In the Garden

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 144, 15 December 1927, Page 16

In the Garden

By "PRACTICAL"

SEASONABLE WORK

PLANTING OUT STILL BEING DONE

SUMMER GLORY SHOWING

"A.V.J.," Kelburn—l am afraid It Is Impossible to tell what is the trouble with your fruit trees, which, you say, is causing tho foliage to become spotted. If you would care to send some leaves of each I should be pleased to investigate.

G.K., Lyall Bay.—From, the strawberry leaf you sent the plants appear to be quite healthy, and the reason they have not borne is hard to say. It should be remembered that it is early enough for this 1 fruit in this district, some varieties not yet being in bearing. At the same time, from what you say I imagine you have got a poor bearing variety. I should advise you to try them out this season, and should they still prove uniroliuc, discard them altogether and try a fresh strain. The subject of Increasing plants is dealt with In this column under the heading of nropogation. :

"G.K.," Lyall Bay.—The strawberry lea' was apparently perfectly healthy, and the only reason I can think of, for the plants not bearing Is that they may have been propagated from a. poor stock. At tho same tlmo, It is early yet for local strawberries, and I should advise you to give the plants a chance this season. If they still fall to bear, it would be best to get rid of them and try a fresh

"Kitchen Garden."-—To' Brow tomatoes on the single stem system no pinching back is necessary. The plant Is allowed to grow naturally with a main stem. AH side branches —I.e. laterals, are removed, but the foliage should be left Intact To grow them on the double stem system, pinch the tin of the plant when 41n or 61n high, and reduce the resuiting growths to two of the strongest ana opposite. These two growths should bo treated as the single stem plant. Tie the growths as they progress to the stakes, ana after the fifth bunch of fruit has set pinch the top of the plant "Lawn," Lower Hutt—Regarding sulphate of ammonia for killing moss and weeds on lawns the amount you refer to was, as you infer a mistake., It should have been loz, not lib to two gallons-of water. Whether this was my.mistake or a: misprint, it is too long ago to find out Four gallons to the square yard 3ft by 3ft'would not be too much to allow It to get well down to the roots. The latest method of applying sulphate of ammonia Is in the form of top-dressing, at the rate of %oz per square yard given fortnightly. The fertiliser Is mixed with fine soil before applying, and afterwards watered in. Six to eight applications, are made during spring and summer. The effect is to. make the soil so add that'nothing but the grass can survive. ■■■•■- Avoid -using lime,- which encourages clovers.

Now that we.aw having.a little summer weather for a change, all garden stuff is growing rapidly, and gardeners are getting a little more encouragement. It is stil! not too late to .plant .out the various autumn flowering seedlingspetunias, salvias 1, zinnias, asters, -etc., and, in fact, these subjects do much better, if not. planted until the weather is settled and the soil thoroughly warmed up. ; Summer annuals are beginning to show their,,glory,.and to keep them

at their .-.best-and. give them every opportunity, the- -faded blodms should be kept picked, thus not allowin- them to go to.seed.- ...-. . ■ '"''"

With sweet, peas and Iceland poppies it is better to pick these every day, as they so soon become fertilised by the bees, *and then, as their object is attained,, they almost -immediately start to.fad&. By daily picking the plants-will-continue to flower for a long time and the blooms continue to be good. Weeds, like other plants, are making rapid growth, and as they so soon go to sued if unchecked they should be kept down. Now that the weather is: warmer and dryer the hoe may be used ■ —and it is surprising how much may be done with this tooL By running it through between the plants at frequent intervals all seedling weeds are immediately checked and the surface soil is kept free, allowing the entrance of warmth and air and checking evaporation of moisture. ■.

EQSBTKEBS As soon as. the flowering is over prune all rose trees. Too often tLe bushes are allowed to remain all through the summer without pruning. This makes far more work at the winter pruning, and does not give the plants .a chance. Vigorous roses should be-prun£d back after every flowering. Cut baclr to within six inches of the point where the new flowering stem began. Cut just above an eye pointing outwards. Where there is a straight solid shoot that is blind right up to the footstalks where the buds were carried, just snip off the points and ' wait for the movement of the dormant eyes that will break from somewhere lower down the stem. Leave any strong red shoots that are showingthese are known as water shoots, and may later form an entirely new bush. After pruning"' the bushes, lightly stir the soil with the fork and give a dressing of bonedust. Should the ground become very, dry an- occasional watering should be given, but if: is always better to give a good soaking while you are about it rather than frequent sprinklings.

