GARDENING NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 19, 22 January 1921, Page 11

GARDENING NOTES

(By "Experience.'')

ROOM AND WINDOW, PLANTS

A correspondent has a palm in an 8-inch pot, the roote aro raised considerably cbovo tho soil, also the leaves are turning brown. The correspondent asks if the plant can bo repotted in the same pot. This can be done. Tho way to proceed is to cut away tho thick fleshy roots, beginning- at the bottom. . The roots at this point are suro to be matted together and a little rough treatment may be necessary to loosen them. Take out the drainage chocks, then cut away all strong roots, leaving a ball of fibrous roots. Reduce the ball sufficiently to enable it to be placfd in tho same pot, with space around it for new compost. There should be nearly or quite an inch deep of new compost above the ball, and three-quarters of an inch between the rim of the pot and the compost to hold water. The brown appearance of the leaves is due to loss of chlorophye, which may bo due to semistarvation through irregular supplies of water, or to insect attack, thrips probably. Indoor plantß are subject to a dryer atmoaphere than most of them like. They should be frequently wiped over with a damp sponge, which ' will remove dust, and is usually sufficient to Buppresa ineecte. Tho natural, habit of palms is to mako very large plante.', This ■ necessitates correspondingly large root-space, beyond' the capacity •of pots, tubs being necessary, or planting out. If a palm increases much in size it cannot bo kept healthy in a small pot; it becomes necessary to either give the root-room required or change its habit. Naturally palms are furnished with very strong roots, mostly starting from a fleshy kind of elbow at the base. If this elbow be cut off while the plant is small, it will never make a very largo plant. This is done co that plante may remain a fit size for room use. Tho roots made thereafter are of a fibrous nature, and though a by potting on • they will grow to good-sized specimens, yet by careful attention to watering they can bo kept in a healthy state- for a number of years in quite small pots.

Aspidistras aro very popular room plante, and there is nothing better; they do not mind a dry atmosphere. Keep them out of BUnshino or they get spotted with sunburn. Theao plante aleo'can be, kept in' tho same, pot for several yoars. Attend carefully to watering, and sponge the foliage to remove dust. Tho chief caiiso of bad health in room plants is irregular and inadequate watering. When a plant has been a, long time.in a pot thel soil becomes filled with a mass of roots. In that state it i« difficult for water to. penetrate. ; In all-probability' the roote will havo lifted thi> bah v, »ome extent, and very little space is' left to hold water, certainly not sufficient to moisten all the. ball. Frequently the pots, stand in a,6aucer, intended to hold' Eur-' plus water,; an. impossibility if the plant were properly watered. The only way to properly water- such a plant is to stand it in a tub of water, . leaving it until air bubbles cease to rise, then stand it in a. shady place to drain. The saucer can bo used to\ pravent staining furniture.or covers, but should not be allowed to hold water. It is wrong to leave water in the Baucer; it prevents the circulation of ■ air through the drain hole, and iis BU.ita.ble only for true water plants. ';.'•'.'. '-','.. THE. GREENHOUSE. " ',_ ' Primulua 'from early sowings should bo ready for potting up from the boxes .they were pricked out in; four-inch pois are large enough, and wjll allow for snilting later into six-inch pots. Seed may still bo sown,.and will produce useiui» plants for flowering in spring in five-inch pots. The primula; referring to Primuia binensis, is an indispensable plant for winter and early spring in tho, greenhouse, and where a frame is available to grow them to the..flowering stage, they make splendid window plants. A light compostj is best for them—good:;fibry. loam with a?'; liberal addition of goo^ "leaf mould and aand. The seeds should be lightly covered with compost. : They will germinate in a. warm frame. . ■-•■■.:

Cineraria seed for the main batch should be sown at once; cool treatment is required. .

