THE GARDEN

Evening Star, Issue 21138, 25 June 1932, Page 18

THE GARDEN

--*■—WORK FOR THE WEEK. B=®==^

i Our contributor, a well-known gardener, will be glad to answer quesI tions. which must be received not later than Tuesday of each week. [H b rf-q>-= Advertisements for this colunfn must be handed in to the office before &) 2 p.m. on Friday. lev

SEASONABLE WORK THE POTATO As promised, 1 will give a tew - words on the potato. Most people wJio have gardens of any size like to grow their own potatoes. This is especially so with early and second early kinds. To dig up one’s early kidney potatoes at the first of the sc: light, and much to bo desired. . arc a few points in their culture winch every one growing them should know. The best soil for early crops is an important point. AVe should always bear in mind that dark soils are warmer than light, as the light soils reflect sun heat and the dark soils absorb it; consequently dark soils are more suited for early kinds and light, open’ soil and a warm, sunny situation should be given for early crops. .... , ~ . Another point is the size of the sets and their treatment. There is among growers a diversity of opinion as to whether largo or small sets should be used, but there are no two opinions as to the wisdom of the proper attention in boxing and preparing or sprouting of the sets. Even with where large quantities of sets are required, it would more than pay to take proper care in preparing the sots. . Size of set: Except where varieties are scarce or expensive it is unwise to use small sets or what is called “ chats,’’ for the reason that the eyes are too weak to send out strong, vigorous sprouts. The best sets are those that average about 2in in width and -oz in weight, but those for kidneys lim to 2in width and 21 in length will be found the best. Maximum round sets: AA 7 idth 2in, weight 2oz. Minimum: Width liin, weight IJoz. When preparing or boxing sets pack them close together, eyes up, and if they come away with more than two or at most three shoots rub out the rest before or at planting time. Change of sets: It is a recognised fact that it is unwise to keep one’s own sets year after year, no matter how good thev are. What is wanted is seed or sets from an entirely different district and soil. A change of sets should be made every two years, or at most three years. , The distance apart to plant; For early kidneys in drills 20in from row to row

