THE GARDEN

Evening Star, Issue 20558, 9 August 1930, Page 26

THE GARDEN

SEASONABLE WORK

Obt ©aatoSKatei, a well-known gardener, will lb® glad to answer whscli most j bo received not later than Tuesday of each week. ! Ail»«iJaß*aoato for this olsma must ho handed in to thffi -office befoen S p.sa. «at [ Friday. |

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN Potatoes.—As this is the principal and one of the most profitable crops we grow a few words upon their culture at this season will not be out of place. Ordinary garden soils that have been under cultivation for years and have been well manured only require lime. Ground that has been turned up early and exposed to the winter frosts will be most beneficial for crops. Apart from farmyard manures, sulphate of ammonia and nitrate of soda are the chief nitrogenous manures required for the potato crop. Of the two nitrate of soda is the one generally used, but neither of these must be too freely used or too much top will result. Soot and malt dust are also excellent nitrogenous manures for the potato. All of these are best dusted along tho drills at planting. Superphosphate is excellent, and is best used in spring at planting time. Nitrate of soda is also best used then or just before earthing up, a dusting along the drills being quite sufficient. Sets: There is no question as to the advisability of using the proper sized sets. Avoid over-crowding or using too large sets with too many eyes upon them. There is often confusion as to what is a good size set. For kidneys tho maximum size should be; ■ Width 2in, weight 2foz, minimum width 1 Jin, minimum weight Ifoz. For round: Maximum width 2in, weight 2oz, minimum IJin width, and weight ijoz. When large tubers are used they should be cut with two eyes only, three at most, and tho cutting of tubers should be done a few hours before planting, so as to give the llesh time to dry up. Potatoes planted for early lifting may be put in fairly close, that is, 2ft from row to row, and the sets 12in in the row. For late or main crop kinds from 2ft Bin to 3ft, according to the vigour of the variety. Some have a much larger top, and naturally require more space. Crowding should not be thought of,or, they will sweat and grow great tops at the expense of tho tubers. The depth to plant depends upon the nature of the ground. Six or eight inches, or even nine, will not be too much upon very light, dry soil, when it would be ruination to plant them that depth on heavy, stiff clay soils. Four inches in depth would be ample in such ground. The difference can bo made up when earthingup takes place. The happy medium should be taken between the two extremes, so one must be guided accordingly. Draw open drills for planting the sets, then any artificial manure required may be dusted along the drills before placing the sets. If the ground has been well trenched and manured in the autumn nothing more will be required. If the .ground is open and free the sets may be dibbled in, eyes uppermost, and- to still improve them dust along the surface of tho rows with artificial manures just before earthing them up, and all going well the crop should be very satisfactory, if',-not phenomenal. ' When the ground becomes dry and the weather more favourable make a sowing of garden peas—dwarf kinds — also a sowing of broad beans. • Sow onions and early horn carrots, also parsnips and turnips. Lettuce should be transplanted from the autumn sowing. Make a succession sowing of such as a follow-on crop. Plant cabbages and cauliflowers from autumn-sown seed.

THE FRUIT GARDEN Continue to plant fruit trees, anti carry on th© work of pruning if this be still uncompleted. The sooner this work is off hand the better. Spray the fruit trees with winter wash of. the necessary kind as previously advised, and when the weather permits and the ground in a fit state dig the ground between the rows of the trees. On no account should weeds and . thistles be allowed to grow and accumulate, for grass and weeds growing under and about fruit trees arc mainly the cause of a lot of the troubles affecting apples and pears especially, and also stonefrUlt' THE FLOWER GARDEH Any alterations contemplated in the flower garden or new plannings to be done should be attended to at once so that the soil may bo in readiness tor planting later on. - Shrubs of various kinds may be planted, taking advantage of fine days and when the ground is moderately dry to get them in. and when th© soil is in woncable condition. Plant herbaceous plants, including pansies, violas, polyanthus, primroses, etc. Prune trees and shrubs, cutting out all dead wood, decayed and unsightly branches, and thin out or _ regulate wherever crowding or confusion exist. Dig or trench ground for new lawns or shrubberies. Clean or renovate gravel paths. _ Prune and train climbing plants, including rambler roses, and next week the work of pruning dwarf or hush roses may be got ou with as stated in my last week’s notes on rose pruning. Much depends on tho season or condition of the weather in each district when one should start pruning. Dog rose and other stocks, put in to root for budding roses on later should be looked over in case th© sever© frost has lifted them, which it is very likely, to do. In such cases press them down again and make them firm, and there is always a chance of many stocks being lifted with severe frost and destroyed. Carnations planted in late autumn are very liable to be lifted and even destroyed if not attended to. Press tho soil in about them with the hands. It is better to be sure than sorry. New lawns to be laid down should bo got into readiness for sowing later, if this has not already been done. It would give tho ground a better chance to break up and bo adaptable than preparing the ground and sowing down all at one time. ANSWERS “ Amateur.”—Held over from last week. You have four apple trees you would like to graft, one of which never had a fruit bud on Inst year, but made a lot of wood. (1), If you use clay as you suggest you should add one part of cow manure to two of clay. Pure clay, no matter how you mix it, would crack and admit air. 'The serum you refer to would not prevent cracking. Mix tho clay and cow dung quite plastic, to the consistency of putty. After the grafts are inserted into the stock wrap fairly tightly with strips of old calico, then cover with a fairly large ball of tho clay mixture. (2) To make your own grafting wax take equal parts of mutton fat, beeswax, and resin. Put the whole into an iron pot and boil over a slow fire until thoroughly dissolved, taking care that it docs not

