GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 85, 4 January 1930, Page 28

GARDEN NOTES

(By

‘‘Kowhnl.’’)

Catananche Caerulea. Catananche is a treasure for Wellington gardens, for it likes a sunny, rather dry position, and can stand a fair amount of wind. The plants aro much like clumps of grass all*urough the year, but early in December they begin pushing up numerous tall, slender stems, and soon each plant becoincs a mass of lovely daisy-like flowers of a glorious shade of blue. The flowers are everlasting, and If cut when fully out, and hung up in bunches in a cool, dry place to dry, will retain their freshness and their colour all the winter. Catananche is of course charming in a sunny rockery, but it is suitable, too, for a mixed border, for the long stems lift the flowers well up. It is a hardy perennial, and once planted tn well-dug and well-prepared soil, needs little attention beyond having dead flowers cut off, and being given an occasional stimulant. ~ . Plants are easily raised from seeds which should be sown during the summer months. Also, old plants that have grown too big may be lifted and broken up. The soil should be deeply forked, rather rich, and gritty. Asters.

I was told, some weeks ago, a very interesting thing about asters. Some years ago a reader of Garden Notes wrote to me. She was anxious to grow asters, but her soil was infested with wireworms. I advised her to grow a crop of mustard, turn it in when it was in flower, and immediately plant out the aster seedlings. This she. did, and had a splendid crop of asters. What interested me, however, was that mustard has been grown in the aster- bed every year since then, and there has never been any trace of the usual ( trouble of aster plants going off suddenly. Every year there is a good bed of asters. It might interest others who love asters to experiment, next year, by growing; a crop of’ mustard before planting out the aster seedlings, whether there are wireworms in the .soil or not. I will be S rate ’ ful to anyone who will let me know the result of the experiment. , Asters must be well treated if they are to have fine flowers. By pinching but the central bud one throws all the strength Into the laterals, and if these are restricted in number one gets several good blooms instead of one good, and an number of inslgniflCa As thV’roots of the plants are near the surface of the soil it is advisable to spreatl a mulch about the plants. First sprinkle a little' superphosphate round them, and then use a mulch of well-decayed garden rubbish, grass clippings, or anything there is available. Once buds are formed, liquid manure should bo given regularly. Care should be taken not to fork or hoe too near aster plants, for the roots are so near the surface that inanjq may be spoiled. Where it is difficult to get liquid manure, guano may be used at the rate of one ounce in every gallon of water. boot water, too, is a splendid fertiliser. Caterpillars are tiresome among aster plants. Hand picking is the best means of getting rid of them, and watering the 'plants with a weak solution of permanganate of potash helps to keep them away. ROUTINE WORK. ■Verbenas. —Verbena plants that have been flowering all the spring and early summer have practically flowered themselves to death, and must be cut hard back. If the soil about them Is well stirred, and a little superphosphate is worked in, strong new growth is soon produced and the plants will, in a very few weeks, be again a mass of fragrant bloom. Where mildew has been troublesome, the plants should be washed with lime-sulphur, or well sprinkled with flowers of sulphur while they are wet with dew. - ... Keep all plants free of dead flowers, seed nods, and dead leaves. Such plants as carnations, scabious, daisies, geraniums, violas, etc., are anything but beautiful when they are covered with dead flowers, and the plants rapidly deteriorate when they are in such a condition. Hollyhocks, scabious, dahlias, asters, pansies, thalictrums, hydrangeas and autumn-flowering annuals need regular supplies of water and liquid manure. Hollyhocks need plenty of liquid manure to keep them growing vigorously and free from disease. , , ... Primula malacoides. —Seeds of this charming little primula may be sown now, so that the seedlings may be ready for planting out early in the autumn. Wellgrown plants begin to flower towards the end of winter, and keep up a constant supply of bloom for many weeks. Lluaria.—lf seeds aro sown now, the plants will bloom through the winter if they are planted in' well-drained soil, and in a position where there will get winter Lconotls.—Plants of Iconotis must be given regular supplies of water and liquid manure. •• , , Pentstemons. — Remove dead flowers promptly and give weak liquid manure once a fortnight all through the flowering season. Cuttings of strong young shoots may bo taken and planted firmly in sandy 6011, and in a semi-shaded position. Seeds may be sown now. Sweet Williams.—Plants should be cut hard back as soon as the flowers have faded. Strong young shoots are then 1 produced, and these may be taken for Cuttings. If they are planted in a nursery bed, they will be ready for moving into the borders in March or April. Delphiniums.—Unless seed is wanted, cut back the flowering stems. Stir the soil about the plants, and give them one of the following stimulants: Soot water, guano (1 oz. lu 1 gall, water), or liquid manure made from cow manure and soot. After, wards prick ill a little superphosphate, and spread a mulch of decayed garden rubbish round the plants. Gerberas.—Cut off flowers as soon as they fade, and keep the plants well, provided with water and weak liquid manure. Chrysanthemums.—Work a' little superphosphate into the soil round chrysanthemum plants, and provide a mulch. The roots are very near the surface of the Soil, and like to be, covered with a sprinkling of good fresh soil from time to time. Llllums.—LlUunis aurutum, tigrinum, and spociosum need plenty of water durlug dry weather. Soot water may be used freely. Where It is obtainable, a mulch of welbrotted manure may be spread round the plants. Falling the iflauurp, prick in a little superphosphate and use well-decay-ed garden rubbish for the mulch. Perennial pliloxes.~-Plants are just forniing their buds, and should have some liquid manure or soot water once a week after rain or a good watering. VEGETABLES. Vegetable plots have a well furnished appearance just now, for peas, French beans, carrots, parsnips, red beet, onions, silver beet, spinach, leeks, celery, cabbages, lettuces, radishes, sweet corn, tomatoes, marrows, pumpkins, celeriac, artichokes, potatoes and runner beans are all more or less represented in most amateurs’ gardens. This is the one time when practically every vegetable Is under cultivation. The main work in 1 the garden during the next few weeks consists of hoeing or forking between the rows, staking, watering, feeding, rooting out spent crops, and sowing new ones in their place. Onions, carrots, red beet and parsnips must be kept weeded and growing steadily. Lawn clippings may be lightly, spread along the rows of peas and beaus. Superphosphate m#y be sprinkled along the roti's of all vegetables, and rain or the hose will dissolve it. ’ Peas, beans, and cabbages need plepty of lime in their soil. Shallots should be lifted as soon as the leaves begin to turn yellow, and a sowing of carrots or French or butter bpans may be made in their place. Keep tomatoes well staked, and begin feeding as sqott as the Howers have set. Don’t let the plants bear too many bunches of fruit. It is better to have a few really good ones. Never apply liquid manure to dry grouud. Always use it attpr rain or after a good watering. Inspect cabbages frequently. Apibides and eaterpillars are busy just now. Hose the plants, washing both sides of the leaves thoroughly and forcibly. This cleansing is necessary in spite of frequent showers, for rain does not get at the under sides of the leaves.