THE GARDEN

Evening Star, Issue 23143, 17 December 1938, Page 23

THE GARDEN

Our contributor, a well-known gardener, will bo glad to answer questions, which must be received not later than Thursday of each week. (Advertisements for this column must be handed in to the office before 2 p.m. on Thursday.)

THE GLASSHOUSE There are a large number of flowering plants which are a great success for the cold glasshouse. One of the most interesting and free-flowering is the fuchsia. These plants can be propagated from cuttings very easily, and if rooted up as soon as the new wood can be obtained the young plants immediately come into flower, and will continue to bloom for many months. Where there is plenty of room in the glasshouse these plants can be trained as standards or even pyramid shape. They love a shady position, and this can be provided by shading the sunny side of the house by summer cloud or other shading material. For the home these plants are ideal, and with the newer varieties the flowers are beautiful for decorating the table, as they retain their freshness for many days in the cut state. There are some gardeners who look upon the fuchsia as common or as a plant of the past, but these people are judging from such varieties as Rose of Castile and others, which they notice in odd corners in and around the city. These varieties have had their day, and should have been replaced by newer and more "up-to-date kinds long ago. The fuchsia has been improved in a wonderful way, not only in size, but in colour also. The plants have been improved in constitution. and with a little protection in the winter months can be grown to perfection in beds or borders in Dunedin and district.

The following are the pick of the latest varieties: —Delvino (double, plum-shaded rose, very large), Dollar Princess (double, violet, very Auriferous), Duchess of Edinburgh (double, white, marked with rose), Madame Bruant (double, lilac, mauve, one of the best and largest), Mrs E. 6. Hill (double, corolla, creamy white, red sepals, a great favourite), Muriel (single, carmine rose, very large), Pink Pearl (double, bright pink, a splendid variety), Royal Purple (single, dark crimson), Shower of Stars (single, white and red), Sophia (single, bright rose, very pretty), and Victor Hugo (the best double violet, very large). The above-named varieties would make a splendid collection for a cold house or even for a special border in the garden. If the groundwork was .planted with nemesia just prior to the fuchsia coming into bloom what a glorious display these would be for the summer months. Small sowings should be male of pansies, violas, polyanthuses, _ and primroses, sweet williams, sweet wivelsneld, salvia (scarlet bedder), wallflowers (double and single), and stocks for autumn and winter cutting. The Crompton are the most suitable for this work. For glasshouse work the following seeds should be sown:—Cineraria (large Aowering and stellata) and schizanthus. Wisetonensis hybrids are very large Aowers and are very dwarf in growth. The double giant Excelsior stock is a splendid strain for growing in pots, and if sown now would give a good display in the winter months. Planting can still be carried out of dahlias (all varieties). The beautiful Aowering Mexican sunfiower Tithonia can be planted out. It must have a dry, sunny position. Plenty of space must be allotted between the plants, as great growth is made if the weather is suitable. Asters are better if planted out from now on. Oyster shell worked into the soil prior to planting out will be found very beneficial. The non-wilting strain seems to be an improvement in resisting the neck disease which these plants are troubled with. Continue to divide choice varieties of polyanthus primroses, where there is a good strain. It is a waste of time to retain old varieties which are poor in colour and size. Obtain a good strain of seed and sow at once. This seed, like a good strain of pansy, is .not obtainable in cheap packets. Where the foliage has . died down, tulips and other bulbs should be lifted carefully and stored away into a cool but dry store. Do not break away the offsets or bulblets when lifting, but allow them to break away on theijr own accord in the store. Watch for any disease when lifting, and those that are affected should be burnt at once. Eel worms are very prevalent in the ranunculus bulbs this season. When lifting they should be examined, and where disease is found should be destroyed at once. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN Peas can still be sown for late wops, but it ’is advisable to sow an early variety such as blue bantam, early crop, or Greenfeast. Celery should lie planted into prepared trenches for early use. Brussels sprouts and autumn giant cauliflowers should be planted as soon as plants are obtainable. Cabbages for late summer and autumn cuttings should be planted at once.

