Garden Notes COLUMN OF QUERIES

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 117, 12 February 1944, Page 8

Garden Notes COLUMN OF QUERIES

Answers To Gardeners’ Problems SEASONAL ENEMIES OF PLANTS (Bv "The Hue.”) This week the space allotted to “The Hoe” is occupied in answering a selection of the many queries sent in by gardeners. .Most of the questions raised are of general interest and may help other readers who have their seasonal diffieulSearlet Runner Beans: M.R.A. (Wellington) lost her planting during the recent storm and asks if she should resow next year or, as' the plant is perennial, let the present roots suffice.—lt depends ou local conditions, If soil is well drained and suflieiently enriched the secondyear crop should be better than the first. At least, that has been “Tile Hoe’s” experience over a number ot years. If, however; soil has a tendency to dry out in late autumn or become waterlogged in winter many ot the roots will die out. Diseased Tomatoes: In reply to S.M.L. (Eastbourne). You merely mention that vour tomatoes have been attacked by blight. As there are some 20 different diseases to which tomatoes, are subject in this country, it is impossible to advise you without examining a diseased leaf aud/or fruit. Boron deficiency is only responsible for a few of the diseases. Green Manures and Compost.— ln reply to J.C, (Miramar): Now is a good time to sow a green crop, and the best time to dig iu compost is when the green crop is ready to The compost then accelerates the decomposition of the green fibres by providing energy for the decomposing fungi and bacteria. (2) The compost dug in now for sowing winter carrots would need to be iu a well advanced state of decomposition. Passion’ Vines: The above correspondent has two passion vines, one bearing the ordinary black fruit, the other bearing small banana-like fruit. He wants a few pointers concerning them. —The black fruit is preferred, as it has the better flavour and lasts much longer when picked. Both types benefit if given an annual mulch of compost or leaf mould, but either should be reinforced by 4oz. of blood and bone, which should be worked into the mulch round each vine. Vines, if well fed, will give good returns till five years old. when they should be replaced by seedlings. Christmas Lilies: The above corresponent’s final query is in regard to Christmas lilies. —By Christmas lily you probably mean L. Candidum, which flowers between December and January, and is popularly known aS the Madonna lily. It is one ot the few lilies that benefits from an annual light dressing of lime. It re-' quires a fairly open situation and good garden soil. An annual mulch of old compost or leafmould helps the bulbs to develop well. Plant so that top of bulb is 2in. below the soil surface. Lift and divide only every third or fourth year. Pests for Identification. — “Worried’’ (Napier): (1) Grass grub. (2) Millipede. Treat as you suggest. (3) Is wireworm, which is very prevalent this year. I have found that horticultural napthalone, applied to the soil at the rate of 2oz. a square yard and lightly worked in, is effective in removing the pest for a season. It should be applied a week before sowing. Carrots Splitting.—A.J.H. (Palmerston North): There are several reasons why otherwise healthy carrots split, the most common being the use of fresh or overrich organic manure, which also causes forking of the roots. Splitting .is also caused by dry soil conditions being followed by heavy jain. During the dry period the outer surface of the carrot hardens, and the fresh growth occasioned by the supply of moisture causes a crack. A soil that has been'manured for a previous crop is generally recommended for carrots. Tomato Fruits Rot: Several readers have written that their otherwise healthy' tomato plants have developed circular brown or black patches on the blossom end of the fruit. This is popularly known as Blossom End rot, and is brought about by irregularities in the water supply. If the soil becomes dry, and is then suddenly'saturated, plants growing.in rich soil will frequently develop this form of rot. Yellow Arum Lily: Mrs. K.H. (Palmerston North) writes: “I have just seen a beautiful golden yellow arum lily in a friend’s garden and want to order it from a nurseryman, but I cannot find any reference to it in any of my garden books. Can you name it, please?—The flower is Richardia Elliottiaua. Tubers can be supplied by most nurserymen for planting iu late autumn. You may also be interested in a dwarf pink variety which is worth growing. It is named Richardia Rehmannii. When to Lift Narcissi: Miss J.L., Masterton: It is only necessary to lift when bulbs become overcrowded, usually every four or five years. Bulbs should be lifted when foliage has turned yellow. Carrot Tops Dying (several correspoh-’ dents) : The specimens forwarded have all been attacked by a species of small aphis which causes foliage to turn yellow and die. Control by spraying with nicotine sulphate or “Black leaf 40,” loz. to 4 gallons of water. To ensure the spray adhering to the foliage a small piece of soap (about the size of a walnut) should be dissolved in a little hot water and added to the spray mixture. Asparagus (“Digger,” Otaki) : The best plan is to prepare the bed for asparagus during winter and plant in September. To get good results the year- following planting it is necessary to purchase twoyear crowns. As such plants have been in short supply in receut years, suggest you place au order with your nurseryman or seedsman next mouth. When to Sow Anemones: Miss L. (Eastbourue). They can be sown now, but a long succession of bloom can be obtained during spring by sowing corms at intervals of a fortnight for the next six weeks. Silver Beet for Winter Use: “Poultryman” (Otaki). Make a sowing now, and others at three-weekly intervals till end ot March. Plants will keep on growing throughout the winter and provide the necessary succession of greens. Silver beet requires a fairly rich soil. Growth can be speeded up by occasional applications of liquid manure or nitrate of soda, 4oz. to gallon of water, when plants become established.