Push On With Rose And Tree Planting

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 151, 28 June 1945, Page 3

Push On With Rose And Tree Planting

THE shortest day is past and with the advent of better weather, work in the garden becomes more congenial and at the same time increases. Any planting of roses or other shrubs that has been delayed for any reason should be pushed on as soon as soil and weather conditions permit. Newly-planted trees or shrubs that are in open positions where they are likely to be loosened by wind should be staked securely to prevent the young roots from getting broken. * * * * Delphiniums, pyrethrums, phlox and similar subjects can be lifted, divided where necessary and replanted. Lobelia THE FLOWER seed can be sown GARDEN and where the old plants have stood through the winter, division is the best means of increase. Lobelia cuttings root easily in a compost of sand and leaf soil. Chrysanthemum cuttings should be taken as soon as they are ready. . Choose good cuttings; those on the outside of the stool are usually the strongest. This is a good time also to divide and replant the Michaelmas daisies. They have been wonderfully improved of recent years and few perennials respond so well to generous treatment. Give the young plants plenty of room, feed them them well when growing and the results will well repay the extra time and trouble. They are available now in a wide variety of colours, including salmon pink, violet, wine red, lavender, crimson and blue, while the yellow variety Lutea is rarely seen in Auckland gardens. The Japanese, or as they are now known, the Oriental irises, can be planted now. Although the hardiest of plants, they delight in moist situations but can be flowered most satisfactorily in an ordinary border. Massed in bold groups they are most effective. As the plants come towards the flowering period, they will respond well, where the situation is not naturally moist, to heavy watering and feeding with liquid manure. * * * *

It is not usual for the home garden to be large enough to grow the main crop of potatoes but most people endeavour to SEED secure a few rows of POTATOES extra earlies, for use

when the tubers are scarce and high priced. First early varieties include Epicure, Jersey Bonnes, Early Regent, Cliff's Kidney and Robin Adair. At a rate of 8 or 10 tubers to JV :e pound, the requirements of the garden can be estimated easily. The crop, however, is usually a light one and the plants are therefore set closer in the rows than the main crop varieties. With all potato plantings it pays well to sprout the seed in advance. With the approach of spring green salads will be in demand and where there is suitable soil and situation a batch of lettuce should be started and small sowings made of round beet, radishes and other salad plants. Some early turnips can be sown now as well as successional sowings of dwarf peas, broad beans and a few Shorthorn carrots. Shallots, potato onions, artichokes, rhubarb and herbs can be planted out now with advantage.

A correspondent (I. C. New Lynn), asks whether it is not possible to supplement the domestic sugar

ration by the grow-SUGAR-BEET ing of sugar beet,

It is not possible to turn out crystallised sugar in the home but a very useful syrup can be extracted from the roots. According to descriptions given in overseas journals the method adopted is as follows: Wash and peel the roots; cut them up and put the pieces over a coarse grater; place the pulp in a large pan or copper and just cover with water. Bring to the boil and continue for one and a half hours; strain through a jelly bag' without pressure. Return the liquor to the pan and heat to evaporate the water and obtain a syrup. As it thickens, stir to avoid burning and reduce the heat. The resulting syrup will keep for several weeks. It is said to be excellent with puddings and very goc«l in coffee and cocoa. The pulp is readily eaten by poultry and the roots have excellent keeping qualities. * * * *

Gardeners use the word seedling in two distinct senses. First, it is applied to the juvenile plants

which come up SEEDLINGS from seed. They, AND NAMED obviously, are seedVARIETIES lings until they

attain a stage of development when plants is the more appropriate term to use. But in many cases adult or fully grown plants and even fruit trees capable of bearing fruit and big flowering shrubs like rhododendrons, brooms and berberis are referred to as seedlings and it is reasonable that the query arises, why should an adult plant still be called a seedling? It simply means that, for some reason, the plant or tree which was originally raised from seed has never been honoured with a distinctive varietal name. Sometimes this indicates that it is not considered to possess sufficient merit or distinctive character to warrant a varietal name and is lumped with other nondescripts under the term seedlings. Such is not always the case. Some plants are so highly bred and produce progeny of superior quality with such freedom that it would simply become bewildering to give all that are good, separate names. They are classed as choice seedling strains and for those who want a mass of plants embracing many variations of colour, seedling strains are much to be prized.