Gardening Notes

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 124, 26 May 1923, Page 19

Gardening Notes

(By "Experience.") GARDEN DEBRIS,

The disposal of the remnants of vegetable crops and other garden debris, is of sufficient importance to warrant fur> ther notice, if only to emphasise former remarks. All who are much interested in gardening know that tha trouble of fungus diseases is increasing. Generally there is more trouble in old, or comparatively old, gardens than in new cultivations, and where cultivation is intense, and the_soil fed in proportion, th« trouble is greatest. This appears to point to a fault somewhere, and the more so as old gardens were not in past times so affected. One of the most eeriout diseases of vegetables, sclerotinia libertiana. is becoming very widespread, and a large number of gardens" are affected. The disease has two stages that are so distinct from each other as to appear to be distinct diseases, and were at one time so regarded. The first stage is a greyish mould, covering the basal leaves of plauts with an appearances like felt; later these leaves rot. -This stag's can exist only in \vet conditions; an attack is quickly arrested when wet conditions are changed to <iry. Lettuces are more frequently 'attacked than any other crop, because the leaves hup the surface of the soil, and by preventing the circulation of air, while the soil is very wet, create the conditions that favour development of the disease. Later on the second stage- developes; this enters the tissues of the plant attacked and causes its death. On the plants attacked., both on the external parts and inside the steins, there are formed solid black bodies, some like small seeds,, others as large as peas; these 'are sclerotes, and aie the means by which the; disease :b carried over winter. The sclerofcsis may be buried -with the dead plani, or part of plant, or they may fall off on to the soil. The following spring, if near en- i ough to the surface the sclerotses become active. From them spring tiny bodies like mushrooms, but not of the same shape; these spread a rijw infectionSpraying is quite useless as control of this disease. The first necessity is good' drainage to prevent accumulation of water in the soil. During the cooler and rainy parts of the year planting should, not be too close. Mulches of manure should be_ avoided at such times. During the drier parts of the year the disease may be encouraged to attack lettuces by heavy mulching of any kind, and particularly by frequent watering. Any leaves that may be rotting should be at once removed from the bed, If a whitish or grey mould is noticed on the basal parts of the plants, dust it liberally with airslacked quicklime. Plants that die from rot of _ any kind should be regarded with suspicion, and should not be dug into the soil. Cases of bad infection have been caused by the innocent act of digging such stuff in. Another thing to look out for is carrots, parsnips, or beets showing rot on the crown of the root. This may be the same disease; if it is, black bodies, referred to.before, will be found in the decaying parts, and alsd in the centre of the leaf stalks. Such plants should be disposed of in a way to prevent them reinfecting the soil, by burning if possible, or by burying deeply in the soil where they will not be disturbed again. It is quite good practice to dig waste vegetable matter in when it is free from disease of any kind; it is sometimes much less trouble to do so than to collect it. If there is any doubt about diseases being present, it "is best not to dig it in," but to place it in n convenient place to rot Sown, mixing some quicklime with it as a precaution against the Botrytis disease. In the same manure all garden dem;is that will readily decay should be treated. Lime assists decay .and prevents the development of some diseases. Leaves that fall from hedges, cut grass, perishable weeds, and leaves and tops from vegetables, placedi in a heap, in & sheltered corner will rot down and make a mould useful for— seed boxes, for mixing with potting soil, .cr for digging into tha ground. Specimens showing fungus or decay should be sent to the Department of Agriculture for examination and advice as to treatment of the soil. A great many people are suffering losses from this disease who are not aware of it, and in some places the position is becoming serious.

In last week's nates the taupata. is referred to as coprosma refusia. The last word should beretusa, a ne\v name for the New Zealand plant, the old name Baueriana b.eing retained for the Chatham Island form of the same>plant. Eleaagnus japonico is so very well known as a hedge plant as hardly to require notice. It is a plant that will bear without injury the fiercest of cpld eouthsi-Iy winds, and it makes an impenetrable hedge fairly quickly. The faults ate: Do what you will, it makes a broad hedge, takes up rather much space in small gardens, and must be clipped several times a- year more than any other hedge requires. The elaeaenus is really a climbing plant; it -will climb other trees, to a height of twenty and more feet. The lo.ne straggling shoots that constantly appear show the true habit of this plant. When a 4 younsr hedge is being formed, thqse long shoots should not be out off. Let them grow till they become hardened, then bring two from opposite directions and tie them together. They become very tough, and can be twisted round each other and finished with a reef knot made of the,.ends. By doing this the hedge gains rapidly in height, and is made very stroiier. and 'nothing can brjak through it. Cupressus macrocarpa nan one merit as a hedge plant—it prows very rapidly. Everything elese is against it; and if those who plant it are not sorry, someone else will be. Cupressus, or more correctly Chamaecypavis 'I/wsoniana, is exactly the reverse of the macrocarpa. It is slow for the -first two or three years; after that it grows fast enough and makes a splendid hedge that will bear any.. wind. The one drawback is that it must have good soil, or it vill not flourish. A number of othef plants could be mentioned if it were worth while;_ the most suitable have been riotices. There are several qualifications necessary to make a good hedge plant, viz. : A suitable.habit, which means a twiggy plant, must bear clipping well, be capable of being restricted to a narrow space, or if it gets too broad submit to.hard cutting back. The leaves should not be too large; amall leaves look best. The colour of the leaves is a matter for individual taste. Of the plants mentioned, the Euonymus has most of the qualifications. T believe it to be the best hedge plant of all, but it must not be planted where horses can reach it. They would eat it to the ground. DIVIDING HEDGES. In a garden of some size it is often desirable to plant hedges merely for the sake of variety, or to divide one part, from another without, hiding anything. In such cases the hedge will be required to fill a particular role. It may be wanted to remain quite low, and be ornamental in itself. In that case the golden | variegated Euonymus is a good plant. Biosma. ericoides is the best of all; certainly slow in reaching height, but frag, rant, and beautiful aft the time. Some ,to inclined to doubt the Diosma making a hedge; they should see the plant at the entrance to the cemetery at ;Ka- i rori. Ljgiii.trwn gojdea fitty j| ,Altai

fine, and can be kept to any limit. _ Th» common privit Ligustrum vulgaris is good anywhere, can be kept both low and narrow, or allowed to grow tall and broad. The Chinese, privit, Ligustrum sinense, is used a good deal in other parts than here, Really it is the least suitable of all for making an ornamental hedge. Abelia florabunda is usually known as a. not very attractive flowering bush. It makes a quite nice small hedge, and is used a good deal in some districts. Eetinospora equarossa as a purely ornamental hedge, where it can stand clear of trees or other shrubs, is very fine; so also is Retinospora plu,mosa, though of quite different appearance to. the laat. Thuya gigantea makes « grand hedge; it-bears clipping well.