SEASONABLE WORK

Evening Star, Issue 22032, 18 May 1935, Page 3

SEASONABLE WORK

THE FRUIT GARDEN The fruit tree planting can now he carried/out. 1 would ativise that this should be done before the hard frosts come along. There is no doubt j that the best 'time to plant all varieties of fruit is when the leaves have just fallen from the trees or bushes. At this season of the year the soil is .in a better condition to plant than later when the ground becomes wet and cold, and it is hard for the roots to get a, start. We find also by early ! planting that the buds are much 'stronger in breaking in the spring. Trees should not be planted into / grass land before the turf has been removed and the soil cultivated in the / circle in which the tree or bush is planted. The larger the circle is kept cultivated the better the. trees grow. The condition of the soil when plant- ’ ing in the vegetable garden must not be wet or sticky. The most suitable condition is when the soil crumbles easily and when drying winds and frosts appear unlikely for a few days. When receiving trees or bushes from the nurseryman and you are unable to complete the planting, do not leave your trees uncovered at the roots for any length of time, because the roots will dry, and this will mean a ~ great check to the trees or bushes. Even leaving them in the packing that the nurseryman has. placed around them for safe transit does not pre- ' vent the roots from becoming dried very soon. If you are prevented through the weather or any other circumstance from completing the plant-, ing, the best way to safeguard the . roots is to dig v a trench deep enough and in a sheltered position to cover the roots with a good layer of soil, treading it in/firmly.' Raise a mound so that the rain can run off and the water cannot form pools aronnd the roots. The trees will then be safe for a considerable time / until the ground becomes more suitable for the plant- :■ ing. ' . . ; ,; - When trees have travelled a long distance .the _ roots must become in a somewhat dried condition. In this case the roots should be placed in water for at least eight. to ten hours Before planting, or put in a deep, wet trench before planting them in their permanent positions. When planting the work must certainly be governed by the size of garden space at command. To plant trees or bushes too ; closely together is a great mistake. / In planting one must look ahead and picture, the trees when _ they will _be very much larger with spreading . branches and long rambling roots. It is not an easy matter to rectify the mistake of too close planting later on except at a great sacrifice, and it is’ certain that overcrowded trees or bushes never give good results. \ I often wonder, as I sometimes pay a visit to gardens, why the currants, and small fruits are not grown against the'fences of a walls on the espalier and cordon system. If, these fruits were grown according to this method one would be able to produce the finest quality and great crops, and would not need taking away very often the best part of the garden for the bush system. Now is the time to commence to plant on this method. First of all make a selection of the - best varieties. The nurseryman will supply one-year-old trees or bushes with one single growth which the first year should be cut back within 12in of the ground... Cut .to a bud; that is, just above a pair of buds. This will mean that the following season the top bud will! grow, into a-shoot ..that forms the central upjight stem, and the two next buds below will make the first tier of branches. These must be trained but one on either side. Then take out all other shoots, cutting back clean to tho main stein. The three leading growths should then he tied back to wire, which should be run through against the wall or wooden fence about Ift apart. In this way not only is one sure of good

