GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2432, 10 April 1915, Page 10

GARDEN NOTES

(Bsr "Kowkai.")

Those notes are written solely for the amateur gardener, for t.ho busy city man who liki-e to spend an hour or two i-rv his garden after bcincr shut up all day, for the woman who derives groat pleasure from growing a few plants to brighten her home, but to whom it would be> a weariness to study garden books, and for all those who are endeavouring to keep a small gardon bright and attractive ell the year round. To these I say do not attempt to grow too much. Choose what plants you want for your garden end for supplying the house with cut flowers, and whatever you decide upon grow tho bast of its kind that is to be obtained. Senders aro invited to ask Questions.

SEEDS. Sow seeds of phlox drummondi where the plants are to remain. Tlie seeds that are sown now will develop Into Plants that will flower in the spring; therefore, a part of your garden that gets the winter sun is most suitable for them. Mix some sand or road grit with the soil, and lightly fork in a sprinkling J[ bonedust just before sowing the seed. Ihe seed should be sown as thinly as possible. As soon as the seedlings are big to handle thin them' out till those remaining are about three or four inches apart each way. Then nip out their tops to encourage bushy growth. Those that were pulled out may be transplanted to another part of the garden, and, as soon as established, may have their tops flipped off. The transplanted ones will bo a week or two later in flowering.

SPRING-FLOWERING PERENNIALS.

There are a number of perennials that flower quite early in the spring, some of them with the bulbs and some just after. These aro most important plants, and in order to secure a good display I of bloom they must be attended to now. One of the earliest is the doronicum, a plant' with a pretty yellow daisy-like flower. It may be grown either in tlio sun or in partial shade. It blooms freely under any .circumstances, but if the old plants are lifted early each autumn, broken up, and replanted in soil to which a little sand and boncdust have been added it fairly surpasses itself for the number and the quality of tho blooms it produces. GEUM. Another early flowering perennial is tho geum. Its double scarlet flowers are also freely produced, and. it makes a brilliant patch of colour in tho garden if several plants are placed near together to form a cluster. Like the doronicum it appreciates being broken up and replanted. Tho outside, pieces make the strongest- plants. "Mrs. Bradshaw" is the finest variety to grow. AQUILEGIAS. Some of the aquilegias bloom very early. I have a pale pink variety that always comes out with the bulbs. A very pretty spring bed can be made with pink aquilegia, brown wallflower, and a border of pale blue forget-me-not. Stocks, _ wallflowers, forget-me-nots, pansies, violas, and limnanthes are all spring-flowering plants that have already been dealt with. CAMPANULA. .Campanula grandiflora is another spring-flowering perennial. The clumps of this may be left for a year or two without being broken'up. A few strong hairpins will peg down the runners and keep the plants tidy. Fork a little bonedust into the soil round the roots. ANTIRRHINUMS. Antirrhinums that aro planted out as seedlings in the autumn will make, grand flowering plants by the spring. They begin blooming very early. They should have their tops nipped off before the winter sets in, and by the time the spring arrives they will have grown into fine bushy plants that will bear a mass of strong, well-formed spikes of bloom. If the dead flowers are kept severely picked oft', antirrhinums will bloom from early spring till the following winter. They are gross feeders, and require plenty of manure during the flowering season. Antirrhinums aro easily propagated from cuttings, or seeds may be sown in the autumn for spring-flowering plants or vice vorsa. PYHETHKUMS. ■, The pyrethrum. is another beautiful and early-flowering perennial. It is one of the most easily-grown plants, and bears quantities of dainty daisy-like flowers late in the spring. Where plants have become too big they should be lifted now, broken up into pieces, and the pieces replanted at once in soil that has been enriched with well-rotted manure, or with leaf-mould and bonedust. Heavy soil should have sand or road grit added to it. PRIMROSES AND POLYANTHUSES. One must ever look a couple of seasons ahead in gardening, and we must now pve a thought to our spring borders. These aro mainly composed of violets, primroses, and polyanthuses. The violets are doing well, and only want an occasional strong hairpin to keep them trim, also a slight dusting of soot about tho roots to keep away slugs. But the plants of primroses and polyanthuses may now need lifting and dividing. This is nccessary about every third year. f Primroses and polyanthuses make splendid borders. In the winter the leaves make quite a handsome edging, and then, with the first breath of spring, come the dainty fragrant flowers. As scon as the flowers are over the leaves may be cut right off, and lobelia planted close to the primroso roots so that it will grow and cover the primrose roots. The lobelia serves the double purposo of keeping the primrose roots moist during our hot summer, and of keeping, the border handsome whilo the primroses aro resting. Primroses and polyanthuses like to be grown in soil that has plenty of leafmould in its composition. Bonedust and sulphate of potash (toz. of bonedust to loz. of sulphate) should be sprinkled Tound the roots now, and lightly forked in. Now .is tho time for making new edgings of primroses and polyanthuses. CARNATIONS. Carnations like an open situation. They seem to-flourish, best near the sea, anil also in gardens in large towns. Where they cannot got cither the salt from tho sea air, or tho soot front city smuts, they should be watered occasionally with weak salt water, and occasionally with soot water. They also appreciate a slight' dusting with"soot. Where carnations are to be grown in heavy , soil, a good quantity of sand and powdered mortar should bo added to it to make it. more porous. Good drainage is absolutely essential to the health of the plants. BULBS. The earliest flowering iris is Iris Stylosa, a dainty little pale blue iris that begins flowering in tho beginning of the winter and continues to bloom until tho spring. It is splendid for cutting if picked in tho morning, and while it is still in tho bud stage. English and Spanish irises should now bo planted in soil that has been prepared iii til© same way as for narcissi. The bulbs should bo planted about four inciios decj> and thvco inchcs apart. Irises liko a nico sunny position, and a good supply of water during tho growing period. "

