GARDENERS' QUERIES

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32303, 22 May 1970, Page 10

GARDENERS' QUERIES

Could you please tell me when to shift roses and a lemon tree? Should they be pruned before shifting?— “Lemon and Roses” (Halswell). Roses can be shifted in winter but unless the lemon is to be moved to a really warm and sheltered spot it is best left until early spring. 'Plants could be wrenched now. Pruning, which is necessary annually for roses, should j i be done after the plants have I been transplanted. Generally, j • when specimens are moved to' another site there is a con-' [siderable loss of roots and; to counter-balance this loss judicious pruning of the top growth is often desirable. Could you please tell me ' why glasshouse tomatoes always have a very tough skin irrespective of the variety grown? Quite a lot of them also have patches of black seed in them. Also enclosing a sprig of my cscallonia hedge which seems to be dying in patches. Could you tell me why this is happening, and a cure? “Interested” (Rangiora). It seems probable your tomatoes are suffering from low soil fertility, both hard skin and black seed being, symptoms of such deficiency. A soil test is advocated to' determine requirements. The escallonia is badly affected by; 'mites and a miticide such as the specific disulfan is re-[ commended as control. I should like to make a display in the garden during January-February using among other things purple aubretia. The query is when to plant the seed to obtain plants in November and will they flower profusely in late January-February? —T.D. (Christchurch). Aubretias are spring flower- , ing and although they bloom ; for a long time are hardly [ likely to meet your require- [ ments. i Could you give some advice about the use of , \ compost and sheep manure j for garden purposes? What , do you consider to be the best time for putting out the compost? I have some . sheep manure. Would you suggest mixing it with the compost to rot down together or would it be better to mix them when the compost is being placed? A.L. (Christchurch). Compost or manure of any kind is preferably applied to the garden in a reasonably decomposed state. There are no strict rules as to how and when it should be applied nor are there any firm ones governing the composition of a compost heap, apart from including diseased matter and certain perennial weeds. It is preferable to apply compost or manure to the vegetable garden in advance of sowing or planting. I would add the sheep manure to the compost so that they decompose together. Enclosed is a specimen from. a corn-like plant which looks just like corn, about 3ft high with fine sprays at the end of each stalk of which there are 12 to 14. The plant appeared suddenly in the garden. Could you advise a climbing plant for a very warm spot facing north against the side of the house which gets very dry?—“Mannington” (Geraldine).

The plant is millet which is grown predominantly for its grain and certainly resembles maize. Most climbing plants require at least some moisture and coolness around the roots and there are not too many suitable for very dry soils. Thunbergia and bougainvillea are two suggestions.

I have got a seedling orange about two years old with no sign of fruit. It has developed sharp spikes over its branches and laterals. Will it ever produce fruit? It comes from a very productive | tree.—R.D. (Spreydon). There is less variability in oranges raised from seed | than there is from other; [fruits such as apples, pears! 'and plums raised in the same [way. It is doubtful whether [you would have much success with a sweet orange in your 'area if you intend to grow ;the plant in the open. There iwould be more chance of success in a heated glass- ! house. Sweet orange seedlings i are usually used as root ' stocks and other varieties of i [ citrus are budded on to 'them. Orange root stocks are not generally recommended, for other than warm areas or sandy soils as their more vigorous growth makes them;' more vulnerable to frost': damage. When is the correct time ' to take cuttings of fuchsias 1 and geraniums? I have J a 2 to 3-year-old apple 1 tree which I wish to shift ' elsewhere. When should 1 this be done? H.P. i [ (Christchurch). i ' Summer is a good time to 1 take cuttings for propagation ' ; of both fuchsias and ger- 1 aniums but they can be taken:; in autumn as well. The apple/ [tree can be shifted in win-1 i ter. < When should violas and 1 cinerarias be sown in order I to have them ready for < transplanting for early summer flowering? Could you give some hints on raising these plants and also pansies?—“New Gardener” (Christchurch). Both can be sown in early spring. For general culture, a warm position with partial shade and a rich soil con- i taining organic matter, f [moisture-retentive but welljt • drained, is most suitable. To f [induce continuous and free i flowering of pansies and [violas plants should, bet checked constantly and spent j blooms picked off as soon as i they fade. j I wish to transfer two c Italian cypress about 9ft j high and wonder whether j if this can be done and if \ so when is the best time. I J also have a punga just J

taken from the bush but it has not got roots. Will it I grow if put in sandy soil in a moist place?—A.L. (Nelson). Providing the trees are lifted with a good clump of ;soil surrounding the roots it[ 'should not be difficult to reestablish them elsewhere. It [is most necessary to retain as [much soil around the roots as possible, particularly if the trees are lifted without prior wrenching, a job which should really be done well in advance. Early autumn and early spring are the best times for shifting these I trees. Pungas without roots can be established but some-! [times they take a while to do so. Grape leaves and fruit for comment.—J.M. (Christchurch). Apologies for the length of [time which has elapsed 'since receiving and answering your query. It is necessary to provide some inforimation with all specimens; sent, and you seem unaware [that a direct personal ser-[ vice is not undertaken. Your grape is displaying signs of; magnesium deficiency—the reddish discolouration so prominent on the leaves. It is.i suggested that you apply, Epsom Salts, loz per square yard, in August-September. ;The fruit has infection from | botrytis fungus disease which! often invades berries which | have split and been damaged! by birds or even insects.. Control with thiram spray. Could you please name this apple, a good cooker and dessert? I sowed some swede turnip seed this year. It has done well but the roots haven't bulked, they arc straight—about an inch thick.—K. (Linwood). Golden delicious. Lack of moisture could be the reason for failure of the swede turnips to swell but other factors could also be involved. Marching Centre.—Officers elected at the annual meeting of the Canterbury Marching Centre were:—patron, Sir Arthur Harper; president, Mr S. N. Marshall; vice-presi-dents, Messrs R. Cairns and R. Finlay; secretary, Mrs J. M. Richards; treasurer, Mrs V. A. Holdem; chief judge, Mrs D. Marshall; registrar, Mr S. N. Marshall.