Herbaceous calceolaria may now be sown. This plant, requires very, cool con- ■ ditions through .the summer and early- 1 autumn,', afer 'that time the weather', is' naturally cool enough in any ordinary glass structure. The seedi are. Aery small, and should not be covered with soil. Prepare an eight-inch pot by half filling it with drainage material, then fill up with good fibry loam and sand, press the compost firm and finish with the same compost riddled fine, with a little extra quantity of fine,.clean,sand. Well water, allow it to sand till thoroughly drained. Scatter the seeds evenly on the surface. Cover with a piece of newspaper, and on this, a sheet of /glass. Placo in a cold frame away from the sun. Watch carefully ior germination. When this, takes placo take away the paper and slightly tilt the glass to admit a littlo air. Increase the amount of air as the plants increase in size, eventually removing the glass altogether. Be careful not to let the sun shine on the young plants, nor to iise too much water. If the soil becomes sodden the plants will die. ■ . . ■

The chief difficulty with greenhouse plants during summer is to keep them free of insects, the most troublesome are mealey bug and thrips. The free use of ' water, embittered with quassia is a great help. Regular attention to watering, cleanliness, and proper ventilation are powerful factors in the suppression of insects. Thrips thrive in a dry atmosphere, and are very hard on plants that are allowed to get dry at root. But ho amount of care will entirely banish these pests; but it is quite unnecessary to let them become very troublesome. When this happens it is a sure sign of neglect. A handful of quassia chips enclosed in a piece of canvas, and boiled for half an hour, iv sufficient for a kerosene tin of water. Syringe plants likely to be affected every evening with this water.' When insects appear in spite of this 'treatment stronger insecticides must be used. THE FLOWER GARDEN. Gladioli,, of the large-flowered sections, are now coming in. These flowers are much more than gorgeous; they are extremely beautiful, and, being so easily grown, they should be considered indispensible to every garden—few or many, thsy should be.,there. * Now is a ■ good time. to e&leot varieties from the displays, in the windows of various seedsmen. Several cp«oies of thalictrum are now in flower. The Jail sprays of thalistrum diptero-carpo, with violet flowers and yellow Anthers, are very pleasing, while the foliage, known as poor-man's ndian- ' tuin, combines to make it a very desirable plant, worth a place in tho smallest garden. ' . . Perennial phlox, also in flower, are a valuable raoe. These and other perennial are particularly valuable beoause, when once established they require very_ little care, and automatically fill the place' eaoh season, following each other in■• a long sequence . We are scarcely beginning to regret the passing of the columbines, when out come the phlox, gait lardias, thalictrums, etc,, etc., and regrots expire half-born. . THE VINERY. Thinning the berries should be mostly done by now, but usually a second run over i 9 wanted. When first thinned the bunches should look very loose, the berries left having ample room to swell. It is not at all easy to describe thinning; the best thing to do is to try s to picture the "berries of proper size, and thin so as to allow them room to attain that size without crushing, remembering that one good berry is better than three Bmall ones, and understanding that, if the berries sot well, at least two should be out off'to every one left: In tho "case of Gros Colman, which makes very large berries, the proportion- will be even greater. During thinning time, and for a short time after, the berries swell very rapidly. This is f, good time to feed tho roots'. If horse or cow manure is available give them •> .Rood, strong-, liquid made from this. Failing animal manure give half an ounce of dried Wood, watering if well in. After a time the berries assume a hard nppearanoe and cease to swell i tho berries are then stoning »nd tht roots «hßuld npfc be fed with manure. Then comes the leeond well-

ing, which continues' after tho berries bogin to colour; at that time up to tho time, colour shows tho roots should havo o. good supply of water it-the weather bo dry. • ' .

..THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. Plant leeks, cauliflowers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, celery, .lettuce.- ---; Sow' .lettuce, turnip, French bsan3, radish. . '

Thin advancing crops of late-sown parships, .carrots, and beet. ; Silver beet ie a useful standby. Though not the best of vegetables, it is useful, as. it ha 3no particular past. It may bo sown now and for the next month.