IN THE GARDEN

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23085, 30 July 1940, Page 2

IN THE GARDEN

WORK FOR THE WEEK (specially written fob the press.) [By W. J. HUMM.I THE GLASSHOUSE At present many plants need attention Plants that are flowering need liquid manure to keep them up to their work. When the weather is unsuitable for work to be done outside, give the plants growing under glass a good clean up. Clean down the benches and spray the walls. This will keep the house sanitary and keep slugs and insect pests away. Scrub all dirty pots, as any moss or dirt on them will prevent the free passage of air which the roots require before they can function properly. Give all fast-growing plants more room for their development. Crowding plants is the surest way to make them unhealthy. Each leaf must have light and air before it can function properly. Pelargonium, geraniums and schizanthus are air and light lovers. Turn the plants frequently. This will give balanced growth and keep them stocky. Pelargonium, geraniums, fuchsias, and many other types of plants require to be potted on several times during their growing period. When doing this do not make the mistake of using pots too large for the first potting. An over-potted plant never gives satisfaction; growth is sappy and spindly and will not ripen sufficiently to produce good flowers. For slow growing subjects a safe rule to adopt is to place the plant in a pot one size larger than the one it occupied before. After potting it is not wise to give the house ventilation until root action has begun. Watering must be done with judgment. I An overdose will be most harmful; it will lower the soil temperature and therefore retard root action. After the plants have settled down stir the surface soil frequently. Air must be present in the soil before the roots can use their food. In heated houses and frames sow for summer effects verbena, petunias, antirrhinums, stocks, marguerite carnation, nemesia, phlox, salvia bonfire, and Iceland poppies. It is too early to sow French and African marigolds, tagetes, and zinnias. These plants are very frost tender. The first week in September will be soon enough to sow these. £ow primula obconica and psineusis, tuberous begonias, streplocarpus. Soil for these should not contain manure of any kind. Use one part loam, one part leaf-mould, and one part sharp sand. Pass the mixture through a quarter-inch sieve. The seeds do best when sown in shallow receptacles—two and a half inches of soil is sufficient. Prepare the receptacles a day before sowing, water them, and allow the soil to warm up before sowing. Sow the seeds thinly. Many small seeds fail to germinate simply because they have been sown too deeply. Place a pane of glass over the receptacles. The best time to pot ferns is when growth starts in spring. When dealing with maidenhair ferns that have got too large for their receptacles puß the plants ap&rt: do not cut them. Ferns do best when their roots are firm. Over-potting is a mistake, ferns do best in a free, gritty soil containing loam, leaf-mould, and fine coke breeze. Hydrangeas growing as pot plants will need potting on. When preparing the soil for these do not use lime in the soil for the blue flowered kinds but the colour of the reds and pink are improved by it. Astilbies for making a display at Christmas should be potted now and stood under the benches until growth starts; no lime for these. Fuchsias growing in frost-free houses may now be cut back, and when growth starts, not before, they may be knocked out of the pots they are in, reduce the root growth and repot them in pots a size smaller than the ones they are in at present.- As growth proceeds they can be potted on as required. Sow tomato plants in gentle heat. These should be ready for planting out in about eight weeks’ time. VEGETABLES The work in this department is subject to the weather and soil conditions. On no account put seeds or plants into soil that is wet and cold. Only where the soil is warm can work proceed. In such ground cabbage, cauliflower and lettuce may be planted out. Where the soil is workable hoe through all growing crops. 'Procure sets of potatoes for next season’s crop. Government certified ones give best results. It is false economy procuring inferior seed. Place these in shallow trays to sprout, in a well lighted place where they will not be injured by frost. Peas and broad beans may be sown in warm land. Plant chives, thyme,' sage, mint and other herbs. Both winter and summer rhubarb can be planted. , FRUIT All kinds of fruit trees can be planted with safety for many weeks yet. But the sooner raspberries, gooseberries, Worcesterberries and loganberries are planted the better. Complete the pruning of apples, pears and plums. Peaches, nectarines and apricots may be left unpruned for some time yet where late frosts are experienced. The Chinese gooseberry is quite an unusual fruit and is well worth growing. Besides having value as a fruitproducing plant, it makes quite a handsome shrubbery plant. It loses its foliage during winter, but during the rest of the year is clothed with handsome dark green leaves, much after those of the Japanese glory vine. The plants have a habit of growth similar to the wistaria. The Chinese gooseberry is in no way related to the gooseberry, but it. merely takes the name of that fruit which it'resembles both in size and flavour; but the colour is a bronze hue. These plants should always be planted in pairs as they are disecious, that is the male and female flowers are borne on separate plants, and one has to pollinate the other before they will fruit. FLOWERS Plant all classes of ornamental flowering shrubs and trees. Rose pruning should be done without delay. Burn all prunings. they may contain blight, fter pruning is complete, dust carbonate of lime at the rate of Boz to the square yard and dig. it in. Do not transplant such things as fuchsias, cannas, and dahlias yet. These do best when planted at the end of September after the soil has warmed up. Prunus persica splendens is one of the brightest flowering trees in cultivation. It should be given an open position where it can get all the sun possible. The branches are clothed each spring with a multitude of glowing double cerise flowers. These when cut in bud form last well as cut flowers. It is a lime lover. . SHRUBS Few conifers will give such distinction to a garden as Libocedrus Donniana. This plant is a native of New Zealand and is perfectly hard, and should be better known. It is suitable for planting in large or small gardens. It looks best when given an isolated position, where it can develop its unique form without interruption. It makes but slow growth at first, but eventually develops into a tall, tapering, symmetrical tree unequalled in form by any other conifer. Where the garden is of formal design this plant may be fitted in with telling effect. Prunus mume, the Japanese apricot, is well worth planters’ attention. No plants flowering at the present time are as effective as these. The singleflowered kind known as the Geisha is at present making a very bright display. Its bright rose coloured single flowers clothe each branch. It does best when given an open, sunny position, where lime is abundant in the soil. If given a position where it can develop without competition from large trees will not require £ny pruning.