In the Garden

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 24, 28 July 1927, Page 19

In the Garden

BY "PRACTICAL"

PRUNING SEASON

BUSY DAYS AHEAD

ADVICE TO AMATEURS

Hydrangea.—l regret that jour inquiry was mislaid. Would you kindly repeat it?

"Dinah."—lt Is hard to say why your doubleflowering apple (Malus flompUna) does not flower. They are not all equally florlferous. The probable cause of failure Is too severe pruning. Hard pninlnz produces growth, but the Sowers are produced on spurs. Soino writers. advocate loot pruning to check growth and induce the trea to send out spurs, but as a. general rule root-pruning Is not encouraged in this country. I should advise that you refrain from pruning, for the future beyond the thinning of the branches as necessary to keep the tree shapely. Limo may still' bo applied to the ground; sprinkle it over the surface and fort or rake it in.

There is a noticeable difference in the lengths of the days now, and each day the aim. is gaining in strength. Growth is apparent, too, and one of the most interesting things about gardening is to -watch the swelling of the

Owing to the variable composition of many fertilisermaterials, considerable care should be taken in the compounding of mixed manures. The accompanying -diagram Illustrates what manures may be mixed together with safety. Some fertilisers. If mixed together, would give place to great losses of manurlal constituents. For example, sulphate of ammonia should never be mixed with any fertiliser containing lime,, other manures should only be mixed lust before applying, as they might become lumpy from some chemical change or by the absorption of moisture. In the diagram those materials joined together by a thin line may be mixed together and kept for application at any «me. Those conneoted by a heavy black line should neverrbei mixedl together. Those connected by a double thin line should only be mixed within a day or so of being applied—these are not suitable for keeping as a mixture

buds and.th© new growths pushing out. It is wise to get all planting of shrubs, fruit trees, roses, etc., completed as early as possible. The time will goon be here when every available minute wil^ be fully occupied ia seed sqwing and' planting of annuals, etc. Each season has its own particular work.in the garden, and spring is always a busy time, as so much depends upon the work being dono early to secure the beat results. . !'' PRUNING ROSES. The pruning of roses, too, should be done as early as convenient, but, as mentioned previously, it is not advisable to do this too early in. districts subject to late frosts. The pruning induces the bushes to push out new growths, and these may be destroyed by late frpsts, necessitating a further pruning which would mean cutting back to old wood, which rarely produces such good growth. After pruning tho rosos, all primings should be burnt; do not' bury.them, as they do not rot readily, and are apt to encourage a fungoid growth in the • soil. Tho roso beds should be forked over and a good sprinkling of bonedust applied.' When young growth commencos a sharp watch should be kept for green fly, which increases very rapidly.' At the first sign of the trouble the bushes should bo sprayed with black leaf 40 or korosene emulsion.

Pruning operations should bo pushed on with. All fruit trees and bush fr»its roquiro pruning each year, and whilo each variety needs special treatment, the following general rules may be laid down: (I) All decayed branches or twigs should be removed well below tho decay; (2) all cuts should be mado with a sharp tool, whether it bo with knife or secateurs, and the cuts should bo mado as close above a bud or eye as possible. If cut an inch or so above the bud this wood dies and may cause tho whole branch to decay. (3) All cuts should be made to an oyo pointing in the direction in which the now growth is required, usually outwards, never towards the centre of tho tree. (4) The branches should bo thinned to allow of the free circulation of air and the entrance of sunlight. (5) Where largo branches have to be removed they r should always lie sawn off with a fluetoothed saw as close to the main stem as possible, and to_ prevent them from splitting and tearing away a part of the remaining wood, a cut should be made on the under-side first. After removing the branch smooth off the saw cut with a sharp knife, and apply tar or boiled linseed oil or paint.to prevent tho entry of disease spores. It is always good practice to burn up the printings as soon as possible, as it is on these that diseases and pests breed [principally. DISPOSING Ol\ RUBBISH. •• -At this season of the year there is always a lot of rubbish to be disposed of in the garden. Anything which is suitable may-with advantage be buried, as.it improves the land by the addition of humus, which is decayed vegetable matter. At the same time much of the refuse which collects is quite unsuitable for digging into the ground, and with such th.c safest course is to burn it. The trouble of having to get a permit whenever a fire is to be lighted is a big drawback to town gardeners, but as such have usually, only a small plot to deal with, any prunings.or plants with any suspicion of diseaso might quite easily bo destroyed, either in the range or beneath the copper. No garden is entirely free from disease and pests, and these find a splendid breeding ground in the ordinary rubbish heap. The worst troubles g ari deners have to contend with are the different kinds of fungoid diseases; which, once they get a hold in a gar: den, are go very difficult to eradicate! iiiese diseases increase by means of tiny spores, which are produced in enormous quantities. They mature upon the affected plants and fall into the soil, where they breed and return to the plants later, spreading also to other th^gs. Fire is the most effective purilior there is, and so, whenever possible it _is most advisable to burn affected ™bbish.v_lf it i s impossible to burn ■tlio rubbish then it should-bo deeply buried at least two foot bclowtho surface. . If affected plants, etc., arc ; thrown on a rubbish heap to rot ;,ml the material is later spread about the garden, naturally the diseases arc spread also. At _this season of the year all garden stuff as very, wet, and consequently dlf-

