THE GARDEN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 140, 15 May 1936, Page 15

THE GARDEN.

Notes are published under this h dening are invited to send in questio they wish expert advice; answers wil

THE FLOWER GARDEN

Even though we have had some frosts and tender plants have been badly cut about, the ground is still warm and many plants, especially shrubs, are growing still. Carnations will be found to have made plenty of roots on the layers, and can be severed from the parent plants and left in place for a while. This is not absolutely necessary, but it generally gives the young layers li chance to recover from being cut adrift. Make up a nice nursery bed to put them into by raising it about six inches above the surrounding soil, and work some old mortar rubbish into the surface. Carnations are lime-loving plants and it is hardly possible to give them too much lime to begin with. Later on the tops should be dusted with slaked lime to keep rust away from them. Such plants as violas and pansies will grow in spite of the cold weather, and as long as the weather is dry enough and the soil workable they should be put in as soon as possible. Take each plant out of the box with a nice ball of earth adhering to its roots, and when planting keep them well up on the surface. Their roots are made mostly just below the surface of the soil, and this is one of the reasons they are so liable to be lost in the dry weather. The roots do not go deep enough to collect moisture. Other plants that can he set out now are Iceland poppies, primulas, stocks, sweet peas, and cinerarias. The latter can he planted under the shade of trees and, although they are ii'ost tender, they will go on growing as long as frosts do not actually get to them. When planting out sweet peas from pots or boxes it is a good plan to secure them at once to small twiggy stakes with a piece of raffia or soft wool. If they fall over on to the soil slugs will play havoc with them. They will even climb up the plants and eat them, but by constantly watching and dusting 'them with lime one may have a chance of keeping them reasonably free from pests. One grower told us he lost quite a number of plants while they were growing in his glasshouse. In the first place the tops had been eaten away and then the small shoots on the sides. He could not find any slugs, but there were woodliee and we are fairly sure that these were doing the damage. They are very destructive to young and tender plants in the early stages of growth. So far with sweet peas this season the principal trouble has been poor seed germination. We do not know the reason and would be pleased to hear what others have found.

Lawns that have been used during the- season will be ready for some topdressing now. So far the weather has been too wet to do anything in this matter at all. Where they are not quite bare "a top-dressing with some seed mixed in will help, but where they are worn out and bare tlio best way to renew them is to returf these spots. Turfing is not hard work and can be done by anyone as long as they do not dig out too much soil to begin with. A turf three inches ill thickness is quite thick enough for the purpose and can bo rolled down to the level of the turf surrounding it. The bad patches will have to be stripped to about three inches in depth before the turf is put on, and the soil unde in eatli loosened. FRUIT TREES.

Nearly every garden has fruit trees of some kind or another growing in them and in many cases they do not receive the attention that they should. The best age to plant a tree is two years old and then it has two or more leaders which can be cut to turn into more. For the first two or three years after planting it is not advisable to allow the tree to fruit at all. As soon as the flowers have formed pull them oft' and this will cause the tree to develop its growth. The question that

is most often asked when a new grower buying a fruit tree is, Do these trees need manure Y” The answer to this is, that if they are to be planted in good garden soil, no; but if the soil nas been worked out then it would be bettor to plant the tree and when it begins to grow in the spring,to give the surface round it a good coating of manure and fork this lightly into the soil. The manure does not need .tB be placed round the stein as one so often sees it, but at least eighteen inches away from it, where the tips of the new roots are working at their best. In a small garden most of the ground is used for vegetables. and has to be manured for them. As the trees grow the vegetables are moved further and further away from them and the tree roots follow as a natural course. In this way fruit trees of all kinds will secure all the manure they want, but when they begin fruiting they will do much better if some superphosphate and potash can be given to them every season. A large tree can be given heavier quantities than a small i one but those trees like Stunner pip- ' pins which are dwarfed by the fruit they carry, should be well grown bo--1 fore they are allowed to, fruit. I SHRUBS FOR DRY SITUATIONS. A correspondent says: “Would you kindly give me a list of shrubs and trees that would lie likely to do well in a dry situation. I am writing on behalf of the Women’s Institute here j and would be 'very glad if you would

Bading, and readers interested in garns relating to matters upon which 1 be published with the weekly notes.

do this. All members read your columns and often comment of the excellence of the information contained therein. 1 '

