THE GARDEN

Evening Star, Issue 20468, 26 April 1930, Page 27

THE GARDEN

WORK FOR THE WEEK,

SEASONABLE WORK rqg VEGETABLE CARDEN Advantage should be taken of the dry weather experienced to ply the hoe j freJy among growing crops. I'his will not only destroy weeds, but tend to retain moisture in the ground and stimulate the growth of the crops, even independent of watering the plants. The watering of the cabbage family should be attended to to keep them growing. If the plants stand still and growth stagnates they will almost certainly be attacked by club root, green or blue aphis, or some such pest. Cabbage blight or blue aphis may bo kept at bay or destroyed by syringing with aphis wash. Strong and hot soft soapy _ water sprayed on will also do the trick. J.t becomes a serious loss to those who depend upon these crops for a winter supply if these pests are allowed to destroy the crop. Dig and manure every available foot of ground as it becomes vacant so that it may derive the full benefit of the winter frosts and rains, more particularly where the land is heavy and inclined to cake and crack or be stiff and unworkable. In such cases dig it up whilst it is dry, leave the surface rough, and top-dress with lime, and at planting or sowing time top-dress with burnt garden rubbish. Mix and break down in spring, choosing a dry day to do this, and keep off the ground when it is at all sticky. Lift aud store potatoes as soon as the tops are at all ripe, as the crop lifts so much cleaner and better in dry weather than later when the ground is wet. Earth up celery and leeks. The former may bo earthed up at the one earthing, but leeks, on the other hand, should be earthed up by degrees. Those who are situated in warnl localities, particularly such as the Peninsula, should, make another sowing , of dwarf garden peas. These would survive the winter, and come in very useand be a paying >crop early next season. THE FRUIT GARDEN Hardy fruit trees generally cultivated are deciduous, and ail such are best planted as soon after the leaves have fallen as possible. This time is rapidly approaching; therefore no time should bo lost in preparing the ground for them. Whatever you do, do it well. Dig or trench, the-ground two spades deep at least, for I believe that in most cases in this and similar districts shallow 1 digging _ is the root of most of the evils affecting fruit trees. If it is only for half a dozen trees dig deep, and keep the clay in the bottom. If burnt garden rubbish, wood ashes, or such material can be added to the ground so much the better, but deep digging is the most important, as their roots must be kept off water or hard, wet clay. Except-on maiden or turfy soil manure in some form should be used, bearing in_ mind that a tree, unlike the,cabbage, is put in to last. With maiden or turfy soil very little except a dressing of lime on the surface will bo ..required. In poor, gravelly, or sandy soil what do we find? In many orchards that I could name the trees flourish and even crop fairly Well for a year or two, but soon after that they dwindle and pine far want of sufficient plant food, consequently the crop and trees become a failure just when they should be in their prime and for many years after. Another point is to, get good varieties that are suitable for the district and ground conditions in which one lives. It is better to have two or three good cropS ! and healthy kinds than a hun-badly-cultivatcd and inferior Varieties. If you do not know, ask. 1 am. always pleased to give advice, but, as'l said, if only for one: or two trees make a good job of; the ground, if animal manure has to be applied put it down between the top and bottom spit. If - artificial manure is used work it in on the surface around the tree. After the leaves ; have fallen pruning may be done. This subject I shall be touching upon later. THE . LOITER GARDEN All flower beds Should be divested of dead , flowers and “annuals which have gone off flower, and the beds dug and manured in. readiness to receive bulbs of various kinds that still have to be planted. Continue to mow lawns. Fallen leaves should be raked up and stored away to rot for future use. Not. a leaf should be wasted, as leaf mould is a most valuable article, both for potting up flowers or garden purposes generally. Gather up all refuse, such as hedge clippings, dead wood from trees, and burn. Get a good fire, and cover with soil to make a smother. This is not only to clear away the rubbish, but to create burnt garden material. This is most valuable in all parts of the garden. It is almost impossible to have too -much of it, as it comes in useful for digging in the ground, topdressing, and other garden operations. As soon as we get a good rain and more moisture propagate pansies and violas, strike cuttings of geraniums of all kinds. Calccolafies should be propagateo, but these must be placed in a cool, shaded, close frame to root them properly. Plant ranunculus, anemones, crocus, lilies of various kinds, also narcissus if these are not already in. Continue to take buds of chrysanthemums, and those in pots should be kept regularly watered and the plants put under cover to protect them from frost or bad weather, which wo may look for at any time now, Continueto mow and roll lawns, and now lawns to be sown down must bo done at once, or it will bo too late. Clip verges of beds and footpaths to give a clean and tidy finish. ANSWERS “ Lawn Lover.”—Yon say your lawn has become very brown, and wish to know in what quantity and how to use sulphate of ammonia, and what sand should be used with it, also, if in liquid form with water, what ratio.—Firstly, your grass has been sunburnt with the hot, dry weather, like many others. Do not use sulphate of ammonia now. The ! proper time to use it is in the spring, 1 when growth is in full activity. Then it may be used as a top dressing at the rate of 11b to 6yds square, mixed into half a bucket of clean garden soil. If in liquid fprm, one large tablespoonful to 4gal of water, and, better still, with weak liquid manure. When using superphosphate what method should be employed. and how much?—3lb to 6yds square. Measure it off in small blocks, and sow with the hand at the above rate. The spring or when sowing down a lawn or any time when growth is active is the best time to use artificial .manure of.this nature. With your light soil, no matter what artificial manures aro used the lawns will always

