GARDEN NOTES

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 July 1937, Page 12

GARDEN NOTES

HINTS BY “WELL WISHER’’ The present climatic conditions are not all they could be lor the garden lover, but seeing we cannot alter or order the weather as we would like to. we have just got to smile and admit that the present conditions are seasonal. There is much to accomplish at the present time apart from tilling the soil that is going to lighten the burden for us later on when garden work is in full swing. Firstly we can make more seed boxes, cut. paint and print a number of labels we will be sorely needing later on.

Secondly, our seed potatoes need looking and picking over, the early varieties set broad end uppermost in shallow boxes made specially for this purpose, expose the boxes to light but be very,-careful to protect from frost. The idea of setting broad end uppermost is to expose the greatest number of eyes to light and air. Under this system sturdy sprouts will develop and any not up to standard can be discarded later on.

Thirdly, perhaps we could profitably spend our spare evenings in sorting out from the catalogues which are at present coming to hand from the seedsmen —the seeds, plants or shrubs that we are going to purchase this season. A word of advice to beginners perhaps would not be out of place here and might save failures later on. Do not choose seeds or- plants that arc marked H.H. (half hardy) if you are not going to give them the attention they require. Do not choose biennials and expect to get a good show of flowers this season from them as a biennial plant is one which will complete its life-cycle in the second year from germination; thus, sown one year they bloom and ripen their seed the next as Anchusa Capensis. Campanula Pyramidalis, Canterbury Bell, Chiz-anthus-Allionii, Cynoglossum Amabili, Myosotis . (Forget-me-not), Iceland poppy, Brompton Stock, Sweet William, Sweet Rocket, Wallflower and Penstemons.

Do not choose seeds because they have gaudy colourings on the packet or later on you may have to admit like Paddy did “that he could never grow them like they were on the packet.” Buy your seeds from a reputable firm of seedsmen and choose those varieties that you know can be grown in your district with a fair measure of success. Personally, 1 buy mine that are grown in acclimate resembling the Coast as they are then acclimatised and suited to the conditions prevailing here. To other growers I would just advise to depart a little from the sameness that is only too general in most gardens and choose .some newer varieties that are offering on the market The growers by hybridisation are bringing out many new and unthought of colours and are constantly scrapping those that, do not come up to standard. So a. little departure along these lines will bring you added pleasure later on.

Now is the time to repair, renovate and oil the lawn mower, attend to all gardening tools and implements and so be sure they are all in good working ordci-. Pruning may also be proceeded with at every favourable opportunity. I find it a good plan to prune one year for shape and the next year for fruit but always thin out the spindley ingrowing wood and so shape yonr tree that the sun will always reach the centre giving the maximum amount of sunshine possible. Spraying can also be carried on during fine weather especially peaches that have shown any sign of disease —leaf curl during the past year. The peach is an early grower and bloomer and its foliage is delicate when exposed to the cold spring winds; sometimes the disease called blister or leaf curl puts in its appearance in the form of reddish swellings on the leaves and causes stagnation. the result being that the leaves shrivel and fall. The disease or fungus is rightly named exoascus deformans. The only remedy is to gather and burn all diseased leaves and to Spray with Bordeaux mixture as soon as possible. Spray at. the present time with lime-sulphur and this will combat the fungus spores that, are wintering in secluded places under the bark and in crevices. Give the tree roots a dressing of wood ashes and bone meal and you will see beneficial results later on.

Herbaceous plants need looking over from time to time to ensure that slugs ■iire not causing damage, strengthen your defences by sprinkling fine ashes or soot around the plants to keep the pests away. Delphiniums are readily attacked liy slugs and 1 have often noticed that the more choice and valuable the plants are the more subject they are to these pests. The Delphinium (del-phin-ium) hardy perennial, hardy annual, autumn, winter and spring. These tall and noble plants of the herbaceous border that need to be placed in the back row to form a. good background, flower from December onwards, have sprung from such species as cheilanthum, elatum, iorniQsum. grandiflorum and peregrinuin which are not much grown in gardens nowadays. The newer or florist named varieties single, semi-double and double are to be had from all nurserymen. Most are different shades of blue and moerheimi best grown from seed, is pure white. Some of the latest varieties that are still classed as novelties or specialties that I could recommend are “Blue Spire" Donald Allan, Duchess of Fortland, Isla, Gertrude Raphael, Lady Holt, W. B. Cranfield and D. B. Crane. The propagation is from seed as owing to the forky nature of the rootstock the delphinium is not the best of a plant for division purposes. If planted in good rich soil and top dressed every year and not disturbed it will continue to throw up good spikes every year. To raise named varieties from seed will cause you to expect a little variation in colour. These plants need staking well and if the first flowers are removed after flowering and liquid manure applied the plants will throw up successional spikes. In late autumn remove the spent flower spikes and surface the stools with cinders or sharp sand to protect from slugs.