THE GARDEN

Evening Star, Issue 24007, 4 October 1941, Page 4

THE GARDEN

Work for the Week

SEED SOWING « t BUSY TIME AT HAHD It is not everyone who has a glasshouse or even a frame in which seedlings may be raised, but from now on seed can be sown outside not only in prepared nursery beds but in the” sites where it is intended to flower them. Before sowing the seeds either in the nursery beds for transplating later, or in the positions where it is intended to flower them, there is work which should bo carried out. First of all the soil should be worked up well with the fork and a dressing of well-rotted manure or leaf mould applied. If these are not available, a good substitute would be fish manure or a wellbalanced artificial manure. 1 have not mentioned . blood and bone, as I find from experience that far too much of this manure has been used in the past and the soil in many gardens needs a change. After the soil has been prepared the seed can be either sown what is known as broadcast or in shallow drills. For many varieties I think the. drills are the best, as the weeds can be kept under better until the young seedlings are ready for transplanting into their flowering quarters. The following varieties may be sown as edgings: Alyssum procumbins (snow carpet), aubretia gnsca (pale mauve), and the aubretia hybrids, containing several shades of colour. Sow ageratum (blue), linum (crimson), portulaca (double and single, in a dry situation), tagetes (little giants, orange), viscaria (very showy), and Virginian stock. These last-mentioned plants make a splendid ground work for rose beds and borders. For unsightly corners sow wild corner flower seeds broadcast, and rako in lightly. Another delightful flowering plant which can also be sown broadcast is the nemophila. The . colour is blue with white centres and the habit is very' dwarf. It makes a lovely bordering plant, and .so does also linaria (mixed colours). Plants more suitable for transplanting purposes are nemesia (large flowers of brilliant colours), nasturtiums (hybrid gleams and other varieties),, marigolds (all varieties), larkspurs, giant imperials, godetias (double mixed, Sybil Sherwood and Kelvedon Glory make a splendid display), dimorphotheca (African daisy; these plants make a brilliant display and are valuable for cutting purposes), and. cosmos. Sensation is a novelty and should be grown in every garden. These plants are very dwarf and will flower at least six weeks earlier than the old varieties. The flowers aro also much larger and make an excellent background in borders, etc. Dahlias (double mixed and .singles) can also be raised in this way, and will flower this season. These plants are becoming very popular owing to their free flowering and dwarf habits. The summer chrysanthemum (tricolour) does well when sown outside and then transplanted. Cinerarias (giant flowering) should bo sown in a shady position, and then, when large enough to handle, transplanted into their permanent flowering quarters, which should be sheltered and half shaded. Carnations (Giant Malmaison and Border varieties) should now be sown in drills outside. The plants raised in this way make a great display. Uso_ plenty of lime or oyster grit when planting out carnations. Calendulas, one of our free-flowering, plants, should be grown in every garden for their rich colouring. Yellow Colossal (a novelty! is the largest flower yet seen in calendulas; The colour is yellow and up to Sin across, with a splendid habit. Campfire and Golden Delight are also well worth growing. Asters arc general favourites with all gardeners. They are better when raised outside in drills. The following varieties are the pick: Giant Crego, Tasmanian Blanching, Californian Giants, El Monte (crimson), and Super Giant Asters. Asters do not do well in new soil, and plenty of grit such as oyster shell, etc., should be worked into tho soil prior to planting. Antirrhinums (Majestic strains) can now be sown outside. These strains are semidw.rf, with splendid colourings. Zinnias should now be sown outside, and then transplanted into good rich soil in a well-drained and sunny situation. These beautiful free-flowering plants, with their unsurpassed colourings, should be grown by all lovers of Nature. If care is taken and the right varieties selected there is no reason why these plants should not be a success in these districts. The sowings should be made at once, as these plants enjoy a long season of growth to be a success. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN Make sowings of cabbages, cauliflowers, and Brussels sprouts. Marrows and cucumbers can also be sown in a frame for transplanting later. Lettuce and endive will come away quickly at this stage. Turnips (White Stone and Golden Jelly) snould be sown for early pulling. Onions, if not already sown, owing to the climatic ccndi lions prevailing, should be sown without delay. Work fish manure'into the surface before sowing and watch for results. Parsnips, beet, and other roots should he sown without delay. Make sowings of broad beans, main crop peas, also for summer use sow spinach (Monstrous Viroplay). This spinach stands over a long time without seeding. Complete the planting of potatoes. Dust the tubers before planting with pinepesto powder. This will prevent the crop from being infested with various diseases." Keep the surface open between all growing crops. d F.S.P. TRANSPLANTING HARDY ANNUALS It is usual to sow seeds of hardly annuals where the plants are to flower so as to avoid a check caused by transplanting. It is surprising, however, how successfully they can bo transplanted on a small scale, even quite late in the season (writes a contributor to ‘ Popular Gardening,’ Loudon). I devote In the vegetable garden a bed to hardy annuals to provide flowers for cutting. When gaps have occurred in the herbaceous border I have often transplanted hardy annuals from tho kitchen garden to fill the bare patches even when the plants have been advanced. Experience has shown that such transplanting must be done carefully if a severe check , from which complete recovery seldom takes place is to be avoided. It is best to transplant each specimen separately. First make the hole in the herbaceous border, then dig round the plant a little distance from it with the trowel. Lift the plant with as large a ball of soil as possible, carry it to the border, and set it in the hole already prepared. It should be watered well after being transplanted. A little care and patience in getting well down so that the plant is lifted with the surrounding soil and roots in one large ball will ensure success. This method cannot be adopted with some of the tall growing kinds with deep roots. ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT “ Inquirer.”—The name of the flower forwarded is iris reticulata.

