THE GARDEN

Evening Star, Issue 19918, 14 July 1928, Page 19

THE GARDEN

— j. —— -= a wa&toowa gsvOßnesL wtH be glad to mower questions, -vUdi moot fee received net later than Tuesday of each week.' ititomSkaamfia* Jar Wa erfanra xaast fee bended ia to fha «Qko bstoro 2 P-ca. on J.IHIII 111.—JL1.111.1.J1 I ■■ lIBWI 1«— 1 J ..'l.l SST.iKSBB

SEASONABLE WORK THE VEGETABLE GARDEN Those who are favoured with a warm and sunny situation, and where late scvao spring frosts are not likely to occur, may commence putting in a few early potatoes. Otherwise defer planting for a week or two yet. The same may be said about sowing early peas. Cabbage and cauliflower plants may now bo planted from their winter quarters. Rhubarb should bo planted now as soon as convenient. Plant sea kale or force the plants by covering the crowns with sea kale pans or boxes as circumstances demand. , Artichokes, both Jerusalem and Chinese varieties, may be planted. THE FRUIT GARDEN Continue the work of pruning. Rake up all clippings and burn, except scions of suitable kinds required for grafting a little later. These scions should bo heeled into the ground to keep them fresh until required. Planting should bo carried on with all speed when the ground is in a fairly dry condition. Ground to be dug should be turned up without delay in readiness for spraying the trees, which work may be carried on at almost any time now, although the most effectual time for this work is just before the buds burst in spring, THE ROSE GARDEN Tho work of planting rosas should bo pushed on. The sooner the better, providing the ground is in a lit condition to receive them. Be careful in each detail of planting, for much depends upon it. Old roses that arc showing signs of being worn out should be lifted, their roots trimmed, and replanted m fresh soil, or the old soil retrenched and worked up with fresh manure added and some new soil applied at least around their roots at planting. Do not expose the roots during the process of renovation, but hcol them in until required. , In all preparation for renovating of rose beds, do not lose the opportunity of applying plenty of opening material, such as burnt garden rubbish or old lime or mortar rubbish from old brick walls. This applies particularly where tho ground is wet or of a heavy nature. Such old roses may be pruned right away for the convenience of handling, except in districts where the frosts are late and severe. In such instances the final pruning should not take place until tho frosts are past. Stocks of all kinds for budding on should be got in at once. The wild growth from last year’s budded stocks should be cut away now. THE FLOWER GARDEN

