GARDEN NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 177, 14 April 1923, Page 24

GARDEN NOTES.

By

“KOWHAI.”

SPRING-FLOWERING PLANTS. In sunny, sheltered parts of the garden, anemone plants that arc in their second year are already opening their beautiful flowers- In a very short time now the plants will be flowering freely, and will continue to do so, with good treatment, until well into the spring. . As soon as the foliage appears above the ground the soil about the plants must be kept moi:*: and well worked. From the starting of growth until the flowering is over, anemones should never be allowed to suffer from drought. Failure to keep the plants moist-, especially during the caiiy stages of their growth, results in flowers of poor quality, and possibly in no flowers at all. Anemones like ft lioht, rich soil. Heavy soils should be deeply dug, and should have plenty of well-decayed vegetable rubbish, grit, and J’iver sand added to the subsoil. A IcS’er of well-rotted vegetable rubbish should be placed on top of this well-worked subsoil, and on top ot that about six inches of well-sweetened soil. River sand and a dressing of bonedust may be worked into the top soil. It heavy soil is so prepared, anemones cannot fail to do well, provided they are protected from cold winds ana Light soils should have plenty of well-decayed vegetable stable rubbish buried a-few inches below -the surface of the soil. A little bonedust may be worked in as soon as growth has startAnemones oo sj in sand gardens bv the seaside if the sand is trenched and -» good quantity <•.' seaweed is'buried. They should be plantcd if possible, where they get partial shade. As soon as anemones are planted, a mulch of sifted, well-rotted cow manure or well-decayed vegetable rubbish may be spread over the beds, and a thorough watering given. Two-year-old plants that are already in growth will appreciate the same treatmentRANUNCULUSES. Ranunculuses begin flowering towards the end of spring, and the flowers are freely produced over a long period, provided dead ones are promptly removed. The dainty flowers make a great show where the plants are massed in bold groups, and they are delightful as cut flowers, for they have long stems and last'well in water. A light, sandy soil that has been well enriched with cow manure or well-decay-ed vegetable rubbish is most suitable, but the plants are so hardy that they do quite’ well in heavy soil provided it has been deeply dug and drained. Ranunculuses like an open, sunny position, and although they love plenty of root moisture, they very much resent being .planted in soil that holds stagnant ivater during winter. The plants are often attacked by wireworms, but. if they are planted in ground where a crop of mustard has been grown and turned in for green manure, this pest <3an often be avoided. Tho roots should be planted, claws downwards, about two inches deep, and six inches apart. Plenty of water should be applied during the growing season. GEUM. Genins make a brilliant show in the late spring garden, for the large double flowers are bright scarlet in colour. The plants should he in groups of three or five, and should be a foot apart each way. The gay flowers make splendid neighbours for shell-pink antirrhinums, or groups of Beauty of Nice stock. Geums like deeply-dug, well-drained soil in which plenty of well-decayed vegetable rubbish ha.s been buried, and a sunny position. SOLOMON’S SEAL. Solomon’s Seal (polygonatum) is most useful for shady parts of the garden.’ Those who have st cool, shady spot near a stream or pond, or under tree ferns on the edge of the bush should plant Solomon’s seal freely, for the gracefully bent flower stems

and rows of quaint pendulous white flowers make a charming picture m spring. Plants may be increased by root division or by sowing seeds in autumn. The soil should be light, fairly rich, and moist CINERARIAS. Wherever gardens arc free from heavy frosts, cinerarias are among the gayest of our spring flowers. The colours of the flowers are so varied, so rich, and so gay, and the flowers themselves arc so freely produced that ths plants should be extensively made use of. Then, too, they grow and flower so well in the shade that the generally hopelesslooking border is turned by them into a place of beauty. Strong seedlings are ready now for planting out. The tail should be deeply dug, and should contain a large proportion of sand and well decayed vegetable rubbish. Bonedust may bn added when the seedlings are being planted out. STOCKS. Seeds of ten-week and Nice stocks may be sown now. The early flowering ’Nice stocks are lovely, for the flowers are long-stemmed, and the plants flower over a long period. Stock seed should be sown in a shallow pan, so that the seedlings may be persuaded to grow fibrous, instead of tap, roots. Plants that do produce a tap root should have it cut off at transplanting time. Stocks should be grown in wellprepared and well-manared ground. ?d, and water should be supplied during dry weather. ICELAND POPPIES. Seeds of Iceland poppies may be sown now. Mix th© seeds with a little fine sand before sowing so thai they may be well distributed. As soon as the seedlings are big enough to handle, plant them out in their flowering quarters. A little sand put in the holes with the roots, when The soil should be kept well cultivating at a rapid rate. Tho turnip crop transplanting, will boz much appreciated by the plants. In gardens where the soil is heavy and not too well drained, it would be as well to leave tho seedlings in the seed pan until early in the spring, when plenty of sand should be added to the soil before the seedlings are planted out. (To be continued.) EARLY-FLOWERING CHRYSANTHEMUMS. Many of the warly-flowering chrysanthemums are already in flower. Too much disturbance of tho soil about their roots is not advisable at this period of their growth, but mulching •diould be attended to. Once thp buds are set, several good soakings of weak liquid manure will make all the diff-erence-to the quality of the flowers. Stalking and tying up of tho branches are very important. Severe disbudding is not necessary in the earlyflowering varieties. Just remove a few buds here and there, wherever they seem to bo too crowded, and you will then havo dainty flower-laden sprays that sue ornam)xntal in the garden, and most satisfactory for arranging in bowls in the house. All chrysanthemums plants must be searched regularly for caterpillars. ' VEGETABLES. CABBAGES FOR EARLY SPRING. Seed of an early variety of cabbage may be sown now in seed tins. The part of the garden where potatoes have just been grown is suitable for this crop, for it was manured for the potatoes last spring, and has just been deeply dug while the potatoes were being lifted. Rake the soil level, tread it firm, and then get in the cabbage seedlings. Before planting them, make a thick poiridge-like mixture of cow-manure and water, and puddle the roots of th# seedlings in this. A good coating of the mixture

will adhere to tho roots, and will give the seedlings a good start, especially if a little of the mixture is pourgd into each hole. Ono important point is to cut off the long tap root when planting cabbage seedlings. Do this before puddling tho roots. Make the soil vary firm round the seedlings when planting. It is a great advantage to have tho rows of cabbages wide apart so that you can constantly dig between them. If manure can be dug into these intervening spaces, the soil there will become very rich. Later, when earthing-up is iP Vessary, this well-worked, well-en-riched soil will be drawn up about the cabbage plants with really amazing, but wholly satisfying ersults. To follow out \tlris plan, fcawever, the rows of cabbages must be wide apart, or the roots would bp injured by deep digging. , Garden notes next week will contain seasonable notes about spring-flower-ing plants (continued), routine work, and vegetables.