GARDENING NOTES

Grey River Argus, 24 April 1936, Page 3

GARDENING NOTES

HIE GREENHOUSE AND N UKSERY.. l.'li rvsa nt lif hi ii ms should be housed or placed undi-r cover as soon ns lhe I.nos show signs of open.ng up on top. When placed in tne house, Keep the atmosphiTe as dry tts possible anil open up tli._ rent ilators whenever weatner conditions are favourable. It is necessary to keep u sharp lookout lor caterpillars, which would soon rum the buds.

Continue to put on the- later lot of cinerarias t 0 their dowering pots, and as soon as the roots penetrate- *he new soil place them out in cold frames Keep <dosed at nights Lor about a week, and then keep the sashes oil night and day, unless the weather is rough and very wid. Should greenfly appear, spray with soapy water, and for leaf miner shut up the franc’s and fumigate with N L. All. The Primula malacoides should now be readv to put on to their Powering pots, which will be six-inch for the stronger plants and five for. the weaker. Pot up seedlings of Primula sinensis and keep growing in a "001, moist atmosphere. Bulbs and corms, which we”.' pott d or boxed up some time ago. are now growing and should be placed i-i cool greenhouse for a bit before plaeing them in heat for forcing, La"imnlal’as. tulips, hvae’nths and freesias pan still be potted m, if dormant bulb's can be obtained. Vineries from which the grapes have b n en cut can be opened up and if to bo used for flowering chrysanthemums somi< of the loaves can be pulled off. THE ELOWER GARDEN. The various plants in the flower garden are recovering and beds and borders are brighter than they were a. month tlgo. Antirrhinums which were cut over some time ago are flowering well, and dijihlkis and begonias are still as bright as ever. As the gladioli foliage ripens they can be lifted and the stems ent ovet about three inches from the corms, which are spread out in boxes -n a dry, airy place to ripen (df completely. Later the old corm and the little cormlets which usually arise round the base of the new ones are rubbed off. Th<> new corms and the corm'lets are stored away in a cool, airy shed and the old

ones thrown away. Chrysanthemums growing in borders to' provide cut flowers can be disbudded to sprays of three or five on each stern, and il they are growing ' under a skeleton house, whvli will be covere-d with ealico, Ibis can In* put on as soon as I hey show colour, They can also be lifted, placed in pots or boxes and pul under a veranda or pul into the vinery or lornato house. Continue to clear oft annuals or bed ding plants which are- past their best,

tnd to cut over herbaceous perennials

If michaelmas daisies are attacked by the grass grub and the brown beetle, which is another stage, of the same pest. you should spray your plants with arsenate of lead, and water the ground round the plants with the same solution. Lift, tin* old plants, manure, the ground., ami plant buck young pieces taken from round tin- outside of the clump. If lilies have to be transplanted this should Im done at onc.e. They do not really ripen off like many other bulks, ami when planted now the fleshy roots soon recover ami commence to make tiew root hairs. They like a. soil rich i: organic matti'r such as leaf mould ami well-rotted manure, and tire better planted aiming dwarf rhododen drons, azaleas, heatlis, or other dwarf shrubs which do not require lime.

Complete tho planting of till spring tlowering bulbs, and also bulbous iris, and plant ’out wallflowers, primrose polyanthus, etc.

The spell of warm weather experienced lately will be gn-atly appreciated by all garden lovers. The unseasonable month of Abareh kept many plants back and greatly hindered important autumn work. If rain keeps off it will b(. necessary to resort to watering again, especially with dahlias and chrysanthemum's. Dahlias tire coming to the end of their season but will continue to flower for another month if kept moist, provided frost, does not catch them. Chrysanthemums on the other hand are only just, starting to Hower and must not. be allowed to wilt for want, of moisture or the blooms will suffer.

This has been the worst season the writer ever remembers for insect pests, probably' on account of the absence of birds, It is pleasing to note that thev are returning and it is sincerely to be hoped that they will make an impression on the various grubs and insects which are causing a lot. of damage to various plants. THE VEGETABLE AND FRUIT GARDEN. Continue to cultivate among growing crops and to earth up celery and heks. Clear off spent crops and manure and trench or dig up all vacant ground, leaving the surface rough during tlm winter. Put all vegetable matter which will rot on the compost heap, but burn all fruit tree leaves and fallen fruit which may be harbouring either insect or fungoid pests. Stake the more forward peas and protect those which are germinating with wire netting to keep off birds. Rhubarb for forcing or replanting can be lifted and left exposed to tho weather for a little while. The tops of asparagus should be cut off and the beds weeded and mulched with wo 11- red ted ma nu re.

(‘onliiiue to trench or double dig all land intended for planting fruit trees or bushes and make m*w planla I ions of st ra wherries.

Friti: trees which have foiUm making excessive growth of new wood can b»'* root pruned, but those which n.re not

sal isfactory should be dug out

Beetroot ami earn ts can be lifted and stored in sand in a cellar or shc-d or they can be buried in the soil near a path. Late potatoes should he dug now. *** * * * Topdressing the Lawn: Most, lawns require a certain amount of ri'novat itig al the eml ot each season. Bare patches appear ami weeds, '.ii some cases, get a hold. I hi- iiist thing is to remove as many of the bad weeds, such as dandelions and docks. Tin se must be taken ouf by the roots or poisoned, so that the roots are killed. It is useless to merely cut them off below the surface —they come tiwav again stronger than ever.

Having got rid of the weeds, give the whole lawn a good hal'd raking This appears to do ti lot of damage tea'ring the grass tip by the routs, but the final results will justify it. After raking, run the mower over it and sow down tiny hare or worn patches, first having filled in any hides or depressions with fine soil.

F'.nally give a dressing of line sifted soil to a depth of half an inch over the whole lawn, and roll. It is as well to add to t’le top-dressing soil some basic slag ami dust, about Soz. of each to a. bi rrowful of soil. As soon as rain comes the. soil and manure will get washed down to the roots ol' the grass, which will make a fine, even sward in the spring.