GARDENING CLUB

Evening Star, Issue 20255, 16 August 1929, Page 3

GARDENING CLUB

1 THE AMATEUR’S GREENHOUSE ’ The Dunedin Gardening Club met on Tuesday evening, when there was a good attendance, Mr If, H. HoJhngworth presiding. Before commencing the business of the meeting the Chairman gave a short talk on what could be sown at the present time in the vegeable garden, and the amount of seed required. Mr J, Passmore was the lecturer for the evening, and for his subject took ‘ The Amateur’s Greenhouse.’ A greenhouse could bo built in three different types—span roof, hip roof, and lean-to. It was the lean-to unhcatcd house that his remarks mostly referred to. To get anything like success it was necessary that the house should have certain equipment, such as ventilation, benches, supply of water and tools, also a cold frame or two for the purpose of protecting and bringing on young plants for succession.

The question of keeping the greenhouse bright was one that required thought and attention at the proper time, if shade-loving plants, such as begonias and fuchsias, were to be grown it was necessary to paint the glass or provide blinds. The painting of the glass was the.method chiefly used, and was satisfactory and cheap. The choice of plants was very large, and one had to exercise care in the selection. It was much better to grow one variety and fill the house and have a good show of colour than to grow a mixed lot. A mixed house was much harder _ to manage, and never reached perfection, ft was the amateur’s stumbling-block, ft was better to grow one thing at a time and do it well, and with thought and care it was fairly easy to have flowers all the year round, such as begonias for January, February, and March, followed by cinerarias in April, May, and June, and primulas or scluzautnus in July, August, and September. In spring time bulbs of various kinds could be grown, along with heaths and other hardwooded plants. Climbers could also be used, such' as tropelinums, clematis, smalix hoya, and lapagerias. Ferns could also be grown under the benches. In the spring time part of the benches could be used with advantage for the propagation of halfhardy annuals. For potting purposes it was essential that the soil should be of the best. Generally speaking, a good _ mixture was one part good loam, one-sixth part well-rotted manure, and one-tenth part clean sand. For ferns a .good mixture was three parts peat, one part leaf mould, one part loam, and one quarter of sand. Where stimulants had to be used Clay’s fertiliser was good and sale. When this was not procurable a good substitute was superphosphates 46 parts, sulphate of ammonia 28 parts, sulphate of potash 11 parts, and Nauru phosphate 15 parts. Where small quantities were required plantoids were good. , At the conclusion of his address Mr Passmore received a hearty vote of thanks for his interesting and instructive remarks. There were on exhibition some primrose and polyanthus blooms, and Mr Rhodes of Green Island, exhibited some very ornamental and beautiful coloured kale.