SEASONABLE WORK

Evening Star, Issue 22685, 26 June 1937, Page 23

SEASONABLE WORK

THE GREENHOUSE Primulas, cinerarias, streptocarpus, schizanthus, and other soft-wooded plants will need a little feeding from now on. Artificial manure is the best to commence with, giving it only in weak solutions every seven or 10 days, but as the plants become pot-bound strength can be increased, and a change of diet will be essential, such as liquid animal manure. Plenty of ventilation will, ho needed at this stage, especially with the cineraria plants. There are several things which can be sown just now for early planting, such as antirrhinums, aquilegias, pansies, violas, lobelias, begonias (tuberous-rooted and also fibrousrooted), campanulas (Pyramidalis), carnations (Giant Malmaison), chciranthus (Siberian wallflower), colens, cyclamen, delphinium, dianthns, double daisies, gaillardia, geum, godetia (Sybil Sherwood and varieties), hollyhock, lupines, meconopsis (blue poppy) > nemcsia (for early bedding), pentstemons, petunias (dwarf and tall), scabious (perennials), stock (Brompton), and early double wallflowers. Many of the bulbs which have been resting in pots and pans will need potting, such as hippeastrums or amaryallis. These bulbs should bo taken out and all the old soil shaken olf, but, as you will find that root action has commenced, care must bo taken that these roots are not broken in any way. The compost should be made up as follows: —Good well-rotted turf as fibrous as possible, leaf mould or rotted cow manure, sharp coarse sand (clean), with a light dressing of wood ashes. The bulb should not be covered entirely. Allow the neck of the bulb to show above the surface. When potting use 6in pots for the medium size bulbs and 7in for the larger bulbs. Place good drainage in the bottom. The soil must bo made firm around the bulb. Care must be taken with the watering until the flower spike appears and there is plenty of root action. As the plants are gross feeders, plenty of water can be given, especially when the foliage appears. The stronger the foliage becomes the stronger the spike or spikes will be next season. Those who intend to grow liliums in pots which are ideal for glasshouse work should commence to pot them up. The same compost as advised for the amaryllis will be suitable for these. When potting liliums the bulb must bo only lightly covered with soil. The bulb itself should he placed about halfway down the pot, allowing plenty of room for top-dressing as the spike breaks through. Nearly all the varieties are stem-rooted, and if a dressing is given as the stem throws out its roots it will greatly help the plant to throw larger heads of flower. The watering as advised for the hippeastrmn will bo suitable for lilium growing. \Vateh should ho kept when the young? growth appears for green aphis. This "pest can bo kept under by spraying with nicotine or by spraying the foliage in the evenings with clean water. This spraying will be beneficial to lilium growing, but not with the hippeastrum. All liliums enjoy plenty of moisture. Now is the time to clean all woodwork inside and renovate fern borders or the borders containing climbing plants. These plants should be pruned and tied into position where they require it. THE FRUIT GARDEN The pruning of established gooseberries may from now on be carried out. The first thing that should be done is to remove all unhealthy or diseased wood and any wood that is growing out of balance. That is, wood which will in time cause the bush to be unshapely. Again, any wood which is breaking away from the base near the main stem should he removed, as these suckers will take all the strength from the fruiting spurs of the bush. After this useless wood has been taken away any cross growths which will crowd the centre should be removed, leaving only the sturdy, well-ripened shoots. These growths should be allowed to remain nearly full length, except the tips, which should he shortened back a little. By leaving this wood where it is required it will next season form fruit spurs, as it is the old wood which carries these spurs. The old wood will not only be carrying fruit spurs, but in many cases have a great deal of short side growths. All these growths should he cut back to two buds. These in the ordinary way will form short fruit spurs next season. All the tips of the fruiting wood must be taken out according to the strength of the leaders. Where they are strong and vigorous take off Biu or 9in. The main thing is to cut and train the bush so that not only the sun ami air can reach the fruit, but one should bo able to pass the hand in between the wood and gather

the fruit comfortably. When all the prunings have been gathered up the surface should be cleaned from all weeds and have a dressing of lime (shell) and then a mulching of rotted material placed around the roots. The cordon system for the growing of goose oernes will bo explained at next week’s demonstration in the garden of Mr J. Adam, 9 Calder street, St. Kilda; also the pruning of different varieties, as some are more vigorous than others, and the cultivation is different. F.S.P.