GARDEN NOTES

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25796, 6 May 1949, Page 3

GARDEN NOTES

»■■■ (Specially Written for “The Press.”) IBy T. D. LENNIE, A.H.R.1.H., N.Z.I FLOWER GARDEN The handling of most border perennials can now be done. This'work is suggested because most are dormant now. They have an attractive habit of keeping up their form for many years with little attention, but they cannot be expected to maintain worthwhile perfection indefinitely. The larger the clump the less attractive will their flowers be, and therefore division and replacing the used soil with something better should be done every third year at least. Ox-eye daisy. Oriental poppy, paeonies, rudbeckia, perennial phlox, michaelmas daisy, flag iris, are some that will be improved by space reduction or division. It will enable compost, or farm manure to be dug in before replanting or round the clumps retained. Or as an alternative dig out ; the centre of the bigger clumps and fill lin 3 j space with manured soil. Paeonies 1 and delphiniums are easy to divide ac- , cording to the number of visible eye I crowns.

Should any alterations to paths or stone edgings be necessary, now is a good time to set about the work. This may entail disturbing edging plants, but these can be replaced or • broken up without danger. Indeed it may be an improvement to rearrange plants on narrow borders to ensure a better distribution in colour and height. The sowing of new lawns should be completed, as germination should be ensured while the good weather lasts. One pleasant job that calls for attention now is the planting of lilies. These are of undoubted value for summer display in the garden and unequalled for grace and beauty as a cut flower. They can be had in flower from mid-Novem-bcr to Easter, and do not need particular care if treated as hardy bulbs. Deep planting is advisable, six to nine inches, with bulbs laid on a sand bed to ensure drainage. A good‘black soil is best and over exposure to hot sunshine is not wise, so that a shaded position suits the lily best. As to varieties, the best garden sorts are numerous enough to give both colour and grace over the period without touch- . ing such difficult “doers” as auratum and its relatives.

The Elegans section open first in November, followed in December by candidum, testaceum. and pryenaiaurn. With the New Year there are those two useful sorts, regale and longiflorum. January is the lily month, for these two are followed by the scarlet Turks cap lily, chalcedonicum, the panther lily, pardalinum, hansoni, henyri, martagon, Tigrinum, single and double forms, and marhan. To end the chain are the lovely speciosum types in white and pink. Any garden growing most of these has the basis of a fine collection. Spring flowering bulbs can still be planted, especially anemones, ranunculus, narcissus. tulips, hyacinths, Dutch and English iris and snowdrops. Many of these can be potted or boxed for flowering under glass, but should be grown outside till midwinter.

Gladiolus can be lifted for storing. These easy doing corms are best lifted each autumn, otherwise there is danger of reversion or the spread of rust spot disease. After lifting remove top growtn and outer husk skins. The presence of rusty spots will reveal the disease and badly affected corms should be discarded. It is wise to soak the bulbs in either a Bordeaux or aretan bath to control the disease. They should then be stored in shallow boxes under cover to dry off. Chrysanthemums in pots should now be under cover. VEGETABLE GARDEN Composting should be a worth-while job just now, for plenty of vegetable matter is available. Fallen leaves will also contribute to the valuable plant food thus obtainable. Lawn clippings- and small leaves quickly heat up and forfh an attractive bed for fly eggs, but this can be prevented by a two-inch covering of soil. It should not be forgotten that the addition of some form of organic manure is necessary for bacterial action, and this manure should be added in layers throughout the building of the heap. Early sown mustard or barley can be dug in. with the addition of a good coating of lime. Lupins can be left until the flowering stage is reached, as with these % the formation of nitrogen nodules on the' roots makes the delay worth while. All potatoes should now be lifted and stored. These and other vacant patches can be sown in barley or mustard or heavily limed and dug for frost action. Lower leaves of cabbage and Brussels sprouts can be removed. This will help spraying with nicotine sulphate should aphis be present on them. Fork over between rows to keep the surface loose and friable.

Sow broad beans and early peas, silver beet, spinach, lettuce, parsley, and early cabbage. It is not advisable to lift and store roots of beet, carrot, or parsnips just yet. They are better used fresh from the ground. FRUIT GARDEN Renovate the raspberry bed by cutting out all last season’s fruiting canes right down to the ground. It will probably be found that clusters of brown scales are on the base of these canes. The small surrounds should also be pulled up. leaving six to eight of the best new season’s canes and shortening these to about 4ft. Then manure the crowns solidly for the winter and spray with lime sulphur when doing the stone fruits. All kinds of apples and pears may now be gathered and boxed for storage. THE IRIS i » The variety and beauty of the genus ins is: scarcely appreciated, and I often wonder why. From pigmy six-inch sorts to 4ft giant Kaempferi and spurias the. range is remarkable and the colour range gorgeous and beautiful Probably one reason for their comparative want of popularity is their unsuitability for market growing, the flowers being so fragile. This does not deter the enthusiast, however. and the bearded iris section is grown in mass by many There is even an iris society with a New Zealand and Australian organisation, and perusal of their year book sent me shows clearly how up to date members are in variety and the keenness which goes with the successful growing of beautiful and beloved flowers.