CLUB ROOT IN BABBAGES

The Department of Agriculture has sup* plied the following information on the ques* tion of club root in cabbages:—

At the Plant Research Station at Palmer*, ston North, three seasons’ experiments on heavily-infected ground have shown that a .1 per cent, acidulated solution of mercurio chloride is the only economically efficient disinfectant for the eradication ot club-root> from the soil. The treatment costs approximately 4d per square yard, and must be applied before sowing. It has no detrimental effect on subsequent germination or growth. Mercuric chloride solutions are strong poisons and rapidly corrode metals. They snould ba kept out of reach of children, and stock and containers should be washed after use. As corrosion weakens the disinfectant, the tins and watering cans used during application should be protected by rinsing every two hours with benzine containing a little oil. A concentrated solution of the disinfectant which may be kept bottled indefinitely is made up as follows:—Mercuric chlorida (powder), 11b; commercial concentrated hydrochloric acid, 31b. The seed bed should be prepared for sowing and divided into areas of two square'yards. Water in 4gal tins is carried to the bed, and there ona and three-fifths fluid ounces of the concentrated solution is rapidly stirred in. Tho disinfectant solution so formed should ba distributed immediately through a fine hosa evenly over the two square yards previously marked, out. Penetration of the disinfectant! is deeper when the surface soil is moist and when a gallon of clean water per squaro yard is applied about an hour after treatment. The seed bed should be left for Id days before sowing. The efficiency of the method depends on— i (1) the rapidity with which the mercuria chloride solution can be poured on the soil; and (2) the prevention of reinfection by disease-carrying soil. Implements and boot* should be disinfected in a solution of mercuric chloride immodiately_ before working oa the treated beds; for doing this a woodea bucket containing two-fifths of a fluid ounce of the concentrated solution per gallon of water, placed near the seed beds, is helpful., For satisfactory disinfection it is advisable to wash adhering earth from the implements etc., and to keep them damp with the disinfectant for 10 minutes. Metal implements should not be left immersed in the mercurio chloride- solution for more than a few, seconds.