From now on keep all the brassica family (cabbage, etc.) dusted with Ilerrisulph powder, which is non-poison-ous, for the butterfly, pest. g p

WORK FOR THE WEEK

THE SUMMER SHOW The Dunedin Horticultural Society held its summer show on December 7, and although the heavy fain which-was experienced in this district on the previous Saturday ruined a great number of flowers which would have been staged, supporters of the society should be contra£ulated on the splendid specimens of owers, especially the roses, which were staged for exhibition, and also on the cut flower section. The entries were, of course, not so numerous as previous summer shows, but what were forwarded wore of a high standard. The decorative section was a great improvement on previous shows. , I notifrd one or two regular exhibitors in this section who once more came to assist the society, and the work. On the whole the decorative classes were certainly a great improvement, and comments were made by visitors on the artistic arrangements carried out by these supporters.. The vegetable section was also very good, considering the season, and the judge should be commended not only for his placings but on the fact that no mutilations were made in a single class. All the vegetables, including the roots, were allowed to remain sound, which the public appreciated.

Several supporters staged collections of plants and flowers, including the mayor of Dunedin (Mr A. H. Allen) and his collection of pansies was adr mired. The Horticultural Society aporeciated thb help rendered by these lovers of Nature, who by their action recognised the service which is being rendered by the society to the community.

MAKE THE MOST OF GARDEN RUBBISH Every garden should contain a compost heap, so valuable in these days when manure is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. The average compost heap cpn be'made up from garden and household waste which will rot easily and is not diseased. Anything infested with pests or attacked by fungus diseases should be burned. Dottles, tins, rags, cardboard, and paper should be put in the dust bin; but grass cuttings, fallen leaves, dead flowers, weeds, egg shells, vegetable refuse, tea leaves, and similar refuse can be used to make rich black soil when allowed to decay in the compost heap. Tough waste should be chopped with a spade to facilitate decay. Before constructing the ..heap, place a one-inch layer of lime on the ground and put a liberal sprinkling of soil mixed with garden (slaked) lime to every five or six inches of the heap. The material must be pressed down firmly. The heap may be enclosed with bricks, but more conveniently and cheaper with small mesh wire netting attached to four iron posts. The result should be a neat series of layers which can be camouflaged by climbing plants, such as nasturtiums; My heap is 2ft square; but the size depends on the area of the garden. A year later the layers at the bottom of the heap will have rotted down to black compost and be ready for using as manure. A second heap can be made from kitchen and garden refuse while the first is ready to use in the soil. It has been found that the excessive use of undecayed animal manure without the addition of fresh soil, or ashes from burnt plant refuse, tends to create a deficiency in some necessary minerals. Iron incinerators are useful for burning garden rubbish slowly; the ash is valuable as a source of minerals, particularly potash, which is especially useful to root vegetables. Plant nutrition is steadily improved and plants become more resistant to pests and disease when organic manure (plant and animal) is balanced with finely powdered mineral matter derived from a natural formation—for example, plain lime or powdered lime stone, or dredged mud and cattle horns. To this may be added the ashes from slowly burnt garden refuse. All kinds of cultivated spil require rotted organic matter and mineral matter in a state of fine division so that roots of plants can absorb it. The organic matter should be arranged m the manner described for the compost neap to allow it to decay through the work of soil bacteria. •

