Garden work for March

Press, 2 March 1984, Page 13

Garden work for March

GARDENING

by

M.Lusty

The last few months have provided a peculiar if not difficult period in most

areas of the garden. Conditions have been conducive to some exceptional

growth; and, conversely, they have upset the development of quite a few things,

mainly in the cropping line. Moisture levels have tended to fluctuate considerably, and it has been necessary to water with care, which should be continued at present. The incidence of pests and diseases has been a source of concern to more conscientious growers. Although there is a good selection of very effective controls available now it must be appreciated that their effectiveness is limited, particularly in wet weather. LAWN& Now is a good time to sow a lawn and preparations should therefore be well in hand. Where a weedkiller has been used it is wise to ascertain the waiting period necessary before it is safe to seed the area. Only the best quality seed should be used and the mixture should be appropriate to the kind of soil and situation, and also to the purpose to which the grassed area will be put. For fine lawns a mixture of 2 parts Chewings fescue to 1 of brown top (by weight) is still the best while the addition of rye grass is recommended for very hard wear, in sandy areas the inclusion of yarrow is greatly favoured by many. The quantity of seed required can be accurately determined by finding the area of the ground to be sown and calculating seed at about 30-35 g a square metre. Coated seed, which has had both a fungicide/ repellant and fertiliser added to it, saves quite a bit of extra work, but it is essential to ensure that such seed does not want for moisture after it has been sown. Thorough watering of the area is recommended before final preparations for seeding. BULB PLANTING should be in full swing now. Generally soil requirements are not exacting but the incorporation of well-rotted organic matter in advance of planting and the use of coarse sand in heavy ground is always sound policy. Planting depth is largely governed by bulb size and the kind of soil in which they are to grow — light or heavy. A rule of thumb in wide use is to plant to a depth equal to twice the diameter of - the bulb, measuring from the base to the top of the bulb. If in

doubt rather plant it more shallowly than too deep. LILIES require careful handling and as they are never truly dormant they do best if lifted and replanted with the minimum of delay. GLADIOLI which have started to yellow in the leaf can be carefully lifted and the leaves cut off close to the corm. Screwing off these leaves is widely advocated but having witnessed the damage caused by doing so in a careless manner it is not suggested here. The prevalence of pests and diseases can be minimised by dipping the individual corms into a strong solution of captan or thiram, plus lindane. Storage should be in a cool, not cold, dry place. ICELAND POPPIES are particularly useful as they form large gay blooms at a time when there are few other plants in flower. A light, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter in it, and moisture during dry spells, will assist in obtaining an abundance of flower. In addition, a complete fertiliser at the rate of 120 g a square metre should be applied. Planting should not be too deep. HOUSE PLANTS: Now is the time to repot and pot up. Do not forget to tease out the roots from the root ball but soak it thoroughly before attempting to do so. Use a good potting mixture — most plants are receptive to this, and if you cannot make up your own batch for some reason, there are a number of suitable proprietary compositions of merit on the market now. After the plants have been potted the moisture level should be gradually increased after an initial good

soaking. CUTTINGS of . various plants can be taken now. These include gernaniums, hydrangeas, antirrhinums and pansies. This form of propagation has the advantageTwt only of providing a plant which you can rely on

to be true to type but in many instances provides earlier flowering.

VEGETABLES: Winter crops such as carrots should be gradually thinned to reasonable distances apart but this sort of work can cause setbacks to the crops if carelessly done. Light earthing up on completion of this task will give added protection.

SIDE DRESSINGS: Many crops which are grown for winter harvesting can be given a boost with a side dressing of dry or liquid fertiliser. Heavy application of nutrients too early in the life cycle of a plant can cause damage or even upset its growth pattern.

LIQUID FEEDS: of which again there is a good range of proprietary ones available, should be diluted strictly in accordance with the maker’s recommendations as damage can ensue otherwise.

A home-made liquid leea can be made by submerging a potato sack full of sheep, pig or poultry manure in a 180 litre drum of water. The resulting preparation should be diluted by at least onethird before applying it near any plants. All plant nutrients, whether dry fertilisers or liquid manures, should never be applied to plants which are dry at the roots.

SOWINGS FOR THE MONTH include spring cabbage, radish, lettuce, spring onions, silver beet, mustard, cress and onions. PLANTINGS of broccoli, cabbage, lettuce and silver beet can be made. FRUIT: Now is the time for control against raspberry bud moth caterpillars, which will attack the canes of raspberries and allied fruits as well, causing bud failure in the spring. Use acephate or permethrin. Cane spot can markedly affect the vigour of boysenberries and other fruits, too, and is a prevalent disease. Bordeaux mixture is a good control for this and a thorough application should be made prior to leaf fall. Do not neglect top fruit trees, either. Codling moth, and especially leaf roller caterpillar, can still do considerable harm to ripening fruit; and brown rot can render stone fruit useless within two to three days.