and spotted. Up till now it has been in splendid condition and flowered a short while agot J',' 8 t du « * leaf spot. Spraying with eolloidai sulphur or Bordeaux would control it. B.T. writes: (1) I understand that nectarines grow and fruit readily from stones without budding. Is this a reliable way of producing trees, and can the quality of fruit be as good from seedlings as from the parent treef (t) I believe it is usual to bud seedling apricots and peaches. Dot such stocks lend themselves to graftingf (S) Are seedling walnut trees reliable, or do they need to be buddedT (1) Seedlings will fruit, but no reliability can be placed on th« quality of the fruit. (2) Stone fruits do not graft well, especially apricots, budding is best. (3) Seedling walnuts fruit all right but, bndded from selected trees, they are much better. G.B. writes: My lemon tree has been carrying a heavy crop for several months, and though the lemons are quite large they make no attempt to ripen. Is this normal or a result of something lacking in the soilt It is quite all right. If the fruit sets and no disease is present, they will ripen ~, "r co " r se. The lemon does not ripen till winter. M B. writes: The lawns <n the neighbourhood are becoming completely ruined by a heavy growth of pennyroyal. Could you suggest a method of attackT Drainage l s one of the chief methods of control. Once pennyroyal gets a hold it is difficult to eliminate, unless the lawn is resown. Digging over the lawn and! surfacing with 3in or 4in of clean or sterilised soil can be recommended, but even then the pennyroyal would come back I again unless the drainage is good. I Mac. asks: Can you tell me the name of a good weed killcrf There are several good weed killers, but the objection to several is that thev are poisonous. Hot brine, using a pound of salt to the gallon of water is safe and sure. Sodium chlorate is good, and can be used either as a powder or spraved on Care must be taken that any clothes" wetted with the chlorate solution are washed as they are extremely inflammable if wetted ana then dried.