GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2492, 19 June 1915, Page 15

GARDEN NOTES

(Br "Kowhai."). These notes are written eololy for the amateur gardener, for the busy oity man who likcj to spend an hour or two in the garden after being shut up all day, for the woman who derives great pleasure from growing a few plants to brighten her home, but to whom iv would bo a weariness to study garden books, and for all those who axe endeavouring -to keep a email garden bright and attractive all the year round. To these I' eay do not attempt to grow too much.. Choose what plants you want for your garden and for supplying the house with cut flowers, and whatever you decide upon grow tho best of its kind that iB to be obtained. Headers are invited to ask Questions. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. "Ismene," Masterton, writes Two years ago I planted in a warm and sheltered place ■ a number of bulbs of 'Ismene Calathina.' They appeared in the following spring (1913), produced an abundance of foliage, and died down in the autumn without blooming. Next spring (1914) they (or some of them) reappeared, a<*ain produced much foliage, ana are again withering without bloomin®. What do you advise? If you coneider that they would probably bloom if lifted and potted, please advise when this should be done, and generally how they should he treated. Your gardening notes promise to be very useful, and will be greatly appreciated by amateurs." Without actually seeing the conditions under which your bulbs are growing it is impossible to give yon the exact reason for their not flowering. The Ismene frequently does not tower until the bulbs have become well established, and if planted in very rich soil they are apt to go more to foliage than to flower. To ensnre good .flowering, too, the bulbs must become well ripened during the winter, and so they should be grown where they can get tho full benefit of the winter sun. The ground in which the bulbs are grown must be well worked, and 6hould have the subsoil well broken up, as good drainage is absolutely essential. The., soil should not be too rich. It should consist of equal parts of soil, leaf-soil, and sand. - There should be a good layer of sand in the bottom of the noles for the bulbs to rest on. This will ensure that no water collects at the base of the bulbs during winter. The bulbs should be about one-third of their depth in the soil. Winter is their resting time, and they should 'be kept as dry as possible; but as soon as they show signs of renewing their growth they should be given a plentiful supply of water, and occasional doses of weak soot-water. Do not move the bulbs unless, from these hints you find they have been wrongly treated. If you wish to lift and replant them, now is the time to do it. "F.H.R.," Nelson, vjrites:—"l read with great interest your excellent gardening notes in Thb Dominion, and noticing you express your willingness to reply to any questions, I am- writing to you about nitrate of 6oda. I 6ee you recommend its use pretty generally amongst vegetables, and I have nsed.it successfully in liquid form amongst my leeks, but I applied it with, most disastrous effects to savoy cabbages and broccoli. In the case of these I put a little in the end of.a trowel, and dug it well down into the roots of the plants, but to my great disgust the majority of both the savoys and broccoli have withered off. I shall be pleased to hear how you recommend the application of nitrate of soda and about the quantity to use. I used about a large handful to a kerosene tin of water when applying it in a liquid state." Nitrate of soda and indeed all artificial manures must always be U6ed sparingly. J. he quantities are as follow: —For liquid manure, loz. to a gallon of water. When using it in the dry state use loz. to a running yard. This moans that tho merest sroinkling of the soda is used.. It should be applied u'hen the ground Is wet, and should always be applied to the surface of the ground. If it comes in contact, with the roots before it is dissolved it will probably burn them. Nitrate of soda is very soluble, and very quick in its action. It encourages a luxunant growth of the'leaves and stems of plants, and in therefore much used in growing gTeen vegetables. (I) Before applying nitrate of soda as a liquid manure first saturate the ground with clear water Use loz. to 1 gallon of water. (II) When applying nitrate of soda in the dry 6tate sprinkle it sparingly on the surface of the sou, preferably after a Bhower of rain, or when the ground is damp. ' It I and go' down to the roots, (III) In manuring nith artificials it is better to err on the side of using too litrtLo than too much.

