IN THE GARDEN

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22339, 1 March 1938, Page 6

IN THE GARDEN

WORK FOR THE WEEK ISPECm.LT WBITTES COE TECS PRESS.) '— —18y..,W. J. HUMMJ ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS Holm wood road writes: The foliage of many of the shrubs and trees are being attacked by some pest. Possibly it is the pear slug that is doing damage to the flowering trees, prunus, etc. The leaf-roller caterpillar will be causing the damage to the foliage of the roses. As both these pests are leaf-eating insects, control them by spraying with arsenate of lead. Use it at the strength of one ounce to four gallons of water. This work should be done thoroughly and on a fine day. Greenhorn—The best time to strike grapevine cuttings is as soon as the leaves have fallen. This usually takes place at the end of May. To control club root In cabbages, after digging use lime at the rate of six ounces to the square yard. Put this on in the autumn. A fortnight before planting give the soil a dressing of Restar fluid at the rate of half a pint to four gallons of water. Apply three gallons a square yard. Do not grow the crop where cabbages grew the previous season. Sumner asks what Is the disease on the branch of olearla? The damage Is caused by the insect known as the olearla gall midge (Occldomyia Olearlce). This may be controlled by cutting out the diseased branches and burning them. FLOWERS Although the herbaceous peony is quite easy to grow and will continue to give a wealth of flower each year over a long period without much attention, yet many people fail to get these useful perennials to flower. Failure can often be traced to the wrong season in planting. Spring planting is seldom satisfactory. When planted then they will often sulk and be flowerless for years. The best time to transplant is the end of February or early in March. It is not necessary to wait for the foliage to die down. Plant them with the foliage on, and they will then grow new roots and become established before the cold of winter is on them. The cultivation of the peony is simple; all they require is a well-drained soil that has been deeply worked, and to which a little carbonate of lime has been added. The peony needs a rich fare, and unless the soil is rich in plant food dig in some welldecayed manure. If this is not procurable give a dressing of blood and bone meal at the rate of 4oz to the square yard. Allow at least three feet between each plant. Do not cover the crowns to a greater depth than from two to three inches. After transplanting, it usually takes two or three years before they become thoroughly established. When once a peony has settled down and is content with its position it requires little attention. After flowering, top-dress with some well-de-cayed manure and if the weather is dry give a good watering at intervals, and it will go on flowering for many years without transplanting. Like other perennials, the peony has its off-season, and" to bridge this out-of-flower period may be interplanted with such subjects as yellow daffodil. The crimson shoots of the peony contrast well with the yellow blooms of the daffodil. Perennial phlox' would be effective throughout the summer, so too would be lilium regale. A few bulbs of the large flowering montbretias would be effective in autumn. The peony is a worthy garden plant, and should be represented in every garden. As a cut flower it has few equals. 1 Plant out isis germancia, daffodils, ixias, sparaxis, hyacinths, snowflakes, early flowering gladioli, crocuses, anemones, ranunculus, tulips, grape hyacinths, and lachenalias. Prepare for the sowing of sweet peas. Plant Canterbury bells, aquilegias, pentstemons, sweet williams, and pyrethrums. Tie up chrysanthemums and spray for the control of mildew-rust and caterpillars. THE GLASSHOUSE Proceed with the potting of tulips, narcissi, crocuses, freesias, and hyacinths to provide early flowers. Stand these'outside in a shaded position and cover with sand. This will induce root growth, without which bulbs forced, will not flower well. Continue to take cuttings of pelargoniums and geraniums; sow schizanthus and mignonette. A cold frame outside suits these best. Pot up in baskets bulbs of lachenalias. Pot on cyclamen, cinerarias, and primulas as they require it. Pot up arum lilies for early flowers. Sow seeds of cyclamen. Keep fuchsias and begonias up to their work by giving them liquid manure. FRUIT Keep all. weeds and rubbish from under the, trees. Gather and destroy all fruit. Codlin moth grubs are bad this season. All fruits affected with brown rot- should be destroyed. Leaving this on and under the trees is to court disaster next season. Cut away and burn all branches and leaves showing disease. Help the trees to develop healthy fruit spurs by giving a dressing of blood and bone meal at the rate of four ounces to the square yard round each established bearing tree. VEGETABLES Help all crops along by frequent cultivation. The hoe is the best agent , for this purpose. All rubbish and withered -foliage should be Collected and burnt. If they are affected with disease they should be burnt. The spores of fungoid diseases are not destroyed by placing the diseased plants on the rubbish heap to rot down. When dug in the following year, when the conditions are suitable, the disease will reappear and again damage the plants. If early spring cabbage is needed sow the seed now. As the plots become vacant plant cabbage, broccoli, kale, and savoys for winter use. Sow for salads lettuce, onions, and radishes. Lift and store the earliest batch of carrots. Clean sand is quite good to store them in. Stop the main leader on the tomatoes and all flower trusses that show should be removed. Thoroughly dry onions before they are stored. Sow lettuce to stand through the winter. Neapolitan is reliable. Earth up by degrees the early celery. Make a sowing of a variety of stump-rooted carrot. Sow perpetual spinach and silver beet. Both these crops should be grown in rich soil. Celery takes a fair amount of attention now. Watering -and feeding must be done If good sticks are to be grown. Green fly and the leaf-mining maggot must be prevented by spraying with black leaf 40. Rust may be controlled by spraying with shirlaw a.g. SHRUBS For a garden in a sheltered position, where the frost is not too hard during the winter, and on the hills, members of Lhe Lasiandra familv are well worth growing. In Sir Heaton Rhodes’s garden (Otahuna) at the present time Lasiandra grandiflora is in full glory. The large purple flowers of this evergreen are borne in great profusion and few shrubs remain in flower for a greater time than this one. Select an open but sheltered position, where it can get full sun and where the roots will not be disturbed by deep cultivation during the summer when the buds are forming If top-dressed with well-decayed manure and watered during dry intervals the plant will be i-fiseattjr; teliied, ip, ®Rturei its floswaxs*.,

There are several other kinds of Lasiandras in cultivation. Lasiandra macrantha is a taller grower, and is ideal as a wall plant. Lasiandra Edwardsii is a very prolific bloomer and is well worthg rowing. Lasiandras are natives of the warmer parts of North and South America, but mainly Brazil. They are also known under the name of Tibouchina.