Romember that bulbs planted early have a longer time to root than those planted late, and will consequently give better blooms in tho sprin». Irises will thrive and bloom as well in a small town garden in a crowded area as in a country garden. See that all plants are well staked and tied up. Heavy winds often loosen the soil round the stem of the plant, making quite a hole. Examino your plants after lug 1" winds, and make the soil linn round the. roots. VEGETABLES. As soon as the seedling turnips show their true leaf, i.e.. the rough leaf, they must be thinned out till tliey are one loot apart. If the turnips are being grown lor their tops tliey may be dunned to about half this distance, and then lett itith an occasional dusting of soot, or watering with soot-water. But if 011 the other hand tho garclouer hopes to have a dish or two of turnips before the winter some special attention must be shown to tlie seedlings. After tho thinning out sprinkle superphosphates along the rows and hoe it in, , This s;h;es tlwj xoiyu! plants a cgod start,.

"Water them twice a week with sootwater, and hoe after each watering as soon as the soil is dry enough. The turnips will then grow quickly and will bo tender and juicy, instead of being stringy and strong-flavoured like the turnips one is so ofton invited to eat.

Thin out carrot and beet seedlings as soon as they can be handled.

Hoe frequently between cabbage and cauliflower plants, both .young and old, to keep them growing quickly. As pumpkins grow it is a good plan occasionally to turn the fruit round slightly. The time of year is approaching when the falling leaves maks the gardens look vor,y untidy. But as with everything else in the garden we havu a uso for the leaves. Dig a hole iu a corner of the garden and deposit ail decayed leaves in this. As each fresh lavcr of leaves is added to the hole sprinkle it over with salt. As soon as all the leaves have fallen, cover the hole with a layer of earth and leave it till next autumn. You will then die out a nice supply of leaf-mould which is so necessary in autumn gardening work, and the hole may then bo used again for the freslily-falling loaves. ASHES. Ashes obtained from burning weeds, cabbage leaves, and stumps, rose prunmgs. etc., contain a large percentage of potash. Potash is moat essential to the successful, growing of potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and onions; therefore, all weeds, etc., that are not suitable for rotting down in the refuse heap should be turned into ashes by burning, and the a6hes stored in a dry place till they are wanted. Ashes are generally applied as a topdressing. A CORRESPONDENT'S QUERY. A correspondent writes:—'"My rose bushes are covered with a whitish-colour-ed blight; sample enclosed. I should be glad if you can tell me of a remedy, and when to apply it.—John West, Toko, Taranaki." Try the Sunlight soap and sulphur Fash. Take half-ounce of Sunlight soap, melt it, and work in 2 ounces of flowers of sulphur. Dissolve this mixture in one Ballon of hot water, and syringe the rose bushes with it in tho evening, i.e., between 5 and 6 o'clock. Use the mixture whilo it is hot. Syringe the leaves and stems gently, taking care that every twig and leaf (especially tho underside of the leaf) is covered with the mixture. Pick up and burn all dead leaves. Apply tho wash every evening for a week, and then let mo know how the bushes are getting on." Garden notes next w;eek will contain seasonable notes about:—Perennials, dahlias, chrysanthemums, roses, bulbs, and vegetables.