GARDENING NOTES

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 63, 11 September 1915, Page 10

GARDENING NOTES

(Bir "Ewuiri»e#.") THE VEGETABLE GARDENThere ie » natural tendency among plants to run to seed in spring. This is quite natural in most cases, and it cannot be obviated. Celery wiU soon be useIbss froni that cause, so get what is left used up why© it is rtill usable. Leeks wijl pot stand much longer; in some parts they will bolt to seed pow; in other places, some at least wiQ stand well in to October. Where there are pj*ny »till in the garden, do not 6pare them ; tjiey are useless when the seed head show?. Sa-voyg and winter cabbages also go to seed now. If there are *py not yet cut, take the heads off as soon as they show signs of the flower stems. If the .heads are cut sprouts come from the rides of the stumps, and though these also quickly go to seed, they are very useful whileyoung, and anyone wjjp cast afford to waste anything of the sort just -now is to be commended for good management. In any case the sprouts are worth using, for they are better in flavour than the original head. The tendency io go to seed extends to spring planted cabbage and cauliflowers to spins extent at a good deal depends on the state of the soil and weather. , Toe eariy varieties of ipauliflower »re mpst affected. Thpy »re early because of ' a precocious habit of buttoning in » «}iorter period than other varieties. This quick habit gives them an excitability that is affected by a check of any kind, causing them to button while quite 6m»ll, when they are, of course, useless. %f plants of proper age are planted tbwe should i be very few Josses from premature but- ' toning Keep the ' soil loose, so that air and the warmth 1 pf /the sun cap penetrate eawlyGive a light dressing of nitrate of sode. It would be^wwts to spread the nitrate over »U the ground. It washes put very qujejely, ep ppread it pver whwe the rPOte are, gauging this by the siae of the plants, Jor plants the size the cauliflowers are likely to be, a teaspoonful will be "sufficient for each plant. I like t<> mix it wjth dry wood ashes. Crush the lumps of i the nitrate if there *re any, *nd mix if evenly with the ashet. Asparagus may b» dressed with nitrate of soda, Zoz per square yard. All growing orops are beper fited by applications of nitr»*» of " coda, bet it should not be given until the plants are growing. If given to newly-planted crops, it is liable to be waihed away by rain before the roote can reach it. .• Plant asparagus at once, also seakal* and rhubarb. All these are beginning to grow, therefor* prompt action is required. Plant potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower; shal» lots, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes. Sow peas, turnips, broad peons*, lettuce, radish, tomato, leek, carrot, parsnip, red beet, spinach, winter rhubarb. J think the value' of winter rhubarb\is not yet understood, and also that its culr tivation and treatment are not generally good Winter rhubarb appears to me to be better than the cummer variety usually i?- This, of course, largely depends on how it is grown The # easiest and cheapest way to get a bed is to raise it from seed. Seedlings ere, according to my experience, more yjgorous than tr#.na» planted clumps, and muet be more $o than divided mampe, juet a* seedling* of anything are more vigorous than p}a»t» from cuttings. Seedlings vary very much ; some are practically worthless until a, selection has been made and Deed «wed from the selected plants. Th* bovt plan is t« spw in lines about 15w apart, or even less. Sow two or three seede at intervals of 12in, when the plants' come up thin to one. The' pjaats will yield eucks by early autumn The itiok« may be used as. won a* they are large enough, but never puiJ « plant bare. Select «h« besfc type* and allow them to seed ; they do this very persistently, Keep seed heade off the inferior plants. By raising from seed sp selected a, good strain may be obtained — a strain that will throw etioke nearly- as thick aegood cummer varieties, and longer than they usually are. HEDGES. Hedges that have not been trimmed should be put in order at once, or there will be dottble growth. I may say at once tfc*t tb» ppaaept is not p, proper time for the work; it should have been done Jswig a«P. There i& no tjme whe* a hedge may not P6 trjmmed, but economy of tapour and effectiveness of worjs d^cr tate that certain tirne6 are best. Tfloug h growth i« more or less continuous, there am two periods when it ie most rapid*— spring and autumn, The dry weather of cummer checks growth ; tho cold of fiater has a «jjnil*r effee*. Tp trim j^s* as "growth js begmnjag j* wasted wort, pecausa the effect isoniy very temporary, so far *« WP?» ran <» goes. T«t, . *f I faid at the beginning, torn now if it has not been' done One trimming in a year will not keep a hedge neat. Two at least ane required', one before Christmas, when spring growth is timed, and the other about it&e end of May, after the autumn growth- Following each, of thape times there if pnly moderate growth, for ssnreral mouth?, ooneequently the hedge is neat fc>r a considerable period. Eed'gee of a nature that- admit trimming with a slasher, and which it is desired to keep peat, ehoujd be trimmo* whije the growth is soft. If left during winter the wood hardens, and the labour of cutting is increiused. Tbere is an exception to the rule in .this cage, J* in i&oot others. Jf a hedge 'b»s got out of bounds and w , to be severely put b»ck, now is the tun© to do it. Growth folfowi&g qujcJdy «?ijl ppon hide $» scare, and' aO will be trim again. THE FJ>QWE& AND P&EASTJ&Ev GARPEN. , v Idtwns «f» improved by Mtfcing tfe© grass grow a little extra long, and cutting it with a scythe- The extra growth strengthens the roots, and the longer blades draw up many weeds, particularly daisies. A scythe properly used will cut many of them off. J/awns should be well rolled after rain, and verges also. Verge* after having b«en well rotted should have the" edges, cut straight, so as to rander cutting with the shears easy. t Weedy paths are »ae»ly cle*wd if WW are covered with loose grawj, bat where the surface is firm, a* many peppl* U«« them, it 15 not 60 easy with » hoe or by hand ; but it i* v#ry easily and effectivwy dpnt> with weed-feUler, m sold by spedsmen. Jt js done more cheaply than by hand, and does not "disturb the surface. As' it kills tiny weeds that would be passed by a hoe, the path »emaine tfteaa. .for a longer time. . Planting trees and shrube should >c completed at once, bfifor« .spring rftlPf are "past. Dahlias should' be divided and got ready for planting. Good flowers are not obtained from many-stemmed clumw. New growth pome* from the collar of -the clump, just where the tubers narrow, to the old stem. The buds should bow be showing. Cut the dumps up with a strong Jtnife, so as to secure pieces of tuber with a bud pr two at the fcop. The tubers- are of po further use except Jo keep the collar frpm drying up. A Pieet.of *ab*r murt be Wpured "with #»eh divwjon for that reason, but, jf large, the tuber m»J fe© cut to make }t handier jso be 4 in. This should be dope in a nioe free piece of' ground. Just cover the tops w>th soil; it js some protection from slugs, which must be guarded against. . Plant out pansies, antirrhinums, Canterbury bells, Gaillardia, d»»P*hu«> gypsophilja, sweet William^ aubretias, cefastiura, arabif, apd all synM*r plants raised in autumn Sow in the open ground, annual coreopsis, opsmidwmi hnarja, candytuft, and all quite hardy subjects Alyssum minima makes a. very durable edging of white It grows about four or five inches high, begins to flower while quite small, and continues to flower, a mass of white, for more than a yearSlugs do pot eat it THE GREENHOUSE. Spw all the v&rieties of asparagus ; they are all very usefu) in a small state. Asparagus plumqsuß nanus is the favourite t»bje plant ; it grows with a . flat top Asparagus plumosus, forn>er}y palled vyrga£a, m»kcs taller plant?, good for trailers in bouauete.