GARDEN NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 53, 25 November 1922, Page 20

GARDEN NOTES.

By

“KOWHAI."

EARLY-FLOWERING GLADIOLI. For several days now mixed borders have been a blaze of colour, for sweet williams, verbenas, Oriental popplies, roses, delphiniums, larkspurs, lavater'as, campanulas, leptosyne, Spanish irises, violas, and many other gaily-colourea flowers are out in profusion, and unless the colours have ,been carefully arranged the effect is more likely to irritate than to please the gardener. One has only, to see that lovely pale blue belladonna delphinium and the glorious blue campanula persicifolia as near neighbours to realise what a jar can be given. , . But all among these flowers of brilliant hue are bi" clumps of the earlyflowering gladiolus, the “Bride,” and the creamy-white flowers set on their long graceful stems bring a soft note into the border, and help to tone down what might otherwise be a gaudy effect. Neat Pta'kes should be driven fn round the clumps, and the 'long istems should be oonfinjed securely but loosely so that their graceful habit is not interfered with. So far watering has not been necessary, but should the weather be dry, the clumps will need a thorough watering occasionally or the flowers will soon be over. Among the early-flowering class are flowers of many lovely shades of pink. They flower just a little later than the “Bride,” and fill up the gap till the large'flowering gladioli are in bloom. PLANTING OUT. The foliage of many of the springflowering bulbs is at‘last dying down, and gardeners are anxious .to .fill in quickly these bare-looking spaces with something that will flower during summer and early autumn. Nothing can bo nicer than violas for filling up at this time of the year, for u „ seedling plants soon spread and flower, and keep bright for many weeks. By the time the bulbs are beginning to peep above ground, the viola plants are looking shabby, and the gardener has no hesitation in cutting them hard back to encourage the new growth from which he is to get his. next batch of plants Antirrhinums, stocks, -pansies, phlox drummondii. nemesia, and asters are all useful for filling In these emnty spaces. I? gardeners would water in their seedling plants, even jf the soil is wet at planting time, th© plants would be given a good start. By "watering” we mean pouring watertinto the hole with the plant so that the roots become embedded in wet soil. This should be done frith the utmost care, especially where a ball of soil is already attached to the roots. If the plant is held firmlv in place with one hand, water may be so poured, from a can without a rose, as to wash more earth gently on to the roots. As soon os the water has drained away, the top soil may be firmly pressed into place. Plants stand far less chance of flagging when they are planted out in this way. STOCKS. Seedlings from the spring sowing should bo ready to plant out now. Before planting stocks in their flowering quarters, cut off the long tap root with a sharp knife. Plant the seedlings very firmly in well-dug, wellenriched soil, and fork in a little bonedust with each plant. Keep the soil about the plants w’ell stirred all thneutih the summer, and supply water. A further small sowing of stock seed may be made for a succession as soon as the batch of seedlings is planted out. . VIOLETS. All violet borders should be attended to now. Cut off all leaves and suckers, pull out any weeds, and stir ths soil thoroughly with the little hand fork. Don’.t use a spade near the plants, or many valuable roots may be destroyed. Give the violet plants a thorough watering, and tuck a mulch well in about the roots, using well-rotted manure or vegetable rubbish. A row of plants such as stocks, antirrhinums, zinnias, asters, or phlox may be planted inside the violet border to fill up the empty space until the violets spread out again. New borders may be planted. The soil should' be deeply dug, and should have well-rotted manure or vegetable rubbish buried about one foot below the surface. Rooted cuttings, not old woody bits, should be used for the new borders. Remember that violets are winter flowering plants, apd like a sunny position. ■" i VEGETABLES. Give rhubarb plants liquid manure every two weeks, and remove at once any flowers that are formed. The bed for pickling onions should not undergo the careful preparation that is so necessary for other onions.

In fact, the soil should be poor, and rather dry, for then the onions are small and firm. Dig the ground well, but make it firm again. The seed may be sown in drills or broadcast, and should be fairly thick. No.wearisome thinning out is necessary as in the ck.se of large onions. ‘ . Push on with the planting _o,ut of cabbages, cauliflowers, broccoli, and savoys wherever necessary. Plant, if possible, just before a shower of rain, but do not plant when the ground is very wet. Make the soil quite firm about the roots, and see that the young plants do not suffer from dryness at any time. The encouragement of vigorous growth from the start in winter greens is necessary to bring them safely through the summer. • Thin out carrots,.onions, beet, parsnips, etc., as soon as the plants are big enough to handle. Do not. thin out too severely the first time. It is better to do it gradually. Make the. soil firm about the remaining seedlings as th'vwork proceeds. dear away at once all seedlings that have been pulled out, and also decaying cabbage and lettuce leaves. They only harbour pests if left about. Continue planting out tomato plants. Celery may be planted in 'prepared trenches. The trenches should be dug out to a depth of one foot. Some well-retted manure should then be dug into the bottom, and about six inches of soil should be returned. Thoroughly mix A little bonedust (about four ounces to the running yard) with the soil that is returned to the trench. If tho trenches are made only a short time before transplanting takes place tho soil should be made firm by being trampled upon, for celery does better when grown in firm soil. Before transplanting the seedlings add two inches of very fine soil and a slight dressing of soot or ashes from a rubbish fire.

Plant the seedlings about six or eight inches apart. Shade from the sun for a few days, and sprinkle the plants with water morning and evening. As soon as growth has, well started, liquid manure should fie supplied. A further sowing of celery seed may still be made, but for gardeners with small gardens it is better to b,uy a few plants at intervals during the summer, tfius having two or three small trenches with a succession of plants.

The following seeds may be sewn whore necessary:— Celeriac (turnip-rooted eerery).—Sow in rows' two feet apart, in well-worked, well-enriched soil. Thin out seedlings to six inches apart in the rows. Celeriac does not need earthing up like celery for it is grown for its root. Scarlet-runner Beans. —Sow in ground that has been trenched and manured. Sow the seed from six to eight inches apart, and about two inches deep. French and Butter Beans.—Sow in drills two feet apart. Dust bonedyist In the drills, and give a slight dressing; of superphosphate as soon as the seedlings are a couple of inches high. Rndish.r-Sow 'broadacst, but not too thick, in rich, firm ground, and provide an abundance of water for., the growing crop. Carrot. —Sow thinly in drills twelve inches apart. Peas. —Sow in drills from two to three feet apart. Ground-should be trenched and manured, and should have wood ashes mixed with it. Dust bonedust in the'drills when sowing. Lettuce.—Sow thinly, in drills fifteen inches apart, and thin, out to nine inches in the rows. The ground should bo deeply dug, and enriched with well-decayed manure. Dust bonedust in the drills when sowing. Keep the hoe at work among all growing crops. Garden notes next week will contain seasonable notes about carnations, routine work, and vegetables.