garden notes

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2582, 2 October 1915, Page 15

garden notes

(Bx "E-owhai.").

ANSWERS TO. CORRESPONDENTS. "R.E.C.," Masterton"Your remarks ro lime, in last Saturday's DOMINION, bring to mind a difficulty I have. Last autumn I wanted lime, and was advised by an experienced person to get ground, unburns lime. I have been inquiring about it, but have failed to meet with any.■ No firm seems to keep , any but agricultural lime, which by my English experience- is both burnt and quick. I should be glad of vour advice. —Make inquiries from Mr.'Tf. A. Choto, Parish Streot, AVellwgton, for crushed unburnt lime. M. T. Gower, ■ Uarton: "Please tell mo in your garden notes what I oan do tor the blight on theso; leaves I am enclosing. The blight has attacked both peas and beans."—Spray the plants with welldiluted Bordeaux mixture.

ROUTINE WORK. In districts that aro already experiencing dry hot weather, shrubs,. rose?, and fruit trees that wero planted this year should 1)0 given a thorough watering, and should afterwards have a mulch of wellrotted manure or decayed rubbish spread round them. Tho roots have not hadtime to penetrate far enough to protect thorn against drought. As soon as chrysanthemum plants aro about a foot high the tops may bo nipped olf to encourage tho plants to becomo bushy;. Lilies of the Valley aro quickly shooting up. Keep the soil moist by frequent good waterings, and once a week give tho plants' a pood soaking with weak liquid manure. Lily of tho Valley quickly- exhausts tho soil; therefore in orderto obtain plenty of flowers, constant feeding must bo resorted to. Darwin and late . flowering tulips require supplies of water and weak liquid niunure. Tluit made from cow manure and soot is most appreciated by tulips. keep the dead flowers cut off doronieums, and they will go on flowering for quite a long time. Tho plants appreciate an occasional good watoring. , As soon jis hyacinth flowers have faded cut tliem off. This helps the bulbs to store up food and strength which would otherwise be used up in developing seed. The same applies to all good bulbs. Cut off the withered flowers, but leave the leaves to dio down.

ASTERS. The aster is one of the most charming of the autumn flowers,- and. ono of the most popular. Tho flowers may be had in such variety—single, double, loose shaggyheaded flowers, and compact Beat-headed flowers, and the many shades of colour are a great attraction. They look most effective wften grown .in patches of one shade, a ' great patch of pale pink as.teTs gradually merging into a patch or .wave of pale lavender, and bo' on. If several groups of white asters are dotted about in a bed, then every other conceivable colour can be grown and blended in the saine bed. A heavy rail, well prepared, is the best for asters. It, should bo well broken up in the autumn, and have a good supply of animal manure or decayed rubbish mixed with it. . Light sandy soils must have plenty of humus in them before they aro suitable for asters. Too much decayed vegetable matter cannot be used in preparation. Asters are most impatient' of drought, and must be well supplied with water and good mulches during the growing s&son. •. Seed may be sown now' in pans, but care should be . taken'to have the seed well distributed, Young ester seedlings are very liable to damp off- if over-crowded. Plant out' the seedlings as soon as they aro big enough to handle, and keep moist and shaded till they become established.

COSMOS. Another delightful autumn flower Is the cosmos. Well-grown plants reach a height of five or sis feet, with a circumference in proportion. ' The natural liabit of the plant is graceful in tho extreme, and the foliage gives it a light nnd feathery appearance. Tho dainty flowers. are borne oii' long stems, arid aire excellent for cutting. _ A long autumn flower border filled with a mixture of cactus dahlias, cosmos, Miohaclmas daisies

mid chrysanthemums makes a beautiful picture, especially if a few shrubs such, as tho guelder rose, flowering cherry, etc., lire near enough to form a background. Cosmos are effective whether grown as single specimens, iu groups, or in rows along a fence, . Tliey require, water and mulching during summer, and seem to prefer a position where they aro shaded from the midday sun. Tho branches aro extremely brittle, and snap off easily in a strong wind if not properly slaked, and tho. plants aro so top heavy, tliat they may even be -uprooted. A good strong central stake should bo. driven in before tho seedling is put into tho ground. The plant grows up and around this, and tho main stem may be secured to. it at intervals. . Several other stakes ot various heights are needed to secure branches to. If it is required to keep tho bushes low, tho seedlings may bo nipped back to make theni branch in t'ho Bamo way as chrysanthemums are done.

VEGETABLES. Early potatoes aro already pushing their wuy through the soil, and amateurs must ho on-the look-out for frosts. Fortunately frosts aro tho exception instead of the rule now. -A little light litter scattered over t'ho rows of potatoes will help to protect theni i As soon as they are far enough through they should bo /earthed up v A good- -watering should bo given beiore earthing, up, and, as soon as tho r?ti 19 P c &ough again, sprinkle a very Jittlo nitrate of soda ilong tho rows, loosen tho surface soil with tho hoe,' and men draw the earth up about the plants, ■harthuig up should never be done in cold weather, as it shuts in <uld earth around tho plants. I always prefer to do it during sunshine,. and whilo tho soil is still slightly damp (not sufficiently to stick to the boots) from tho previous watering. Parsnips aro already above the ground and may be carefully weeded. Keep tho soil loose about the seedlings, and lioq frequently between the rows. - Keep cauliflowers well- watered during dry weather. Once'tho" roots get drv they very quickly halt.

Cabbages; cauliflowers, and lettuce must bo frequently syringed with clean water to-keep-them free from aphis. Keep tho outsides of the leaves specially clean. Cabbages may havo dry powdered earth sprinkled among tho leaves for tho same purpdse. Cut off and bum any leaves that are turning yellow. Plants of cauliflower and all of tho cabbage tribe may bo planted out at any time now. Havo tho ground well dug, but made firm again before planting out the seedlings.- Cauliflowers planted in very loose soil are. more liablo to bolt than those planted in firm soil. ■ : Carrots should be gradually thinned' out. The thinnings are most useful fori flavouring soups and stews. ■ A sowing of, intermediate carrots may be made now. Sow a pinch of seed of Brussels sprouts, red cabbage, and 6avoy. Before planting the seedlings out, cut the long tap -root to encourago them to make fibrous roots. They should be grown on deeply-dug,' well enriched ground. Before • planting out hoe into tho soil a dusting of soot, and water frequently afterwards -with soot water.

Gordon peas aro already in flower ami need constant attention. If they are : kept well trained up their supports tliey'; •are much easier to pick later oil, and it. makes hoeing, so much easier at'pre-' sent. Dust lime along the rows at Tegular intervals, afterwards lightly hueing; it in. Keep the hoe constantly going ond you can manage with very little water. Insufficient watering .does more, hairm than good, because it draws tho line ' roots up to the surface, } and' the hot sun after-' wards burns them. 'If you water at all, : water thoroughly, and afterwards, or. soon as the soil is dry enough, bring out your' : hoe,' and loosen - the surface soil again. l A good soil-mulch,. that is, an inch or two of finely powdered dry.earth, i-s a good protection for the roots 'of plants. Amateurs should strive to keep their soil always in tbat condition. It is a pood plan, for amateur gardeners •ffitli families depending on them to make sure of good crops of :parsnips, pumpkin's, marrows, leeks, celery, and potatoes. They : are a good standby for the coming winter. Greens,' carrots, and, turnips can be grown all the year iound with a little trouble. , Garden notes nest week will wntain seasonable notes 'about rudbeckia, dianthus, marguerite, v carnations, and vegetables. -