fiealt to burn, but by starting a firewith some dry material and carefully building it up, interspersing some branches among the heavier materials to keep the,heap open, it is really surprising what "wet and sappy stuff may be burnt once a good heart is established in the fire. A good plan is to lay a fairly stout branch on the ground with one end in the centre of the heap and another branch upright from that point, and* to; build'the fire round this upright. This forms a means of draught, a sort of improvised chimney. DAHLIAS. ' Dahlia tubers which Jiave been lifted and stored under trees require to be looked over. Woodlice or slaters are very troublesome to these* rootß, and do a lot of damage if allowed to infest them. Slugs are. also troublesome in the same way; and sjbiifn. iimftb - short work of t*|e young\ growth! when they .appear, A sprinkling, of soot over the tubtirs cfiice Sweek:will. kelp these pesti'away.-.. ;,' - • . ..^ v VEGETABI.E S6WIN<J. _ There should be'no delay in the sow- ' ing .of the niain crop. 6f, diiibnS, espicially in (positions which suffer frciin

drought in the summer, as it is important that most of the growth should be made before the dry weather checks it. it is always advisable to sow fresh seed. Old seed may germinate, but never so well as new. Onion seed takes trom 7 to 10 days to germinate. It is not advisable to sow seeds of any kind while tho ground is very cold and wet, as the results are almost sure to be disappointing owing to the difficulty of ?? v.eri?g «>em. lightly;, enough and also their liability to rot in the gronnd. A line tilth is necessary for correct seed sowmg. Every day now the sun is gaming strength, and in a week or go tho ground will be getting warmed up again. ■ "

Autumn-sown onions should be transplanted as soon as possible, covering the roots only and leaving the little bulbs on the surface of tho ground It does not matter if they lie down; in t* £ y Pv S 7O they wiU Btra>gWen up. H the bulbs are put into the ground at results in thick-necked onions, which are useless for keeping. Sow broad beans and early peas, the latter at intervals for succession. Plant early potatoes in the warmest plot available, and bo suro tho ground is woll drained. Lack of drainage is largely tho cause of blight. Be sure the sots are woll sprouted bofoie planting. y

Make sowings of carrots, lettuce, radish, and mustard and cress in quantities to fulfil requirements. It is advisable to sow salad cropg in small quantities at froquent intervals, as these vegetables aro much nicer when quite young. M Whenever possible the ground around seedling and other growing crops should be kept open and free from weeds. Get all vacant ground dug over anil manured in readiness for the sowina and planting. MIXIHG MANURES. Most gardeners know that certain manures should not be mixed, but it is not always known which may without detriment be used in conjunction. There nro three plant foods necessary to al! plants, although all do not require the same proportion. A certain amount of those, materials is generally present in the soil, and in somo cases all that is needed is lime to reloase them and make them available for the use of the plants. All gardens which are being constantly cropped must have these three plant foods replenished at intervals, otherwise crops deteriorate. Tho three necessary ingredients are potash, phosphates, and nitrates.' The accompanying diagram shows at a glance what manures may bo mixed and those which should never bo used in conjunction. I should advise, readers to cut this out and keep it for future reference. ''