The Hawke's Bay Garden Guide

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 64, 2 March 1929, Page 15

The Hawke's Bay Garden Guide

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 1929.

(By

Leonard A. Grifths.)

‘He that plants trees loves others besides himself.”—Sir Hans Sloane.

Among the Vegetables

The Pests - 'the Cabbage Fly’ is now at its worst stage, anu many hole- ■ luden plants adoni the kitenen gardens. A mixture ot Ai senate of ueau and Black Leaf 40 will help to exterminate the pests. bpiay every week until thoroughly in hand. Mildew on Peas and Beans can be controlled by using Lime and.Sulphur, although a frequent hosmg of the foliage and roots will be very eifective.

POI out and burn any tomato plants that are too badly blighted, as spraying will be no use.

Winter Crops: The fly will be finished this month and gardeners should be preparing ground to plant out winter greens. Savoy or Winter Cabbage is a hardy type that is

easily grown. In southern districts Brussel Sprouts and Cui’ley or Scotch Kale may be set. These succeed best where they receive the winter frosts. Broccoli now takes the place of Cauliflower, and matures when vegetables command the best market nrjee. Leeks and Celery can be set in specially trenched ground and moulded up as they grow.

Seeds to Sow; Provided there is a ood water snpplv the following root rops may be sown. First rake the

soil finely and make a drill with the hand fork to receive the seed. Secondly, .thoroughly soak the soil along the drill and sow the seed after. Thirdly, cover over lightly with dry soil and lightly sprinkle with the' hose. By preparing in tins method there is. enough moisture under the seed tn start germination. Sow now, and thin out as they grow, Carrots. Turnips, Swedes, Beet and Radish. Parsley can be sown in clumps if required" Winter Spinach can be sown at once. Odd Jobs: Marrows, Cucumbers, and Pumpkins that have passed theii usefulness should be pulled out and the ground prepared for other crops. Store all available pumpkins in a dry shed to keep for winter use. Prepare ground for Garlic. Shallots and Potato Onion planting. These root crops lov e potash, and good sprinkling should be scattered over the ground when digging. All vegetable crops should be thinned out early, because delay, means, overcrowding and weakly plants, also there is less distrubance to the root growth. Peas and Beans; Unless your garden is well protected don’t attempt to sow any more pens and beans. Rather concentrate on the rows already in and keep ■ the ground well hoed and worked along. Moulding the soil up along the rows helps ab keep the moisture in. Peas and Beans should be picked frequently, otherwise they are apt to stop bearing nnd form seed. Liquid manure "t the bearing stage prolongs the fruiting neriod. Grni'ufl can h'> prepared for a sowof Broad Beans in the neai future. ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Chrysanthemum Pests The Rust: The two greatest enemies i'f the Chrysanthemum are the rust mul thp mining maggot that ruins the foliage. The rust is a fungoid fliscase, and may he treated on its first appearance with Bordeaux powder or the simple home-made recipe of loz sulphate of potassium in two gallons of water, sprayed over the foliage. • Soft soap may he added at the rate of loz per gallon. The Mining Mageot: The maggot wojks between the upper and under surface of the leaves, causing them to veintd with disfiguring lines. When |h(> nifigfiofs tire inside the leaves il is inniossjlJ’. to rca'h I liem, ”1 ! , .|] v H ... 1 | v j s ( f , •lU'.’Cze (he i' d l.jl i. ii f!"2 r am?.

thumb, killing the maggot or picking it out with the point ol a sharp kmle. it is far better to adopt preventative measures early in the season and spray the lohagc with soot water <n DiacK leaf 4U. 1 his ciders the fly, whibli is responsible lor laying hei maggot eggs un the plants.

* * * ♦ Important Reminders

Give flower and vegetable beds an ocvusiuiiui cii tssiHg oi mauuiiai inseu-

e&ucicxucs. it ii-s the sun oi injurious pests, auj auus essential piaut iouus. Dig up and lune unuuuupieu poi lions' oi u.c garden, so ti?at the grouiiu wiij be sweetened and leiiewed in vigour. t Don t leave paling fences bare. Remember this slogan: “Furnish tenets with flowers.” Lime is one of the best friends oi the garden lover; but please note azaleas and rhododendrons are amongst the few plants which hate lime.