come on later. Make the soil light and fairly rich. “Caterpillar.”—You have aßramwoll seedling apple tree affected with woolly aphis, and each year its leaves are affected with caterpillars, which spoil the apples.—After the leaves are all off and the pruning completed spray the tree with red oil spray, winter formula, for the woolly aphis. For caterpillars (roller moth) you will require to spray again with summer formula of Bordeaux mixture when the young apples aro well sot after flowering. This will not only check the roller moth, but act as a preventive of black spot or apple scab. I shall probablv be touching upon spraying next week. “ Tomato.’—You have a small glasshouse, and wish to know when you can plant it with tomatoes. Unless you have artificial heat in your glasshouse it will be quite a while before you can plant tomatoes. Even with heat, unless you have had some experience, I should advise you not to start for a few weeks yet. With a small unheated glasshouse you will not bo able to plant until well into August without considerable risk. H.C. GROW YOUR OWN RHUBARB SAVE THE SEED it frequently happens that rhubarb crowns will send up flower heads during tho summer. It is tho usual practice to cut away these flowers directly they aro noticed, but where tho heads have inadvertently been allowed to form seeds and these seeds have ripened the experiment may bo tried of sowing them with tho object of obtaining a largo but costless supply of new plants (writes Mr L. H. Griffiths, F.R.H.S.). Rhubarb seed is ordinarily sown in spring, but in case of this homesaved seed sowing may well be done now, the seeds being put in singly in a sheltered position at 6in apart, and the young plants later transplanted to their permanent positions. A useful alternative plan is to choose as the rhubarb plantation tho ground between fruit trees. Here tho seeds would bo sown, two or three together, a yard apart, just where they aro to grow permanently. This saves all subsequent labour with them, and the growth is never interrupted right from the start. If dealt with in this way the rhubarb benefits from tho loaves falling from the trees in autumn, which servo as a splendid protection from frost and cold to the small plants during their first winter. GLADIOLI The gladiolus season may bo said to close at tho end of May, and no sooner is the season closed than the new catalogues for next season make their appearance (says the Melbourne ‘ Argus’). Tho bulbs have, been lifted, and are now in their winter quarters awaiting the coming planting time. The long winter evenings give tho lover of these flowers plenty of time to peruse the new catalogues and go through those varieties which he already has — decide upon those which have not proved themselves good enough and decide which of those that wore noted at the autumn shows ho will order. Tho titles of tho now catalogues suggest that tho contents aro tho world’s best, or that they surpass those of any other grower, but one and all they contain a wonderful collection for tho homo gardener to draw upon. Many of the newer novelties aro high in price, and .theso will appeal to the exhibitor only, who, to be successful, must have the latest, and also to the hybridist who requires new blood for breeding purposes. For the garden lover, however, who desires a display and tho supply of cut flowers, there aro many proven sorts that will meet his or her requirements, and at quit© reasonable rates. While many of the extra long spikes seen on tho show bench are magnificent flowers, they are not altogether suitable for the garden or decorative purposes, and they are so heavy that unless each one has a stake to it they aro blown over by the first wind. Tho cultivation of these exhibition varieties should always be carried out in special, beds, where the unsightliness of the stakes is not so noticeable and the conns can bo given special treatment. For those who do not aim at showing it will be found better to concentrate ou these varieties which meet the fancy and the average person can afford. By selecting a few good sorts each year a good collection will be quickly acquired without any serious strain on tho pocket, us •the corns soon increase, and by growing on tho cormlets which develop around the bases of tho conns sufficient will bo available in two or throo seasons to enable tho homo gardener to make features and plant beds or borders of tho one variety only. On going through tho catalogue, such a variety as the Primulinus hybrid Alice Tiplady cannot be left out, as its daintiness and colour immediately attract, and it is an excellent decorative flower. Although somewhat weaker in constitution than many of the other sorts, Europe is still tho best of the whites, both as to form and purity. Byron L. Smith, a creamy yellow and pale lavender flower with a brilliant pink blotch on the lower petals, is exceedingly popular, and probably the most used or all for decorative, purposes. Gortructo Errov is an exquisite flower or ligut s«u* mon or shell pink, shading to almost white in tho centre, and with a spot of deeper colour in the throat. it is of graceful form, and tho individual flowers are always well placed on the spikes. Golden Measure is a pure self yellow, which must he included in any collection. Tangerine is a beautiful Primulinus hybrid raised at Silvan by Mr Scott Morrison, which, whon better known, will probably mist Alice Tiplady from pride of place. Loveliness is a very refined flower or pale creamy yellow, with a suffusion of apucot, and carries a full spike of largo flowers, which open almost . simultaneously.. Purple Glory is described as Tyrian rose-suffusel purple, with n. very dark velvety purple throat and tho flowers are slightly ruffled at tho edges. Prince of Wales is a beautiful bedding and decorative variety, which is a clear shade, of salmon, tho flowers being of largo size. Joe Coleman, a bright crimson with lighter centie, Madame Mouilet Sully, a long spike of creamy white flowers, with distinctive blotch on lower petals;, Herodion, a pink-flaked variety, and King Pearl, an ivory-white variety with a creamy yellow blotch in throat, complete_ a dozen proven sorts which will give satisfaction in any garden. It will be found a much better idea to limit tho number of the varieties, and grow six or a dozen or each, than to gather together a collection of fifty or sixty varieties, and only one conn of each. Much better effects will be secured in the garden, and far finer effects are secured from a bowl of all one colour than a bizarre mixture of many. •

