SEASONABLE WORK

Evening Star, Issue 22382, 4 July 1936, Page 23

SEASONABLE WORK

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN Continue to dig all vacant ground. Where a green crop has been grown this shoultT bo dug in as soon as possible. There is a danger when oats, lupins, or mustard which has been grown' for this purpose is left until early spring before turning in, for the green crop begins to decay, and this gives off a gas, which if it comes in contact with seed kills germination and the seed is a failure. Many failures with seed have come about in this way. If a green crop is turned in at once it soon begins to decay, and when once it becomes decomposed the bacteria commence to work, and humus is formed for the plant food which is to follow. Liming should not be don© until the spring when these crops have been dug in. Then if the lime is applied a few clays before sowing or planting you will find the'soil in excellent condition, not only for sowing, but also very healthy in humus. Seed will germinate much quicker and the plants will have plenty of root action, and that means a good crop. THE FLOWER GARDEN Those who are growing or who intend to grow the large Japanese chrysanthemums should prepare their foil and get their cuttings cleaned from all pests, such as green aphis, etc. This should be done before taking off the cutting. It is wise to spray the old stools which are making their growth from the base. Nicktina mixed with a little soft soap or Sunlight soap makes a good spray for green aphis and similar pests. Directions are on packet how to mix. The plants should be sprajed a few days prior to taking off the cuttings. These should be cut clean at a joint, and not taken out with roots attached, ns these often mislead in not throwing their crown buds at a proper date. If the cuttings are inserted into a mixture of good fibrous loam, leaf mould, or rotted manure, with plenty of clean sharp sand, and small pots that are porous, such as the breeze pots, then the majority should quickly strike and grow away without much trouble. When the cuttings have been inserted into pots or boxes place them in a box with sufficient depth to allow pieces of glass to be placed on the top. This should be kept closed for a week or two. But when the cuttings show signs of growth the glass should bo removed —a little each day—to allow the air to penetrate. Very little watering will be required at this stage, providing the cuttings were well watered after inserting. Bo careful to place the box containing the cuttings in a shady position. A place under the benches in the greenhouse makes an ideal spot for them. Owing to the presence of rust in all the plants last season through the excessive moisture, it is advisable to dip the cuttings before _ placing in the pots into a strong solution of Bordeaux mixture. Let the cuttings dry off on a board before inserting them. A start should be made with the late varieties, such as Louisa Pockott, Mad. Melba, etc., leaving the earlier varieties for a later date.

( TNE FRUIT GARDEN I find that in many imall gardens that there is very little space left tor the cultivation of vegetables for the house owing to the fact that in the early days hush trees were planted, and to-day these trees have become so large and cover much ground. Generally surrounding these small gardens are wooden fences about sft in height, and very often all we find is a few creepers or roses growing against them, and sometimes nothing at all. It is possible, if the right trees are planted, to grow a great deal of your fruit on these walls, providing, of course, the sun’s rays can reach the trees. The following can bo grown, and to a very large size:—Pears, apples, cherries, gooseberries, red currants, and white currants. The system advocated for this work is the cordon or single stem system. There arc several forms you cau adopt. First, is the upright single stem. The method to train it is very simple. When ordering a tree get the nurseryman to supply a tree with only one or two growths. When it has been planted against the fence cut one of the growths —the weakest—right down to the ground. The other growth, if it is more than two feet high, should be cut back to about 2ft, but if less than 2ft take out the tip only. Next season—that is the pruning season —all side shoots should be cut back to not less than two buds, and the leader, if it has made more than 2ft in growth, should he cut back, say, about a foot. This will strengthen the hack fruit spurs which it has formed by this time. In this way you must prune every season until your tree has reached the top; then the leader should be removed altogether. Where you have plenty of room on the fence the best form of training is called the gridiron; that is, taking up three single growths. This can be done by first of all cutting back the one-year-old tree down to six inches

of the ground, and then train up three growths as advised for the single cordon. Another form of cordon training is the double stem. Instead of training up three growths, cut #way all growths except the two strongest. Double-stem cordons produce very large fruit. Fruit grown in this way is hound to be well coloured, as all the fruit spurs are exposed to the sun. At each demonstration held this system will be explained and illustrated on the fences or walls. The onlooker will thus be able to get the practical knowledge from one who was growing fruit on cordons for many years in England. Continue to prune all bush fruit, but leave the gooseberry pruning until the end of the month, as often when gooseberries are pruned early the birds, directly there is a shortage of food, attack the buds, and that is often the cause of having a small crop. When pruning, if you require a new lot of bushes, then the strongest wood should be saved to form into cuttings. If the cuttings are heeled in they will not hurt, but will be ready to use later. Notes on cuttings will be given in next week’s notes. F.S.P.