Buffalo grass is growing inpidly. Mow established lawns regularly. For lawns planted last spring give a tnp-dressing ot fine soil to fill! up the hollows caused through weeding.

Oil the 'lawn mowar at least onc< a week. This is the best time o

the. year for sowing seeds of English grass for lawns. When buds appear on spikes of gladiolus plants, give’ waterings with weak liquid manure every five days. Layer carnations and set pipings (or cuttings) of pinks. Thin out weak laterals and tie up dahlias; cut off all fading blooms, and do not let them die on the plants, chrysanthemums and see that the plants arc firmly staked. ★ ♦ * ♦ Matured Vegetables RIGHT TIME TO HARVEST. Many readers arc often in doubt as to the correct time to pull their carrots, turnips, etc... Often good crops are spoilt by premature using, and many get*coarse because they are left in the soil too long and become tough. Below is a chart that should be neJpful to the average gardener and should he kept for reference when necessary. Beans (French and Runner) are tendcrest when some 6 inches long, when there are no “rusty” stains on them, and when, as yet. they are not bulged out with the seeds. 4 Cabbages are ready when they have formed a firm head, but they should always 'be cut at the first sign of bursting. Shorthorn carrots are ready any time after the tops are as big as sixpence. They may be examined for size by moving the soil away from them with the fingers. Cauliflowers should he cut while Ihe curd is still firm and packed closely together, and before the pieces forming the curd divide and show vacancies betveon. Cucumbers should be gathered before they lose their dull bloom, before they lose all their wrinkles, before they begin to yellow at the stem and before the old flower drops off the point. Leeks may bp used at any time after they are large enough. Marrows are best out about

a foot long and while still green. Allow none to lipen till near the end of the season. Mustard and cress should he out when lather more than an inch high and before they ‘make their second pair of leaves. Onions can bo nulled for. use at any time, but for keeping they must rip«n and tho tops be nearly dead. pna« should be allowed to become 'v< 11 filled before fathering, but it is bad pl' v I>j W:’ - l (i|| th*' pods be- ”!)'■« ’’ ' ''' ’| • I Ibei’P is :> Mpnm the fii.i.i ft in slvin It point.

Early Potatoes The only way to ascertain when these ought to be lifted is to uncover certain roots, examine the size of any tubers brought to light, and also test their skin with the thumb-nail to ascertain if it is firm and tough.

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ How to Make Pot Pourri

Gather rose leaves. verbena, orange blossom, carnations, rosemary and lavender on a bright morning and dry in a room where the sun is strong. Remove all withered or faded petals and all green stuff. The petals should also be seperated as much as possible. When fresh flowers are dried, put them into a jar with a close-fitting lid, and add Jib powdered orris root, 4oz cloves, some stick cinnamon, 2oz allspice, and loz beibarnot. Pound the spices before mixing with the flowers.

In the pot pourri jars you have captured the fragrance of a sunny day that has passed. As you add more flowers add more orris root and bergamot. .If the pot pourri becomes too dry add the orris root, and if too moist, the bergamot. A delightful lavender pot pourri is made with lib sweet lavender freed from the stalks, llh dried thyme, loz dried mint, |oz cloves, loz orris root and 2oz salt. Dry the ingredients carefully, mix. them and allow to manure in art airtight iar. Then put into pots or silver vinaigrettes.

* * ♦ * Take Geranium Cuttings

The time’has now arrived when cuttings of perennial border plants should be taken. Of all this class of plants none is more popular than the scarlet geranium. These are used in practically eevry garden, and if one is observant they must have noticed that the best blooms are produced from the young growth. Old, ragged bushes are unsightly, and new stock should be taken every autumn lor planting out early in the spring. Now is the best time to commence this work, as they will strike much better while there is still sunshine and natural warmth to help them. In every case the cuttings should be made from the young tips, which should be long enough to permit two joints to be buried in the ground and still leave two above.

