GARDENING NOTES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 6 September 1929, Page 8

GARDENING NOTES.

(By "Waratah.")

MA RG U EEITE OARNATIONS. Tlie,se arc invaluable. for giving a .supply of (lowers for cutting. Seeds may lie .sown now in light rich soil in shallow boxes. Sow thinly, and only just cover the seeds 01111’ cover the box with a. sheet of glass or stiff brown paper. Keep in a warm, shady place until .the seedlings appear, when the glass or paper should 1 be removed and the seedlings gradually exposed to sunshine. As soon as large enough to handle prick out the seedlings* three inches apart, into shallow boxes filled with light, rich Moil containing a fair percentage of lime. When large enough to plant in lire garden select ,<a. sunny site well dug and moderately immured, mid plant out one foot apart-. Riant firmly, and dust thy surface soil with lime after planting. If a greenhouse, or conservatory he available a few should be placed in six-inch pots, one to each pot. .Make the soil very linn, and water carefully until established. GLADIOLI. 1 Cunii.s of the early flowering class may now bo planted. Plant the conns in rows or clumps, allowing a* space of six inches between. Plant small conns three to four inches deep, and large ones live to six inches. The gladiolus does best in a rich deep soil, but any class of soil w ill produce blooms. For the best results well-decayed animal manure should be dug in: failing this use a small quantity of superpbosnliate. The site for planting should he in fill 1 sunshine and protected from cutting winds. Gladioli may lie planted from now until December to supply a succession of blooms. Gladioli flower about 90 days from the time of planting,. About six weeks after flowering, <*r when the foliage turns yellow, the bulbs should be lifted. dried. and stored in a cool shed: on no account should conns be left in the ground nil (he year, nor even mil i I tile foliage dies.

(sA LPT GLOSS IS. This is one of the most beautiful of the annual (lowering plants. The gorgeous colours and rich and varied markings are not equalled by nnv other flowesr. As the plants are onlv half bal'd'.- t.liev should not lie planted oaf until the weather becomes warmer, as a sharp frost would destroy them. Seeds may be sown now in boxes or in the open in carle October. The seeds are very small, and should he onlv lie-bile covered, with soil. Plant nine inches apart in rich soil and a sunny position

MIGNONETTE. Seeds of this old favourite may be sown now where the plants are l to (lower, as they do not transplant .well. Choose a sunny position, and mix a little lime wit'll the .soil before sowing. Make the soil firm by treading, and* sow the. seeds fairly thickly, as the percentage of germination is usually low. The perfume of mignonette is strongest when grown oil poor soil' to which lime has been added. DAHLIAS. These are very easily raised from seed, and if sown early will bloom the first season. The raising of new varieties in. this way is very interesting, and many of the plants will equal the heist of the named varieties. Seedlings are .usually extremely liardy and vigorous, and are of infinite l variety of colouring, no two plants being usually quite the same. Seeds should be sown thinly in boxes placed in a

frame or on a warm sunny verandah, and the' plants put out when danger from frost is past. Dahlias do best in rich, well-manured soil, and need plenty of water. Plant at least three feet apart in a slight basin-like hollow to enable water to be applied freely when necessary in dry weather. Dahlia plants are very brittle, and unless well staked will be broken down with the first boisterous wind, so it is important to give- them support when they are a foot high. Any dahlia tubers that were dug up last autumn and stored should now be phi cedi in a frame l to start in growth ; as soon as the growths are about four inches in length they should be detached with, a small portion of the tulier adhering to form a “heel.” Insert these cuttings in very sandy soil in small -pots or in boxes. Shade from bright sunshine until rooted, admit air to the frame on fine days; keep the pots buried, in ashes, earth, or coconut, fibre. Once the cuttings are rooted they must be exposed gradually to more sun and air. Old tubers should he planted out six inches deep in well-manured soil where they are to grow in October. and when the now growths appear reduce to one or two. The end of November

is quite early enough to put out young plants- that have been struck from cuttings. The voung shoots should bp surrounded with coal ashes. shorn grit, or tobacco dust to protect them from the depredations of snails or slugs.

routine; work. Sow down new lawns. Sweep bid lawns to scatter worm casts, and roll after the soil .lias been washed 1 down among the i- o ot<s of the grass. Spray camellias and oilier shrubs affected with scale insects, with red-oil. ofm part to 10 parts water. Spray peach trees with Bordeaux solution. 1 Il> Bordeaux powder to live gallons water, to. cheek “leaf-curl.' ’ After the budis lia.ve. opened and the leaven appear, summer strength (Tib Bordeaux to 10 gallons water) should be used. Spray three or four times if trees were badly affected last year. T)o not spray when blossoms are open, or the pollen will be washed off and the fruits will not set.

Spray plum trees that were affected with “bladder”-plums last season. Use Bordeaux solution. as ad wised above for peaches. Riant out autumn-sown onions. Plant cabbage, cauliflower and lettuce plants. Plant garlic and shall lots.

S«nv broad beaus. beet. oabbairo. cauliflower, carrnf . celery, cress, leek, lettuce, mustard, onions', no.as. parsl'cv. pskHmli. spinach and turnip when the soil is in a. suitable condition.

Where birds are troublesome damp seeds and roll in red lead’ powder, or stretch a double row of black cotton two inches from the surface of the soil. Plant snrouted seta of seed potatoes, early varieties, one foot apart and rows two feet, apart s main crop:. 15 indies apart an cl 2ft Gin between rows. M ain cron should be planted deeper than early varieties ; six inches is a good depth. Some line sulphur should lie dusted round .the sets and in the drills to keep “Irish blight” in cheek. Give asparagus hods' a. dressing of nitrate of soda, one. ounce per 'square yard. It is best applied in the form of a solution, using one ounce to one. gallon of water. Apply every fortnight during the cutting season. Sow seeds of hardy annual flowering plants in the open a.v soon as weather conditions sure suitable. Sow under glass seeds of hall-hardy and fender flowering plants; si Iso cucumbers, melons, pumpkins and vegetable in arrows.

Pliant seedlings of hardy annual flow cring plants. Take cuttings of chrysanthemums.