and 12in in the row. Medium or second earlies, 24in apart by 14in in the row; late main crop or large long haulmed .sorts from 27in to 30in and 14in to I6in in the row. Too close planting is to bo avoided, as this, where tops grow large, 1 is almost sure to draw the tops and 1 cause sweating, which is found to give I more tops than tubers. ! Manures; Many growers—farmers in particular —rely almost entirely upon farmyard manure. Where no artificial manure is used the former is put on at the rate of twenty to thirty tons per acre, ploughed in at the first or second ploughing. On the other hand, ten tons of farmyard manure with dressings of artificial manures have given the best returns according to expert test in the Homeland. This test was given as follows:—Ten tons of dung, 4cwt superphosphate, lewt to 2cwt sulphate of ammonia, and lewt to 2owt sulphate of potash. Where no dung was available a most successful dressing was made up with 4cwt of superphosphate and 2cwt each of sulphate of ammonia and sulphate of potash. Experiments have also demonstrated that phosphates in some form are absolutely necessary tor the successful cultivation of the potato; in fact, all the special compounds or mixtures for potatoes contain superphosphate. Basic slag, kainit, and sulphate are specially suitable for heavy* soils, but for general purposes nitrate of soda, superphosphate, and murite ot potash mixed with farmyard manure make an excellent dressing. The depth to plant potatoes should depend upon the nature of the ground —4in to oin on heavy soils and bin on light is a good average depth, lotatoes may be planted at once, providing thev are ready, giving, them a warm, sunny situation, and, if possible, let the rows run north and south, so that the sun may shine down between the rows to give light and warmth to the plants. yEfiETABLE GARDEN Carry on the work of trenching and manuring. Dig or pull up all cabbage stumps. Clear off dead leaves and all other spent crops, and put all such refuse in the bottom of the trenches. As this work proceeds, should the ground require lime, do not hesitate to give a good dressing, for many of the crops canot be well grown with°UWhere the ground is light, dwarf early peas should be sown, ,if not already in, but on heavy ground it would be a waste of seed to sow just now. , Lift root crops and pit them, in order to get the ground turned up for winter frosts. ~ Those that have a glass frame should make sowings of lettuce. Broad beans may also be sown. THE FRUIT GARDEN Continue planting fruit trees of all kinds when the ground and weather conditions are favourable. Pruning also should be got on with. It is advisable not to prune when the wood is frozen hard, or the cuts will not heal up as they should do. AVhen all pruning is completed, rake up, clean, and make a good fire, or what we call a good “ smother ’’—that is, when the fire has a good hold, bank it well up with all the rubbish you can find, finishing off with a layer of soil. This prevents a rapid blaze, and leaves a fine lot of charred ashes —most valuable manure for any kind of gardening. . Carry on the work of digging, and if necessary, manuring, for most rruxts will benefit by a dressing of either animal or artificial manure. Do not delav the pruning and traminc in wall ' fruit trees, especially peaches, as these start floueiing very e!l Vines should be pruned and attended to as previously advised. THE FLOWER GARDEN AHD SHRUBBERY All lopping, cutting, or thinning out of deciduous and other trees and shrubs should bo got on with without delay, and the clippings, cleared up and burnt. Such work as this may bo done when the ground is too wet to dig. Rake up leaves and stack them to rot for leaf mould. Any out-of-the-way corner where the wind cannot blow them away will be suitable. Tread them down well to make them into as small a compass as possible. In my young days we used them very much for making up hot-beds. AVheii 'veil packed and the leaves made damp, they make excellent hot-beds, and they retain their heat for quite a long time. Cut off the tops and lift dahlias and store the roots away in some dry shed or any such place to protect them from frosts. Take advantage when the ground is fairly dry and workable to lift, divide, and transplant delphiniums, herbaceous phlox, and other such plants that require taking up and dividing. Plant roses when the ground is workable, not when it is wet and sticky, or the work canot be properly done. Dig beds and borders, and manure where necessary. Sweep and remove leaves from lawns. An accumulation of these will soon injure the grass. ANSWERS “ G.F.” —1 feel sure by what you say in your letter that bad drainage is the cause of the damage to your lawn. The top dressing of sand and soil will improve the conditions a little, but that will be best put on in early spring. Until yon can prevent the water from running over your lawn I am afraid there is nothing for it but draining it. A young or recently sown down lawn should not have gone like that so soon. Two lewt bags of ground agricultural lime should give your J-acre plot a fair dressing, applied before growth starts in spring. You should give the lawn a light dressing of lime now, and the sand and soil in early spring. You should scatter a little law.n grass seed on the bare patches before top dressing with the soil. Give the surface a good scratching with an iron rake before sowing the seed, and run a roller over the surface after the top dressing is on. “ E.C."—You ask if you could lift the stools or roots of your chrysanthemums and put them in another place. Yes; but prepare the ground where you wish to plant them first. There is plenty of time for that, as they should not be taken up divided and transplanted until the young shoots are well up at G' base of the plants. Cut their tops down to within 12in of the ground right away or as soon as the flowers are past. They will soon start into growth if they have not already done so. Lilt the whole stool at once, then pull it apart with young growth attached, or the young growth themselves will answer quite well, especially it they have roots attached to their base, lI.C.

