PRACTICAL GARDENING

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 16, 13 October 1933, Page 2

PRACTICAL GARDENING

Helpful Hints for Amateur Growers

By

“The Hoe”

Timely Topics Weed the seedling beds to proven, the useless plants getting the best, of the young vegetable and flowering P lants -

New growth on flowering climbers and rambler roses should be carefully arranged and neatly tied in, superfluous growth being checked by nipping out the growing point.

A dwarf bean that is reputed to be disease-resistant, the blue podded bean, is worthy of a trial. It is a heavy cropper and the pods are of a striking blue colour.

“The Garden Club” is the name of a new organisation with headquarters at 8 Napier Terrace, Napier. The objects of the club are to exchange seeds and plants iu New Zealand and abroad and to develop friendly correspondence on garden topics. ♦ ♦ *

Also see what space you can devote to some of the snapdragons carrying pretty pink flowers. For midsummer and autumn work some of the snapdragons are splendid. Try a whole bed of one variety, and make the ground rich with one of the popular fertilisers. Plant close and your reward will be greater.

When spring-flowering bulbs begin to crowd, as they often do after being undisturbed for four or five years, they should be lifted as soon as the foliage matures, and ripened off in a shaded, airy place ready for' replanting. » 9 »

Most herbaceous plants like delphiniums, pyrethrums, phloxes, Michaelmas daisies and heleniums, can all still be safely lifted and transplanted and have their clumps divided if necessary, but the earlier that the work is done the better. Carnations, too, should be planted by the middle of the month, adding a little lime or old mortar rubble to the soil where they are going if the ground is lime free.

Sow another batch of zinnia seed, giving prominence to the dahliaflowered class, and also to the smaller company, which pleased so many growers last season. Any plants large enough for bedding out should be placed In their flowering quarters at noj, more than 10 inches apart. Bedding close helps instead of hindering the zinnia growth.

To provide a more or less continuous show of gladioli it is necessary to make three or more plantings.’ Gladioli group well by themselves, while they are also splendid for planting between, or over, dwarfer plants. However and wherever they are used, the soil should be fairly rich and deep, lo promote healthy growth with strong spikes. Au- ojieu situation is best; average distances for planting are 3 inches deep and .10 inches apart.

Flowers for Autumn

If there is a break anywhere iu your season’s display, it is likely to be in autumn, and you should make it good by planting in the mixed border some of the many first-rate late b’oomers. Some of the best of the late-blooming plants are: Michaelmas daisies, Kniphofias (Red-hot Poker plants), Heleuium Riverton Gem (gold and bronze), Riverton Beauty (yellow and purple centre), Perennial Phlox. Plant all these border flowers in soil dug 2 spits deep, and dressed with farmyard manure, 1 cwt. per 12 square yards. Set them firmly, and water immediately after planting and again whenever the soil becomes dry until you see that they are established. Certain hardy annuals are at their best in autumn, amongst them being Lavateras, Scabious, and Coreopsis. Sow them now in moderately rich, well-worked, fairly firm soil. You should also grow the Summer Cypress (Kochia trichophylla). During summer its fern-like foliage is very attractive, but it Is in autumn that you get the fiery tints which make it so conspicuously beautiful. Sow the seed in rather poor soil in a sunny spot, and thin out the seedlings to a foot apart. It is not generally known that the Ostricli Plume Asters, when treated As hardy annuals, are at their best in February and March. Nothing could be prettier in the mixed border than a few clumps of these glorious flowers, and they also look splendid in a border by themselves. The main point in managing them well is to work the soil very finely, and mix with it freshlyslaked lime (quarter of a pound per square yard). This will keep Collar Rot at bay. Broadcast tlj seed, and just cover it with a riddled mixture of equal parts loam, leaf-mould, and sand. Thin out the seedlings to 9ins. apart. Ostrich Plume Asters are not usually offered in named varieties, but you can get them separately in lilac, pink, white, red and blue shades. Plant a bed of dwarf dahlia seedlings. They will make a marvellous pageant of colour in autumn.

