Gardening Notes

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 28, 4 December 1930, Page 9

Gardening Notes

WATERING GARDENS AND ■ POT PLANTS.

The importance, of watering either pot plants or, now that summer is almost with us, the flower or vegetable v garden is apparent to all painstaking gurdenors. As a rule, the regular outaide watering or sprinkling commences towards the beginning of November, and for the succeeding four anbnths unremitting attention will be necessary to Jceep aifl^erent crops of flowers and vegßtafbles in ahealthy growing state, la old established gardens it will be found a watering here "and there in diy places xn vicinity of trees or •- 'jStl^rttM is necessary: at' all seasons of t^e year, especially to keep the. grass looking well, also if flowers have to ibe grown to help to brighten such places which may "rb:e alongside/the drive or Tioiise.

A gardener's patience and resource iiii extending; Jo watering .jfyi be as the weather becomes .jvarimer, es- * -peeially wher<i a 'larger arod of groiihd lias to fee attended to. lsa>wns take. wtfte% ttatf Ft© keep tkap£V gisen, than £ny ga^teii, so: -,-toe^ in^ortlaiit^fco keep an'eye on'placesshowing signs .of dryness, and keep the sprinklersimovejfl jat;, l^s,t eyftyy hour or until one assured- the^oiF in the jsrpaee covered by the sprinkleris thoroughly saturated, because;lit must be leanembere'd in Jlarge garc(en%,it may be nearly a couple ofwee&s tiirtiL this part is gone over again. ''■■ 'it is nice and easy and a 'great pleasure for the suiburban villa owner to, in the evening get the hose going, and; in a short while water lawns and flowers <mcc or twice/a week, and in most inptances there is "better pressure for tfxem than is the casein large gardens. . !Ehe soil of a garden ?has a lot to' do -with the frequency a garden has to be watered to maintain it in good condition. In sandy soils, providing the surface is loosened afterward with the.. Btatea hoe, and the flowering or vege- j table subjects have not -got to compete with the roots of large shruibs or trejis, such soils' should not necessariiy iiee3 -watering again for a week or•ten days. The same applies to -heavier/ • soils after watering, although, in their «ase evaporajion takes place more fpiekly unless:where such soils havo ; been deeply worked. In any case,, one |f of the important points in applyingis to give it just when it_is seen, different subjects are showing signs of being in need of it without really suffering for want of it. A watering applied at the right time is of more irn^ portanee in growth production than sprinkling "every day whether plants are in need of it or not. This applies to moßt garden, #l«ints, be t&ey fruit trees, flowering plants or sujbjects in Jtlie vegetable garden. No har4 and flat role can be laid dbwikittat wotild ! suit all apart from the advice here given. It is keen observation on the part of the gardener, if he vbe amateur or prof essional that will spell success in attending to the watering of the different subjects nnder his care. Once the general watering (Animenees here. Ttere^ is a t 60ft 16nj|fli of bose with spTinkler attached tiiat is -ased for one section of the flower, fruit , or vegetable garden, and others of the ■ame length for other sections. The watering commences at a given*'point, is moved round over all the' parts, allotting at least ten days to get back to the point of starting. A man can walk round every houT or three-quar? tors, and in a few minutes shift all sprinklers. If the work is properly attended to it will be found1 all parts of the garden will get a fair share of, attention, and during the dry months should present a green and fresh appearance. In gardens so att6hded*t6^ hot drying winds are only a source of woTry.to the gaTdener for the day or oo they are blowing. The tops of flowers or vegetables may. flag fox the day or two, but the* roots of the different subjects being in good heart as regards moisture they soon recover. - v In pot plant growing' watering/ can*, almost be classified as a science in nurseries ot gardens where a few lines are taken on and done well, tjnfortunate^ ly, some of the cleverest men in this department are reluctant to give the best they know even when v reading a paper on any particular subject at a iiorticultu-ral society's meeting, and J* *eel Bute tfcere are otatera in the pro-

fessional class who are of the same opinion as myself. In years gone past" I have frequently heard papers read, that <tt> the young gardener who may have had a fair training, and who joined a. horticultural society for the purpose of improving his knowledge in the growing of any particular, pot plant was disappointing. In most eases the paper set' out nothing but what one can find in any 'horticultural work. In the applying of manure water to main-, tain an established plant in good condition, one had to try and read between , the lines, for I never heard yet any-' thing definite read that the amateur. or young; gardener could practice' witli safety; In one or two cases the writer has heard a nurseryman state the quantity'of sulphate of ammonia or animal „ urine to apply when mixed with i gal- , lons of watcT. In each ea^e the: mea-

sure was too niucihi but-as this gentle-^ man said afterwards to a few friends,^ they- have got to experiment, and after ( they fiavo-Mlled a few plants they will drop down to "the right quantity.:. This is-hardly fair to. the purchaser who-isy anxious to !see/his plants..thr^tog/ tfnd' t i li. the memboTs roil of a horticultufal soei^tyj ■-, , r . >-- '■■:*■■'.'■::„ -■; ■ ■-■ £. ' . ■■•'■ ' %n^v applying^ J iiianidr|l-. w^er to. pot. plan^^few "rules |>c borne in mind as regards the plants to be treat■ed.H,- ; ~„ '-■■;■■: :... ■■:;:.?•,,£>■ '-'. ■:■■:■■'■ ;-. V (•i-).\>in ! fesWWisih^d pl^nM (that is those that .have been in the same pots for 'years) ■ the -root system ■ sh<Ju;ld4be; healthy, and drainage, should be perfect.. : ■■•.''■ '-. ■'^'•- ?\? -k[: -■;■ :.:';,,•:. (2). Never give to a lj&Wly potted - plant until the rop^have takeii to the new soil. : , (3). Neyei* give manuT« water to^a sickly, plant with few roots. "■ (4). Never give manure water to » flagging dry plant before first "giving piiTC water. ' (5). Use weak quantities and give of ten when the plants are growing, and cease manure watering •when growtSi is,, finished. ~.■.:._; A safe mixtuTe to apply to most J growing plants after being niixed wilSi 4 gallons of water is:—*oz. sulphate,' aanmonia, *oz sulphate potash, loz super phosphate. ' These quantities can be used singly* to 4 gallons of water or used alto-' gether when plants are in full growiih. Half a pink of animal urine to -^gallons ,of water is quite safe and effective when, growth is in progress. In the early stages of growing plajrtfcs in]., pots, care is necessary in applying wa-. fcer. A ne.wly-rw>ted plant shovild be watered thoroughly. It should then be examined daily, and only again watered as it is showing signs of becoming dry and tihls rule should apply all t&rough. the life of a pot plant that 5s f evv*---r . TheTe are many others that x«-:; quire very little when in a resting state. „ '