GARDENING NOTES

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 18 November 1932, Page 10

GARDENING NOTES

(BY “SALVIA.”) KUMAR AS. The kumara, or sweet potato, will grow well in any ordinary garden soil, and is preferred by many to the ordinary potato, for which it is often grown as a substitute, as it has the advantage of being immune from fungoid diseases which affect the potato plant.- Kumaras are grown from rooted cuttings raised from the matured kumaras. 'These may be purchased ready for planting. They succeed best when planted in about 12 inches -ot light soil on a hard bottom, which induces tse tubers to form. Plant two feet six inches apart in rows threefeet apart, or on slightly raised mounds, with three plants on each. Custivation consists of drawing up some earth to the plants when large enough and keeping the soil free from weeds; the- runners should be lifted with the hands at fresuent intervalsto prevent them rooting into the sod.

RUNNER BEANS. The soil for runner beans should be dug deeply and plenty of manure added to it to get the best results, a.' they oicupy the soil for a considerable time and take a good deal of nutriment; failing natural manure apple two parts of superphosphate and -one part of sulhate of otash at the rate of four ounces er square yard; mix this thoroughly with the. top 12 inches of soil. The seeds should be sown n. shallow drills to facilitate watering. The plants must have a moist soil in which to grow; if allowed to become, drv at the roots they shed then kowers. Sow the seeds four inches deep and thin out to nine inches apart. Stout stakes or wire netting six feet in height should be provided for tinplants to cling to, and as soon as thee have reached the top of the supports pinch out the'gr-owing tips. This wil. prevent the plants falling over and being blown over, and induce side-shoot; to” form on which beans will also he reduced. All nods should be gathciecl as soon as large enough to use as they are then at- their best for tabic use; and if pods are allowed to remain long enough to- form seeds the plants will go out of hearing quickly. Give plentv of water in dry weathe. and a dose -of liquid manure once : week. Good sorts to grow are Scarlet runner, The Czar. /White Dutch, Epicure and Kentucky Wonder "Where staxes or wire netting are not available the beans may b< grown in “bush” form by constant!; stopping the climbing tendency e>f the plants from the time they are nboin two feet in height.

Slugs are often troublesome when the plants are small, but may be kept ai bay by dusting soot or tobacco powclcround the plants.

SALSIFY. Although rarely cultivated in NewZealand the hardy biennial vegetable, salsify, flourishes in a deep, rich, open soil. Seeds should he planted in rows in early spring, very thinly and m dry weather. The- flowers are purple and appear during the summeg months. They should be at once broken off and the roots should be left m the ground until April, when they -snould be pulled and stored until re-quned for cooking. Salsify should not be grown in any bed to which animal manure has 'been recently applied Any dressing of this kind should have been dug in deeply when it can do iu harm "'With the aid of a cold frame salsify may be in season for nine months of the year. The roots Ayf keep for a long time and the plant is singularly free from the pests which attack other root crops. .

Saisify has been popularly termed the oyster plant from its supposed resemblance to the oyster in flavour. If has value in cookery both as a vege table and as a flavouring agent. T< serve it as a vegetable, scrape the roots gently and, as each is prepared lay it in cold water to which hat been, added a tablespoonful of lemoi juice. Put into a stew pan as mucl milk and water as will be required to cover the roots, add salt to it and let it boil up. Dram and cut the salsify into pieces three or torn inches long. Plunge the pieces into the boiling milk—or niillc and water - add an ounce of butter and a good squeeze of lemon juice and cook 101 30 or 40 minutes or until the Diece; are tender. Disli the. salsify .and keep it hot, then strain the liouoi and keep it for making a thick white sauce with which to cover the roots About four sticks of salisfy cleaned scraped, cut into small rounds, ther. parboiled and added to the. steak foi a nie o-ives a flavour almost, like of ovsters. This root may he dresser by many of the methods employed fo ovsters or it may be cooked, cut small and added to a dish of oysters tr make it more economical. WOB.K FOB, THiE WEEK

Spray apricot, nectarine, peach, and plum trees with Bordeaux mixture (summer strength one pound Bordeaux powder to each 10 gallons ot water) where trees are affected with leaf curl, bladder plum or die-back disease. Trees that were badly affected last season should be sprayed fire or six times at intervals of 14 days, or more cften in moist, humid weather.

Spray apple, pear and quince trees with arsenate of lead .solution to destroy grubs of the codlin moth. Commence as soon as the bower petals have fallen and spray every three weeks until fruit- is ready for use. The first spray used should be coarse and )driven well into the calyxes; latei Jsprays should be as fine as. possible and "the foliage and fruits thoroughly covered with the should also bo thinned out so that they do not touch. Spray potato foliage with Bordeaux mixture (summer strength) to prevent the attack of Irish, blight. Spray the whole of the foliage thoroughly every 14 days, or more often in moist, humid weather. Plant Brussells. sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and lettuce. Sow beet, French and runner beans, broad beans, broccoli, borecole (kale), cabbage, carrots, parsnip, pumpkin, radish, spinach (New Zealand variety), squash, turnip (including swede) and vegetable marrows. Sow sweet corn, a few seeds once a week, as cobs can onlv be used when the tassel at the end has just withered; if too hard for use as a vegetable. Sow all varieties of flower seeds. Sow fortnightly lettuces, radishes, mustard and cress for salad purposes. Place some straw between strawberries to keen the fruit clean and the soil cool and moist. Plant tomato plants 18 inches apart in a sunny, sheltered position. Spray established plants with Bordeaux solution ("summer strength) every 1.4 days, or more often in moist, humid wea-j tlior. Remove all side-shoots that appear at the base of each leaf at its' junction with the stem, and keen the

plants securely tied up to their stakes as they grow. Plant out seedlings, of flower plants that have keen well hardened off. Plant out chrysanthemums and dahlias. PRUNING SHRUBS. As soon as the flowers of the .spring flowering shrubs have faded they should be pruned into shape; any long struggling shoots should be shortened and all dead and overcrowded growth removed. By doing this the plants will produce vigorous l growth and the quantity and quality of the flowers next season will be improved. Pruning not only improves the appearance of the plants, but imparts new vigour and then last much longer. Heaths and borouias, in particular, if not pruned regularly, soon become weedy and often - die prematurely; but all shrubs are benefited by an annual pruning. POLYANTHUSES. All kinds of primroses and polyanthuses may be divided as soon as they have finished flowering. They should be carefully pulled apart with. the hands, or the tops will be broken off without any roots. Replant in soil to ‘which has (been added some old, welldecayed manure, leaf mould, or vegetable refuse in a: damp position in partial shade. BULBS. As soon as the foliage of such bulbs and tubers as (anemones, hyacinths, ranunculus and tulips has died down they should lie taken up, thoroughly dried, and placed in trays or on shelves in a- cool, airy .place. Daffodils, ixias, sparaxis, froesias and tritonias need not he lifted 1 annually, but should he taken up every thirdseason to prevent overcrowding. The foliage of bulbs .should never be cut until it has thoroughly ripened, or tlie bulbs will either not produce flowers or they willl lie of inferior quality the following year. . Gladioli conns should be lifted each season; as soon as the foliage turns vellow cut off the foliage a few inches above the bulb, dry and store in a cool, dry place.