GARDENING NOTES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 16 November 1928, Page 7

GARDENING NOTES.

(By "Watatah.”)

i K UMAR AS. Kuiuaras, or sweet potatoes succeed in any ordinary garden soils, They are a good >siib?titute tor tli-a ordinary potato and ip referred to ft by many, i ney also luuu tire advantage of being immune loom the diseases wnioli atf.jet tile oruinaay potato. K umaras are grown from cuttings, which may be puruiaised at the present time xrom .seedsmen. 'they give the best results when painted in sod of a light, sandy nature, lien m phosphates and potawn. Tile first can be supplied by the application •ut superphosphate and the latter by sulphate ol potash or wood ashes. About iuur ounces of superphosphate and one •ounce of sulphate oi potash chon d be applied to each square yard, and mixed j with the soil before the plants are put [out.. There are several methods of planting, hut whichever method is | adopted. it is necessary to have a hard i bottom under about 12 inches of light I >--oil. When the bottom is not made hini file loots are apt to run down to a great depth, and do not form many tuber?. When the bottom is hard the ends of the roots) are checked from going down deeper and this causes the roots' to swell out into tubers. There are two methods commonly used in planting: One is to plant in rows three rcet apart, with the plants about 18 inches apart; the other is to plant three plants 18 inches apart on mounds three feet apart each way, or a. single plant on mounds one toot apart. When planting in rows the soil is usually drawn up into a. ridge about eight inches high., within flat top. The plants should Ik* put in in a reclining position, just- leaviittr. the top of the plant out of the soil. If the weather he dry at the time of planting, give each ’one some water' to start root action. After-culti-vation consists of drawing some earth ii]). round the necks: of the jpfante us they advance in growth, and lifting the runners occasionally to prevent then)' root-in into tlxe- soil from tli-e joints. . ASPARAGUS. The heads of asparagus should be cut J eg marly, ana none eft to grow up wmlo cutting is m progress?. They an should he out as, soon us «3udy for use ; ir some are leii, to grow up snoots wit. cease to appear. Cutting should cearee oy the end ot the year. The result m too late cutting is to aiinimsii the crop tor the following year and. to shorten th'j life of the bed. A dressing of nitrate of soda should; be given now at the rate of one ounce pe>r square yard. l ! he best wav to apply it iis to make a solution, using one level, tablespoon ol nit-rate to each, gallon of water and apply one ga'lon to each square yard ol the bed. If available, liquid manure made: from animal or fowl manure should be applied once, a week until about the end of February. Tlie bed should be kept free from weeds: and seedling plants growing from any seeds dttipped iawt season destroyed. When cutting ceases it is necessary to encourage a luxuriant growth of foliage, as the next’s season’s crop is dependent upon the care taken of the bed during the summer and early autumn, when the ciowns are formed which, produce the shoots for cutting the following spring. It is necessary in exposed positions to prevent the foliage being: damaged by boisterous winds. The bent pian is to drive. in stakes at intervals of three feet and attach several, lines of stioug string to. hold' up the long sSoot-s. As soon as the foliage turns yellow in the autumn it should be cut down clow.* to the surface of the bed. Any .seeds which have gcon dropped on the bed should be - removed, or they wil'i grow tho following .seas:on and give much trouble. ROSES. i These will need a good deal oi at- / tent-ion no w. all superfluous growth: and j suckers should bo removed and a t j shoots growing toward the centres of th?. bushes. From six to eight strong shoots are sufficient for any plant to carry if lirst-chus.s. blooms are desired. I Disbudding should be done a.s soon as., the bulls are large enough, to be pinched out with the finger and thumb, or j with a pair of scissors. Many roses do: not require disbudding, a.s they only p.? odure olire r<w on each stem. A) itli those that produce more than one. the I >(• -1 bud should be left and a'.l the others taken away if a large bloom he desired. If required for table decoration in sprays the centre bud should be cut out and three or four of the best buds retained. The plants should be given an occasional dose of liquid manure made from animal or fowl manure', but never when the soil ire dry. When the soil is dry water should be applied a few hours before licpi'd manure. It is a good plan in dry weather to make a practice of giving the plants a thorough soaking once a week with plain water, followed bv a dose of liquid manure. When animal or! fowl manure ie not available, an excellent substitute is Clay’s fertiliser, which mar bq purchased in tins (with directions for use printed thereon) at anv seedsmen's. Anilide- (“green Hv”! and caterpillar.- ( ere becoming troublesome now. Tim | plants should be examined carefully and i frequently, and as soon as found to- be I infereted. spray with- “Blade T.oaf 40” I -olution. ! ROUTINE WORK. ’Pinch off the tops of broad beans and penis a? soon n.s the -slants .show plenty of bloom. This will check upward growth and throw the strength of the plants into the production of pods. Plant tomato pla-nts eighteen inches j a.part in soil free from fresh animal I manure. Place a stake four feet- high to each plant and tie up the. plant to it as it advances in growth. Pinch out all side shoots that appear at the junction of the base, of the leaves- and stems to keep the plants to one main .stem. , Sow p's as and broad beans for succession . Sow scarlet runners and other pole bonus!. So wdwarf beaus at intervals of a fortnight for succession. Make f ortnigbtly sowings of mustard and cress and radi-sheis for use in .salads. Sow turnip-rooted beet at intervals of four weeks or so to use while young and tender. " Sow lone beet for winter use. Sow silver beet. » ! Sow broccoli of all kinds, borecole (knleb Brussels sprouts. Savoy and drumhead cabbage for use in winter. Sow thiiilv and thin out to two in clips. apa.it. Sow sweet corn at intervals ot fourteen days. Thin out to eight inches apart. Sow cucumber, melons, pumpkins «nd '.squash. Sow celery for late crop. Sow kohl-rabi (turnip-rooted cabbage). Tills- ii» a vegetable of -distinct flavour and makes a pleasant change. The roots should be used when about three indies in diameter before t-bev become old and fibrous.. Leeks rnav be sown for succeswion. Pa.ndev may refill be sown. Sow “Enrv Horn" or “Early Nantes” carrot for succession. These are veiy sweet when nulled in a young state. Sow salsify. Sow lettuce in small quantities about ones a fortnight. Sow ip a place-