Charcoal for Fine Grasses

For promoting the growth of flue "rasses and eliminating moss growth, powdered charcoal is extremely valuable. In dry weather the charcoal absorbs moisture from the atmosphere and the grass in turn benefits from this moist material near its roots. Charcoal is perfectly harmless to plants of any kind. The material is simply carbon deposited on a framework of mineral matter, and repeated washing by rain enables the plant to benefit from this mineral substance. Odourless Onions ' What has happened to that very mild flavoured onion known as the odourless variety? Several well-known gardeners who are partial to the variety have expressed concern that supplies of seedlings are not available in Wellington this season. The onion is not a good “keeper” and is too mild for some palates, but it enjoyed considerable popularity for all that. It would be a pity if this variety went out of cultivation, but perhaps some enterprising nurseryman has a little planting of this vegetable to meet the requirements of those who relish an onion that has no after effects.

Japanese Irises

The failure of many gardeners to grow and flower the gorgeous Japanese irises successfully is explained in great part by the fact that they treat them entirely as bog plants. The Japanese iris likes plenty of moisture during the growing period, but it does not thrive with its root sin water or very marshy ground during the winter months. If planted in boggy ground, it is necessary to cut small trenches to drain away tho water after the plants pass out of flower. Bog conditions must not be resumed until growth commences in the following October. So planted, Iris Kmmpferi or Itevigata will luxuriate in full sunshine, but, if planted in prepared ground in the garden, a patriallyshaded situation is better. The selected site should be trenched and heavily dressed with well-rotted manure, that from a cow yard being excellent in every way. If the natural soil is of a heavy or retentive nature, so much the better. An annual topdr.essing of manure and decayed vegetable matter, applied in the winter or early spring, is of great assistance. Once growth has cojnpienced in spring, the plants must never be allowed to become dry. Remember that during its active period, the Japanese iris is a great moisture-lover, and neglect to meet its requirements will result in failure. Established colonies will derive great benefit from the frequent application of liquid manure, and this will exercise a surprising influence upon the size and texture of the great flowers. When doing jyell, the .plants may remain quite undisturbed for a. number of years. They are hardy, and require no protection.

Several references to plants having 70 or more flowers on a single stem have been -made in our news columns during the past few days. This peculiarity is known as fasciation, a term which denotes a malformed stem or inflorescence which becomes flattened. A fasciated inflorescence generally bears an abnormal number of blooms. Fasciation, is common in lilies.

Vegetable-growers’ Guide The main crops of parsnips, carrots, and red beet should now be sown. A good seed-bed is now easily secured, and slugs and snails should not now give trouble, therefore thin sowing is safe. If this is carefully done there should be no gap*, and a great amount of labour in thinjiing will be saved. In the colder districts savoys, cabbages, broccoli, and brussels sprouts for winter use will have been sown.

Feas should be sown twice each month, the crop having a currency of about a fortnight. French and butter beans crop longer than do peas. A sowing every third week Is sufficient to majntain a supply. Turnips should be sown in small lots, as they deteriorate very quickly during the summer months. Those of the Snowball type are they come to first use about seven weeks from sowing. The rule should be to sow another lot when those from the previous sowing are first pulled. Lettuces should now be sown thinly in drills, and the surplus thinned so as to avoid transplanting.

Late-sown crops of onions should be thinned as soon as possible, as growth is more rapid when the competition of the surplus plants is removed. Weeds should be rigidly repressed, as they rob the soil of moisture. If growth is not satisfactory give a dressing of nitrate of soda, )oz. per square yard (equal to approximately licwt. per acre). When thinning, the plants need not be left in single lines; leave them standing Sin. to 4in. apart. Moderate-sized bulbs, four or five to the pound, are most useful and command the best price on the market. Pickling-onions are obtained by sowing sib’erskin variety broadcast on a

plot of poor soil at about the middle of November. The seeds should, as far as can be managed, be. carefully scattered so as to fall separately but fairly close together. No thinning should be done.

The rule is to cease cutting asparagus when peas come in. Next season’s crop of asparagus depends on a large number of heads standing to mature. If growth is not as good as it should be give a dressing of blood-and-bone, 2oz. per square yard, and loz. of nitrate of soda; or in place of blood-and-bone a thorough soaking with liquid manure made of horse, cow, or sheep manure. Nitrate of soda should not be omitted. On young beds it is important that all growths be preserved. In windy places~it may be necessary to support the growths by driving in a few strong stakes and running binder-twine along each side of the rows. When the growths are about. 2ft. high the tops may be cut off. This will dwarf them and cause them to branch more; the intermingling of branches forms a mutual support, and in some cases saves staking.

