Gardeners’ Queries

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31112, 15 July 1966, Page 6

Gardeners’ Queries

I have an apple tree — Peasgood Nonesuch—which has for the last few years made very little new wood. I have been advised to re. move all the fruiting spurs this year to rectify this. Is there a less drastic method of encouraging growth?— G.H. (Papanui). There is quite likely a good reason for the lack of vigour displayed by your tree. Very often severe infestations of scale insects will greatly re. strict growth, or it could be that the soil has become -impov. erished and the tree no longer gels sufficient nutrients. It is rather difficult to give explicit instructions as to the best thing to do without seeing the tree but I would suggest an application of four to six pounds of a complete fertiliser (depending on age and size of tree) applied

before bud movement in spring spread out to the full overhead limb extensions of the , tree. Prune hard back to force growth, particularly from the leaders. Thin and shorten the fruit spurs but there should not be any need to remove them all. Apply* winter oil a* soon as you I have finished pruning. I I have been told that lime can be used to eradicate moss from lawns. Is this fact or fallacy and if the latter what should one use as I have quite a problem with it?—A.B. (Christchurch). Lime will not affect moss and can have a deleterious effect on th® lawn as it will encourage the growth of atrong grasses. A simple remedy consists of a mixture of 4 parts sulphate, of ammonia and 1 part sulphate of ( iron applied in spring at the 1 rate of an ounce a square yard. My geraniums have uninvited guests bothering their leaves as enclosed. Is this because they lack something? Apart from thio they look healthy and have bloomed throughout this year. A tittle blood and bone, wood ash, diluted urine, and some waste water Is given them as wo depend I solely on rain water which can be short in the dry season.—*‘M" (Omihi). ■ The trouble affecting your , geraniums is rust, a fungus disease to which these plants are . fairly susceptible. Pick off and • burn all infected leaves and ■ then spray with colloidal sul- ‘ phur at the rate of ioi of 70 I per cent active ingredient! per ; 2 gallons of water. Could you offer some ex. planation why common salt is not used more often than it is as a weedkiller? It is cheap to buy and we use it frequently to burn up small weeds, etc., growing around the house, especially on the paths.—E.H. (Christchurch). There is no real reason to preclude the use of salt as a herbicide for which purpose I believe it was once used extenj sively before the advent of the more potent materials of today. Although relatively cheap and easy to use, it can damage toil structure in heavy soils and on light soils it is readily dispersed and can act as a plant stimulant in a dilute state. I have saved the seed from various outstanding apples, plums and peaches with the intention of starting them into growth this year. Do you think that this is a feasible way of perpetuating goad fruit?— •‘Fruit Query” (Christchurch). I would not say that this i« a recommendable way of perpetuating good fruit but it could be the equivalent of winning a major, lottery prizi. Fruit grown from seed may turn out to be good, or bad, or different from the original because i of erosa pollination. Many out. i standing new varieties have i

been derived from chance seedlings, such as Splendour (Seedling 77) as a result of cross pollination Peaches and plums seed or stones are however more likely to produce trees truer to type than an apple will. Perpetuation of these fruits is best achieved by budding or grafting the variety on to an existing rootstock or tree. I am attempting to grow about a dozen 20ft long rows of strawberries on polythene but am experiencing some difficulty in laying It out properly. I remember visiting the College one or two years ago for a field day during which a demonstration was given of laying it. I do not recall how it was done but I do remember that It was tightly stretched and on a sort of mound. Could you enlighten mo please?—S.V. (Belfast). The polythene was laid by a machine designed for the purpose which mounds the soil, compresses it to a degree, lays the polythene and covers the edges with soil all in one operation. These implements are extensively used on commercial holdings nowadays but could not operate in as small an area as yours. Improvisation with the aid of a rotary hoe could accomplish the job, otherwise hand ridge will have to be used. It is Important to compact the top of the mound and get it as even as possible otherwise it will be difficult to get the polythene to strech over it evenly and depressions caused thereby will collect rainwater.