IN THE GARDEN

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23043, 11 June 1940, Page 5

IN THE GARDEN

o WORK FOR THE WEEK (SPECIALIST WRITTEN FOR THE PRESS.) [By W. J. HUMM.I ANSWER.TO CORRESPONDENT Gladiolus.—lt will be right to plant the bulbs and let them develop without disbudding. Many premier blooms have been obtained from this type of bulb. Do not retain the bulbs after three or four years. T ° VEGETABLES The most important work at present I in the vegetable garden is preparing for next season's crops. Make sure that the soil is given a thorough preparation. If manuring is done with farmyard manure be sure and place it well down. Where crops such as " beet, parsnips, or carrots are grown placing the manure too near the surface will cause them to develop side roots, which are not desired. Great ~ care should be exercised to apply • manure evenly. Too often manures = are applied in a haphazard manner, with the result that more harm than = good is done. Too much manure is ’ injurious to both soil and plants. No manure can do its work unless the = soil is frequently cultivated and kept “ free from weeds. The more the surJ face soil is stirred and aerated the bet- “ ter the crops will respond to the - manure. Manures cannot take the - place of cultivation. It is quite possible to grow good crops without ap- - plying artificial manure, but it is not - possible to produce good crops -with--1 out cultivation. The more the soil is 2 cultivated the more productive it will 2 be. To get the best out of the soil 3 do not overlook the value of crop :. rotation. 3 Where the soil is well drained plant s cabbage and cauliflowers, broad beans, and early peas. Lift and store root r crops with the exception of parsnips . and artichokes. Plant chives, rhubarb, thyme, sage, . point, and all herbs. Herbs do best » in a sunny position. They should not 3 be planted under trees. 1 Prepare beds for asparagus now, . but plant in spring, j Do not leave rubbish lying about the ground; it keeps the air and warmth from doing their work. , Dust a little carbonate of lime I round cabbage and cauliflower plants. GARDEN TOOLS Tools should always be wiped clean r and oiled after use. Rust is an enemy to steel and soon destroys its surface. No one can do satisfactory work with • dirty tools. If they get rusted, time I will be lost in getting them clean. It r takes much more energy to work n. 3 dirty tool than a clean one and the work is not well done. Lawnmowers I should be thoroughly cleaned and - sharpened during the slack season, and be put in working order before spring. All metal parts should be well oiled. FLOWERS Clean up beds and borders and be ; careful not to dig too deeply round any ! early flowering plant, • . Do not prune early flowering shrubs . now. Should any pruning be needed they are best pruned after their flowering is over. Buddleias, with the exception of Buddleia alternifolia, may be pruned now. Buddleia colvellei is better not pruned. Tamarix. with the exception of Tamarix plumisa. may be cut hard back now. Plumosa blooms in spring: if pruned now the flower effect would be lost. Pyrus Malus Parkmanii, Sir Heaton Rhodes, and Coronaria are three of the finest flowering apples in cultivation. These should be more freely planted. Plant all classes of roses. June . planted roses always give good results. Spartium Junceun is one of the best flowering shrubs for a dry, windy position. Rose pruning may now be undertaken. Do not prune Yellow Banksia. Qopper Austrian. Persian Yellow, or any of the rose species now. If any pruning is needed do it after the flowering period is over. Burn all prunings and rose foliage; they may contain blight. After pruning spray roses with lime-sulphur, using it at one part to 12 parts of water. Pauls Claret climber is one of the most satisfactory climbing roses of its colour ever introduced. It flowers most freely, is a good grower, and the foliage hangs on well into the winter. Chaplin’s pink climber is also a worthy climbing rose. Any lilies required should be planted as soon as possible. The stem-rooting kinds should be planted deeply. Box makes a splendid edging. These may be planted now. It takes 100 plants to lay 20 feet. FRUIT Now is the time to give the orchard a thorough overhaul. All trees which are past their usefulness should be removed. It is impossible to keep young trees clean if there are a few old worn-out trees in the orchard. Each tree should be kept healthy and clean or it cannot produce to its fullest. When a tree is not thriving or fruiting to satisfaction, there is always a cause. Remember that each variety of fruit tree has different characteristics; some are# productive when quite young, while others delay their fruiting period until they are many years old. Some kinds of apples. English plums, and many kinds of pears, often do this. Badly drained soil or planting. too deeply often causes trees to be fruitless. For every effect there is a cause and before destroying a' tree which is not productive.'"find out what caused it to be so. Quite often fruit trees are pruned far too heavily, and instead of producing fruit can only produce wood growth. One who prunes a tree should know exactly what effect the pruning will have. If he has not this knowledge the tree i may be harmed. Unless one can do more for the tree than the tree can , do for itself, the tree should be left unpruned. Each variety requires different treatment. Watch carefully each tree’s fruiting system, for this is the chief guide in the art of pruning. Pruning can only be learnt by experience. He who prunes all trees alike knows nothing of the art of prun- ■ ing and should not be permitted to undertake the work. Prune .apples, pears, and plums now. Plant all classes of fruit trees, including walnut, hazel, and filbert nuts. Fruit trees require from 12 to 15 feet spacipg for their development. Always plant gooseberries in a well- - drained, sunny position. Black currants ‘ and raspberries will grow in the damp position of the garden, but they must 1 be given good under-drainage. - ] Plant strawberries and loganberries. ! Nectarine Goldmine is the most prolific and reliable of all nectarines. 1 SHRUBS 5 Erica Darleyensis is at present in | full bloom and will remain so for many weeks. This dainty little low-grow- , ing heath should be better known. It ‘ is free flowering, good-natured, and will endure hard frosts without harm. I The flowers are small and the colour . bright purplish pink. The flowers clothe the plant from top to bottom. It does best when planted in full sun.