CHEISTMAS EOSES. Already the green buds so like two folded leaves are pushing their way ;up amongst the dense cluster of sheltering lea/res. They oome so stealthily, ■ these beautiful flowers. There is nothing to betray their arrival as is the case with so many other flowers. The violet no matter how shyly it hides beneath the leaves, betrays its presence by its sweet and penetrating perfume. But the Christmas rose has so faint a perfume, and the bud has so much the appearance of leaves, that there is nothing to betray it till it rises above its leaves and suddenly opens out, a perfect flower. \ Greenish at first, but pure white as it expands, beauty 8 cllasto but oiquisite

The Christmas rose is ono of the easiest of plants to oultivate. It should be planted in the shadiest part of the garden .where hardly a gleam of winter sun can reach it. The ground should be rich, deeply dug, and well drained. Once ' planted, Christmas roses should lw left, undisturbed, as they hate to have their Toots interfered with. Even forking round the plants is objedtionablo to therru Keep the' plants well weeded,and just loosen the surface soil Tound them by lightly pricking with the little hand fork. As soon as the flowering is over and the leaves begin to die down, oover the plants with a mulch made by a mixture of well-rotted manuro and decayed leaf mould. .Mix the two ingredients together, and crumble the mixture up with the hands before spreading it over the plants. Do not attempt at any time to fork this in around the plants. In the following autumn the leaves will push their way up thiough the mulch. CHEYSANTHEMUMS. , All.except the late flowering kinds are now over, and amateurs shouid think about taking their outtings for next year's plaats. It is a mistake to leave the old plants to .flower year after year. The best flowers are obtained from new roots made from cuttings taken each winter. Cut back the old flowering sterns to within a few inches of the ground, and in no timo the roots will throw up a nnmber of strong young shoots. Many of them have already done so. Those who want to have exhibition flowers will cut ithese shoots off too, level with the ground, and wait for -the shoots that are thrown up during August from which to take their cuttings. Buifc for the dry amateur who wants a fine display of flowers for the garden, and a nice lot of long-stemmed blooms for the house, the best plan is to (take the cuttings now. Tho outside shoots, that is, those that are farthest away from the flowering stem, are the best. Some of these pull awaj' with a few roots already, attached, others come away without Toots. The

latter should bo cut straight across just below a. joint. Those who have a light, well-drained soil may place their cuttings in tho ground in a spare part of tho garden—a part of the vegetable' gardon does very well. Those who have a damp, heavy toil must strike their cuttings in boxes filled with a mixture of soil and sand. By September the cuttings will have developed into nicely rooted young plants, and may be put out into their permanent flowering (inartors. As soon as the gardener has taken all tho cuttings he needs, the old rocfts should be dug up, stacked to dry, and afterwards burnlt. The ash should be stored in a tin ready foT use when the young plants are being put out. Some varieties are very slow about sendin" up shoots, ahd the old Toots may be leflt where they are until they do. Occasionally it is necessary to take shoots from the old flowering 6tem, but don't do so unless tho plant refuses to send up any Ha sal shoots, as ithe. shoots from the .stem may nover make such strong plants. FLOWERING SHRUBS. We come now to the shrubs that flower are 60 numerous that I shall mention only a few of the most common. Flowering currants are among the earliest of the spring flowering shrubs, and produce quantities of pretty red flowers, while yet the branches are bare of leaves. They are perfectly hardy, and will flower weil in any soil as long as they get plenty of sun. Forsythia suspensa is another very early and very beautiful spring-flowering shrub. TheTe are several Forsythias, but Forsythia suspensa is of weeping habit, which adds greatly to it* charm. It bears a profusion of bright yellow bellshaped flowers. Exochordia grandiflora (pearl bnsh) is a most beautiful flowering shrub, and a well-grown bush in full bloom is a. eight that once seen is never forgotten. In the early spring the bush becomes a mass of white. Every twig is laden to th 9 very tips, with large snow white flowers. VEGETABLES. Most of the fallen leaves should have been raked up into heaps by this time. Sprinkle common salt over the heaps from time to time. Don't waste any vegetable rubbish. Make it into compost heaps, or burn it and use ithe ash as a bop-dre?sing for the vegetable garden. The compost heap, in the absence of stable manure, is the best ilieans of supplying the necessary humus to the ground. No soil' is fertile that is lacking in humus. When we return vegetable matter to the soil, we return the frod that the plants stored up during their lifetime, and this _ serves a 9 food for the new plants growing up. Garden Notes next week will contain seasonable notes about flowering shrubs, gaillardias, and vegetables.