boil over, as it is very inflammable. When cool rub it over the grafts after applying the calico bandages. II it should get too hard warm it slightly in the oven. If you are in any difficulty with the operation o! grafting you would be wise to hold it over for a few weeks, as I shall be giving instructions on grafting about the beginning of September. “ B.ll.”—You have some potato sets which were in a sack with long white sprouts an them. You ask if they would do for planting. I certainly would not recommend them. If you use them rub off these shoots at once, as a second growth in such cases will be necessary. The condition of the sets mentioned by you would give poor results. It would pay you much better to buy a few good sets. n.a

WORK FOR THE WEEK, .«e==®==3«

BEAUTY OF NEMESIAS

RESULT OF SELECTION Nemesias make a delightful show during the spring and early summer. The original colour of tho nemesia, as sent from South Africa, its native habitat, was pure orange. From this all the glorious shades now in cultivation have been produced by selection and hybridisation. The large-flowered strains are the strongest growers, possessing an almost endless variety of colours and intermediate shades. Tho dwarf compact growers produce the greatest profusion of blossoms in many colours and shades, including distinct blues. In saving seed of nemesias most careful selection is necessary. Save from the finest flowers and best colours only. The plants are easily raised. Transplant the seedlings when ready into shallow plant trays in readiness for transplanting into the beds toward tho end of this month. Being somewhat tender, earlier bedding-out is not recommended, as the plants turn colour and remain stationary and lose their natural vigour. Nemesias should be grown in masses in separate beds. Arrange tho plants about Din apart, the dwarf compact growers should be placed a little closer. A well-drained, friable soil, and open, sunny situation should be chosen. With good cultivation and planting at tho proper time wonderful floral displays may be produced by an up-to-date selection of these brilliant summer flowering annuals.

MANURING VEGETABLE PLOTS

Of all the gardening operations that have to bo carried out yearly manuring is by far the most important and frequently the least understood (says the ‘Taranaki Herald’). For vegetable culture animal manure is by far tho best if it can be procured. The usual impression is that as long as some substitute is used it does not matter what is employed, and this is •lumped on tho beds and then dug iu, but this is just as wrong as it can be. If the best is to be secured from the garden the manuring method must be suited to the kind of soil, the crop it is to produce, and tho treatment the soil has had in the past. All soils and jerops do not need the same sort _of plant foods. It is because each section of tho garden should bo manured according to its past and future work, that it is continually urged in these columns that cropping plans should be prepared early. Where animal manures are procurable, horse manure, especially _ that which has plenty of straw in it, is the host possible manure to apply to a heavy or inclining to heavy soil. Tho straw decays slowlv, but all the while it is doing so it is holding tho particles of soil apart, preventing their running into a solid mass again, and thus admitting air and keeping tho soil drier and warmer. With a very light sandy soil, however, it is necessary to meet exactly the reverse conditions. To apply horse manure then is not tho best you can do. Cow manure should be used; it is cooler, and takes longer to decay, which means that it holds the lighter soil together and retains tho moisture longer, no small point when _ a prolonged spell of dry weather is to bo contended with. Fresh animal manure should not be used. All manure should bo in a decayed condition, and when it is being turned in it should be done thoroughly with the soil, lb should not bo turned in iu heavy damp clods. Root vegetables, for instance, hate fresh manure. So those plots that aro to bo occupied by carrots, parsnips, and so on should receive no manure this year. Such crops should bo grown on a plot that was well manured last winter, and has since carried one or other of the cabbage family. For cabbage and onions tho soil can scarcely bo made too rich, and potatoes, too, can do with a great quantity of manure if it is dug in early and is well rotted. Over-manuring can be as harmful as under-manuring, the soil becoming sour and unproductive. Fortunately, there is a remedv for manure sickness, and that is the" use of lime. Of course, as has been frequently pointed out, lime and animal manures should never bo applied at tho same time. One final point for the consideration of the gardener who has plenty of animal manure is tho time it should he applied. Lots of manure is wasted every season because this point is never considered at all. Early spring is tho best time if you are dealing with a light porous soil. If tho work is done in winter then most of the mammal properties will be leached out of the manure, and far below the roots of tho plants by tho time active growth commences in spring. Winter, on the other hand, is manuring time for heavy or clay soils, so that tho manure can mix well with tho soil. > Where tho use of artificial fertilisers is the only expedient available, then some form of compost should be used, and this is best obtained by green manuring, bowing a crop of field peas, broad beans, mustard, rape, or vetches, and turning it under just when tho plants come into flower, this is tho only way humus can be replaced 'in tho soil which is deficient m it. ! After tho green stuff has thoroughly I rotted down, then in the spring ap- ; plications of a complete fertiliser such J as market garden manure may be «p----1 plied as a top-dressing and watered in.

