GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 269, 7 August 1920, Page 12

GARDEN NOTES

*— . (By "Kowhai.")

SWEET PEAS. Preparing the Ground and Sowing tho Seed. Ab soon as posaiblo now thP ground should bo prepared for the tprir.g Bowing of sweet peas. Remove the top noil ana thoroughly break un the subsoil. working into it plenty of manure. It animal manure is not to be had, una decayed garden refuse, dead leaves, or green manure, such as weeds that hp.ve nrft "one to seed, and also asher. from a, wood or runhish fire. Mix everything thoroughly with the subsoil, which should be worked to a depth of two feet, as peas are niich atey rooters. As spring-sown pnan have to endure hot summer weather, tlio uwtT and cooler the root-run, the mor* flt too plants will keep. Return tho top soil, and thoroughly blacken the surface mill soot. After two or three days boo this well in, and again blacken tho sttrfaco with soot, hoeing it in as before. (Jon. tinuo this treatment until von are roiidy to .bow the seed. SOWING THE SEED. No time Bhould be lost now in making the snrini; sowing of sweet pea?, Inougn on very heavy soils It may he necer-sary to wait a little lonucr. Th» -rardener must use his own Judgment It is an advantage if the seeds are chinned hefore beiiif sown. In chirping a httlp picae or tho outer coating of the seed is cut-off with a- Elinro pocket-knife, but great caro must bo taken not to damage «",/*"' part of the seed. Tho chip should be taken from the smooth' part. Onioning ensures even germination. Two or th-fu davs before F.owine the seed, water tne ground with a solution of permanganate of potaßh, using one ounce to one "niton of water. As soon as the seedling imsi through the ground, loosen the snifncfsoil, and dust soot that has been well exposed to the air round the sccdl'ngfi. In a few days work thio in, and again dust soot over the surface. Keep a- sharp look out-for slugs once the seedlings are up. Birds are often troublesome and must be kept from the seedlings hy using threads of black cotton. A little Donodnst should be mixed with tho soil when the seeds are put in.. ROUTINE |WOEK. The succession of, severe frosts towards the end of last month was hard on many sarden plants. Winter-flowering sweet peas dropped all their buda, while tho tips of the vines were bndlv burnt. Schiznnthus plants from the autumn sowinc were just beginning to flower, but their Tory forwarduess made them an easy prey. Oerbera, bouvardias, arums, geraniums, delphiniums, and antirrhinuma word all among the sufferers, and many other halfha;dy subjects have been spoiled for the time being. If daisy bushes,-are cut well back, they will soon put forth new shoots. - liooncn the Boil about the plants, give thi:m a good watering, and then sprinkle a Mule supachosphate , about the roots. Keep the soil well hoed till growth ib well on the way. Geraniums, heliotrope, etc., should be cut back and protected with .1 covering of straw or scrim' till all danger of severe frosts is over. '*, Hyacinths are pushing their way tip very freely in many irardens. Keep tho soil loose about them and betrin feeding with weak liquid manuro or soot water. Sluys are ever ready to feast on the tcitf/r tips of the flowering stalks, and bird* are cnpable of spoiling many promising Miiko* of bloom. Doth ;0f these enemies must he guarded against—the sparrows by moans of black threads, and the sings, by frequent dustings of soot or lime rennet the. clumps, and by persistent extermination. Examine carnation plants to sco If now Etakes are needed. Chrysanthemum cuttings mar bo taken whenerer nice stronj shootß, well away from the flowering stalk, are big enough. Make a clean cut with a. sharp knife; In- . sert the cuttings in Bandy soil in a spare part of the garden. As soon as tlia old plant is finished with it may bo duy up and added to the first rubbish Are, See that wallflowers and Brampton stocks are well Btaked. The plants aro top-heavy just now and are easily spoilt by wind. ' , Rose cuttings may'be secured, whilo tlie bushes arc being pruned. They should'be inserted very firmly in soil to which plenty of sand has been added. Havo tho cut tings where they can ■ left for about a year before being transplanted. Examine rose bushes to see if frost has loosened the soil about them. Som» lor. tihser should now be used for . roeo bushes. For heavy soil use basic slag (toz. to the square yard). For a light soil use bonedust in the same proportion. Draw the soil well up to tobo bushos, make it quite firm, and drive in fresh stakeß where necessary. Seed pans should be made ready, for boforo long seed-sowing will be in full swing. Benzino tins cut in half serve the purpose well. They should have the ragged edges neatly hammered iu, and should then be thoroughly cleansed. Make Holes in the bottom, and have a layer of pebbles or cinders for drainage. About three-iparts fill tho pans with a mixture of lino soil and river sand. ■ If Uicto are prepared now and stored in a dry place, the work at. seed-sowing tinio -will be considerably lessened. Sweet pea fences should be put into thorough order, for onco the next fo?,weeks are over the vines will make rapid growth. Keep clumps of bulbs free from weeds. Shrubß may be looked over, and any dead branches removed. Do not cut away any fine young growths from spring and summer flowering shrubs, or you will ho robbing yourselves of.flowerß. Bhould they be taking up too much room or hanging over the path, fasten them back Into place with some pliable wire. .-Hoe 1 the paths to keep down weedß. 'MAKING A NEW GARDEN. When' making a new garden it is of the utmoßt, importance, to prepare the ground thoroughly in the firet instance. Some gardeners think thiß applies only to the vegetable garden, but it is just as necessary for flowers,- Bhrubs, hedges, and trees. All plants, even Bhallow rooters, appreciate deeply-worked soil, therefore tho sub-soil should be broken up to a good depth. In heavy soils this is especially necesßary, for most plants resent heing in ground that holds cold,.stagnant water in winter. It is usual to work the ground three feet deep, keeping tho top Boil on top, as the subsoil is ccnerally sour. Only <when the soil has boon deeply worked for several ycarß is it safe to brinsr the eubsoll to the top. Having - measured off: the ground to be dug, proceed ,in the following way :—'