bo liable to be burnt at this season for want of moisture. ” Anxious.”—You have planted a lot of swootwillinms and antirrhinums, and many of them died. in digging them up you found a lot of white grubs.— With your light soil is it not possible that your plants are suffering for want of nourishment or moisture at the roots? In any case, I. should advise you to use plenty of fresh lime. Work it well into the ground a week before planting, or when digging the ground work it into the surface. Chemicals sufficiently strong to kill grubs would kill the plants. H.C. i ALPINE PLANTS Within the next,few days some thousands of alpine plants brought in cool storage from England will be distributed in the dominion (says a Nelson paper). A large consignment will go to Christchurch. Previous shipments of alpine plants have been very successful. The roots are puddled in soil tightly bound with moss and packed in crates so as to permit of the free passage of air. When potted out they aro protected from the light for some days, and then a little extra care is needed. The shipment was arranged by Mr A. Wilkinson, the former secretary to the Nelson Rock Garden Society, who has done more than any man to further alpine gardening in t]ie dominion. Unfortunately Mr Wilkinson has completely broken down in health, and is now in hospital at Kaikoura. Because of his illness he has decided to abandon his hobby of popularising alpine gardening. CORRECT DEPTH TO PLANT BULBS Roughly speaking, bulbs, tubers, and conns should bo planted twice their own depth. A few examples are given below Gannas, to 2-tin apart and tin deep. Dahlias, to 36in apart and about sih deep. Gladioli, from 6in apart and tin deep. Lilies, in clumps tin apart and Gin to Sin deep. Hyacinths, close planting for long stems and tin deep. Crocus, plant Sin to tin apart and 2iu deep. Tulips, plant Gin apart and tin deep. Daffodils, about Gin apart and tin deep. Shallower planting on a very heavy soil, and covering and surrounding the bulb with sharp sand is advised.

NEW APPLE TO UNDERGO A NATIONAL TEST ■A new Lancashire apple named Sowman’s Seedling has proved of sufficient merit in the trials at Wisley (England) to justify the selection committee in propagating forty trees and distributing them to the national stations o test their suitability for soil and climatic conditions in different localities. Sowman’s Seedling was propagated by Mr A. G. Sowman, formerly superintendent at the Lancashire County Council’s Horticultural Station. The apple represents a cross between Grenadier and Ecklinville Seedling. The latter variety was fertilised with the pollen from Ecklinville. CARNATION AS NATIONAL FLOWER A proposal is afoot in the United States that the carnation shall be made the national flower of America. “ Since the rose is England’s national flower, and the lily France’s, and the chrysanthemum Japan’s, why should not America have a national flower? ’’ runs the argument. It seems a good idea —. especially to America’s carnation specialists. A declaration from the President, or an Act of Congress, would bo necessary, it is suggested, to establish the carnation as America’s national flower.—H.T. Journal. SELECTING ROSE TREES PROVED VARIETIES THE BEST