quality fruit, but the fruit can be protected from the birds, and also the pruning will be much easier and the best of the garden can be used for other produce. Advice will be given later how to prune cordons for the next season's crop. Continue to prune currants and gooseberries as advised in previous notes. Advice will be given later fqr the pruning of pears, peaches, etc. Root pruning where it is necessary should now bo taken in hand. If done at this period the cuts will soon heal and new fibrous roots will be made before the tree goes to rest for the winter. If this work is carried out correctly the tree will soon give good results; but if not done properly and the roots are simply cut off with the spade, harm may be done. I am afraid that a great number of trees in and around Dunedin need root pruning very badly, owing to the fact that many of the varieties of apples are all worked on one stock (the Northern ' Spy), In many cases this is wrong, as the stock may be much too vigorous for the variety worked on it, and so wo find trees often running away into, wood and riot cropping as they should. The main object of root pruning is to check excessive wood growth and to encourage fruitfulness, and also to maintain a perfect balance between roots and branches. The pruning wili»alter the character of the roots. The large deopgrowing tap roots which are responsible for the frank growth, when cut back will produce lateral growths nearer the surface. These roots will receive the benefit of the dressings put on from time to time, but the greatest benefit will be from the warm sun, and air. The best method for pruning the roots of young trees is to lift the tree out entirely, then cut the coarse, downgrowing roots off cleanly with a sharp knife tq about half their length, and then replant them at once. Older trees cannot be lifted with safety, so a trench should be taken out around the whole of the tree about the distance from the main stem that the branches extend. Make the trench the width of the spade and a little deeper until the roots are reached. As each root is reached the soil should be Cleaned ai-ay and the root shortened back to 2ft or so with a sharp knife. When all the lateral roots have been treated in this way the spade then should bo worked .underneath the centre of the tree, so that the main tap roots may be . cut. These roots should he cut back where possible to within 18in -of the tree’s base. The masses of 'fibrous roots should bo preserved and not disturbed where possible while unearthing and the cutting is being done. The cutting must be accomplished with a sharp knife or saw, and not with the spade. When the ■pruning has been completed the trench should bo filled, in with good soil. The small roots should be placed riear the surface and! covered with about 4in of soil. The whole then should be rammed or trodden quite firmly around the roots to complete l the A little hone meal added to the soil as it is being replaced about the roots would be very beneficial, and also lime with .the soil fof all stone fruits. On no account should fresh animal manure be given at the time of root pruning. CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOW At the chrysanthemum show held last week it was interesting to notice the number of amateurs who have taken up the cultivation of these popular winter flowers, and, ■ although 3 several of the old growers were not .‘'exhibiting, the blooms that were staged were certainly up to the standard of past years. In the case of the singles some beautiful flowers were staged, and far surpassed the large Japanese blooms which in many cases were disfigured by having their foliage stripped off. leaving a bare stem. I wonder if these growers for one moinent gave a thought why Nature had placed the leaves to these and other flowers. 1 heard the remark made that the, blooms would not remain fresh if these leaves were allowed to,stay on. This cannot be correct, as the vflorist has to keep these flowers many days very often before making a sale, and these flowers, if treated properly, will remain for a considerable time as fresh as when they were first cut. 'l'he cascade chrysanthemums which were staged were very interesting, but 1 am afraid the cultivation will have to improve before these varieties become popular. These plants seemed to be overgrown, as there was far tod much foliage and not enough flower. Plightinch pots would be far more .'suitable for their growth than lOin pots, and no doubt when the cultivation is improved these delightful little flowers will become more popular. The most suitable position for these is in hanging baskets, and then they arc things of beauty. The fruit that was staged was very highly coloured, and, although not large, the entries were in good condition both in the classes for dessert and culinary purposes; but I fail to understand why judges mutilate pears or other fruit by cutting them into hajf to see if the fruit is sound. There is no need to do so, as any person who has been trained in the fruit industry knows, or should know, when a pear or applet is sound. This practice prevents many growers from showing their fruit. The vegetables were very clean and well grown. The roots wore of a high order. Carrots and onions were outstanding, also the seed potato classes, which Will give many an idea of what to save for seed purposes. In the decorating classes the entries were very poor, and except in a class or two the standard of the exhibits was much below ‘previous shows. Therq may be a reason for absence of previoris exhibitors in these classes, but it certainly was not for the lack of coloured foliage and berries, as the writer of these notes has never seen so much colour and so many berries as we have around us this season. I trust that we shall again have the pleasure of seeing the decorative work which has been a great draw to the shows in the past. F.S.P.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS

“ M.C., Chatto Creek.” —The specimen enclosed seems to be Tritetlea uniflora violacea. The colours of the chrysanthemums named arc : —Mrs R. C. * Pulling (ochre yellow), Stephen Brown (buff), Lady Talbot (straw), Mrs Honeybone (salmon huff), Gallipoli (pink), The Melba (creamy yellow). “R. J. Stevenson, Kaikorai.”—l shall be pleased to give a pruning demonstration at your garden on Saturday, June 8, at 2.30 p.m. Please Invite as many as possible to attend who are interested in fruit culture.

“ 172 Dundas , street.”—l shall be pleased to give a public demonstration on pruning at your garden on Saturday, June 1, at 2.30 p.m. Please invite as many as possible who are interested in fruit culture.