Make a line A—B right down the centre of the plot. Mark off a strip 0 about two feot wide, lift the top foil from it. and throw it on to Z. The subsoil of the strip 0 js now revealed. Break this iro thoroughly to a depth of 2ft. to 21ft„ using a pick if necessary. If your coil is a heavy one, mix with the subsoil plenty of well-decayed horse manure or ■welldecayed vegetable rubbish, road trrit, cinders, and half-decayed leaves if possible. Too much grit cannot bo added, aB it is such a splendid thing for keeping a heavy soil open. Now mark off the next strip I). Lift the top soil and throwIt on to the now well-worked subsoil of 0. Proceed to prepare the subsoil of strip D in the same way as recommended for 0, and then cover it with the too coil from strip E. Proceed in tho same way till you come to N. Having prepared the subsoil of N, cross over the line A I), and mark off a strip 0. Throw the top soil from 0 on the well-worked subsoil of N. Next mark off a ntriu P, and throw the top soil on the subsoil of 0. Work right up the plot till you come to Z. , By dividing the garden plot into two, and by working down one half and then up the other, one is Bnved the usual labour of wheeling the top soil from tho first trench down to the last ono. ABhes from tho, rubblßh fire, and docayed leaves, or well-deoaycd vegetable rubbish, may always be mixed with the top soil. Fresh' , stable manure , 6hould not 1)0 added to the ton soil. Removing the top soil and keeping it on-top may, to some, seem an unnecessary • attention; but it 1b wnvth the trouble. The top soil is like the eream of the milk: it is tho richest and sweetest part of the ground, and if kept to the top, gives the young plants a good start off. If. Ps 'n m:inr easer,, it is turned under and the. subs;.il is brought to the top, plants are obliged to nako their first start in life in sour, unwholesome Roil. A young plant that is put into an ill-made feeding ground ls.ntunted and weakly, and a prey to any disease or blight that may como its way. Qardon Notes next week v'ill_ contain seasonable notes about :--6eed-iii>wing. rou- i tino work, and vegetables.

, . . A C Z D ' E P N • 0 I ' ! ~~B 7