Dahlia Displays Can Be Prolonged By Careful Tending

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28825, 20 February 1959, Page 9

Dahlia Displays Can Be Prolonged By Careful Tending

With the garden now gay with dahlias, some attention is advisable to prolong the display. The plants will produce far too many buds, and these should be thinned, leaving only the terminal buds of the best-placed stems and removing side buds and weaker laterals.

Chrysanthemum’s growing outside in pots for flowering under cover should be well mulched with cow manure or strong compost. Hydrangeas are now at their best and are likely to be heavily drawn upon for next week’s Floral festival. Where these plants were well pruned last winter to thin out growths, the resulting flowers this season should be noticeably better. Where this treatment was neglected, the result will be a

mass of smaller heads, not nearly so effective. Layering of carnations should be completed. This is a comparatively sure way of propagating plants from worthwhile sorts. Carnations root fairly easily from cuttings. These should be selected shoots with a heel of the stem attached.

Cuttings of many garden plants will root freely in similar conditions, and even better if greenhouse facilities are available. There will be no trouble with geraniums or hydrangeas, but fuchsias, agathea, pentstemons, pansy or viola are better if given some shadp from hot sunshine. Spring Bulbs The season for planting springflowering bulbs is with us again, although it may be that space for these in the borders is, as yet, limited by the presence of good flowering plants. If this is the

case, planting can be deferred for a month or so as it would be a pity to spoil an attractive display at the present time. Where bulbs have been in the ground for three or four years it would be wise to lift them and give more room when replanting. This suggestion applies particularly to some edging bulbs like spiraxis, freezias and the blue grape hyacinths all of which multiply so freely. This is going to be a good year for seed saving; but some things such as poppy, perennial linaria and gladiolus should not be allowed free play in their seeding or your borders are likely to be invaded by a surplus next spring. Save the seed from choice, selected blooms and clear away the finished stems of others to prevent the mass dropping of seed which can cause a lot of future work if permitted to occur promiscuously. Leaf Rust on Hollyhocks

Watch hollyhocks for that disfiguring leaf rust. Pick off and burn all affected lower leaves. Ox-eye daisy, delphiniums, and phlox that have finished flowering can be cut down to the ground. As mildew may attack the two former, dust the crowns freely with sulphur powder. Carnations have about finished and old stems can be cut away and the plants left trim and tidy. Hardy annuals to brighten up the borders during the winter months may be sown now. Choose from such popular and reliable kinds as larkspur, rigella, viscaria, candytuft, linaria, calendula, mignonette and calliopsis. Gerberas The gerbera is a lovely garden plant and most attractive for cut -flowers. It is a South African plant, needing sun, heat and root rfioisture. A mulch of compost round the plant helps to ensure that these conditions are maintained. Do not stint watering with a light liquid manure or the application of blood and bone powder round the plants. Gerberas do best when they are not disturbed too often. GRASS GRUBS AND WEEDS A great deal of the success of any garden depends upon the gardener doing the right things at the right time, and this is particularly important in dealing with the various garden pests which have a set routine and regular life cycle. Summer time is breeding time, and therefore the right season in which to combat the enemies of plant and lawn by preventing their increase to uncontrollable proportions. Two of the worst disfigurers of our lawns—grass grub and broad-leaved weeds—are now at the stage when they can be dealt with most effectively. A good watering with arsenate of lead should be ’ given to the lawns. Apply sufficient to soak down for at least three inches below the surface of the soil, for it Is at that depth that the grass grub carries out his destructive work. Weeds which mar the smooth sward of the lawns are easier to deal with, as a hormone weed killer, 24D, kills them by contact. Summer time is the best for applying this treatment because the plants are thirsty and absorb the poison more readily. Answers To Correspondents... HAPUKA, Kaikoura: Regarding the rose infection, the remedy is quite simple. Cut off completely the affected branch, which should leave a healthy plant and not unduly affect its future shape It would appear as if something had happened to that particular branch because the leaves do not show effects of rust or mildew, but do indicate a want of chlorophyll. G.P., Timaru: Short of removing the fire ash deposits from your garden, the best course is to minimise its bad effects on plant growth by adulterating with organics—animal manure, compost, sawdust or green manunng This plan may take two or three years, but would be effective, for fire ash soil is poison fomost plants. Coal ash would find a place on the path, but not on the garden