GARDENING NOTES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 2 October 1925, Page 6

GARDENING NOTES.

(By “Waratali.”)

ROSES

If flowers of good quality are required the bushes must be gone over carefully and any superfluous and weak shoots .removed. If all the shoots.that are produced were allowed to grow a large quantity of small flowers would be the result. 'Hie number of shoots that should bo permitted to grow depends on the strength of each busji—a weakly o-rower should be more severely disbudded than a strong-growing variety. First remove all shoots growing towards the centre of the 'bush ; then any that cross others that would be damaged by friction. Sometimes two or three shoots wilt be found growing from a single eye. In this case the strongest shoot (usually the .centre one) should be left and the others removed. Strong growing varieties may have three or four shoots left on the ends of the main branches, but when .more than one shoot Is lift on the same spur they should be on opposite sides, and not one above the other. When the flower buds appear there are usually more than one on each shoot. The side buds should be removed, leaving the strong centre bud, unless it is damaged in any way, in which case one of the side buds should should he retained. All superfluous buds should he removed as soon as it is possible to handle . them. .[liquid manure should be given to the bushes twice a week from the time the flower buds form. If the soil is dry a good soaking of water should be given, a few hours before applying the liquid manure. Give at least a, gallon to each bush, and strong plants a, larger dose than weakly ones. A good liquid manure can bo made by placing cow or fowl manure in a poi'ou s sack and immersing it in a tub or tank of water for a-few days before using. A sugar bag half full will be sufficient for a tul) holding 3b gallons. The size and substance of the blooms will be greatly improved by judicious disbudding, and the us© of 'liquid manure. The stems will also be much longer, which is a great advantage when the flowers are cut for decorative purposes. HARDY ANNUALS.

Beds and borders that were dug over during the winter months should now be railed over when the soil is in a moderately .dry condition to provide a suitable surface, for sowing seeds' of annual flowering plants, and to plant out seedlings that have been raised in boxes and hardened off. Annuals sown non' in the open ground should be of the hardy kinds, such as alonsoa, candytuft, cornflowers, clarkia, eschschdltzia, gypsophila, linaria, mignonette, nightscented stock, ten-week stock, larkspurs, Shirley poppies, nigella anil Virginian stock. When sowing seeds in beds or borders do. not sow in hard or dry soil, or when it is wet and sticky. Choose a time when the soil is moderately moist. Level the surface with a rake, sow the seeds thinly and evenly on the surface, and cover with fine soil. The depth of the covering soil should be in proportion to the size of the seeds sown—the smaller the seeds the less covering they need. Very fine seeds are better pressed into the surface soil with the hand or a piece of board. The surface soil should he made firm whatever kind of seeds are sown, and must be kept moist if theire is no rainfall. When the seedlings appear and are large enough to handle, they should lie thinned out to such a distance apart as will enable each one to develop into a sturdy, healthy plant. Slugs and woodlice are very destructive .to young seedlings. Slugs may be dealt with by ‘ sprinkling tobacco dust or lim© about the plants, but it must be renewed after heavy rain. Woodlice may be trapped by placing pieces of board or sacking near the plants. ROUTINE WORK. Plant potatoes for main crop in rows 2ft 6in apart, and loin, between the tubers, placing the sets 6 inches deep. Give established beds of asparagus a light dressing of salt, this will improve the flavour, act as a fertiliser, a/id also assist in keeping down weeds. Sow peas at intervals of three weeks to maintain a contsant supply. Sow broad beans. Leeks may be sown now in seed beds for transplanting in December and January. Sow carrot and parsnip in soil free from fresh animal manure, as anything of this nature will cause the roots to he forked.

Lettuce should be sown thinly in shallow drills loin, apart. ' As soon as the seedlings are large enough to handle thin to 9in. apart. Mustard and cress for salads should be sown in shallow boxes, filled with fine soil. Make the soil firm and level and sow seeds thickly on the surface. Press the seeds lightly into the soil with a piece of board, water with a can fitted with a fine rose, and shade the boxes with paper until the seeds have germinated. Cress- germinates more slowly than mustard, and if both are required at the same time sow the cress five or six days iu advance of the mustard. Onions may still be sown in shallow drills 16 ,to 18 inches apart. The bed must be made firm by treacling or with a light roller. Pickling u ions should, lie sown in wide drills or small beds. Sdaititer the seeds thickly and evenly, so as to get small onions. The soil should not be rich for this class of onion.

Radishes should be sown iu small quantities at intervals of fourteen days in, rich, moderately firm. soil. Turnips .should be sown in small quantities at intervals of 14 days. The soil should nob be very rich, or strong foliage will, develop at the expense of the roots. 'Sow cabbage and cauliflower for naccession. Other seeds which may lie sown are asparagus, beet, celery, parsley, rliuIntrd and .spinach. UNDER. GLASS. •Sow Cap© gooseberry, cucumber, melon, pu/iiiipkin, squash, tomato, vegetable marrow. / Re-pot ferns and palms. Sow seeds of half-hardy and tender varieties of flowering plants. Plant out tomatoes and pot those intended to plant outside.