A sharp knife should be used, when making the cuttings, so that they may be severed cleanly from the bush. Bruised or broken off pieces are not so likely to root.

Strip the two bottom leaves off the stem, which should be cut quite level just below a joint. Allow the leaves to remain on top. as they help the cutting to exist while they are making root. The soil used should be light and friable, with a good percentage of sand mixed with it.

Five cutting may be struck in a 6-inch pot. Care must be taken that there is good drainage, otherwise the cuttings may rot. The instructions given tor geranium cuttings may be applied to ageratnm, calceolaria bronze and yellow, heliotrope, lantana and marguerites.

* ♦ M ♦ Killing Weeds

DO NOT FEAR TO USE THE HOE

Do not be afraid to use the hoe. Its vigorous iinu constant application will ropuy evoiy guiuencr.

H toe oppoi tunny is taken to hoe between tile lows, during hot, dry weadier, and ir the stuuie inainiiu used is always well rotted, there snotiid not be mucn trouble horn weeds in a small garden, but they require constant attention, and often through, a few days’ neglect in the early spring and autumn, the seeds get beyond control and cause endles.'? trouble.

A day’s work while the weather is favourable, and the weeds in their young state, may be worth a week later on. The hoe should be kept constantly going, not only to kill tho seeds, but also to eonsi. e cu

ture; if the surface is kept loose the subsoil will always bq moist; mid even in dry districts, with a low rainfall. successful gardening may be carried on by using these “dry farming” methods. The surface should neevr be allowed to cake; this can only be secured secured by constant hoeing. The only way to get rid of such weeds as sorrel, couch grass, etc., is to form them carefully out in hot, dry weather taking care to get tho whole of the roots out. and to leave them on the surface exposed to he sun. When land is choked with weed seeds, the best plan is to plant a green crop, as in green manuring; or the land may be kept fallow for a few months and continually hoed whenever there is a growth of weed seeds. Garden paths may be kept clean by using one of tho chemical weed destroyers.

* ♦ ♦ * Layering Shrubs

Many garden subjects, especially shrubs and creepers, are very difficult to propagate, for cuttings wither before they have had time to make roots, and if seed is produced it takes, if an attempt is made to sow it, some years ygars to grow into a flowering plant. In such cases recourse is often had to. layering. Authorities vary in opinion as to the most suitable month for the work, but undoubtedly it is best done when sap is still moving briskly in the shrubs or plants and when the now growth is getting toward maturity. There should also be moisture enough in the soil to encourage the layered parts to throw out now i Dots. Before the layering is done the soil around the shrub or creenei should bo foikcd up several nchos deep to provide a suitable dace Ln the ront.Kof the layers. It ’s also advisable to put down a little new snndy soil. Pieces of the shr.io ain then brought to the, ground and vnggod down, first having a notch or slip made in them to encourage the formation of new roots. Tn the case of a elemitlo or atn other thing the* is small in the stem, it is ouitp sufficient to scratch rffi a bit of bail' in.-Jn vi tr-’i.ig j-nitlv f-rj sever the stern. ! . ><■ large brau'dirs that p”e Inborn,] the system known ns ‘‘ringing” is adented. Tliis consists of fold ng off a ring, of hark alii round the stem about tin inch in length. The portion of the stOIII pegged down is then covered wi+h soil. Thorn should be about one font of the branch left beyond the point where it is layered, with all leaves and tips intyict. The time tal-en bv a lav’r to root dcpmwk vev hogelv on the species to which it belongs; sonic things.

such as acuba, box laurel, spirea and veronica, root in a few months.; while others, including azalea, daphne, jasmine, * kalmia and rhododendron, may take a year to root. Late autumn is the best time for moving the layers and setting them up as independent plants. After a subject has been layered a few months, the entire severing of the parent stem will raipd'ly increase the production of new roots.