THE WISTARIA

Few hardy climbers equal the charming wistaria to be seen on many a verandah wall, or pergola, throughout the country. In gardens where the pergola is a feature, it shows to wonderful advantage when clothing the structure with a mass of lavender beauty. Its one failing is slowness of growth in the early stages, so that it is some years before it becomes a fair-sized specimen. Once it becomes established, however, it grows with vigour and quickly sends its rope-like stems along the support afforded it._ Besides the well-known lavender variety, there is a white one, and also a double lilac variety. Many old specimens of wistaria have branches over 100 ft in length, with the average length of the racemes of bloom about 2ft. Wistarias, to ensure success, require a deep, rich, well-drained soil. Dig out a hole 3ft deep and quite a yard in diameter. If the subsoil be heavy, put in 6in of broken bricks or stones, and on these a layer of turf. Fill in with a compost of two parts loam, one part well-decayed manure, and one of leaf mould. In this insert the roots 6in deep. Tread the soil down firmly and loosely fasten the stem to tbo wall or post. The strong young growths should be secured to the wall, and the weak ones pruned to the second bud from the base. For two or three _ years the grower must exorcise patience: but after this, when thoroughly established, shoots several feet in length will be produced yearly. On no account prune the strong leading shoots; it is only the small, weak ones that should be so treated. As with fruit trees, wistarias produce their flowers from buds on the old wood. In summer the young shoots, after flowering, should bo reduced tc about 3in from their base, and in winter to a couplo of buds. On this system the plants will flower profusely. Where climbers have filled the space allotted them, summer and winter prune all the shoots. But if the space is not filled, nail or tie them in their full length without shortening. There is no need to feed the plants with manure. Being slow growing the first few years, they would derive no benefit; afterwards, their roots having extended so far, they derive all the nourishment they need from the surrounding soil.

v HISTORY OF MINT

Mint takes its name from Minthe, who loved Pluto. It was said to be introduced into England by the Romans. All the different varieties have the qualities of preventing milk from curdling, and for this reason herbalists recommend it to persons who live pn milk diets. The two following quotations are many years old: “Eat Betoyne and Mynts prepared in honey; use herbs grace in any wine.” —‘ April Ram’s Little Rodoen, 1606.’ “ Mintes put into milke, it neyther suffereth the same to curde, nor to become thick, insomuch that layed in curded milk, this would bringe the same thinne again.”— ‘ The Good Housewife’s Handmaid, 1588.’ Cultivation : The mint bed should have all the old wood and twips cut down periodically with the shears and be dressed with Sin of well-rotted manure. Unless this is done mint impoverishes the soil and in the course of time the sprigs grow smaller and smaller. The right sort of mint is about 15in high with strong, succulent stems and an abundance of broad, fresh, clean green leaves that are full of the special aromatic qualities which have made the plant famous. Such can never bo grown on soil that has become impoverished. Where mint refuses to respond to any treatment, the roots should be lifted, divided, and replanted in fresh, rich soil. Many people grow this crop in old tubs or boxes, which is a splendid idea as the soil can bo renewed every season.

POLYANTHUS AND PRIMROSES

Polyanthus is among the most beautiful of spring-flowering plants, whether groups ot _it are grown by themselves or in conjunction with other plants, as a groundwork for Tulips and Daffodils, or an edging to Wallflowers, for instance. They are also extremely effective massed in borders, thin shrubberies, or in somi-wild places and woodland areas (says the ‘ Hawke’s Bay Tribune’). There are now many fine strains obtainable, which come fairly true from seed especially the yellow and white varieties Seeds may be sown now in pans or boxes under glass in friable soil, to produce strong plants for flowering the following year. After sowing, the soil should never be allowed to become dry, otherwise the seed-coat hardens and germination is affected. If seed is sown under glass, the resultant plants should bo hardened oft gradually and transplanted to the open ground as soon as they are large enough, in rows 9in apart, witli 4ir. between the plants. During hot weather it may bo necessary to water the plants, but much depends on the soil and situation in which they are growing. A partiallyshaded situation with a northern aspect, is preferable for growing the plants during summer. They will grow in any good soil, providing it is well dug, and contains plenty of humus, without being light. Keep the surface soil stirred between the rows with a Dutch hoe at frequent intervals, to conserve moisture and dcstory weeds. Hoeing promotes growth to a remarkable extent. DIVIDING THE OLD PLANTS. Polyanthus may also be increased by division and if can is exercised, splendid plants may be obtained by the following autumn On passing out of flower the plants will split up into several heads or crowns, when they may bo separated and transplanted, growing them in the same way as advised foi seedling during summer. The plants soon feel the effects of removal, consequently they should be replanted with as little delay as possible. Take care to preserve as many roots as possible when dividing the old plants The ground intended for the summer quarters should be shady and moist, and prepared some weeks before planting, adding at the same time a good dressing ot manure. The divided plants may bo put in closely, when the loaves wil' soon covet the ground, thus reducing evaporation considerably.