In the Garden

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 131, 4 June 1936, Page 27

In the Garden

PRUNING SMALL FRUITS

ABUTILON TRIUMPHANS.

By "Practical." NOTICE TO READERS.

Gardens look decidedly wintry at the present time. Most of the deciduous trees and shrubs have lost their leaves, very few plants are in flower, and the beds generally are bare. Nevertheless there is a fascination about the autumn and winter garden and, to the genuine gardener, whether amateur or professional, plenty of interest. Nature demands that plants shall have a resting time that they may build up their energies and be in fit condition to produce fully once again when the time comes. That there is so little resting lime in our mild climate is probably not an unmixed blessing as undoubtedly many plants do not have sufficient spell between seasons. Although we do not expect so many flowers during the winter there are still many which do bloom and brighten up various parts of the gar-1

den. The early narcissi are already commencing to flower, also violets, polyanthus, violas, and a few nemesias in warm localities. Stocks, calendulas and antirrhinums too, continue to 'flower throughout the winter if planted early, as do Iceland poppies. A little later the beautiful helleborus or Christmas roses will bloom. Some of the "shrubs, too, commence flowering this month, notably luculia and japonicas (cydonias). Of all the winter-flow-ering plants perhaps none surpass the winter-flowering Iris tingitana. It is a .pity the bulbs are so shy, frequently going for years without throwing up, a flowering head. When they do bloom they are superb with their large ,blue flowers with golden beards. This iris is a native of Tangiers, where it grows on the edge of the desert, a fact which gives an indication of the conditions it needs. In this climate the bulbs require to be lifted each year after dying down, and thoroughly ripened off in the sun. If they can be spread out on an iron roof—a sheet of iron on the ground would do—and allowed to remain until they commence to shoot they will sometimes flower j better. The ground for them should

be made as warm as possible by the .addition of plenty of humus, drainage 1 must be perfect, and the bulbs should "be planted quite shallowly with the nose just below the surface. During tbe autumn, from the time they commence growing the surface should never be allowed to get caked or hard —fork round them every few days as this allows air and warmth to penetrate to the roots.

The pruning of bush fruits should be done this month. G6oseberries.—These bear chiefly on spurs. Lateral growths should be cut back to one or two eyes and the leaders be shortened by half or twothirds according to length. Bed and white currants require similar treatment and in all cases all weak growths and branches which are overlapping should be cut right out. The centres of the bushes require to be kept open so that the wood may ripen. Gooseberries should always be grown on

This column is Intended principally lor gardeners with small plots, and the aim Is to make It as practical and useful as possible. Inquiries on any matter of Hardening interest will be welcomed. The rule for correspondence is that all communications must ba accompanied by the name and address of the writer, not for publication, but as • guarantee of sood faith. This rule will be strictly adhered to. This is your column—nake use of it

bushes with a single main stem, and all such growths should be removed. If allowed to remain the bush becomes a tangled mass from which it is very difficult to gather the fruit. The most satisfactory way of removing the suckers is to pull them right away or cut them off from the base as if they are merely cut off at ground level they will send up half a dozen for every one removed. Black currants are usually grown as a stool—that is sucker growth is encouraged from the base and as the fruit is nearly all borne on young wood of the previous season's growth all old branches are £ut right away. The new growths do not require cutting except where they are unnecessarily long. Raspberries also bear on the wood made the previous year. All pld canes

WORK FOR THE COMING WEEK IN THE VEGETABLE GARDEN General cleaning up, digging, and trenching are the order during this season. As the weather is liable to be broken and the days are short, every effort should be made to get as much done as possible when conditions are suitable. Cabbages, cauliflowers, and silver beet may be planted. Broad beans may be sown. Onions, lettuces, cabbages, and cauliflowers may be raised from seed, preferably sown under glass at this season. If they are to be sown in the open choose the warmest possible position for the seed beds and raise them 4 inches or so above the surrounding level. Prune gooseberries, currapts, loganberries, raspberries, and other bush fruits. Do not delay any longer with the planting of new strawberry beds. THE FLOWER GARDEN As the bulbs appear through the ground see that they are kept, free from weeds and the soil loose around them. Place fine twiggy branches by sweet peas. This encourages them to grow and also keeps the plants from slugs and other insect pests. Cut down all tall-growing herbaceous plants and remove dead leaves. A dressing of bonedust, about 4oz to the square yard, sprinkled over the beds and lightly raked in will give the plants a fresh supply of food. v . If left to grow weeds soon cover the ground, keeping the roots of plants cold and wet, as well as forming shelter for various garden pests. Plant out any hardy annuals and perennials as they become available. Although these may not flower in the winter they will become established and flower long before those sown in the spring. Seedling anemones may be planted out. Disturb the roots as little as possible and place in good rich soil,, allowing a foot between the plants. Seedling polyanthuses, pansies, and violas may also be put out now.

