GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 120, 14 February 1920, Page 12

GARDEN NOTES

* (By "Kowliai.")

SOWING SEEDS OP PEHENMALS. During the next few weeks, seeds tf. most perennial plants may be sown. Seeds flown at this time of the yenr are. an a rule, far lens trouble than those sown in the spring. Owing to the warmer and moro settled weathor, germination of the seeds in more certain, and the seedlings i'.re not eo liable to suffer from sudden drops in the temperature. The weds, moreover, may lie sown in sheltered parts of tlio garden instead of in Eeed pans. though 1 always take the precaution of sowinc soma in the open ground and amne in seed pans. If the seeds that are town in tho garden aro well scattered they vill need only a slight tliinnin? out. (he_ miiiority beine left where tlioy are until it fB time to plant t.hem out in their permanent Quartern. This often savce one the tedious work of "pricking out," and it is a creat savinir of time to the busy amateur gardener. To bo successful with t seed-sowintr. it_ ia necessary to take a. little trouble with the preparation of the Keed-bod. Tho soil should be well dug and made very fine. A good quantity of sand should lie rnijed with it, and it should then be made firm again. At this timo of the_ year it is necessnry to water the Feed-bed before sowing tho eeed. This should be dono thoroughly several hours before the seed is to be sown. Large seeds may be placed ono at a time in position; amaller ones sliould be mixed with sand and then coattercd lightly over tho moist need-bed. Just cover tho seeds with a sprinkling of very fine eartllfind lay some lteht littor such as nca haulm nr manuka brush ever the bed. This will help to keep tho soil moist till the seedlings are up. when it may be romoved. It is always a nity ;to he obliged to water the seed-bed after the pceds aro sown. If the following rules are obeyed. Beedsowing should be a buccobs:--1. If possible. mir sand with tho 'oil. 2. Make tho soil fine n.nd firm. 3. Water thoroughly several hours previous to fOTnntr. 4. Just rover the seeds with a. ?.orinklinjr of very fine onrt.li. 5. Scatter Iho seeds well, mixing fine ones with a little wind to onsure thin sowing. 6. Shade t.he nans or e o ed-bed from the hot sun till tho seedlings are upSeeds of tho following nerenriials may he sown now:—Beauty of Nice stocks and all tho early Brompton vnr'etie?, wallflowers. coreopsis, sweet William, sweet scabious, anemone, antirrhinum, aouilegia, delnhinium. pansy, viola, pentstomon, pinltfl, carnntion, primrose, polyanthro primroso, pyrethrum, verbena, .?eum, rn.llla'-dia, I'ypßonhila, gorbern.. Cantorbury bells. Oriental poppies. Teeland noppies, linaria, lobelia, and petunia. ROUTINE WOKK. At. this time of the year there is necessarily much rootinT out of plants that have finished floverinp. Once annuals are past their best there If no uee in kccpin? them in the sarden unless peed is wanted. The plan of allowing a nlant here and there to no to eeed is a very good ope. The wind ocattcrß the seeds about nicely, and the seedlings the.t arc the result of self-Bown Eeed are a'.wa.y3 f.trong and healthy. We get also a supply of Bucllinjs nice and cnrlv. Mid ■n'ithout any if the bother of Bowinr in scnd-psins. But with resa.rd to the empty tnaenn that are now apneiiriiiij i" every garden, many of .tliom aro needed (or early Fprinii hulbs, but wherever space allows it ia a good plan to make of annuals now for floweritiß Into in tho autumn. Th#> ground is at present nice fiid warm, and the seods soon germinate. Later como the "arty autumn rains, which, make the seedlings grow apace, and before the autumn is oyer there is ;i fair chance of many of them flowering well. Such annual" as phlox drummondii and mignonette will flower nil th» winter, while annual gyrsophila. schu.anthus. lirksnur, and aalpigloesis will flower early in the spring. Suitable seeds to «ow now for late autumn flowering are French and Afrienn marigolds, nhlox drummondii. linaria, mienonetto. and star of the veldt. Stir up the soil well with a lmnd fork pulling out all weeds, work in i little bonedunt, nnd F.aturnte the gronnd with wntcr, About an hour afterwards loosen the surface soil, and sow tlin send, taking care to scatter it well. Just cover with a sprinkling of very fine soil, and coyer lightly with brush or romc hhadinu material. Itomove the covering as soon na the seedlings nro up. Keep the around round tho Beedlinss nice end lcoee, and thin out where room is needed. Never allow annual;] to bo crowded, as flic plants then ennnot give you of ihdr best. To develop into fine planta '.hey must have room to expand. During dry weather plants of chrysanthemums. dahlina. cosmos, etc.. need careful attention. Encourage growth and' good health by constantly stirring (he Boil round them, and .with every rain tlje plants will leap abend. Wherever it is possible give a good watering and then spread a mulch round the roots to conserve tho moisture. Never water ,the nlnnta during hoi sunshine, for no "ocd, but a great deal of harm, is done to them if you) do. Chrysanthemums, dahlias, cobp'ob. etc.. Teauire staking as they crow. Tlin brittle stema are toon snapped by a frolicsome wind, and the labour of many weeks is thus lost. <- Caterpillars are devouring the enda of chrysanthemum Blioots on every hand, and a daily inspection of the plants is necessary. Early varieties of chryip.ntheliimnß are already in bud. nnd n littlo disbudding should be practised no roon as the bude are big enough to nip off. Keep tlio hoe at work among the nlantß, and every drop of rnfn that falls will then have a chance, of soaking right down. Hoe again as *oon es the ground As fry enouirh after the rain, thus keening the moisture down where it is needed. VECETABLES. A good stimulant for leeka is loz. of nitrate of poda in one gallon of water applied once a week after first, watering with clear water. Leeks reonire an abundance of water and liquid manure. Oabbnge, cauliflower, and celery Fcodlinijß may etill be jiln.nted out, llrst watering the ground thoroughly some houra before planting. Greens that, aro to go through the winter should be planted in fairly firm ground. Continue sowing, where necessary, Beeds of carrot, lettuce, radish, endive, turnip, cabbage, and cauliflower. A lapt Bowing of peas and French beans may bo made this week. Trench the ground for this last nowir.g. burying plenty of decayed vegetable rubbiuh in tho bottom of the trench. Give, the plants plenty of room—a foot apa.rt Is not too much. Ivcen the hoe at xork. Weeds do not crow very big dur'im: this dry weather, but they make up for thoir want of siw by the freedom with which they produce their seeds. TOJIATOES. Keep all lateral ilioo'h well pinched out from tomato plants. Feeding should coirj mence as soon an the fruit ban «et. If commcnced then and continued hteadily, ono ia able to keep to weak doses of liquid manure, and thia is much better for the steady development 9f the fruit than occasional strong doaos. Guano and supcrnhos Dilate aro both good manures for tomotoes. and may be obtained from a aced merchant. Half ar ounce in a gallon of water is the strength required. Uee the guano and superphosphate on alternate vreeks. First water the plants '.llorouithly and as soon as the surf-ice coil ia dry enough, hoe it over. The I'tinid rianurV may then be given: and should be poured gradually into a little su'ter made round each plant with a stick. As foon ob tho liquid has soaked in, cover the i.oil over the little gutters again, as the ground round the Plants will be considerably trodden upon during the proseea, hoeing should again take place. It is most important, that plants should not 1.-e allowed to eulTcr from dryness at the roots, or they will shed their flowers. (-'un-wiu-Jied water should if' possible,l;e used. Garden Notes next weei; will contain seasonable notes about:—Cuttings, routine work, and vegetables.