Garden Notes SUB-TROPICAL FRUITS CAN GROW IN CHRISTCHURCH

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28552, 3 April 1958, Page 8

Garden Notes SUB-TROPICAL FRUITS CAN GROW IN CHRISTCHURCH

Thursday. April 3 There is sufficient evidence from borne gardeners in favoured localities around the city to make it clear that the variety of fruits can be appreciably extended. We are perhaps too modest with regard to our climatic possibilities for all parts of Banks Peninsula and the Cashmere Hills are sufficiently frost-free for the successful growth of several subtropical fruits that are highly priced in the shops. Let me mention just a few: black passionfnuL tree tomatoes. Chinese gooseberry, feijoas. figs and loquats. Of these, the passion vine and Chinese gooseberry are strong clunbers and need supports, strong and wide. In the North Island they are mostly grown on sft high strong-wired fences for easy picking. The others are all given ordinary fruit, tree cultivation, so that room for them is not a serious matter, and they greatly extend the possibility of tasty dishes and preserves. Another thing in their favour is their comparative freedom from disease. One might add the citrus family to the list, tor both orange and lemon are successfully grown on the hills as indeed they are in city areas as well. It is not suggested that these should supplant the stock fruits, pip or stone, but

L where conditions allow, some of - them could be added to the list -with advantage. FLOWER GARDEN s Conditions are now good for • lawn making, and should ensure 1 a good germination. Careful prej paration is all-important for a - good level seed-bed can only be -;made before the seed is sown, . as time spent in achieving this / will not be wasted. s Where small birds are a risk, it ’ is worth while red-leading the p seed. This is done by dampening | the seed first with kerosene, then ( adding the red lead mixing well r with a stick until the seed is well s tinted. It can then be sown and birds will leave it alone. Look round your geranium • plants for holes in the leaves. ‘ These will denote the presence of > voracious green looper grubs on s the undersides of leaves. These > grubs will be an inch or more ■Long, and one or two of them on . a plant can make it look very ■ patchy Go hunting for them regui larly or spray with arsenate of > lead at fortnightly intervals. It ! is not too late to get rid of weeds in the lawn by watering : on a hormone weed kjler. < Bulb planting time has arrived. Their association with spring . makes their inclusion in all : planting schemes a necessity. • while their beauty and variety makes them indispensible. There . are bulbs for all purposes, from I edgings to mass display while ’ any colour scheme can be obtained easily. t Hyacinths, narcissi and tulips f are the mainstays and can be largely planted. Anemones and ; ranuculi are unrivalled for a long display, and adapt themselves to most positions, while crocus, ixias. Dutch and English iris, i sparaxis, watsenias. freezias. etc. ; each have their special charm. Hyacinths are popular, almost ! aristocratic favourites. They are . charming when growing, lovely I for cutting for the house, deliciously scented and varied in colour. They, with narcissus, are the best subjects for growing in bowls *of fibre. This method of growing bulbs is not difficult. The bulbs should be just covered, watered reasonably from time to time and kept ip semi-darkness until an inch of growth is made. Though not strictly spring flowlenng. lilies are among the aristocrats of the garden and the early dowering types can now be I planted. This section includes the varieties Candfdum or Christmas lily, the St. Joseph's L. longifionun of snowy whiteness, the fiber and elegans Uhes also L regale. Davidi and paradalinum ;or the panther lily from the ■ United States. Success in growing lilies depends largely on posiJtion and soil Both should be shaded and cool for lilies are not suited to hot dry conditions. Some tidying up of the borders can be done by cutting oS spreading flaxy plants and finished growth on many bender perennials. Poker plants, Agapanthus. ox-eye daisy, perennial phlox come into this section. Many annuals, such as aster, larkspur and yellow foliage of gladiolus removed will make room. These spaces could be used for sowing annuals such as godetia. linaria. mignonette, candytuft and calendula for late winter flowertug • This is a good time to sow with the prospect cf having strong young plants to put out m spring for mass border display. : In this class would come quality pansy, polyanthus, primula, dianthus. antirhinum. Iceland poppy, hollyhock and Russell lupins. It is time something was done now if quality chrysanthemum blooms are to be expected later on. Disbudding must be done to bring this about Growth stems are crowned with clusters of small buds—one terminal, others close below. Rub out these low er buds, leaving only the top one. With only the top one to mature oo each stalk, a decent bloom with length of stem, will surely resuit The same holds good with the dahlia and the rose, as regards procedure. It will be advisable to thin out: the stems also on clumps for the fewer stems left the better will be the resultant crown bud. Plants coming into the flowering stage need extra feeding. W:’.h cnrysaninemums. manuring with fish maure or blood and cone spread around each clump, ar.d a spadeful of gwd compost or liquid manure watered in. will be effective. VEGETABLE GARDEN Sowing onions should again be stressed for only by autumn sow - ing can hard, well-ripened bulbs be obtained next summer. The medium-sized Spanish or Pukekohe type is the best for keeping, and for large bulbs giant rocca. Ailsa Craig or Californian red have a special appeal Spring sown onions are more a supplementary crop. The present onion crop should now be under cover, either hung m strings or spread thinly or. the floor. Thick-necked or damaged ones should be used first. Dust cabbage with derris. The small inner leaves need special attention. Arsenate of lead sprayed on will give even better protection, as the liquid will trickle down the midrib towards the heart and stalk Winter greens are Likely to be.l

■infested with colonies of grey aphis, rapidly breeding and expanding. This calls for quick action by spraying nicotine sulphate or kattakiUa. These are contact insecticides, but as these aphis are hard to get at another graying in two or three weeks should be done. As a control tor grubs eating boles in the leaves, dusting with D.D.T. would be effective. Tomatoes should be gone over to remove side growths pushing out Concentrate on ripening formed fruits by liquid manurMost of the foliage on asparagus can be cut and burned, especially to prevent seeds falling on the bed. As vacant patches occur in the garden, sow- < either broadcast or in rows) barley, oats, lupins, or mustard. This practice is of undoubted value for green manuring Marrow and pumpkin of good size should be cut and taken into store. Seeds of early cabbage and cauliflower, lettuce, silver beet, spinach, and parsley can be sown. FRUIT GARDEN I Gather fallen apples. It will generally be found that these are spoilt by codlin. Leaving them on the ground is bad. for the grubs soon emerge and go into hiding, often in bark cracks on the trees That is where the value of treebanding with greased or oiled ■paper becomes useful, as many of these grubs are caught Unless required for market keeping apples and pears should be left on the trees. Such sorts as Wolseley, Jonathan. Delicious. I Ballarat and Rome Beauty, are not yet at the full, while Stunners will improve for another month at least Attention can be given raspberry beds by cutting out all the older canes that have fruited, and all small ones except the six to 10 to be left for next season. Strawberries can be planted. Beds should be about 4ft wide allowing for two rows of plants at 13 inches apart Have it out m the open where the plants will get full sun. but must have plenty of manure dug into the soil The presence of woolly aphis on apple twigs and branches must be emphasised, for they breed and spread rapidly. The best control is painting forcibly, the little colonies with a small brush dipped in any good insecticide. ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT -Twitch." Ashburton—(l) Regardmg the control of twitch grass spreading in from the boundary: t spraying with TC A. would be effective where there is much growth and that will be your problem, as isolated plants' or clumps inside can be either sprayed or forked out. The poison liquid acts by absorption so that the spray must be applied to the foliage. *2l Although a Bordeaux or lime sulphur spray on peach tree would still be advisable, you must begin leaf curl control in winter when life is dormant and follow through till summer. This advice will be given regularly in these notes when the time comes.