GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 136, 5 March 1927, Page 28

GARDEN NOTES

(By

“Kowhai”)

PRIMULA MALACOIDES

Sturdy seedlings of this charming primula are already to bo seen outside seed shops, and gardeners yvho have places ready tor . them may plant without delay. In sunny well-drained gardens these early plants should begin flowering towards the end of winter. Primula malacoides is oue of the gems of the spring garden, and it has a long flowering season. The dainty mauve flowers are splendid, too, for picking, for they last well in water. The plants may bo massed in among the roses in the cose garden and all along its edge, and they make a charming picture when the rose garden would otherwise be bare. The primulas, too, appreciate the mulch of half-rotted manure that is given to the roses after they are pruned, for it gives them two things that arc necessary to their well-being—good food, and warmth. But wherever they are grown they like to be among other plants that will shut out chilly winds, or in a nocket among the stones of a rock garden, Tho soil should be rich and light. NARCISSUS' BULBOCODIUM. Narcissus bulboeodiuni (hoop petticoat) flowers late in the spring. The dainty yellow flowers are borne ou slender stems and are produced freely. They come in just as the great mass of narcissi are nearly' over, and are in flower at the same timo as wood hyacinths and polyanthus primroses. A few good clumps at the back of a border of yellow and white polyanthus primroses look charming, and the dainty little flowers are very attractive when the bulbs are planted in a drift in a cleft in a rock garden. SWEET PEAS.

Now that the soil has been well moistened, no time should be lost in preparing the ground for sweet peas, for where early flowers are wanted it is an advantage to have the plants well forward before the cold of winter retards growth. The ’soil in the trench should be evenly rich from top to bottom. Some gardeners have the manure down deep and only poor soil at the top, and the chances are that the roots of the plants, for want of nourishment in the early stages, never reach tho good stuff below. Mix with the soil plenty of well-decayed garden rubbish and, if possible, ashes from a wood or a rubbish fire.

Unless one is growing sweet peas for show it is not necessary to trench deeply each year, a well prepared trench lasting for two years. The first year the top soil is taken off. The subsoil is ■'then thoroughly broken up to a depth of eighteen inches or two feet. Plenty of decayed manure or vegetable rubbish, some wood ash, and a dressing of lime are then worked into the soil till they are thoroughly mixed with it. Leave the trench open as long as possible to allow sun and air to sweeten the subsoil. Before leturning the top soil, trample up and down the trench to make the contents firm. The top soil may’ then have well-rotted manure or garden rubbish worked into it and a dressing of bonedust

The next season the soil at the top of the trench is deeply dug and has decayed rubbish or manure worked into it.

The seeds may be sown either straight into the prepared places cr in tins for transplanting later. Where frosts are very severe in winter the latter method is safer. Threads of black cotton should be stretched across the seed bed to protect both seeds and seedling from birds. Sow the seeds about, three inches apart in firm soil, and, should everyone ger’minate, thin out every other one as soon as the seedlings are big enough to transplant. VEGETABLES. Continue sowing small quantities of carrots, lettuces, radishes, eudine, cabbages, cauliflowers, and spinach. Never sow seed in dry soil. First saturate it with water, aud after sowing keep the ground damp by shading it. Seedling savoys, cabbages, cauliflowers, nnd celery may be planted out. Should the ground be' dry, water it thoroughly some hours before planting. As potatoes arc lifted a sowing of onions may be made. Onions from an autumn sowing are often more successful than those from a spring sowing, for the soil is warm, and the germination of the seeds, and tho growth of the seedlings will be quicker. Also heavy dews nnd warm autumn rains supply the moisture that is so necessary to the onion crop. After the ootafocs arc lifted, the haulm may- bo collected, nnd burnt on the ground. If the nlot.was well manured for the potatoes it needs only a dressing of honedust which may be put in tho drills with lhe onion seed. The ' soil should bo made quite, firm before the seed is sown. As soon as the seedlings are through, a boo should be kept at work between the rows. MARROWS AND PUMPKINS Where marrows and pumpkins are bearing too many non-fruiting flowers, the vines should be stopped by nipping off the ends. Side growths will nt once be thrown out. and most of these will produce a fruit-bearing flower. While tho pumpkins, etc., arc still growing, plenty of wafer should bo supplied to them, but as soon as the fruit is beginning to ripen waler should be withheld.