SEASONABLE ROCK GARDEN HINTS Now is a good time to do some topdressing among the alpine flowers (.says the Auckland ‘Star’s’ garden contributor). Mis up some fine compost, consisting of half loam and half leaf soil, or fine peat, with a good sprinkling of sand and some small grit. Place some of this round plants which have become a little too high out of the ground, bringing it well up to the lower leaves. With carpeting plants, lay the compost below the leaves and work some of the compost ■well among the foliage. The top-dressing will save the lives of many alpines, as some of these which gradually rise out ot the soil are invigorated by fresh roots sent out into the new compost. It often saves them from rotting at the neck also. Examples of this class are most of the hardy primulas. Carpeting plants benefited by top-dressing as such are campanulas, saxifragas. sedums, androsace, sarmentosa, silenes, and many more. A few which have silvery or whitish foliage are helped by adding a little old mortar rubble, broken small, to the compost. It should be applied dry. It is a good plan to fork up the soil round the plants before topdressing. A wise precaution with many plants, especially those with woolly foliage, is to put a piece of glass, a slate, piece of board, or zinc over them to throw off the rain. The glass or other shelter should be raised about six inches above the plant, and ought to slope. An extemporised support can be made from two bricks or stones with the glass laid on top, and a stone to keep it down. If slates are used, they need no stones on the top. Excellent supports made of wire or zins are sold for the purpose. A small box with the lid and both sides taken off, and only the ends left to support the bottom, will do very well for many things. A cover of this kind is- much better for the purpose than a bell glass or hand light, as alpine flowers like, plenty of air, even in winter. If a bell glass is used it ought to be tilted to one side to let in air; if a hand light, the lid should be placed anglewise. By the way, among the plants greatly helped by covering in winter are the soldanellas. which often fail to flower if left uncovered Many alpines are lost, especially in gardens where there are many trees, by leaves blowing among them and decaying. They should be removed, and almost daily at this season. The question of removing the decaying leaves of the alpines themselves is *a more difficult question to answer with any confidence. If such things as the primulas are to be top-dressed, then i their leaves may be removed before this work is carried through. If topdressing is not done they may remain until spring. FLOWERS FOR A SHADY BORDER This is a subject which seldom leceives adequate attention. Too often it is taken for granted that because it is shady the position is unsuitable for good-flowering plants, and only a half-hearted attempt is made to grow a variety of showy and interesting plants. Special efforts should bo made to make such a border attractive with suitable plants, however. The first thing is the supply of good soil. Dig the ground to a depth of lift to 2ft, and add rotted farmyard manure or hop manure. If the existing ground is poor remove about one-third of the poorest soil and replace it with fibrous loam. A reasonable depth of good soil is important for a shady border; it helps the plants considerably, for in the absence of abundance of light, including sunlight, a proper supply of plant food is more than ever necessary. The following are some of the best flowers to plant in a shady border during the next few weeks; —Of the Japanese windflowers, varieties of anemone japonica, these are recommended; Lorelei, rose pink. 24ft; Mont Rose, silveryrose, semi-double, 2fft; Prince Henry, rosy crimsonj semi-double, 21ft; Queen Charlotte, pmk, .'ift; and Lord Ardilawn, white, semi-double, 3ft. Now is the best time to lift, divide, and replant clumps of Japanese anemones, also to increase the plants by root cuttings. Pieces of the thicker roots 1 fin to 3in long soon produce young plants at this season of this year placed in a box of sandy soil in a frame or planted in light, sandy soil on a sheltered border. The bellflowers or campanulas are mostly easy to grow, and thrive on a shady' or sunless border. Among the best tall varieties are the peach-leaved bellflowers, varieties of campanula persicifolia; Telhani Beauty, lavender-blue, 4ft; Moerheimi, semi-double, white, 24ft; Alba grandiflora, white. 2Jft; and Huniosa, semi-double, light blue, 2fft. In addition to increase by division of the clumps, the peach-leaved bellflowers are raised easily from seeds sown on a sheltered border outside during May. Campanulas glomerata, purple, If ft to 2ft; rapunculoides, 2fft to. 3tt, purple; lactiflora, soft blue, 4ft; and latifolia macrantha, purplish blue, lit, are excellent for shady borders. The Rose Campion, Lychnis or Agrostemma coronaria, is an attractive border plant with silvery foliage and attractive rosy-crimson blossoms which are produced the whole summer. Ihe plants grow to a height of 2ft. A group or two of the tall-growing common monkshood (Aconitine Napellus) is of special value for the moist, shady border. The plants grow oft high. The ordinary Aconitine Napollus has dark blue spikes of flowers; album is white; bicolour, blue and white; pyramidale, bluish-purple; and Spark's variety, indigo blue.— 1 Popular Gardening,’ London. JAPANESE ROSES The Japanese rose, or rose rugosa, is an old sort; it forms a handsome shrub, growing to a height, of from 6ft to Sf't. ft makes a splendid hedge plant, especially the single crimson and white varieties. The foliage is rich olive green, glossy and leathery ; the flowers appear throughout the summer Conrad E. Meyer is probably the best of all, a strong, rapid grower, bearing a wealtli of silvery rose flowers and blooming early and late. Bugosa alba is pure white, single. .Mad. G. Bovant is pure white, double. Blanc do Courbet is another pure white, double. There are several other varieties. These ruses arc easy lo grow, require very little pruning, very hardy, and will do in places where many shrubs would perish. If it is uecessarv to keep them in a restricted area they can be cut hard back each spring.