Where to Put a Garden Frame A garden frame should be placed in a position that is quite open—where full sunshine is received. While being open, however, the spot should be sheltered from winds. Preferably, the back of the frame (the highest part) should be against a wall or fence facing south. Keep the frame on high ground, where water can drain away easily. If placed in a low-lying position, water will collect around it and you will have trouble from “damping-off.” A little trench round the frame to drain away water is a good plan. There should not be trees overhanging the frame to cause constant drip after rain. Tomato Wrinkles “Spade” writes: "The gardening ‘bug’ has been in ray bones for many years,' and I willingly offer thanks to 'you and your instructive gardening notes for developing it. “The tomato season comes round j again, and my wife, who reminds me of everything, recalls your valuable twelve-months-old ‘tomato wrinkle,’ a piece of 18 gauge copper wire threaded through the stem of the established seedling just above the ground. Success has been my own experience with this simple device, though I will admit that upon one occasion during last season I watched a spot or two develop on one plant and hurriedly brought my spray into'action. Tomato plants, put in at intervals, and remaining unattended (except, of course, for regular pinching out and tying up), provided an abundance of well-ripened fruit during summer, autumn, and even early winter months.

“While on the question of tomatoes may I say how often gardeners, having found a warm spot where these plants do well, and knowing, too, how tomatoes dislike rich ground, neglect to change the soil. The tomato is not a deep rooter, and if the top spit only is removed from the ‘sheltered possie,’ and replaced from nearby, slight effort will be richly rewarded. If this operation is not possible, dig the ground over a few days before planting, and at your leisure empty a bucket of boiling water wherever you intend to put a plant. From experience, I have found that a much better crop results.”

CORRESPONDENCE

Use for Coal Ashes: Coal ashes possess no value as a fertiliser. They arc useful, however, for draining heavy land, for garden paths, and for keeping slugs away from plants. A ring of fine coal ash, two inches wide, will keep these pests away from tender seedlings. Thanks for good wishes. (A.M.W., Marton.) Second Crops on Double Slocks: The treatment recommended applies to alt stocks i with the exception of the “Ten Week” variety. (W.H.G., Lower Hutt.) Perennial Broccoli: Investigating this matter. Answer next week. (“Broccoli,” Blenheim.) Japanese Irises: Your inquiry is answered in an article which appears in to-day’s notes. (Mrs. J.M.A., Masterton.) Dividing Bearded Irises: I have found .Tanuary an excellent month for this work. At the beginning of the year detailed instructions will appear in these columns. (“Iris.” Ngalo.) Meconopsis Baileyi From Seed: The seeds of mcconopsis. being extremely small, soon lose their germinating power. To get the best results they should be sown in late summer as soon ns ripe. Failing this, they must -be carefully dried and stored, and sown at the end o-f July or early in August. Old seed is worthless. Sow very thinly In pots filled with a compost containing plenty of sand and leaf-mould. The seeds should scarcely be covered, but a sheet of brown paper and a pane of glass must be placed, over each pot until germination takes place. Water by standing the pot almost to its rim.in a bucket. Do not apply water'from above, even through a fine rose. The best place for the pots is in a greenhouse maintained at a temperature between 50 and CO deg. (“77,” Tiataltai.);. -. . ... • “ • < Neglected. Carnations: To deal with neglected and scraggy plants, first remove dead leaves from around the base, and, If the shoots are numerous, remove some of the weaker ones. Loosen the soil around the roots with a.handfork, and give a dusting of lime. Mix up a bucket or so of fresh boll—loam It. you have it—with a fair proportion of coarse sand. A little burnt ballast from the garden bonfire is also -beneficial to carnations. If you have no turfy loam, obtain road sweepings where the roads have not been tarred. This is an excellent compost for the plants and contains the right amount of grit and manure. .Give the -plants a top dressing, 2 inches deep all round each plant.' and -peg each shoot 6 Inches from each other firmly into the compost. Do this now and you should have a -good show of bloom. If the soil is poor, give a small handful of bonemeal to each plant, -but do not use any animal manure. (“Amateur,” Wellington.)

Worms for Identification!: The pests yon sent were so dried out that it is a difficult matter to identify them. Can you send another lot? Put a lettuce or other green leaf in their box to give them moisture on the journey. (“Onion,” Eketahuna.)