GARDEN NOTES

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25276, 30 August 1947, Page 7

GARDEN NOTES

(Specially Written for “The Press.”) [By T. D. LENNIE, F.1.H., N.Z.] ' FLOWER GARDEN It is reasonable now to entertain the idea of pushing on with spring work, for spring weather has certainly come to us with the opening of the month of that season. There is still doubtless some winter attention required to unfinished jobs, but nature has its own way oi finishing the delinquent. Planting of roses should be completed. Ornamental shrubs and trees can be planted for a month yet, but the sooner these afe in now the better, especially deciduous subjects. Evergreens can stand shifting over a long period. With them growth is never quite dormant and thev seem to hold greater tenacity of life. This applies to rhododendrons, camellias, arbutus, citrus, euonymous, aucubas. These all make masses of short fibrous roots to hold the mass together. Plant hydrangeas, coloured broom, boronias and any of the other special things. Bedding plants can be put out after the position for them has been duly worked and manured. If early flowering, December or January, is desired, plant nemesia, 10 weeks stock and Livingstone daisy, to be followed by antirrhinum, Iceland poppy, carnations. Hardy flower seeds can be sown outside. Choose a fairly warm position and a moist-free soil. Plant border perennials, phloxes, carnations, delphiniums, poker plant, rudbeckias, Michaelmas, etc. These should bulk largely in all good gardens. Gladiolus can be planted. For mass effect plant three or five corms together in the clump. Azalea mollis are ideal for border display in front of larger shrubs. Best types are the Indica or evergreen *(really miniature rhododendrons) and the mollis or deciduous section which give a glorious display from yellow to. flame. Examine clumps of iris stylosa and poker plant for slugs at the base of the leaves. These plants are favourite breeding places. After hand picking, dust lime freely through the crowns. Chrysanthemum clumps can be broken up for replanting. This applies also to phlox and Michaelmas daisy. Lawn-making is now in order. Careful preliminary work is all-important. Therefore much time should be put in raking and treading to ensure a satisfactory level. When sowing the seed cover the area with two thirds of the seed, then go back over the ground with the balance reinforcing the barer places. This will ensure a more evert germination. Before the final raking to loosen the surface, apply super or garden manure at up to four ounces to the square yard. VEGETABLE GARDEN Most early vegetables can now be sown. Where the ground was dug over in winter and limed, it should now be in good heart. This would also apply to any area where a green crop had been grown and dug in. In both cases the nitrogen supply should be sufficient, leaving the main want —phosphate—to be supplied by a dressing of super under the seed row when sowing. Put this fertiliser down two to five inches according to the crop sown. Summer spinach, radish, Milan or Snowball turnip and parsley can be sown Make the first sowing of peas an early dwarf such as Blue Bantam, Massey, or Kelvedon Wonder, Earlycrop or Wm. Hurst. Greenfeast will do for the second ‘sowing. Plant rhubarb and asparagus. Plenty of manure or compast should be dug in for these. Plant early cabbage, lettuce, chives, shallots and onion plants. These are all very useful. Early potatoes can be planted. Doubtless some readers have their seed well sprouted and get off to a good start. The only danger is from late frosts in October and November, but earthing up early on anticipation, should nullify possible damage. Varieties to plant will include popular first parlies, Epicure. Cliff's Kidney, Doon Early, Jersey Bennes, Catriona, and Arran Banner. *

Lightly fork or rake the asparagus bed to loosen the surface, applying a dressing of garden manure at 4 ounces to the square yard. It is too early yet to apply salt. Areas reserved for late planting crops should not be left idle. Compost or manure can be dug in with much future benefit, especially if the material is well dispersed. FRUIT GARDEN Finish pruning operations, particularly stone fruits, for budding out will soon be evident. With these it is advisable 'to paint the cut ends with a tree salve. Spraying should also be completed. Neglect to do this necessary winter job may mean the loss of a valuable crop later, through disease. Fruit trees can be planted. Where these have been lifted by the nurseryman in early winter, they can be replanted well into September. Logan, Boysen and Raspberries can be planted. All old cane shoots on these should be cut out right down to the ground. Grafting scions onto older trees can be done. It is a useful way of adding to or introducing another variety. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS Dyer’s Pass Road, Cashmere.—Your experience with carrots and parsnips developing a soft rot on the -tops of the root is not uncommon, but the presence of Mny white insects on the decayed parts is not responsible for the disease. These little worms are there because of the attractions of decaying matter on which they live. The cause of the rot is a bacterial one, and as it will persist in the soil over a season, a change of ground and seed should be made after an attack. Growing on low lying land where the roots are over wet induces decay at the root tops, or too free use of nitrate or other nitrogenous manures is a predominant cause. Therefore choose a new position this season and use superphosphate as a basic manure. Your free use of fowl manure is doubtless the cause, as this material is too strong in nitrogen, which, while forcing growth detracts from the building of strong resistant vitality. Home Gardener, Papanui.—(l). This reader has a similar trouble respecting onions, which after being successfully harvested and stored developed a rot making more than half the crop useless. This is due to a batrytis disease which develops in late autumn, therefore all infected matter should be burned, and a change of soil used for a following crop. Spraying Onions in late spring Bordeaux is strongly advised. (2.) Your non success in growing broccoli is undoubtedly due to unsuitable soil, and should be dropped until better conditions obtain. Continue your annual winter liming to sweeten the soil and' balance up its over-supply of nitrogen by using superphosphate and the ashes from the garden fire. Some of the comments to the previous reader may interest you. Your letter, picked up in Victoria Street, was left at the office by the finder.