GARDEN NOTES POTATO AND TOMATO CLOSELY RELATED

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28179, 18 January 1957, Page 7

GARDEN NOTES POTATO AND TOMATO CLOSELY RELATED

[Specially written for "The Press’} [By T. D. LENNIE, N.Z.)

Friday, January 18, 1957. It is not widely known how closely related are the potato and tomato plants. This was made clear to me this week when I received three specimen packets with requests for explanation. ■ The packets contained small round objects like green tomatoes and came from potato plants. Every plant produces seed, for by this means, propagation and distribution of the species is possible. It is by means of the seeds in each little fruit that new potato varieties can be produced. The potato is Solanum- tube rosum, and the tomato is S. esculentam. Potato seed is common in a good growing season, therefore the presence of numerous seed clusters this summer may be taken as an indication of a good crop to follow. The structure of these pods and small green tomatoes is very similar, as will be noticed by cutting through each, to disclose the embryo seeds embed- \ ded in the green flesh. The point can be further shown by examining another Solanum, native to blew Zealand, and common around Governor’s Bay. This is the Maori poro-poro, or Bulli-bulli, as it was commonly known to the pioneers. This grows 3 to 4ft high and has quite attractive blue flowers. Therefore, if you notice these clusters of green “plums” on your pototoes, don’t worry—it is a good sign. VEGETABLE GARDEN The welfare of tomato plants is now very important; as major fruiting is imminent. Provided they are well secured to stakes, nipping out small side shoots will be easy, for this should be done regularly. Syringing or brushing the open flower cluster with Fulset fluid helps set the fruit. If the leaves curl badly or show dark spots, spray with bordeaux. A good watering once a week will also be helpful.

Runner beans also call for attention. They should now be well up the supports and can be syringed also with the fullset to help bean setting. Growing cabbage and cauliflower should be protected from moth grubs by dusting Derris or spraying arsenate. It is vital to do so while the young centre leaves are turning in.

Room must now be found for planting winter greens—Savoy, sprouts, kale, cabbage, lettuce, leeks, and celery. Supplies of all these are too important to neglect or omit, and the sooner they are planted now the better. When planting brussels sprouts,’ do not crowd the plants. They are lusty growers and should be about two and a half feet apart each way. Manure or compost should be dug into the soil for all winter greens. Do some thinning of rampant shoots of marrows and pumpkins. One fruit to a shoot is about the limit. The end of that shoot should be cut off two leaves past the fruit. Hand fertilise the flowers showing a fruit at its base with pollen taken from a male flower. Very often the two sorts do not appear together. Seeds to sow now would include lettuce, radish, turnip, silver beet, early carrot and globe beet. Make a sowing of peas, Eng-i lish Wonder Massey, Earlicrop or Blue Bantam. Spray Bordeaux on potatoes showing dark patches on leaves. It may be Irish blight. FLOWER GARDEN Absence from home over the holidays will now reveal weeds in plenty with much overgrown foliage, calling for a good clean up, in the interests of more youthful plants. The indispensable dahlia, gladiolus and perennial phlox are our summer glories and these plants should be shepherded and given every chance to flaunt their beauty for mass effect.

Plantings can be done where space permits. Pink or large ruffled petunias. antirrhinums, cinerarias. portulaca. asters, stocks, marigolds, and zinnias are all suitable.

Many hardy annuals can be sown broadcast on the borders to flower into winter and so can that important section, perennials. The garden cannot do without a good leaven of them. Mention of Iceland poppy, polyanthus, pansy, delphinium, hollyhock, rudbeckia. geum, and carnation will indicate possibilities. All of them can be sown in good, prepared positions out of doors. Look out for wind ijamqge on tall growing plants like brichaelmas daisy, rudbeckia, heleniums, hollyhock and phlox. Lilies and gladiolus should also be staked. Layering of carnations can be started. Clear away all old flowering stems and choose for layering good healthy shoots of this season’s growth. Plenty of good compost soil and a sharp knife are required, with wire pegs to hold down the shoot.

Where the water supply permits, put the sprinkler 'on the lawn at least once a week. The

lawn can easily be cleared of weeds by spraying on a hormone solution. This acts best in hot weather and will effectively clean up all broad-leaved weeds.

Grass grubs also wil soon be causing bare brown patches on the lawn, due to the roots being eaten off. Control of theses rapacious grubs will be obtained by watering in arsenate of lead. The liquid must be applied in quantity to wet to a depth of three to four inches. Three gallons to the square yard is not too much to allow.

Colour in hydrangeas is very variable, pink varieties are “blued” where the soil is damp or shaded with a strong iron soil, such as is provided on the south or western side of the house. Out in the open border pink or red shades can be intensified by heavy liming. On the other hand these plants will take on mauve or purple shadings if dressed with sulphate of iron during the flowering season. FRUIT GARDEN Woolly aphis will be showing on cut ends on some apple trees and will spread quickly if not treated. A short stiff brush dipped in red oil can be used forcibly to good effect as a spray may not get past their woolly natural covering. Some kinds of apples are immune, but Cox’s Orange, Wolseley, and Jonathan are good hosts to the aphis. Watch for signs of silvered leaves on stone fruit and brown 1 patches of leaves on apple and pear. These signs betoken silver and fire blights respectively, and both are deadly diseases, which should be controlled by early cutting out of the infected limbs.

Trees carrying good crops should be watered copiously once a week. Failure to do this may result in the fruit dropping prematurely. A mild pruning of currant and gooseberry bushes can be done. On these, growths can get very dense i and it will do no harm to remove some shoots to let daylight to those left. Grape thinning should be done, and here again it is wise to cut out laterals not carrying a bunch. There will be many such on the vine branches. CODLIN GRUB IN APPLES It is pitiful to see quantities of rosy cheeked apples now lying on the ground when the loss could so easily be prevented. The grub enters the little fruit during October and November, and spraying with arsenate of lead then would destroy them and prevent their entrance through the open eye of the fruitlet. Once the eye segments close spraying loses most ot its efficiency. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS M.G.E., Rangiora.—Your seedling looks like an acacia wattle, of no great value except for farm planting. G.E.S., Fendalton.—lt is quite wrong to discard ashes from a fire when vegetable matter is burned. It should be mixed into the compost heap or thrown around under fruit trees, around tomato plants, or any crop excepting potatoes, on the skins of which it has a scab effect. Cartons and waste brown paper can be put direct into compost.