GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 68, 13 December 1919, Page 12

GARDEN NOTES

(By "ICowhai.") PLANTING OUT SEEDLINGS.. At this tirao of the year many hundreds of seedlings aro planted out in tho llower bordci'B, and while tlie work is still in progress I should lileo to draw the attention of some amateur gardeners to tlie "little hard patch" that 1 so often t>cc about newly planted .fiu'edtiiigs. Many gardeners prefer to plant their seedlings and then to give them a good, watering. This is quito all right provided they loosen the surface soil as soon as it is dry enough. But in many gardens onn sees a littlo hard patch round each seedling, where the soil has become cakcd alter tho -watering, and fiat littlo hard patch deprives the tcedlings of what is essential to their root action—moisture and -warmth. As goon as soil bccomes called, evaporation takes place, bo that tho -water that was supplied overnight iB soon evaiporated next morning.' Ims may bo prevented if the soil is -loosened, as soon as it is dry, -with a pointed stick. Also, as soon as ovaporation takes plnco there is considerable loss of heat, and without heat loot; action is slow. Tho most' satisfactory way of planting out seedlings is to "puddle" thorn in. This means that the seedling is placed in position and water is then poured into the hole. The roots becomc embedded in soft mud, and, as soon a.s the-water has drained away, the dry surface soil may bo drawn about the stem. This process gives the plants what they need-moißture at the roots, and'a dry loose surface-sou that-ivjll prevent evaporation and consequent loss of heat. If cow manureand earth are mixed with water nil •« thick porridgoJiko consistency is reached, and tho roots of tho seedlings are dipped into ] tliis before (being planted, it is wonder ful what a good start they get. This "puddling-in" process may seem stow, but it saves times in the end, and very sure. There is one other point' I should , like to mention in conncction with Plant- I ing out seedlings, and that is "shading. | Leaves transpire a good ouantity of water ; -when tho sun is shining, and the water that they transpire is drawn from their roots. But .as newly-planted aeedlingß are not able to obtain moisture immediately from the soil,' they transpire what is already in their stems and leaves, and as soon as tlib supply is used up the plants wilt. If they are shaded from the sun for a day or two transpiration >s checked, and they are able to retain and use their moisture till the. roots are again in working condiiion. ROUTINE WORK. Narcissi, hyacinth, and tulip bulbs that aro to be lifted should now be attended to. Spread them out on shelves or a shed floor for a few days to dry, and then store them away in boxes, tea tins, or aiif available receptacles. Take care that the label bearing the name is put in with each variety. As soon as tho bulbs are lifted, tho around should bo deeply due and a quantity of decayed vegetation and a dressing of bouedust worked in. . _ There aro many beautiful bedding plauts that inay be used to fill the empty bjkicpb in tho border. Salvia, heliotrope, pcntsteimna, autirrhinum3,"» calceolarias, verbenas, ten-week stocks, asters, salpiglossis, French an<i African marigolds, cosmos ete, may all be planted, and youiig plants may bo obtained now from many nurserymen. Another plan is to make' a Rowing of asters, to follow those that aro already planted out from seed pans. The plants from this late sowing aro often more successful than those planted out earlier in the seaeon. For one tiling," the foil and' the air are warmer, and the seedlings grow 011 without check. Tho ground should bo deeply dug, and should have some well-: deeayed vegetable rubbish or animal man. nre dug in. It should then be made quite firm aud should be thoroughly watered. As soon as the soil ,is -in good working condition again sow' tho eecd very thinly, working in at the.earn© time a- dressing of bonedußt. Just cover the Beed. -with bandy Boil,, .and spread--BOUI9 light litter, such au dead pea haulm, over each patch. Ab the • seedlings' grow they should be thinned' out to the required distance apart. As asters are surface rooters they must not l-e allowed to suffer from drought. AI3O, .as they aro hardy little subjects, ihey must not l>o coddled. Empty spaces, especially m a I sunny garden, may bb eftectively fUlcd by sowing mignonette and phlox drummondii in them. The same preparation of j the Boil should be made as for asters. In a shady border a sowing of pansy seed may bo made. The little plants "will flower in the autumn, and, if cut back, early in. the "winter, will make a groat show in the spring. Dig in beforehand, If possible, plenty of thoroughly . rotted animal manure. Michaelmas daisies aro growing bo fast that they already need staking. Pull the outside branches well oat, uud train each bush'into natural and graceful shape. If chrysanthemums, have not already been pinched, they should bo attended to now. As soon as tho new growths are. about Bix inches long they, too, should be piuched, and tlie plants should then make a good display of flowers in the autumn garden. Pick dead flowers off geraniums, violas, pansics, sweet peas, etc. Give weak liquid manure to plants that are flowering,, always applying it after a good watering. Carnation plauts i hould not be given aui-. mal manure. The best manure for them is a prepared carnation fertiliser. Liliums and dahlias like a dressing of half-rotted manure. Keep the soil loose about dahlias, but do not fork round those liliuma that mako a set of flower-, ing roots just below the surface of tho soil. The following varieties make theso roots:—Auratum. Batemanii, Brownii, Croceum, Elesans, ilansoni, Henryi, Krameri, . Longiflorum, Speciosum, and Tigrimim. VEGETABLES, In small gardens, whero vegetables aro grown 6olely for the uso of tliri family, only small sowings of each vegetablo should be ju?de at a time. Other Biuall sowings should bo made for a succession, so that 0110 avoids waste, and is able to use tho ground to good purposo throughout tho season. As soo'n as tho moßt forward crop of peas is being used, it. is a. safo plan to .make a fresh sowing.' Of course, there should bo two or three sow ings in various stages of growth between theso two extremes . . Turnips should bo sown frequently and in email quantities, because they are apt to mature all together, and turnips aro nico only -when they are young,, tender, and still sweet. ' As new potatoes aro lifted, rako over the soil, and set in a row of Frcnnh beans, peas, carrots, or whatever is most needed. Earth up main crop potatoes by degrees. Some gardeners mako the inistako of drawing up too much soil at a time. As soon as the shoots appear above ground it littlo Eun-warmed earth should bo drawn up to them. In a week or two a little more earth should be drawn up, until by degrees the wlioio process is completed. , Onco the earthing-up is'finished,, another crop should be put in be-' tween the rows of potatoes. If possiblo dig in first some well-rotted manure, and then plant seedling cabbages, savoys, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts, or make sowings of French beans, savoys, broccoli, etc. Tomato plantß should be encouraged to make strong, steady growth. Careful tying to stakes a-s the plants grow, and frequent hoeiugs aro what the plants need for the nest few weeks. Do not feed plauts until the first truss of flowers has set its fruit. Keep peas and beans well slaked, and draw the earth a little towards them ha you hoc. , ■ , Thin .out seedling vegetables as soon as they aro big enough to handle. Do the thinnings by degree*, first pulling out those Bcedlings that are touching, and then in a few days thinnings to about an inch apart. Always at once mako the earth firm about tho seedlings that are left in the row. licmembcr that soot is invaluable as a fertiliser, and use it as frequently, os possible. It should be dusted along tho rows of onions, carrots, turnips, peas, etc., and afterwards hoed in. • Tho frequency of rain showers makes hoeing more necessary than ever. Therefore, Hoe! Hoe! Iloel \ Garden Notes next -week will contain seasonable notes about: Itoses, routino work, rand vegetables.