Calcium, silica, iron, sodium, fluorine, and potassium are the principal minerals; but there are others just as important, though they are needed in smaller quantities.—' Popular Gardening,’ London. ABUTILONS AS CUT FLOWERS In making provision for cut flowers during the scarce months there is nothing better than the abutilon, which is not grown nearly so much as it merits (writes “ Lorna,” in the Manawatu ‘ Daily Times ’). Those who own greenhouse or conservatory may grow them in large 12in pots, and if well cared for many flowers will be produced. The colours are now very varied, ranging from all shades of orange, light to t deep pink, white to deep cream, apricot-shaded, ipuce, and blackish purple. The bell-shaped 4 flowers, with their drooping habit, are very ornamental and are very effective with the petals turned back. At the axil of every leaf they make flowers are produced. The foliage, too, is very ornamental, being exceedingly large and of a deep green colour. It is not so much the rule as the exception for a gross habit of growth to result in abundance of flowers so long as the plants are kept healthy growing, plenty of flowers will be forthcoming. When potting use a very rich compost mainly of rotted turf and old manure, but only half-filling the pots with soil to allow for top-dressing so as to keep up healthy growth. If one cares_ to feed with soot water from time to time much larger flowers will result, with longer stems, thus making them more valuable as cut flowers. Sheltered sunny corners out of doors or places partly sheltered with other trees are suitable for growing these shrubs, but right out in the open frosts prove too severe for them. In glasshouse culture, those who can give a little heat. The temperature should be kept at about Sodeg.

RHDDODENDRDHS AND AZALEAS

Rhodendrons and qgaleas are now coming to the end of their flowering season. Early sorts are, ef course, quite over. Where there have not been pleasing displays, the fault very often will be found to lie in neglect last year to perform a most important operation after flowering—namely, the removal of; the seed pods. Left on the plants, the seed pods retard the young growth upon which next season’s flowers come, and they also, greatly weaken the plants, for seed, production is an exhaus'ting process. The long, thin pods of each flower truss all rise from a common stalk, dew veloped from'last year’s growth. At points near the base of. this,, young growth’is now commencing. The pods must be removed without injuring these young growths, as without them there can be no flowers next year. The correct method is to cut through at the base of the flower or pod truss, just above where it issues from last year’s growth, and above the tender new shoots. A sharp knife or a pair of secateurs are most convenient for removing spent trusses from rhododendrons. _ The smaller azaleas blooms may be picked off.— ‘ Wanganui Herald.’ POINTS TO REMEMBER Tulips, when they are finished flowering and the foliage has practically died away, should be lifted, ripened, and stored for next season. Do not allow the bulbs ever to become dry on being lifted from the open ground. The process of ripening and drying should be gradual, not sudden. Narcissi (daffodils) may be left in the ground to mature and ripen their bulbs. The green foliage should never be cut off, but may he turned over and tied down. Be certain the old flower heads are picked off. The ripeping of seed so far exhausts the energies of the bulb, its utility is diminished and untimely death results. . : Green fly is troublesome in tulips everywhere, but this aphis is most readily controlled if constantly and thoroughly sprayed with an insecticide. A few good tulips, the names of i which should be remembered for planting next February, are listed

Isis: Bright red. Fearncombe Sanders: Bright red, with white markings. La Tulip Noire: The black tulip. Richmond: Warm salmon-cerise. Suzon; Bright scarlet.

William Pitt: Warm cerise. Baron de la Tonnage: Bright pink,with white stripe. Philip de Commines: Deep purple, almost black. Andrameque: Deep rose-pink. LONGEVITY OF FLOWER SEEDS Reporting on the germination of flower seeds after 10 years’ storage in the State seed laboratory, the Californian Department of Agriculture states:—Final results are presented on longevity tests of 64 samples of flower seeds representing 30 genera. The original germination of flower seeds is often rather low. Approximately 25 per cent, of the stocks used in the series of tests showed less than 60 per cent, germination in the first test., Five samples failed after the first year, while 17 retained 50 per cent.-or moro germination capacity at the end of 10 years. The average time the samples retained their planting value, considered for the purpose of 50 per pent.; germination, was six years. Eighty-six per cent, or all their value, considered for the samples retained 50 per cent, or more of their original vitality for three years or more, 60 per cent, tor five years or more, and 25 per cent, for 10 vears or more. Among the shorter-lived varieties were candytuft, China aster, delphinium, helichrysura, kochia, and sweet pea, the longest-lived included varieties of Californian poppy, carnation, Shirley poppy, stock, zinnia, salpiglossis, and nasturtium.