All arrears of labour by way of digging and trenching or renovating Sower beds or borders should.bo made up without delay, as attention niust bo concentrated on the future. Cut down chrysanthemums that are past flowering to within 6in to 12m from the ground. Cuttings ot these should he got in either in pots or pricked out into shallow boxes, kept close in cold frames. A little bottom heat may he applied. This assists them to root quickly, hut those rooted without any assistance in that way are quite as good, They should not bo allowed to flag or droop at any period. The young growth from the base of the plants gives the best cuttings to select for rooting, i 1 ailing these, those on the stem low down will do very well. Good,, well-rotted tmty loam rubbed through a coarse sieve, with clean, sharp sand added, will suit well for rooting cuttings in. The term “ flower garden seems almost a misnomer at this time, for very few flowers exist; but now is the tune to consider what is to be done in order to prepare the garden for the return of our favourites. The work oi trenching, simple as it appears, is often so indifferently performed as to be ot doubtful utility. For instance,. I have seen the best of soils thrown into the bottom of the trench, with a foot of stiff clay brought to the surface. Under no circumstances should the good soil be put down, with the clay on top. to grow plants to perfection—flower, yegegetable, or fruit— trenching cannot be too well done. If a good layer of manure can bo put between the top and bottom spit litre else will bo required except, of course, to keep the surface free from weeds, and general routine work carried on. There is nothing like a good beginning. Dig or fork the spaces between the herbaceous plants, leaving the surface rough for tho weather to operate upon. Plant both deciduous and cvergioen trees and shrubs, including hedge plants. Cut out dead wood and trim overgrown trees or shrubs. Clip hedges, rake up and burn all refuse and clippings. Make a good big fire, after which cover with all the rubbish available for a grand “ smother,’’ which will then produce a lot of valuable asn tor various requirements of tho garden, and leave everything spick and span for a clean start in spring., when other work will he more pressing. THE GREENHOUSE We are still practically in the dead of winter, although the days are grar dually lengthening. Care must be taken in watering plants. Never give water, especially at this time, to plants unless they really require it. both wood plants, such as calceolarias, cinerarias, Chinese primulas, and such like should be guarded against damp. Keep the floors and benches clean and dry. Frost must be kept out, and when there is no artificial heat available brown paper, or even newspaper sheets, placed over the plants at night will protect thorn from injury by frost. In cases of very severe frosts leave the paper on until the frost is quite out of the house, as the sun will do a lot of injury to tho plants if it roaches them before the frost is out. Pelargoniums that are strongly rooted should be potted on, and all old or faded leaves kept removed from them. Established plants should be kept tied out to give light and air and increase of foliage. A little later, when the growth is in full activity, pinch out the points. They will then break out .into fresh growth and make fine specimen plants, and give abundance of flowers. Hard-wood plants, such as aaaleas, heaths, ©to., should not be allowed to suffer for want of water, although it is winter; but watering must not be overdone. This class of plant is inclined to be attacked with thnps and other insects. ' Soft-wood plants, such as the above, are liable to attack of green aphis. All may be cleared by fumigation with nicoticido, ANSWERS “Amateur” asks: When is tho best time to transplant a jypsophila? Now is a good time to lift and transplant it. As the young growth is beginning to push through, the sooner it is shifted the better. The situation for it should be a warm and moderately dry one. These plants do not develop and ripen, their flowers in cold wet soil. Young ones are fairly cheap, so I should advise planting a young one or two to

VOSS PO® THB WBEK,

LILACS 'i'Jfo scout alone is enough to make lilacs very papular flowering shrubs, but, in addition, the great bunches of fragrant bloom arc very beautiful. Charles X. is a lovely variety with wmccolourcd flowers (says the gardening contributor of the ‘Sun’). Alphonso Lavallce has double blue flowers, and Ludwig Spatho single purplish led ones. Another beautiful variety is Maurice d« Vilmorin, with double azure-blue flowers, while Michael Buckner is palo lilac, margined with rose; These are only a lew of the many beautiful lilacs to be bad. .Many people complain to mo that their lilac bushes will not flower, and upon investigation I find various roasons_ for their not flowering. Very often itl is faulty pruning, for during winter the bushes are trimmed into shape, and in tho process all the flower buds are cut off. Lilacs need very little pruning, and what is necessary should be done in tho spring just after flowering. The only pruning that is necessary is to snip off faded flower trusses, and to thin out young shoots. Where the bushes are overcrowded, cut out all thin and weak shoots to allow the sun to penetrate rigid into tlm bushes. This is most important, for lilacs will not flower unless their wood is well ripened. Very often, too, a mass of suckers has been allowed to spring up, shutting out light and air from the main bush. Sometimes the cause of lilacs not flowering is that the bushes are starved. Many people seem to think that the plants will thrive in any old soil, and that once planted they should bo able to look after themselves. This is fatal, for, although the plants are hardy and willing to do their best, they are unfortunately possessed of a good healthy appetite. To got tho best results, then, the ground must first of all be thoroughly prepared. Heavy soils must be trenched, and should have grit, coarse sand, or builders’ rubble mixed with it. Tho top soil should havo decayed manure or 'garden rubbish mixed with it. Into a very light soil dig plenty of decayed garden rubbish or turves that have been stacked and rotted down. The plants must havo an open sunny position. All suckers, must be kept cut away. Any unnecessary pruning must bo done as mentioned above, and the last important point is to keep the soil round tho plants well cultivated. Every year, as soon as the flowering is over, give tho .soil a dressing of welldecayed manure, or prick in some hone dust and give it a dressing of welldecayed garden rubbish. Early summer is the most Important time in the cultivation of lilac bushes, for it is then that they are making their next year’s flower buds, and to do this successfully they must have food in the soil for the roots to draw upon, and sunshine flooding their stems to ripen and mature tho food. PROPAGATING BUSH FRUITS F» GUTTINGS July is a suitable month for proxmgating many kinds of trees, and shrubs from cuttings, as the wood is then well stored with food, and the copt’climatie conditions lessen transpiration ' ami other demands upon tho cuttings. Bush fruits, such as. gooseberries and currants, are examples of shrubs which can bo' propagated in this way. In. each case tho cuttings should be made from new wood about a foot long, but if |a standard is wanted (that is, a plant on a long stem) the cuttings may be as much as 30in long. Gooseberries in particular grow well as standards. Cuttings of red currants, white currants, and gooseberries should havo tho buds removed for a distance of at least six inches from the base, to prevent the formation of suckers, which always tend to spoil these plants. Black currants grow differently, their fruit being borne on new wood. As a result new growths from the base are to be welcomed. This same distinction must be remembered at pruning time (a point I stressed a few weeks ago when dealing with the priming of small fruits). All the cuttings should he planted vertically in a trench (or with a dibble) 4in deep, and be sure tho soil is packed around each one tightly. At this time of the your no watering need ho given, as the soil in quite moist and cool. TIKE TO PICK FLOWERS Sweet peas, if cut when tho dew is on them, will keep their colours better than if cut after exposure to sunshine. Tho same is true of roses, which should always bo gathered very early in tho morning, or even the night before, selecting well-formed buds in which the petals have coloured nicely. Poppies are usually classed among flowers having little value for cutting. If, however, the flowers are gathered a few hours before opening, and the lower part is charred in a gas or candle flame, poppies will last surprisingly well. . . Tho best time to cut gladioli is in tho late afternoon, choosing stalks on which only one or two flowers have opened. A slanting cut is best, and it should bo made with a sharp knife. Ft is an excellent plan with gladioli to let them remain in the sun for twenty minutes, and they will then undergo what is known by florists as “softening,” and tliis will make them last especially well in water. Dahlias can bo kept for a long while if the stalks are stripped bare at the bottom, and then thrust into water ns hot as tho hand can bear. They should bo left there, then kept in tho dark for a few hours before arranging in vases.