There are many good shrubs and trees that prefer a dry situation to a damp one, and we have much pleasure in giving what information we can. The buddleias or butterfly bushes are very suitable for dry places and can be grown in the sand at seaside resorts. They are called butterfly bushes because of the moths and butterflies they attract when they are in bloom. The low growing kowliai is a good plant for any garden. It is a native of the ranges and often looks like a bundle of wire-netting. The flowers are larger than the taller growing kind. It is known botanically as sophora tetraptera var. micropliylla. The Asteums are good plants for dry places and will grow well where there is very little sun. It blooms nearly the whole year round in fairly warm situations. The brooms, of which there are a large number of highly coloured ones on the market now, are splendid plants for a dry situation and they can he grown on the driest of banks. To keep them from growing too leggy they should lie pruned each year after flowering. The clioisya or Mexican orange flower is another dry bank plant. Its glossy foliage and white flowers are both sweetly scented. The Lantana will grow well in dry places and there are several very fine varieties which can be got, but it will not grow in a frosty place. There arc several varieties of Hakeas which will grow in dry places and which will bloom in the winter, a time when any flowers are welcome. f lhe Australian mint bush is a common plant in our gardens and is one that is often grown where the soil is really too moist for it; in consequence it does not last very long, but if it is in a dry situation with plenty of drainage it will thrive much better. All the varieties of it are alike in this respect. Cerastigma has a blue flower something like a plumbago and it is an excellent plant tor such a bank or dry place. There is hardly any flower to equal it in colour or for length of its blooming season. It should be cut fairly hard back each season as it blooms on the current year’s growth. Ceanothus is a good plant to have in association with the above, and can be pruned to give plenty of flowers., Leonatis or Lion’s Ear likes a dry situation and when established seems to be able to draw moisture from anywhere. The orangescarlet flowers are very attractive. It is another plant that does better for cutting back each season. One must not forget our own scarlet manuka which is ideal for this kind of planting and when established will make a splendid show with its wonderful colour. The bottle-brush is one that should bo planted as it is quite a bright tiling. There are some dwarf varieties of acacias which are splendid for covering the ground and which could be grown in such places. In fact nearly all of these trees like a drier situation than is usually given to them. The native veronicas are also hardy on banks and a very fine collection of these can be got together. They will bloom nearly the whole year round and if they begin to get too leggy are easily trimmed to the size required. QUESTIONS.

“New Chum” says: “1 have read a lot about growing dahlias Horn seed and have become bitten with the idea ot saving some seed trom niy own plants, bo lur 1 have not mid any luck as tiie seed heads all turn mouldy and rot as soon as I collect them. Can you tell me when is the best time to collect them and how to stop them from going mouldy You can collect uahlia seed at any time wnen it is ripe. You may have left it too late for tins season, but still have a look and if you see any heads that are beginning to open collect them and take them into a glass house or airy siied and spread them out on some paper. If tho heads are fairly dry break them up and they will dry off more quickly. M hen the chaff is dr y enough to blow away clean up the seed and put it in an open tin and allow it to go on drying. Do not close it up in airtight tins or ,bags or it will be certain to go mouldy. Tiie best time to collect seed is earlier in the season, but you will have to allow some plants to go to seed. Select the varieties you wish to save seed from, plant them out by themselves and do not cut any of the blooms. About August or September is early enough to sow the seed in boxes, and then prick the young plants out in the usual way. They will be large enough to plant out in November and ivill flower in the coming season, but the flowers will be better in the second blooming season than they were the first, so save any likely ones for a further trial.

“Lilies” says: “I have been given a collection of several different kinds of lilies and would like to know the best time to plant them. I do not know what kinds they are, but mv friend who gave them to me has gone to England and would not have time to plant before lie left. At present they are packed in a box of moss and seem quite liappy. Some of the bulbs are white and some pink and red. What kind of soil suits them best?”

There are various opinions about the depth to plant lily bulbs. Some growers say that they should be at least eight inches below the surface so that they will have the advantage of a cool root run. We are inclined to think that the depth should depend on the size of the bulb and the class of soil. If it is light plant eight inches, but in heavy soils five to six should be enough. Riant up at once and use some sand and leaf mould round the bulbs. Whatever the soil is it should be well drained and for most of the varieties it should not contain lime. The Madonna lily is about llie only one that should have any lime given to it. This lily begins to grow early in the season and should have been planted in March. If you are not ready to plant them out now put them in large pots where thev can grow until they are ready to be transferred to the place prepared for them. The ground should be kept well cultivated afterwards or a mulch of leaf mould can be used in the hot weather. VEGETABLES. Broad beans can be planted now in rows four feet apart and about six to ten inches apart in the rows. These are about the only plants that will go on growing through the winter without an early start in the autumn. Leeks will grow, but in this case the foundation was laid months ago. In this connection we have a letter from a grower who claims that lie has leeks a.ll the year round and that for early planting he sows the seeds now in boxes under glass. He says that they do not run to seed in the summer, but that they will do so in the autumn if they are not used. For those who want a succession' of leeks this plan may appeal to them. If you are planting cabbages now make the soil up into ridges and plant along the top. This is about the only way in which they can be kept warm enough to grow during the cold weather.

There is no particular reason why

lettuce plants cannot bo grown in the same way and we would advise anyone who wants to have them early to tiy a row or two. Clear away all spent crops and dig up any vacant ground which can be sown down with a crop of oats or something that will grow equally as quickly for digging in later on. Nowadays where manure is so scarce every opportunity must he taken to put humus into the" soil and green manure is one of the best ways of managing this kind of thing. The only thin" about it is that the land must be dug and worked sometime in advance of planting or sowing so as to get rid of any air pockets.