CARNATIONS AND CHRYSANTHEMUMS. Carnations, aro now coming into bloom and require.supports. Thin out the buds to one on each stem, and 'although the plants do not require much water they should not be allowed to become very dry at the roots during the flowering season. At the first appearance of mildew spray the plants with potassium sulphide. ,

Chrysanthemums will require staking; where the old clumps were left undisturbed three or four stakes should be driven in round them and strings drawn round. The practice of driving in one stake and tying the growth tight in the middlj like a shoaf of grain is not. only unsightly, but injurious to the plants.' To get good blooms the stems and foliage require Might.. and air, which' is excluded in this method of tying. Weeds must be kept down among the chrysanthemum plants, and as the roots are near the surface a mulch of manure will, provo very beneficial. ■•'-■ : ' ■• .■■'"..■•;

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. Continue spraying of potatoes and tomatoes at regular intervals. Earth up potatoes'after spraying. .' ; Peas and French beans may be sown, for succession. Protect the plants from sparrows . and other birds by drawing .black cottons along the rows as soon as

sown. This is particularly necessary with peas which, unless protected, are liable to bo ruined by birds. Before staking the peas arid beans draw some soil up along the rows. As crops come into bearing keep the pods picked frequently to eucourage a prolonged period of production. See that celery plants do not suffer for want of water. They are-thirsty subjects, and must not V allowed to get a check. In former notes I m'entionod that the plants when first put out should be shaded for a few days until thoy get hold of the soil. This seeniß to have been misunderstood. A. light shading to prevent the plants from wilting is all that is required; If too heavily shaded they will become tender—a condition to be avoided. Shading is only necessary during • hot •or dry weather, and is best removed during the night and on dull days.. Hardy plants are wanted. ■''■„'

Keep all seedling vegetables free from weeds, and thin out early before they become crowded. Sow lettuce in drills-and radishes broadcast in small quantities at frequent intervals. The ground requires to be very rich and must be kept constantly moist at this season. Nitrate of soda, at fortnightly intervals given to cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, and all kindred plants is advantageous. Water, the pi ts with clear water before giv-' ing the nitrate or apply after rain. HINTS, ON PROPAGATION. It is the practice of quite a number of gardeners to save their own seed for future sowing. This is an interesting business and when done judiciously a profitable one. There are a.few points, however, which should be observed and rigidly adhered to if the quality of the plants is to be' maintained. The first principle is never to save seed from any plants showing, the slightest sign of. disease. In' many cases—in fact in most cases—the disease will be present in the resulting seedlings. Never save seed of plants of a poor constitution— always choose those of strong robust growth. Never perpetuate a plant which shows inferior qualities in any ivayr-small flowers, weak stems, a tendency to fasciate or other undesirable qualities. The aim should always be to improve the strain, and this can only be done by careful selection and rigid elimination of anything at all inferior. L

Plants intended for seed should be allowed to go naturally to reed from the first while they' are in their full vigour. Better seed will result in most cases if the number of blooms is reduced. It may. be observed. frequently where self -sown seedlings are utilised, that while the- undesirable plants increase rapidly the better ones seem to produce .very few seedlings. Generally this is due to the fact that the more popular blooms are picked while the others are allowed to go to seed. This is where elimination comes id—any un-

desirable plant should be pulled out and destroyed before it has a chance of seeding. . . . .

Propagating by. cuttings, layering, division of the roots, or grafting are methods of propagating in which the same principles of selection and elimination should be adhered to. If a plant which is a poor cropper is increased—as in the case of "G.K. V strawberry—the results are sure to be disappointing. 'The original plant may be-a seedling utterly valueless and to increase and perpetuate such stock is, to say the least at it, foolish, for it is bnly filling up valuable ground with! barren plants when it might be utilised to grow good: frnit or vegetables. Luther Burbank, who did so much in improving fruit and other plants, tells us that he often destroyed thousands of seedling plants retaining probably only half a dozen as worthy of keeping, As mentioned above, the aim should always be to improve the strain. If the .gardener'has anything of outstanding merit, ; .be : it flower, shrub, vegetable or fruit, then by all means propagate from it to the utmost. It is well to remember that'practically all-,new varieties are got from seed, but for one worth-while plant, ten thousand will be of no value.

With many plants the only way to ensure an increase is by division, layers, or'■-grafting—seeds not throwing true to type. This may be observed particularly with such things as pansies and larkspurs, etc., the seedlings from which come all sorts of eoloursj of,ten without one like the parent.