IN THE GARDEN

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22594, 27 December 1938, Page 5

IN THE GARDEN

WORK FOR THE WEEK

CSPXCZALI.T yrSITTXX Ton TBM PBIBB.) [By W. J. HUMM]

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS Inquirer—The cause of the runner beans casting their flowers is the wet weather and possibly the liquid* manure given them. Runner beans should not be given liquid manure until they have developed a good crop of pods. Hoe them well and do not give any more water or liquid manure until the weather becomes dry. Do not give the bulbs fowl manure when planting them. Bone dust or basic slag is safe to use. Cherry—The cherry fruit is affected by a fungus disease known as brown rot. In June next season spray with limesulphur at the rate of one part to 10 parts of water. After the leaves have appeared, spray with colloidal sulphur. Kaikoura—The specimen sent in is Caillstemon rigidus.

VEGETABLES The soE is now in a splendid condition for planting, and no time should be lost in getting in members of th'e cabbage family to supply the kitchen during the winter and spring. Cabbages, cauliflowers, kale, and savoys are usually planted now. Although all of this family like good, rich soil, an over-abundance of nitrogenous manures wEI cause the plants to develop coarse outside leaves and very little heart. A firm soil is also necessary. To prevent club-root and other fungus diseases developing in the soil, dust the ground with hortnap a few days before planting. . . Orache or mountain spinach is a splendid substitute for the true spinach. It does exceptionally well during the hot and dry weather throughout the summer. The leaves are very succulent. These are more than five inches long, and as much across. The seed germinate freely. The young seedlings should appear above ground within a week. Space the rows 18 inches apart, and thin out the seedlings to allow not less than 10 inches apart. When the plants are six inches high, pinch out the leading shoots to make the plants develop lateral growths. ... Get leeks planted as soon as possible. This crop requires a long season of growth. Use plenty of well-decayed manure. Get celery plants on their way while the soil is moist. The swede turnip is a valuable winter vegetable. It requires the same cultural treatment as the turnip, and, like it, is fond of superphosphate. The seed should be sown now. Continue to sow vegetables for salad. Make a sowing of an early variety of peas. Carrots for drawing young may be sown now. Before doing so, dust a little hortnap along the rows some time before sowing, the seed. This will keep the aphis thaj; attacks the carrot in check. Sow yellow fleshed turnips, perpetual spinach, parsley, and silver beet. • When , clearing away spent crops of peas or beans, do not dig them- • up. The roots of these contain nitrogen nodules. These .improve the fertility of the soil. Just pull the tops off, and leave the root to be dug in. Endive is a most useful vegetable for winter salads and should be grown more than it is. The first sowing can be made during January and the last in the third week in February. Good, rich soil is required for this crop. Sow in shallow drills, one inch deep and 18 inches apart. As the seedlings develop they should be thinned out to 12 inches apart. Before the plants can be used they must be blanched by placing pots or boxes over their tops. The moss-curled variety is suitable for warm districts, and the Batavian variety is best for cold districts

THE GLASSHOUSE During the heat of summer many plants will require more than one watering each day. Damp the paths and benches during hot weather. This well create a humid atmosphere-which is suitable for most plants. Bad ventilation and a dry atmosphere cause plant pests to appear. Keep the house in a sanitary condition by watering the floors and benches with restar fluid. Two teaspoons to the gallon of water is sufficient. This preparation not only sweetens the house, but it is repulsive

to insects. Keep plants that are to be used for winter effect growing freely. These plants must be kept up to their work during their vegetive period, or they will not bloom well next winter. As soon as pelargoniums and geraniums are past flowering, they should be stood outside to ripen their wood, in view of taking cuttings. Cinerarias should be teady to pot into four-inch pots. Do not bury the crowns of these, or they will develop collar rot and damp off. Pot on winter flowering primulas as they need it. These plants dp best in a cool frame outside. Mignonette for winter flowering should be sown now.

Primula malacoides should now be ready to be pricked off into shallow boxes. For this purpose use sweet loam, leaf-mould, and sharp sand. Lime in any form should not be used. Freesias for early flowering should he potted or boxed up now. These sweetly scented 'flowers are valuable during the early spring. Old cyclamen corms should now be repotted. January is a good time to sow cyclamen seed. Astilbies past flowering should be stood outside in a shady place and kept well watered.

FLOWERS Spray roses with colloidal sulphur to control mildew. Keep the seed pods from forming. As soon as the soil is workable, use the hoe freely. Stake all tall-growing perennials and gladioli. Border carnations will require staking, and if good flowers are desired disbudding will have to be done. A little superphosphate dusted around the plants would improve the flowers. Spring flowering stocks are valuable. The seeds of these should be sown now. These can be_ grown outside in rows. When the seedlings are large enough, transplant them, allowing a few inches between each plant. In the autumn plant them in their flowering quarters. Brompton stocks are fond of lime. Keep the seeds from forming on the sweet peas.

SHRUBS Spiraea Anthony Waterer is at present making a splendid display. It is perhaps the most highly-coloured of the dwarf-growing spiraeas. The flowers are a brilliant shade of carmine. They last quite a time, and as the plant flowers at present, it is valuable

accordingly. Its foliage, too, is very effective, as the new growths appear in spring. Many of them assume a variegated pinkish tinge. These growths give the plant a most singular appearance. Plant in an open position. Any pruning required should be carried out in winter. Cut out the old flowering growths. This will encourage new growths, on which will be borne next season’s display of flowers.