GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2982, 20 January 1917, Page 13

GARDEN NOTES

j (By .''Kowhai.")

Correspondents are notified, tliat no roplies to queries can lie furnished until .February 3rd.

DAHLIAS. During'the next few weeks those, who aro interested in dahlia growing should make a point of visiting nurseries to see the dahlias while they are in flower. Most amateur gardoners grow dahlias for two purposes—to decorate the garden and to decorate the house. As a general l'ulo they chooso now varieties from blooms exhibited either in shop windows or on a show stand. It is then a matter of puro luck if they get varieties that aro suited to their purpose. It is disappointing to grow: a dahlia to make a show in the garden and then to find that the habit of the plant is to have drooping flower heads, or : flowers that are half hidden under foliage.. For both garden and house decoration it is advisable to*grow 4 rarieties that aro free flowering, fairly compact in growth, and that bear flowers carried on long stiff stalks. By visiting a nursery, during the flowering period one is enabled to see tho habit • of the ' plants and their suitability. I need liaidly add that it is an advantage to get orders in early. Dahlias in our gardens are at present in need of quantities of water. If youhave a hose, turn /it on, and let' the water run gently over tho roots of the dahlias. for an hour at a time. Tho plants will appreciarto being sprayed-with clean water in {he evening after a hot: or a dusty day.' If the plants were put into deeply-worked enriched ground they will not need' liquid manure yet. An abundance of water will satisfy them for the. present., . I don't moan that you should bo constantly watering them. The ground shoiild be thoroughly saturated at one watering, and tho plants should receive no further watering, with the exception of the overhead sprinkling; until tho ground begins to get dry again. Tho plants should then havo another liberal snpply of water. Those who are' obliged to -water with a watering-can should take tho plants in tarn, seeing that each pknt receives about three: cans full at each watering. Dahlias dislike' firm soil about thein. Tho ground should. therefore be kept quite loose with the hoo. A good mulch of well-Totted. stable manure may bo placed round dahlias after they have been thoroughly watered. If this is done, and plenty of -water is supplied when necessary, very little liquid manure will be needed. Too ' much liquid manure may cause-, growth, jfthe plants at the expense of flower production. In the case of dahlias that are being grown for show, however, only a few very large blooms are needed; and constant feeding is Tesorted to. - All side-shoots should be rubbed out as soon as' they appear, and a little 'disbudding may be practiced. Tho main, branches should lie. tied..to stakes as they grow, as dahlias aro very brittle and are easily broken down.

Cactus dahlias are very beautiful, and aro splendid for the houso if, as soon as the flowers are cut, the ends of the stems aro allowed to 6tand in hot water for a few minutes beforo the flowers are arranged in the vases. Flowers would last longer, also, if thoy were cut when not quite fully expanded, and beforo the warm sun has beon allowed to-shine on them. In the case of single and collaretto dahlias it is better to cut them when only half open. If the plants aro well treated -with regard to food and water, the stalks arc long, and tho flowers well formed and pure in colour. The 6ingle and collaretto dahlias are also good for cutting. ROUTINE WORK. Panaies that havo been flowering for the. last two months havo become Tory untidy, and the flowors small and shortstemmed. The old floworing steins should now bo cut back to encourage new growth to spring up from the base of the stems, i Directly after cutting Gael?, the plants may. bo given a good watering with tilt _ following liquid manure— •iOz. of nitrate or' soda m. one gallon of water. A mixture of well-sifted horse manure and riyer. sand should be spread round tho plants directly after watering, r A xt i' s well into tiie crowns of the plants, tho new shoots will root into it, and will therefore bo much stronger. .

Examino the leaves of violets frequently and closely for any trace of Ted spider. •It quickly makes its appearance during dry weather. Syringing tho plants frequently with clear water helps to protect them from an attack. Remove-all teod pods from rhododendrons. Tho_ following seeds may bo sown at any timo now:—Calceolaria, delphinium, aquilegia, anemone, forget-me-not, gypsophelia, pansy, - primrose, polyanthus, primrose, auricula, mignanctte, Beauty of Nice stock, wallflower. Half fill tho seed pans with a mixture of soil, leaf soil, and sand. Water' thoroughly, and when the soil is dry enough again sow the seed, very thinly, and just cover with ,a sprinkling of 6and. Keep the seed pans shaded from the sun.

VEGETABLES. . Onions.. 1 As soon as the bulbs are fully grown bend ovor the haulm at tho neck and (tread it irmly down. This will cause the bulbs to swell still further and mature. In bending down the haulm care must be taken to do it thoroughly, as otherwise now growth may set in and spoil the onions. Another point to' be considered is the time foo bending down the haulm. If done too, soon, that is before the onions ;are fully grown new growth will spring from tho' necks or the onions, and so ruin the crop. As soon as the haulm is withered tho onions .may l)e lifted and spread out in a cool, ■dry place to dry, before being stored away. 1 ■ Prenoh Beans. Wiere French beans ar© being sown duiring "fcli© not weather, of January and February, the ground should be specially prepared. Plenty of vegetation, either green or half-rotted, should bo buried about.a foot beneath the surface of the soil, and it should bo thoroughly watered' before the top soil is returned to place. Ike plants should bo thinned out to about one foot apart ,as soon as they are up. Steady growth should be encouraged by constant hoeing. As soon as the flowers appear give the ground about the plants a good soaking with clear water, and follow this up with liquid manure (30Z. of nitrate of soda in one gallon of water). As soon as the ground is dry enough, daily hoeing should be continued until the next weekly watering and feeding. Plants bo treated will bear fruit freely during the hottest and driest weather. Winter Greens. Winter greens may still be planted out between the rows of late potatoes, or in ground that has become vacant. If the ground'was well manured in the. winter no more manure is necessary, but the sou should be well forked over and then made firm again by treading upon it. When planting, the soil shouJd be made very firm about tho roots, and a good watering. should be given. If kerosene tins are out in liajf and inverted over tho newly-plqnted cabbages, etc., they will shade them from tho sun, nad help to keep the soil moist till the pipnts make a start.

If the plants aro being put cut tn a piece of unocoupied ground, it is a good plan at this time of the year to plant thorn in small trenches. "When the plants aro being watered tfic water can bo i-on-lined to tho trenches, instead of boing 6pread all over the ground. As soon as tho dry weather is over tho plants can bo earthed up. Cabbages, broccoli, etc., that are intended for the winter must not be allowed to suffer from dryness at tho roots or thoy will bolt. As suon as the young plants begin to mako new growth a very little nitrato of soda may bo given to them to givo them a good start. Begin with ioz. in 1 gallon of water, and apply it when tho soil is thoroughly wet. Tho quantity may then be gradually increased to loz. in 1 gallon of water. • Garden Notes next week will contain seasonable notes about roses, routine work, and vegetables.