.shaded from liot sun. .1 icttuces do not transplant well in hot weather. Sow spina.cn in a shady position. Sow garden swede and swede.

Sow turnips. Plant celery in prepared trenches nine inches? deep, one foot wide for .single rows, eighteen inches for double row?. Plant nine inches apart and shade from sun till estakished. Give .plenty of water in dry weather or the plants will go to- seed or have hollow and pii.thv stems. Plant kumaru plants. Plant Cane gooseberry plants in rows four f;?et apart, and two feet in the ro w re.

Spray tomatoes and potatoes with Bordeaux mixture. Spray about every seven days if weather be wet; in dry weather about once every fourteen Jays. Use onie pound of Bordeaux powder to ten gallons of water. Spray neat’ll and nnectarine trees, ar-fe-ted with, ‘‘leaf-curl.” U*e Bordeaux mixture '1 lb .powder to 10 gallons of water. Suray about four times'fit intervals ef a week or -so.

Spray apple and pear trees (as .soon are the flower petals have fallen) with arsenate of lead. Use two terns poomsful Ito each a alien of water, or one pound to twenty-five gallons (if in paste form). Use “Swift’s” in paste form as it is the most reliable brand. Keep all. spray solutions well stirred while using, or some trees or plants will receive too strong a. solution and others too weak. _ ... Plant gladioli bulbs *dx inches deep in wel'-manured soil in. a. sunny position . Plant out dahlia roots and rooted cuttings of dahlias. Place a stout stake to each plant. Plant out chrysanthemums. Dust sulphur occasionally (especially in damn weather) to. prevent “rust’’ attacking tb? plants. Sow seeds of hardv biennial plants,, such' as Canterbury hells, wallflowers, etc. , „ Sow seeds of hardv annual flowering plants. . Sow .sweet pea- for late display. Plant out. petunias verbenas, salvias, tuberous begonias and other bedding plants. . - ~ Stake carnations, lilies and other ol .lilts veq uirinp: supiiort.