GARDENING NOTES (By "Experience.")

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 74, 28 March 1914, Page 12

GARDENING NOTES (By "Experience.")

THE FLOWER GARDEN. Carnations that were layered six weeks or so ago should by now* be fairly well rooted, unless the soil has been very dry ; they will be ready for taking off. The chief reason for layering is because they root much quicker than cuttings, and rVn be put down earlier than cuttings can conveniently be put in; therefore they make much better plants the first season than cuttings do. But they will not root if- the soil is .very dry, for which reason this condition should be prevented by watering. Now, with moister conditions prevailing, watering will most likely be unnecessary. If the layers are ready to be taken ott, they should not be lifted in a dry state. If the soil is dry, the plants themselves will not be well charged with moisture; consequently they will not be in a fit state to be separated from the parent plant. They should be well watered the evening before the day of lifting. Another reason tor watering, and quite as important a one, is that if the soil is dry when the plants are lifted, most of it will fall away from the rootb, a very undesirable thing; they should lift with a good bunch of roots and 6oil. When the plants are lifted they should be planted in a nurse bed in nice, free soil. If there are many plants it will be well to plant in rows not too close together, so as to give room for weeding. Some cafe is necessary in lifting, or the tongue which holds the bunch of roots may be broken and the plant lost. When planting press the soil firmly against the roots, but keep the surface loose. The plants shouldnot be watered when transplanted, for it is liable to cause some of the young roots to rot, nor is it wanted j it the plants are in a proper condition when they are put out they will soon take hold of the soil. Whether it is best to plant out permanently in autumn or spring is purely a matter affected by local conditions. In many places it would be unwise to plant in autumn, because ot the difficulty in keeping the soil in good condition through the winter. The writer has had experience in places where it would be fatal to do so, where plants rarely survived a second season, and that in ona of the most fertile districts m the Dominion. Here the 6oil was loam of good quality, but laid low, and subject to much rain. During winter the soil got heavy, and unless well broken up in spring it would set hard, and carnations would die in summer, and nothing would alter it; sand and leaf mould in quantities were put into it, but it remained the same, owing largely to lack of drainage. Spring planting was the only 'plan possible ; but where the soil is well drained and of proper texturb the argument is all in favour of autumn planting. The time has now arrived when it is necessary to expedite the sowing of toe biennials, etc., under glass,. Early in April, though a good time to sow, is quite late enough ; days are getting short, and growth will bp slow if seeds are put m later. In addition to that, it will not be 60 easy to get seeds to germinate. This is probably quite the beet time to sow pansy seed. _ The best flowers are always seen in spring, and those from young plants are best. Sown now, and broughton in a proper manner, by timely pricking off, etc, the plants will be 6trons when put out about July, and give the best bloom 6of the year about Noyembei It is very important that seedlings of every kind should be pricked off as soon as they can be handled. If they are If ft tiii they are crowded together they got very weak, because the stems become attenuated, and when they are in that state they are difficult to handle, and, moreover, they 'are so weak that losses are 6Ure to occur; added to that, they seldom make oatisfaetory plants. Suitable soil for pricking off into ie also very important. A few days ago I visited a piace where there is a very large glass structure, erected for the purpose of making an income. Everything done in it is a failure, largely because the owner thinks that the best he has got w good enough, whereas it is only good enough to make failure certain. Seedlings are pricked out in garden soil, v.'hioh never is good enough—that is to 6ay, garden soil in a natural state. The soil must, be good— indeed, soil is net the right word, it must be compost, a made-up mixture. It must be rich in humus, and of a nature that will prevent it running together. It may be hard to get it, but it is indispensable. A naturally good soil should form the basis; two-thirds of it may be that. > The best is old turves; the remainder may be very old manure, gone down to a black mould, and sand. Failing manure, it would be wise to procure some jadoo fibre from the seedsman. Rub the fibre through a riddle, and use the fine for mixing with tho soil. Th"> answers admirably. The coarse parts that are left make excellent drainage for boxes or pote. Seedlings should never be pricked off into dry soil, for if it is done it will, be difficult to saturate it without injuring the seedlings. As 6oon as the seedlings are pricked off they should bo watered through a fine n?se; this is always necessary. Seeds aie often lost through too much watering. With proper methods it i 6 seldom necessary to water beed boxes until the young plants are up, and when it is so managed there is the I greatest chance of success. The soil should be thoroughly watered after being put m the boxe3 before putting the eeed in. Let the water drain off, then add a little more fine compost, just enough to sow the seed in; after sowing shade the soil with a sheet of paper and a sheet of glass over that. The paper gives 6hade, and the glass prevents «vaporation. The (seed -will in most cases germinate before the soil gets dry, and a failure ie rare when this is done,, for it is very seldom the eeed that is at fault. THE GREENHOUSE. Pelargoniums that have been stood outside to ripen the wood should now be pruned. It is safest to have the soil dry before pruning, not exactly chaff dry, but nearly so, there is then leas likelihood of shoots dying • back from bleeding. The 6hoots may all be cut( back to about two joints except such as may be required to extend the framework, these may be left longer. Give no water foi a few days after_ pruning, but if the weather be dry syringe them morning and night. They ■should be left as they are until the new shoots have grown about an inoh, then knock them out of the pots, shake off all the soil, prune back tangled roots and repot into smaller pots than they were m. Regarding compost. This should for the first potting be of a rich nature, if really good loan is used, with plenty of fibre in it, nothing more will be required but a little coarse sand, but if the loam is not good add a. little loaf mould, jadoo fibre, or very old manure, choosing either material in the order written Water very sparingly for a time, and keep tha house or frame rather close for a few days until renewed growth is observable. Precisely similar treatment will do for fuchsias, except that these like frequent Byringing, and a moister atmosphere. Primulas wilL now be in their flowering pots ; as the heat of the days is now declining they may be given warmer treatment, but they still require plenty ot aii. they do not thrive an a muggy atmosphere ; warm, and rather dry is more to their liking. Cinerarias Bbould now be making gbod growth, cool and moist, with plenty of air is what suits them. To 6ecure this state it is often necessary to keep the house rather close during the day when the sun is hot, v and open up at night. For the heat of the sun js likely to make an open house dry, and it is better to be warm and moist, than less warm and dry. Chrysanthemums in pots require to bu neatly tied out, and the flower buds thinned, the extent of the thinning depends on several circumstances, as well as individual taste ; if largo flowers are wanted only the terminal buds must be left, in any case a fairly liberal thinning out should be done. Manure water may be given until the flower buds show Bigns of breaking, then givo clean water only. ' Look for aphis on the buds and tops of young shoot?, dusting -»\ith tobacco powder will clear the plants of them. If mildew appears on the foliago I clusj. with dry sulphur at once. Bulbs in pota are in most instances best out in the open air, the exception at this time will be f rcesias ; they should be kept in a tight placi* where the foliage v>ili not becomo drawn. Cyclamen do well in a frame that is not exposed to the hottest sunshine, shade to protect them from sun shine is objectionable unless it is very liifht. and while in the frames, such tUfi&M *S.jft necessary {hogld be gives