Nurserymen are often asked to recommend suitable roses for new gardens, and these queries, though apparently simple enough, are’ found upon reflection to require careful answering. Getting together a collection of roses is in some respect like purchasing pictures, inasmuch as we have to live with them, and they become companions over the years. Hoses in a garden serve a dual purpose. They bring beauty and sweetness with them, and these are transmitted to the home in the summer and autumn blooms that are gathered. Experience shows that it is best to seek out the hybrid teas, especially those which have proved them? selves generally leaving out of consideration types winch are comparatively unknown to ns rather than being “ carried away ” by some superb blooms and varieties which wo have seen specially cultivated for show purposes or depicted in a nurseryman’s catalogue. Often these have been grown under special conditions, and are not suitable for general growing. The amateur would do well—in fact be cannot go wrong—by confining bis selection to varieties of proved worth in whatever class they may be fennel. PLANTING BULBS IN GRASS . Those who intend to plant bulbs in grass should cut the turf out in regular shaped patches, so that after planting it may be. replaced in position without disfiguring the site, A special bulb planter is bandy; it removes a circular piece of turf that is easily placed in position after the bulb is inserted. Whore such is not available, a sod of turf may bo first cut ou three sides, then lifted back ready for planting bulbs beneath. The depth to insert bulbs in grass is about Sin, and the best time for planting is when the ground is soft from a good rain. No formal or regular' plan should be adopted, but the bulbs planted so us to produce as natural an effect as possible. Early planting is advisable.

Our costibator, i mftlaova gardener, v3I be glad to answer questions, which must bo received not later than Tuesday of each week. Adrortixaumsts for this column must be banded in to the office before 2 p mu on Friday.

VERONICAS AND THEIR CULTIVATION The shrubby veronicas are a specially remarkable feature of our Now Zealand. flora. They are likewise garden plants of the highest value by reason or their many distinct forms, .wealth ot blossom, and ease of cultivation and or propagation. They vary from a foresttree with a distinct trunk to a tiny herb, by way of shrubs large and small, erect or prostrate, green leaved, or glaucous, or those which nuniie tlie cypress. As wild plants they grow on the seacoast. in forests, and shrubland, on dry or web rocks, in swamps and bogs, on barren moorland, in the tussock grasslands, and ascend to the snow line, forming mossy cushions on the great screens of the Southern Alps, or the scoria of the volcanoes. In the garden there is no place except the most shady where one or other of the species will not thrive. The smaller whipcord, and prostrate glaucous veronicas, are admirable for the alpine garden, while the taller will adorn border, or shrubbery, and some make excellent hedges. Their propagation is simple: All strike rapidly from cuttings when placed in the open in slight shade; seed germinates well. Cuttings, if taken from branchlets, which have flowered, niay bloom the following year. Such small plants can be used in the alpine garden and removed when too large. Nearly all the species bear severe trimming, and if becoming leggy it is necessary. Mom than 100 species are recognised bv botanists, and there are also many wild hybrids. Thus, there is intense vaiiation, so that the classification of “ veronica ” is an extremely dimcnlt matter, and their recognition m tlie held, or in the gardens, far from. cast’. At the present time our veronicas are more prized than ever before, owing largely to their intrinsic value, and the increasing desire for natural plants j but, in some degree, to the influence ot the great collection brought together at Weatherstones, Otago. A certain number or hybrids have i been- raised, especially' in the Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh. Much more could bo done in this regard, ana I it seems reasonable to expect that, some day the crimson of V. speciosa, the lovely blue of V. benthami, and the lavender sprays of V. hulklana, may be associated with the ball-like, tlm cupressokl, or the creeping glaucous forms. Here, the name “ Veronica ” is still used, but the time is not far distant when, for the shrubbery section it will bo replaced by the more correct name “ Hebe,” for there are important distinctions between the above and “Veronica” proper. Hebe, thus limited, is a sub-Antarctic genus with its headquarters, and the bulk of its army, in New Zealand, but with isolated, small outposts in South-eastern Australia, Tasmania. and the Falkland islands. Nevertheless those species allied to Veronica Lyalli will still bo veronicas, while the moss-like alpine herbs will receive again their original name i yginaou.” ■