GARDENING FOR THE WEEK

Evening Star, Issue 16197, 19 August 1916, Page 12

GARDENING FOR THE WEEK

* Out contributor, a well-known gardener, will be glad to answer questions, which must be received not later than Tuesday of each week. —The Rose C4arden. — The end of this month should see the conclusion of planting for the season, unless the weather continues cold, in -which case a, little latitude may be given, but I advise as speedy a conclusion of the planting as possible. Try to avoid treading on the ground whilst it is in a wet condition. ** From this date onward I advise pruning the bushes at planting, especially if growth is visible on the young plants. It is advantageous in more ways than one. It saves treading about on the beds after planting (which should be avoided as much as possible), and it is also better ; for the young plant that lias commenced j . its growth, for the reason that once! growth has started the less top the roots : have to support the better, hence the necessity for hard pruning at planting. I The present is a good time to commence pruning, providing the ground is suitable. Why is pruning necessary?" I have been often nsked this question. " Why pot let them grow at will to make a large bush, for the bigger the bush the more bloom you get?" The answers to these questions are easy. If we watch the natural growth of an unpruned rose, either •-wild or cultivated, it will be seen that strong shoots will flower well the first year, and the second year the growth will be much weaker, but it will often occur that an extra strong shoot or two will push up to the detriment of the bush, consequently some branches are made weaker and weaker until the plant becomes an unshapely object. This is one reason of many why pruning is necessary. The nature of pruning must to a great extent depend upon the kind of rose one has to prune. There is long pruning, short pruning, and medium pruning. Long pruning is generally carried out with climbers. Of these I will have a word to say_ later. In pruning ordinary bush roses it is necessary before one can be come proficient at the game to study the. nature of the growth of each of those he has to deal with. For instance, strong-growing kinds, like Hugh Dickson, Avoca, Fran Karl Druschki, Florence H. Veitch, and others, may be classed under the long- ' pruning class. I have hitherto placed these among the medium class, keeping the long pruning for climbers, but I think it advisable to have the three classes of pruning with the bush form, as the general run of roses (that is, those of medium growth) require not such hard pruning as those of weak growth, hence the necessity of long, medium, and short pruning. The stouter the growth, the longer the pruning; the weaker the growth, the shorter the_ pruning. There are some varieties which require special pruning, but experience alone can teach this, hence the necessity of careful attention to the requirements of each individual kind, and it is by this means only that proficiency is attained. When commencing to prune, whether it be long or short pruning, cut out and remove altogether all dead shoots and shoots that are pointing inward, or cross shoots where there are signs of overcrowding, and if exhibition blooms are required only about six good shoots should be left. With regard to 6hort pruning, most varieties may be pruned short back, except in cases of strong growers. Having removed all surplus growth, shorten back the leading shoots to, say, 6 to 9in. With strong growers such as those named above leave about four eyes to the medium size. Leave two or three eyes for the weakpowing kinds. It is almost- impossible to get exhibition blooms from long, weakly shoots. To keep a bush in proper condition and in good shape you must always select those shoots that are pointing outwaTd. Some may wish to have a lot of flowers hi preference to show bloom. This may be- easily accomplished. It is only a question of leaving more buds on a plant for the production of more bloom. In prundmr strong growers, or long pruning, it is a good plan to peg the long shoots down with pieces of stout, bent wire or wooden hooks. The bushes will thus give a much greater return of bloom, as each hud will break out and flower when it is bent down, whereas in the case of strong shoots remaining erect they only break out at- the top and give not half the quantity of hloom. Pegging down strong growers not only gives more bloom, but tends to make ft rose bed more uniform, as these strong f rowers are inclined to outgrow their neicrhors and make un uneven, bed unless care be taken at planting to have such kinds placed well at the back of the bed, which is of great importance .when planting. To have a good display of bloom at one or a given time, attention must be ■ paid to •which kinds are to he pruned first. Hybrid perpetuate take a longer time to bloom than teas or hybrid teas. Prune hybrid perpetuals first, hybrid teas next. and teas last; in fact, I should defer pruning tea roses for a week or so in any case. ....—Answers.— "Portobello" wishes to know what kind of blight it is that affects the apple trees cimilar to the piece enclosed.—The blight is woolly aphis (American blight). It will undoubtedly spread if it is not kept under. It is not necessary to destroy the tree, unless it is very ba<i and not worth growing. Spray your trees with red oil Solution, about 40gal of water to one of tip *ed spraying oil. See that it is well truralsified by working with a syringe or »pray pump equal parts of the oil and ■watery This, if syringed rapidly for a few minutes in a tub, will emulsifv or turn liko dark-looking milk; thon add the remainder of the water, and it will be ready for use. Your signature next time, pleare. " Anxious, Port," aeks: Would it bo advisable to pin down strong down stronggrowing h.p. roses the first year of planting, ox prune them hard back and pin down the next year?— Always prune them hard the year of planting;. after that, 1 either prune lightly or pgg down aa ad.vised above, -^~

"Hill" wishes to know if. hybrid perpetual roses- should be pruned" before h.t.a and .teas.—My notes above answer thus question. > \ "R.M." has heard that farmers lime, but once m seven years, as thov say that too much limo is as bad as too "little. lie has hmed-this ground even- year for the past four or five years. Is this right?— iou are undoubtedly liming your ground too often. It is. quite possible to lime too much. Onco every four years is quite sufficient. Some soils require lime oftener than others. ''Olearia" (Mornington) wishes to know what to spray an olearia hedce with to kiU the blight that attacks this shrub. It is 18 months old, has grown well, and so far looked very healthy. The roots of the hedge that was in before were well dug out, and a good supplv of manure was dug in well below the "roots before the new hedge was planted.—lt to a pity you could not have replaced the old. worn-out soil with fresh loam. Manure is good, but the young plants go directly j into perhaps diseased as well as exhausted soil, not giving them a fair chance, -uulch the surface of the soil with good manure, and spray the hedge with the summer formula of Bordeaux Mixture. (2) About what quantity of manuka would he lvnuii'rd. for a rustic fence 2°ft by 6ft ?-o:ie load of manuka, at about £1 ss. should be about the right quan"A.W.H." would like a few hints upon potato planting. (1) Should the potato be planted upon stable manure? Or if potato manure be used, what quantity to each set?— When usin" stable manure it is best to dig it in and plant the potatoes above it. not directly in contact with the sets, as they are likely to become scabby. If potato manure be used, winch I think is better than poorquality stable manure, it is best sown along tho drills when the sets are put m, or along the rows before moulding or earthing up the rows. It depends upon the nature of manure used what quantity is .used. From 3cwt to 6ewt per acre will be a good dressing. (2) As to your carrots, which were planted too lata to come to anything, and have been in the ground all'the winter, they will run to seed when the warm weather starts them into growth, and will then be quite useless. You must resow. —__ HC -