I should be cut out as soon as they have finished bearing to encourage new growths from the base. These new growths should then be thinned out to three or five of the strongest and most evenly placed. The tops of the canes may be shortened now if desired but it is not really necessary or of any great advantage. Loganberries must be trained on wires or fences as the long wands often attain a length of 12ft or more. Like raspberries they bear on the new wood of the previous season. It is even more important that the worn-out wands should be removed immediately after bearing than in the case of raspberries, as when they remain the new growths grow through them and are very liable to serious damage when the old branches are removed. As soon as pruning is finished burn up the prunings as soon as convenient as they generally harbour insect pests and sometimes diseases. SOME OF THE NEWER ROSES J The result of a plebiscite taken in England last year of the best roses of

recent Introduction suitable either for exhibition or garden is as follows:— Barbara Richards.—Maize yellow, flushed rose. Vigorous and fragrant. , Golden Dawn.—Pale lemon yellow, [fragrant. Vigorous and not liable to disease, and does not mind rain. One of the very best varieties of recent years. Sir Henry Segrave.—Primrose yellow, moderately vigorous and fragrant. Mrs. Sam McGredy.—Copperyorange, flushed scarlet. Vigorous and fragrant. Does not mind rain, and has beautiful young foliage. Extra good in the autumn. McGredy's Ivory. — Creamy-white shaded gold at base. Vigorous and fragrant. Not liable to disease. Max Krause.—Golden yellow shaded with white. Growth vigorous and flowers fragrant. Does not mind rain and is not liable to disease. W. E. Chaplin.—Deep crimson, vigorous, and moderately fragrant. Not liable to disease and does not mind rain. Colonel Sharman-Crawford.—Velvety I

crimson. Moderately vigorous and fragrant. Trigo.—Bright Indian yellow, shaded cerise. Vigorous and fragrant. Mrs. George Geary.—Glowing orange cerise. Vigorous and fragrant. Does not mind rain and not liable to disease. Comtesse Vandal. — Reddish-copper edged pale pink. Vigorous and fragrant. A fine rose that does not mind rain, but is very subject to mildew. President Hoover.—Claret-red flushed crimson. Semi-double and lasting. Moderately fragrant. Vigorous growing- v The foregoing descriptions are from the National Rose Society's select list of roses, 1935. All the varieties mentioned are procurable in this country.

ABUTILOX TEIIDIPIIANS j FOR A COOL GREENHOUSE Abutilon Triumphans is considered the best of the abutilons, the flowers being up to three inches across, very widely opened in the shape of a saucer. The colour is a silvery-pink at the base of the petals shading to white with a golden ball of stamens in the centre. This abutilon is not suitable for outdoor growing except in the warmest localities. It will not stand frost or cold winds. It makes an excellent plant for a cool greenhouse.

MARECHAL XIEL AS AN OUTDOOR ROSE Although introduced into commerce as long ago as 1864 this is still recognised as one of the best climbing roses for growing under glass. It is a vigorous climber—making wands from 12ft to 18ft in a season and producing hundreds of blooms on a mature tree. The flowers are deep yellow of good shape and very fragrant. It is not generally realised that this rose can be grown in the open quite well provided a suitable position can be given it. The writer grew it years ago in Dunedin on a wall facing north with splendid results—the plant being covered with fragrant blooms throughout the season. It is useless, however, to attempt growing this rose unless it can be given shelter from winds as both the foliage [ and the petals are very deiicate, the slightest bruise causing the petals to turn brown, thus spoiling the flowers. Grown outdoors the flowers have not the same delicacy which they attain under glass. The colour is deeper and the blooms not so refined, but if for nothing else it is worth growing for its strong scent. The best results will be obtained if the plants are allowed to, produce new wands from the base each season, the ones which have flowered being'cut right back and only enough of the new ones retained to cover the space required.