IN THE GARDEN

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 250, 18 July 1931, Page 24

IN THE GARDEN

Replenishing the Supply of Food

(By

"Kowhai")

July is creeping on, and in a very few weeks now amateur gardeners will. be. busy planting seedlings in empty spaces, sowing seeds, and generally furnishing garden beds for the summer and autumn months. Before that time.comes a determined effort should be made to replenish, the food supply in all garden beds. From early in August until the end of Mayplants draw steadily upon the available food supply. By the beginning of June, when most of them have settled down to their resting-time, the food supply must be exceedingly low. At that time annual plants are being uprooted and cleared away and perennial ones cut back almost to the ground. This gives us the chance we need -to get in among the plants and dig in much of the food that will be needed during the sirring, summer, and autumn months. Well-rottetl animal manure is splendid for digging in among, perennial plants, for it cannot hurt their roots. . Half-, rotted stuff may be used for the empty spaces and among shrubs where it is not likely to come in contact with the roots. If this is done during June and July, lime and occasional quick-acting stimulants are all that will be needed during the time of active growth. Animal manure is usually out of the question in town and suburban gardens, and sometimes amateur gardeners make this their excuse for allowing their plants to suffer from semi-starvation. Not that they mean to be cruel: it is generally, just'thoughtlessness. The sad part of it is that there is no need for plants to suffer, for in every, garden there is a certain amount of important plant food fivailsblp. Weeds, spent plants, faded flowers, soft hedge clippings, grass mowings. leaves, are all well stocked with food that they have taken from the soil, and by returning these things to the soil we give back much of the food. It is not available to living plants until these things are in a state of decay, and so, wherever it is possible, all garden rubbish should be stored in flat compact heaps where it can be watered frequently. This helps the rott.ing-down process., A little lime sprinkler! over heaps occasionally keeps down any smell and adds, to the value of the decayed rubbish. During this part of the year garden rubbish may be dug in. fresh if no rotted stuff is available. . , ~ , The last opportunities should now be taken of digging plant food into the soil. There is usually something available, even if it is only vegetable peelings, fruit skins, and waste from the house. Spent hops from a brewery, too, may be used and dug straight into the garden. Then a good dressing of lime may be sprinkled over the surface, except near rhododendrons; azaleas, ericas, and Japanese irises. ; . Where substitutes for animal manure have been used, a little bonedust ■is advisable, but only a little. A teaspoonful round ■ each herbaceous plant is quite sufficient. Shrubs and hydrangeas may have two. ' . When growth begins a very btt.le quickacting stimulant’niay be given. Dried fish powder, sulphate of ammonia, or Peruvian , guano, just a pinch, round each plant, help them to make strong growth. After that, frequent stirring of the soil keeps plants growing well until f ' le y begin making their flower buds. Thon another pinch of stimulant may be given to each one, and during the summer months weak liquid manure. It is not difficult to keep plants well supplied with food, and the results — strong growth, well-formed fine flowers —repay one handsomely for the trouble.taken.. ■ Pansies, violets, daphne, violas, primroses. double daisies... Aga th a?a, early wallflowers, stocks, and all plants that are. beginning- to flower - are ready - for ■ a little stimulant now.

Beautiful Statiees. Statice Dicksonii is by far the most beautiful of the st-atices, and the flowers when dried last right through the winter. They are in big flat bunches, bright rose

in' colour, and make delightfully cheery room decorations for the winter months. The plants like a warm situation that keeps fairly, dry in winter and good drainage. . The soil should be rich in humus and silty. T ... ,• Statice Dicksonit and Statice Latifolia are both greedy feeders, but then they almost never stop working. Where welldecayed garden rubbish is available some should be dug in round established plants now. Otherwise decayed garden rubbish must l>e used and a dusting of a good fertiliser. . All the statices are worth growing. They are hardy, will grow in exposed sunny places, and give a great supply of bloom during the summer months. This applies especially to the Sinunta group and ■ to Statice Suworowii. ' These like well-drained soil containing lime and humus and a sunny position. Seeds may be sown now in boxes in a frame. New plants of perennial varieties may be put in during the next few weeks. Campanula Pyramidalis. Campanula Pyramidalis is. one of the last of the perennial plants to be cut back, for, once the first, spent flowering spike is removed, it persists in producing lovely little bits of colour right into the winter months. Now, from every leaf joint strong shoots have sprung, and these, if pulled off with a slight heel, make excellent cuttings. They may be planted in sandy soil to root. These rooted cuttings sometimes throw up a flowering stem the first autumn, but at least by the following one will be capable of bearing noble stems of bloom. Campanula Pyramidalis is often called the Chimney Bellflower, and the stems reach a height of four feet. The flowers are bright blue, and good clumps are very attractive in the autumn garden. Another tall-growing campanula is Snowdrift. It has erect, rigid stems five feet in length, and the flowers are large and pure white. Campanula Gigantea Everest has flowers of a soft shade of blue, larger than those of Pyramidalis. Its stems reach a height of four feet. Queen of June has china-blue flowers and does not grow to such an embarrassing height. The stems are more branching and reach only about three feet. Campanulas need fairly rich soil, and they must be well staked, for they arc very beautiful nnd very stately.

Agafhaea Coelestis. Despite the cold wet time we are having, bushes of Agathasa are determined to keep their supply of lovely flowers going, and those growing in a well-drained part of the garden are cheering even on the worst days. The small sky-blue little .daisies on their thin stiff stems are splendid for bringing into the house, especially tor using in flat bowls with all the little snips of colour that we are glad to arrange in “mixed bowls” at this time of year. Plants appreciate a little stimulant from time to time, and a pinch of bonedust or dried fish powder may be pricked in round them. Heavy frosts spoil the flowers, but if spent ones are promptly cut off new ones open at the first opportunity. • Plants of Agathroa may be put in now. Nurserymen have them ready, and they begin- flowering as soon as they are planted. VEGETABLES In most vegetable gardens work has been at a standstill for the past few weeks, owing to persistent wet weather. At the first opportunity all trenching should be completed, green crops turned in,- and-a-'-good'-dressing of lime giveii.' The ground will then need only forking over when the time arrives for sowing seeds and planting potatoes. Tubers should be up on end now in shallow boxes in a good light, so thnt there will be sturdy sprouts on them when the time conies for planting.