Gardening Notes

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 24, 6 November 1930, Page 9

Gardening Notes

THE CULTIVATION OF SWEET

PEAS.

Most people who grow Sweet Peas d-e so for the sake of a beautiful dis.j»lay iv the garden, and to have flowers for home decoration. Those who grow f.or exhibition are in the minority, but we oiwe a dcb-t^of gratitude to the exhibitors. Not only do they bring bejter© us varieties gi-own to perfection, but as a rule tdiey have the latest varieties procurable. They teach us how to grow flowers to perfection, and they nfeo show how wonderfully these flowers respond to correct and systematic treatment. In the first place, and most .important .to'be. considered, is the fertility of the soil. The soil I have found the most successful is a soil with a deep ..gravel bottom. During one season 1 grew on this soil, the rows being about seven feet apart, not staked, they were just one mass, and tisi« 'foliage was. woiiderifui for strength. I cut flowers from these patches from -October till I lot them go after the Xmaa holidays. Last year I planted in -a sandy soil. I found with this soil they wore earlier in blooming, but tho foliage and blossom was not to be comjjarod with those grown on the otheisoil, and with the first North wind iae bloossom would be scorched , although there would not be 40 yards between the two soils. I do not say for a. moment you could not grow good blossom on a. sandy soil, as in everything else where there's a will there's .a way. If I were going to grow peas for exhibition, on this soil I would dig .a trench 1' to 2 feet deep, then dig a spade deep placing thereon a mixture of marly clay and cow manure;' then place the top soil back again, mixed •with both. I remember when I was at .home at Hartwell we had in the garden5 1* acres of soil similar to tie poorest . of the Oaulfield heath soil, which would 1 hardly grow anything at all. The first year we planted the haulm only grew, : about a foot high. The next season the drills were ploughed out, and about -two inxshes of Clayey soil taken from the bank of a wateT hole, and a dressing of dryteow manlre on top. Following this, the seed was sown^ and .it -turned out the finest crop I- have seen for many a day, so that will prove that <if you will give sandy soil the proper attention it is possible to have firstclass results. To be successful in Sweet Pea cultivation, you must have your soil in good heart from the very start. .My Sweet Peas at the present time :&to about one foot high. On Tuesday last I dug down at the side of a clump of plants, and I found that tho -roots ; already had gone down at lcas.t 18 or .-20 inches, so it shows t&at you must trench the land at least 2 feet. The ■ way I would trench would be: first, to throw out top soil, to start your trench, then place a good layer of cow or well decayed manwe on top of the sub-soil; then dig it in as deeply as possible; then place the top back again, but on '•no aceotmt mix the sub-soil with, the tap. I have known soJcalled/ gardeners -ruin some of the finest plots by so doing. : Sawing of the Seed. ; The question as to the proper distance1 apart to sow is a'thorny one. Not many years ago one would be more than enough, but then, we never expected to have Sweet Peas 8 to 10 feeft fcigh. Whether the seeds are sown 6 or 12 inches apart depends upon the way in which, you purpose to grow them and the resllts you wisfc. to obtain if you want to; grow for exhibition. I would advise having the plants at leas* 12 inches apart, owing to the sp/arrprw pest. I would plant the seed thickly, and thin them to those distances after--wacrde. The best way I find to cope ■ with the birds is to run about three tows of black cotton over the rows, about three inches high. Another meiiodifc is to slightly damp tie seed, then isprinkle red lead over it and t&e birds will not touch it. - Growing Peas for Exhibition: If the soil has been treated as I have mentioned, and the plants' thinned 10 or 12 inches apart, and then staked •with jpood 'branched stakes,?-at least 6 -or 7 feet long; I'would not; stake till the plants sure 8 or 9 inches 3fp)*g and the young plants' wiinld be lees liable to be drawn and weakened. Land being well treated before plant- ■

ing should not require any more treatmcent tilt the buds are beginning to show, then would be the time to treat them with quick acting manures. I would advocate bloOd manure as a qui^/k acting manure. In fact, I do not think yon can beat •it for giving t-'-iour. Wood ashes and spevt, if oifrtaintuble, are good cfcug1 xn for coloiiT. I had noticed Ifisf. year where the above had been thr.;w:v in fin ordinary wny from tie hou^e tho I plants were 10 per cent better than any of tho 'others. . Thinning Laterals. Some English growers advocate tbiiii.<in,o-; others don't. I would not 'suggest thinning", but in no ease :iliow vkpont blossom to remain on the \bush, as iiothing would .inipo-vorisit tho plaat qxiickoT. ■['■■■ :.-■■ ' , ..'."'■ Picking the Blossom. ■■'■ f>6nre.'say pull them from the >ohke*, others say cut them witti a «haxp; pail of scissors, or sh^rp. knife. : By pmilling from the socket you are apt to break the vino, therefore I wb.irid ;mjr.;ft"f •«© a sharp cutter. • :. Watering This should be done regul<«T'y, lor once you allow yoiwig plania t*, fiagj all your la'bonr ,-i -.V s t. as far ■»'« gocri results aTe concj'neJ. V