GARDEN NOTES

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25270, 23 August 1947, Page 3

GARDEN NOTES

(Specially Written for “The Press.”) [By T. D. LENNIE, F.1.H., N.Z.] FLOWER GARDEN Progress in visible growth over the last week has been very noticeable, bidding gardeners get on with the jobs that belong to spring, even if many urgent winter ones have been either neglected or forgotten. The weather has been propitious over the winter, with the result that the soil, in most districts, is in that friable condition conducive to good work. The opening buds of prunus and almond emphasise the beauty of these trees for the street line effect, and these and other similar flowering fruits can still be planted for future effect. Prunus Pissardi, white, is about the first to show its snowy festoons. It is followed by those three lovely pink beauties—Prunus Mume (the double deep pink Japanese apricot), Amydalus Polhardi (single pink almond), and the spectacular Prunus Moseri (taller, double soft pink). There are other good sorts, but this quartette is worth inclusion in any selection. Sprays from these lovely subjects should be freely cut—not broken off—as a help in shaping the tree, for the proper timje to prune them >is just after flowering time. Flowering apples to flower next month are worthwhile in the same sense. They contribute not only mass displays in tints from white to deep cerise, but in the summer heavy crops of edible, showy fruits. Ihe variety Gorgeous is notable for its massive display of rich, red apples, from v.’hich the best of jelly is made. A third section for present planting is the bytisus or broom. Great advance has been made in the colouring of these fine border shrubs. All colours from white, cream, yellow to pink and red shades will be found in their list of colourings.

Border perennials can be dealt with by i emoving and replanting. Many, such as paeonies, phlox, delphinium, Michaelmas, kniphofia, rudbeckia, flag iris, shasta daisy can be divided if clumps have grown large. Division can be done with the spade or sharp knife, aided by the hand fork to prise the divisions apart. Better results will be got from the parts lhan from the old clumps. Many hardy flower seeds can be sown outside in fairly warm, free soil, such as in the rose border. Most of them need little soil covering as the seeds will soon fall in between earth particles. The soil around carnations should be surface stirred, firming in or covering the roots if at all loose after frosts. Sweet peas can be sown. Plants raised :n autumn will be reaching up—support them with twiggy growths. The rockery may need some attention—filling up blanks or trimming spreading plants. Rose pruning should be completed. If fairly extensive, have the wheelbarrow band y j° receive prunings as removed. If allowed to fall, their thorns can be very nasty later. Climbing plants should also have attention. L they are not reduced by removing much of last season’s spent growths, the plants will become a tangle next summer.

VEGETABLE GARDEN With assurance, seed sowing can be developed. Begin with the essential things —peas, onions, carrots, parsnips, red and "flyer beet, parsley, lettuce, cabbage, and radish. Most of these can be sown in parallel lines to present a tidy workmanlike appearance varying in width to suit their relative heights. Do not sow small seeds too thickly—a pinch will sow a yard long or more. Peas are best in a 4-inch wide row. If applying a dry manure, get tnis into the ground two or three inches below the seed row. The roots will get the nutriment later. In onions, Brown Spanish and Pukekohe types are best, leaving Rocca and Ailsa Craig for autumn sowing. Where materials for making a hotbed exist, this can be set up in readiness for sowing tomato, cucumber and marrow, or if, better still, greenhouse facilities are available, these and many' half-hardy flower seeds can be raised there. Plant out lettuce, onion, and cabbage plants. Rhubarb, asparagus. shallots, and chives should also be added. A couple of roots of the former planted in the floor of the greenhouse will give some welcome early sticks. There should oe strong calls on the compost heap now as this material should be freely dug into the vegetable plots or used under the fruit trees by forking in. In most cases it will be found too weedy for covering the asparagus bed, and a dry manure, super or bonemeal, is preferable. FRUIT GARDEN No time should be lost in pushing on with spraying, as while fully dormant emulsions can still be applied with consequent benefit, the pulse of spring will soon necessitate reduced strength in mixing the oil and lime sulphur sprays. Pruning, particularly roses and stone fruits, should be pushed on. Precautions to be taken when pruning include gathering up for burning all the cut offs and painting all sizeable cut ends with tar or paint to prevent infection of r^. pores of da n&erous fungoid diseases. « l . Th€^ ground und er all the trees should then be forked over to bury fallen leaves and mummy fruits. Apples cased in store will need looking over for decaying fruits, which soon contaminate others.

Plant fruit trees and bushes. Thoroughly work up a good area for each, mixing in compost or animal manure freely Do not omit the vine from the necessary winter programme—pruning and spraying with lime sulohur. On old vines most of the stringy bark should be peeled off for scale will probably be found there