Gardeners’ queries

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33626, 30 August 1974, Page 11

Gardeners’ queries

Could you please tell me if , Nenum Mrs R ceding is a bush or • tree. Also, is it true that >Lj S . P ? ,W . nous t 0 Mildren ."uchX’t) ~ Ch,v,o ‘ ® ,rd,n - Neriums oleander “Mrs F Boeding” can be regarded as a large growing, fairly upnght shrub which will respond to heavy periodic pruning. AU parts of the plant, especially the flowers and foliage, are poisonous. However, as with so very many plants the toxic principle is only dangerous if a portion of it is eaten; there is no reason whatsoever to avoid the plant on these grounds. Could you please recommend a suitable all-round fertiliser for the vegetable garden in sandy soil. This is for application before sowing. I have been using fowl manure but find I get too many weeds. I did buy a small bag of balanced fertiliser but it was far too expensive. Sandy soil seems to need heavy manuring each year because of leaching out. Also, should lime be used regularly as some patches in the garden seem rather yellow ton*! Weak- “ A ‘ S ’ (S * h Bri9h ' The cost of fertilisers has risen considerably in the past vear and this is particularly applicable to the so-called complete granular ones which are particularly valuable where a “slower” release is desirable. Any form of excreta is not the fuU answer to manurial problems, can be overdone and certainly does induce a possible

I weed influx. The use of green • manure crops such as lupins, rye rand mustard should not be overlooked and is well worth in- • troducing into the rotation. Sandy soils leach very quickly and the addition of such organic ; matter or compost is stronglv t recommended as not only will , this help to build up the soil s structure but it will also assist in . moisture retention which is another vital aspect of gardening • on a sandy soil. Such soils con-) . tain a considerable amount of■ shell in finely divided form and ] Jas such do not usually require! i , lime. The yellow colour of some of your plants is more probably; a sign of nitrogen deficiency! ithan anything else. It is perhaps’ • difficult to be specific as to what ’ to apply in the way of fertili-: sertsi as different crops require! I differing and varying amounts of; nutrients. A mixture containing 9: parts blood and bone and 1 of l i potassium sulphate (both by' i weight) applied at the rate of up; [to 266.6 gm 2 (Boz per sq. yd) would provide adequately for! imost vegetables. | Please fell me whether I I should lift hyacinths and, or ; tulips every year. — M.K. (St I Albans). i Both these plants do not neces-j i sarily require lifting each year; > soil and vigour plus quality of • blooms should provide the guide- - line. Three years would be about s 'the maximum time to leave s[ tulips in one place and they I; should be lifted when the foliage I dies down, dried in the sun and 5 store carefully until Autumn.

My daphne bush developed this peculiar bud (only one) during the winter and all mature leaves have now fallen but growth continues all over the bush. It has not flowered since the first year — the bush perhaps does not get as much rain water as desired as it is under a balcony but is watered from the top. — A.S. (Christchurch). ! The abnormality displayed by your plant is a physiological ; phenomena known as fasciation. [This form of development which causes normally cylindrical struci tures of various plants to become flattened is due to a gen[etical upset, the cause and cure j for which is as yet unknown. [Having seen daphnes thriving ! and at other times looking really isickly in such a diversity of coniditlons and situations, it would appear that first the quality of the plant and second the soil in 1 which they are growing are the ! predominating influencing facI tors whether a plant does well or I not. A point worth bearing in I mind also is that daphnes are (shallow rooting plants and will I therefore not tolerate careless and deep use of cultivation tools in their vicinity. I have a greengage 4-5 years old, which has not had any fruit on it. I have been told that I will not get any until I pollenise it with a plum. Now to do this I could graft a branch on to it or when flowering get a branch and tie it on. Would it have to be a fruiting plum? Which is the ’ best way to do this? If my tree does not have any blossom I ■ might as well dig it out. I have a Splendor apple tree on one side of the plum and a nectarine on the other. Could the bees pollenise from them. And why does greengage not polle--1 nise the same as other fruit trees. Could you also tetl me the best way to get rid of green mildew from the lower part of my nectarine tree — I have been told to paint waste oil on it. — T.T. (Christchurch).

Cross-pollination between different kinds of fruit does not occur and there is even some restriction between varieties and cultivars of tlie same kind. Some kinds of fruit will set without the need of suitable pollinators lin their vicinity, some will set better crops when they arc crosspollinated, while cross-pollination is absolutely essential for yet other fruits. The reasons are technical and would involve considerable explanation to make it quite understandable. There are two requisites for an efficient pollinator. Their flowering period must overlap reasonably well and the two must be compatible. In selecting a suitable pollinator it is essential to know I the name of the one requiring ic ro s s-pollination. Greengage ' definitely requires cross pollinati ing and there are a number [which are effective, including [Coe’s Golden Drop, Grand Duke 'and Magnum Bonum. However, a tree which does not flower m (the first place will not bear any ] fruit anyhow. It is possible that lit is making too much growth, perhaps due to excessive pruning. If this is the cause ring (barking may be of help. Grafting la suitable cross-pollinator on to the existing tree is the best way (of achieving results. Until this j graft flowers the use of flowering branches from an effective ■pollinator for the greengage (should he stood in jars of water 'and suspended from its laterals. Scrubbing with washing soda or [the use of lime sulphur. Bordeaux mixture or spraying oil would definitely be very mucli more preferable than the use oi sump oil for the removal of mildew from the trunk of any tree.