Morning glories aro attractive flowers to cut- at just the right stage early in the morning, and they will then open before the eyes of the family at the breakfast tabic, hut well-de-veloped buds of the lovely evening primroses in the late afternoon. It is most fascinating to watch tho pale yellow blossoms unfolding their delicate petals as tho light fails.

OAKS FOR SiAll GARDENS Very often one secs the common English oak, Quercus Eohur, planted in gardens where there is no prospect of it ever having room for proper development. Of course, there arc sentiments connected with the English oak that aro not conveyed by any other species of oak, but where sufficient space is not available for the favourite one it might in a measure fill tho gap if a more suitable one for the position of the same family was planted in its place. Although some of the oaks to he mentioned would eventually grow into large trees tho rate of growth is much slower than that of English oak, while they are much more ornamental in habit and foliage,. which assumes

very pleasing coloured tints during tho autumn. They aro all perfectly hardy, and not at all particular as to soil, though a good loam with a free clay subsoil is to be preferred, as the autumn tints in the foliage aro generally brighter ou such soil, Q. Palustris, the pin oak, is perhaps tho most useful, the habit of tho tree being good and freely branched. Tho foliage is finely cut and of deep green colour, changing to red in tho autumn. Q. Coccinea, the scarlet oak, has larger, less cut foliage, but tho autumn foliage is the brightest in tho genus. Tho, habit of tho tree is not so symmetrical as that of tlio preceding, Q. lluba, the champion, or red oak, has large, broad leaves that die off in deep red colour. In habit it is somewhat similar to the scarlet oak, but the largo foliage gives , it a more massive appearance. Q. Tine- ; toria, the dyer’s oak, has very hand- ( some large leaves that die off a reddish colour, which before falling have quite a metallic coppery lustre. Q. Phellos, f the willow oak, has long, , narrow, j willow-like leaves that aro bright with 1 shades of yellow and red in tho autumn, j ft is not a. tall-growing tree, as it branches freely, being inclined to grow i more shrubby than trec-like, unless the branches aro kept in subjection to tho 3 loader. ■ i WASTED GARDENS 5 , r _. - r In towns and country alike one can- i not get away from the utter desola- J tion and waste of many of the gardens i surrounding tho houses. Often badly • planned in the first instance, years of • neglect have reduced them to a condi- 1 tion of abject wretchedness, Yet most _ of them were capable of delighting tho , eye if only they had had the good for- ; tune to fall into intelligent hands. It all tho gardens wore cared for a lmt*9> what a fairy-lito transformation of tins and other towns it would mean, pmall , gardens aro not tho only ones that pie- ■ sent a dismal 'aspect; many of the 1 larger ones arc far front cheerful to tho beholder, even though they may ho “cared for.” The care they receive . consists of sweeping and raking, at fixed ■ times, together with perfunctory lawn . mowing and a hit of pruning. One can- ; not fail, however, ,to perceive the - beautiful opportunities, that are lost ] owing to the pitiable indifference and | lock of initiative. ,