GABDENING FOR THE WEEK

Evening Star, Issue 17329, 17 April 1920, Page 4

GABDENING FOR THE WEEK

Our contributor, a well-known gardener, will he glad to answer questions, which must be received not later than Tuesday of each wettk. VEGETABLES, The planting out of cabbage, cauliflower, and other kinds of winter greens must to a great extent depend upon the weather conditions. Ido not recommend planting whilst the ground is in a dry condition. Better to icavo them in the seed bed Unless one lias an ample water supply and time to water the plants regularly. No half measures will do. Lift and store potatoes' in drv weather and pick out set sizes as previously advised. It is a great advantage to have potatoes lifted and stored clean and dry. Also take advantage of dry weather to get all manuring and trenching off hand, particularly on ground which is inclined to be sticky when wet, as such ground if dug wet will most assuredly harden and cake in dry weather, which is a great hindrance to growing crops. THE GREENHOUSE.

Chrysanthemums in pots will require a lot of attention just now. it being a critical time during the developing of "the buds. Neglect now will undo the work of the whole season. Keep the soil in the pots nice and moist, though, not too wet, though it will be hard to do that whilst the plants are outside during dry weather, Be careful not to water with liquid manure whilst the soil is very dry. Cinerarias will require potting up into their flowering pots. These plants will not stand being too long in the small pots. Once they are root-bound immature flowering _is sure to be the result, and then it is impossible to make good _p!ants of them. These plants should not have too rich soil or they will give more foliage than flower; but they should .have good —three parts turfy loam, one part each of wmte_ sharp sand and leaf mould or old hot-bed manure with- a dustincr of wood ashes will grow them to perfection, and Sin pots .will grow good specimens. Pelargoniums should be potted up from tho cuttings as soon as they are rooted. Good strong-rooted cuttings will require 4in pots. When the pots are full of roots ■ in the spring repot them into 6in pots, which will be large enough for the first season; 4in or Sin. will bo large enough for weak-growing plants the first season, and in that case 3in pots should be used for the first potting from the cutting pot. Tire mixture above mentioned wifi suit them very well.

Pot on cyclamens and primulas as tho small pots become full of roots. They should not be repotted until tho smaller

pots are full. When potting cyclamen, see that the corms are only about half covered; always leave the croVn clear and free from soil. Give a good rich loam mixture and clean drainage. Keep fuchsias flowering by the frequent application of weak liquid manure. When they show signs o{ going off flowering withhold water and .gradually dry them off and store them in a warm dry ehed for the winter, giving ■ no water until growth starts again in spring, at which time they should be pruned back to the young growth and potted’ up. Give them a rather rich mixture, as they are hungry feeders and will respond to good treatment. Where frost is very severe they will require a warmer place than a dry shed to winter them in.

The asparagus is not a,fastidious plant especially sprengeri. It will grow in mo 4 soils, but to do it well it should have ■ good, rich, free, and open material and plenty of root room. When potting give good drainage, clean pots, and clean crocks, and pot nice and firm by pushing the_ soil well down about the roots with a blunt lath, allowing lin to 2in from the rim of the pot for water-space. Most amateurs make the mistake of filb ing their pots too full. This causes the water to carry the soil over the rim and close the pores of the pot, and the plant becomes unhealthy through not receiving sufficient moisture at_ the roots, and the prevention of fresh air through the pores of the pot_ being dosed. Some of the hardy-growing kinds, such as Asparagus f-prengeri grow very rapidly. and soon outgrow pot-space. When the pots are crowded with roots and the crowns of the plants become too high, not allowing sufficient epace for the water, they should he out and split up into two or more pieces and repotted as required. The aspidistra is one ot the most easily grown of any; certainly one of the mostuseful for room decoration. A few points •are essential to their successful cultivation. When potting give them good turfy loam incorporated with a little clean, sharp sand. Use clean pots, not too large for the, ante, and not too much crockin'* for drainage just a few fair-sized piece? placed over the Borfom of the pot, then » little rough material, such as lumps of broken turf, over this from the same son Place the plant in. and fill all round mixture, and ram it fairly firm dim not too full, Keep the Igjivos olefin by sponging* occasionally, and ke-cp the I soil moist, not wet. Another important point is to have no direct sun through glass. Shade and give fresh air, but no cutting draughts, and have the plants as far away from gas as possible. ANSWERS. “ Concerned ” _ writes “ One of my apple trees bearing fruit is giving roe a little concern, as the apples are falling . off the tree and split, and the tree is scaly. What is the matter, guid how can I remedy itl 1 presume you mean the apples are split before they fall off the tree, not hy the fa]l It would have been more saxisiactory to have sent me an apple for inspection. I think the fruit is affected . with apple scab. You will have to spray for that and the scale. After the tree has been pruned and all clippings raked up and burnt spray the tree with red spraying oil for the scale, and when the fruit has well set .and growing, sav, the size of a small walnut, sprav again with Bordeaux mixture (summer formula). This is for apple scab, mildew, or any funcoid disease. If possible keep the surface of , the ground clean about the tress. “A.M. ” asks me to name the enclosed apples and pears, and say what is wrong with the pears. No. 1 apple is Alflisten. good sample; _Xo. 2 apples are Emperor Alexander; Xo. 1. three nears, are Fertility, two Badly affected with pear scab; XV). 2 pear is Winter Cole, a Tate and good pear when ripe. I would advise you to spray all the trees. To leave one unsnrayed may contaminate the others. “ Eftershurgh ” writes r —“ Can you inform me what has gone wrong with mv Ettersburgh strawberries. I planted them last year, and they grew very well, and made good, growth: but this last month two or three - of them have ’Started to shrivel up. I lifted one of the worst plants and found a- white grub attached to the roots. Is that the cause? What is the remedy? Can you also rdvise what is the best artificial manure to use for strawberries, as horse manure is very hard to get on the Peninsula?” 1 feel sure the trouble with your strawberry plant is wapt of moisture. They would naturally v.- ripen off most of their foliage. A season like the present hae been would have a

trying, effect upon them. Unless they are too fjvr gone they will send out quit© a fine lot of new leaves In the spring. Ail toe old scarred leaves should be removed, and if after digging sin or Ain deep and manuring you coidd bed the plants well with clean seedless mown grass, they would be greatly benefited. Before this is applied give a good dressing of the following artificial manure; lewt nitrate of soda. 10 part© superphosphate, _4 parts muriate of potash, all well mixed and given just before growth begins in spring, a Jittle later for dry situations. The cut grass is cooling for the roots.

Pon.s ” asks the name of the enclosed apple, grown on a tree which has been a constant beaper for the last 40 or 50 years.——lt is very like an old varietyknown as Wahnsley Pippin, quite a gcorl old sort, a good keeper and a e< ustant bearer. I am not quite sure it is that, for I have not seen it for a long time. H.C.