IN THE GARDEN.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19815, 31 December 1929, Page 6

IN THE GARDEN.

WORK FOR THE WEEK. Tsrrri;. ros. tsjs [By J. T. Slnclaib.] ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT. Linwood.—On your hea?y soil make your celery trenches so that after the tnanurs is in, and the soil placed on the manure, the soil in the trench is only an inch or so be!o"ve the surrounding level. TTiis vill prevent the roots of the plants being in "waterlogged soil during 'winter, as be the rase if you made th« trenches deep ac. VEGETABLES. Asparagus.—ln exposed gardens as- . paragus. especial'v under high treatment. needs supporting. The recent gale proved that many kinds of vegetation is easily smashed if not given sufficient support. There are various modes of preventing the tall, heavy tops of strong plants being bent down by rain or broken ofi by the wind. Perhaps one of the reatest methods is to stake thinly with short pea sticks. Another method is to place strong stakes along either side, and run two or three cords at different heights on the stakes. By some such means the tops may be protected from breaking when abnormally strong, otherwise the stems will be prematurely destroyed, and the crowns probably injured. Cauliflowers.—Continue to plant outcauliflowers for late supplies, making each plant thoroughly firm in the soil. The hoe must be used frequently be-1 tween the plants, and plenty of water must be supplied to the roots directly they are in need of moisture. Plants that are maturing the curds should have the leaves drawn up and tied over the flowers to exclude light. "When large enough, if not required for immediate consumption, pull the plants out of the ground and suspend them head downwards in a cool place. Leeks. —The leek is grown in various ways for competition at flower shows. Some growers plant in a trench similar to that prepared for single rows cf celery, 14-13 inches deep, and about one foot wide, in the centre of which the plants are dibbled four or five inches deep, thus providing for a length of blanched stem of about 1820 inches. Others merely draw a drill with a hoe eight inches deep, and form holes with a hluntish dibble one foot deep, into which the plants are dropped without any fixing other than a splash of water, which will cover the roots with enough soil to prevent them being shrivoiled by air nt that riPtuh froin tlif The holes will fill in as goes on by detrition from their sides and the surrounding surface. These are two of the best methods of growing the leek for exhibition, and of the two the latter is probably the better. It is the less laborious, and requires less space (a great consideration in small gardens) for the accommodation cf tho plants than the other. Shallower drills and holes can b? used if the plants are not to be exhibited. The ground should have been deeply worked some time afio. ami richly manured then at the bottom. If the soil is light, corous, or sandy, cow or pig manure sho.ild be used : for heavy soils horse dung is best. When planting in the way suggested, make the holes roomy, so that the roots may rest wt 11 on the bottoms of the holes, and set the plants 9-10 inches apart. When the trench mode is adopted, place the plants the same distance apart, using the dibble the same way, and leaving the roots unfixed, except by water. Moist weather should be taken advantage of for planting. The subsequent treatment consists chiefly of hoeing, but the hoe should not be used in close proximity to the holes till the crowns or hearts of the plants have reached some way above the mouths of the holes, otherwise the hearts may be choked by the loosened earth, and the plants be injured. If weeds give trouble close to the holes before the hearts are clear of them, hand weeding should be resorted to for their removal. Should drought occur after planting, give water freely. As the steins of the plants lengthen above the holes, they should be earthed up by degrees, as they extend in length, till they have ceased growing. «

Endive.—A sowing of endive can be made, and two further sowings may be made at. say, intervals of about a month. If the ground is dry, give the drills a good soaking of water before sowing the seed and keep the ground damp afterwards.

FRUIT. Vines.—Mildew is perhaps the most common of the ills to which the vine is heir. It is caused by an atmosphere too humid and by sudden ehecks with cold draughts and borders rather dry getting a soaking of cold water. Flowers of sulphur will destroy mildew while there is sufficient sun heat to raise the temperature to 80 degrees in the shade. There are several ways of applying the sulphur. It is not sufficient merely to dust it on the branches, for mildew attacks the leaves and stems as well as the branches, and although very easv to destroy, the dusting should be done thoroughly both on the upper and inside of the foliage.

FLOWERS. Pansies and Violas.— Recent times have seen the development of the viola—in reality a pansy of tutted habit, obtained by a series of crosses, in which the garden pansy and viola cornuta provided the original factors —to such a standard of varied excellence that there may, perhaps, be some danger of the pansy pure and simple being overshadowed. This would be manifestly unfair to the former types.

To provide plants for autumn planting, seeds can be sown now, either in a cool border outdoors or in a box in a cold frame. Cuttings can also be inserted during the nest few weeks. The necessity for the right type of cutting cannot too often be "insisted on, and to produce a suitable growth plants- whose first summer crop is over are often, and wisely, cut back to encourage them in sending up strong, though slender, basal shoots from which at this time of the year the best cuttings are to be obtained.

After securing a sufficient quantity of growths suitable for cuttings, about three inches in length, take a keenedged knife and make a clean cut- just below a leaf joint. The cut should be made in quite a horizontal, not a sloping, direction, as it is immediately below the node that the callus should form—i.e.. that fresh roots should arise, remove twu or three of the lowest leaves, and the cutting will then be ready for insertion. fi a cold frame is not available, a temporary protection of canvas or scrim can be improvised to put over the bed of cuttings. The hole made with the dibber should correspond with the length of stem allowed. Each growth mast be pressed firmly into the soil, and if kept shaded and sprinkled during critical times, a good percentage of excellent plants will result. Cinerarias.—Those who grow plants for late blooming may sow seeds now; they may be pressed into pots pre-

pared with a mixture of sandy loam and leaj-" mould and stood in a shaded spot. Somt cover them with a piece of glass for a week or so. and this is often advantageous in a dry atmosphere. Plants from an earlier sowing, and also primulas, will require to be closely watched for aphis, and on the first appearance should be fumigated. The plants of the first sowing will soon require more root room, and, when this is so, steps should be taken to put the work in hand, for if the plants are allowed to become root-bound thev more often than not receive a check from which they take a long time to recover.