THE GARDEN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 10, 10 December 1936, Page 26

THE GARDEN.

Notes are published under this heading and readers interested in gardening are invited to send in questions relating to matters upon which they wish expert advice; answers will be published with the weekly notes.

THE FLOWER GARDEN. The growth amongst flowering plants lately nas been more than usual, and many gardeners have been busy keeping weeds down. This is the most important thing at this time of the year, because it not only checks the weeds, but keeps the surface of the soil open and tree. If the weeds are very thick, rake them off, and if they are ripening seeds burn them ; but if they are green, put them on the compost heap tor manure later. All grass clippings and such things should be added and some earth and a sprinkling of lime thrown over the lot. It will soon rot down and you will have a supply equal to tlie best. It is time now to sow seeds lor autumn flowering, and many of them can bo sown in the open ground where they are to grow and flower. 'J he main thing about this way of sowing is to sow in rows, and if the plants come up too thickly, thin them out as soon as they are large enough to handle. Do not wait until they get tall 01 they will grow spindly, and this weaklens them. Anyone who lias grown seedlings in boxes will understand liow important this part .of the work is, and •codlings will run up quicker in the open ground than they will in boxes, | because the moisture is more evenly I given to them. When preparing the j ground for seedlings, work the surface • ! up to a very fine tilth and if it, is not r fine enough sift a little soil into a : harrow to cover them with. We have always found that phlox dmmmondi are much better and last in flowei longer than when they are transplanted. Zinnias come under the same heading, and will do better for being sown whore they arc to grow. Once they get established they will stand more dry weather than transplanted ones. This may or may not he necessary this season, but one never knows what is going to happen. Carnations are coming on well this season and many- of the flowers’ heads will bo on the ground unices they are staked and tied up. A rpiral coil ot wire is a. good thing to put round _ a bush of these plants, and then tne flowers can he kept inside. Some growers use rings of wire-netting for the purpose, with the same results. y ai " nations are lime-loving plants and to keep them healthy liberal supplies of lime should always be available to them. If this lias not already been <rjven, work some in now and also work in some old soot. The value of I soot as a plant food is often overlooked but as long as it is not fresh it can be safely used on quite a number of plants without doing any harm and at the same time providing some plant food for them when it gets thoroughly mixed into the soil. As soon as rhododendrons have finished flowering, carefully remove all the seed heads from them to allow the shoots that are immediately below to come on for next season’s flowers. QUESTION. “Novice” says; “J have quite a

number of pot plants, including maidenhair ferns and asparagus, but am wondering how they are going to fare at Christmas time as we shall be away for about ten days. Could you suggest any means of keeping the plants moist, especially the ferns? We have on sheltered or shaded places for them o.i side.” You will not find it very difficult to keep the plants moist for ten days to. a mrtnight. The day before you leave stand the pots in a bucket of water until the whole ball of soil is thoroughly moistened, then put them out to drain the surplus water a.way before taking them inside. Next arrange them round a can or something that will hold water and from the water to the pot put a piece of worsted. Tie a nail to one end to keep it in the water and anuther to the other' end to push into the soil of the pot. The water will flow along the worsted and will keep the plants moist until the water is exhausted. Of course, it will depend on the number of plants and the amount of water that you have as to the length of time they will keep moist, but you could try this plan out for yourself and see how long a given amount of water will last “Iceland Popples” : We have examined these flowers, hut as we have never seen this trouble before we shall have to do some investigating. Kindly let us know the soil conditions and when the seed was sown. BLACK LEAF SPOT ON ROSES. Two separate lots of leaves of roses affected with black spot have been sent in with requests for a cure. Before we go any further we must say that, as far as we know, when once the leaves are affected there is no known euro. We have discussed the subject with growers in Australia ami England, and they are of the same opinion. A 1 the same tioie, they agree that preventive measures can be taken which will at. least check the severity of the attack. In the first place, the disease seem.s to have originated in the Austrian and Persian briars, and it was following their use as parents in hybridisation that the disenre first became general. Air J. B. Grieve, in his monograph on the disease, says: “Black spot is present on roses throughout the year, generally in a mild form, but it is more especially an epidemic type of disease. Often the leaves drop off. and as a result the leaf buds which should remain dormant until the following year, often open late in the season. The plant is thus left rather susceptible to frosts in the winter. Also a ‘die-back’ condition may be brought about as a result

of this loss of leaves since the , plant is unable to manufacture food.” The only way to combat the trouble, as far as we know, is by preventive measures beginning in the winter, and in the case of a badly affected bed we would begin by removing the top two or three inches of soil and replacing it with fresh dean loam from the turf stack. The plants could also be sprayed with strong lime-sulphur, wliien would kill many of the dormant spores. This is the method we have found to be most effective. The strength used was one part of limesulphur to ten parts of water, and in the case of a bad infection tins spray was used twice in the season; the first as soon as the plants became dormant, and the second one directly the plants were pruned and before they began to send out new shoots. In addition to this, sulphate of potash was worked into the soil round them at the rate of one ounce per plant per month. This stuff hardens up the cuticle of the leaf and prevents infection when the young shoots are growing. In Australia this plan has been found to be most effective. In America the use of sulphur and lead powder was recommended for dusting on the plants lie fore any attacks were noticed, but in England this has not been found any good, probably because of the difference in the summer heat of the two countries. Sulphur will vaporise at a temperature of 72 per cent., and the vapour from it will to a certain extent prevent infection. Unfortunately, the polvantlia roses are very prone to it. and when a bad infection takes place the plants become defoliated and will not continue in flower in the way that they would do if the. disease could be checked.

A NEW STRAWBERRY. A new giant strawberry has been put on the market in Sydney, and one who was on a visit there has been describing it as something outstanding. The plant is given as a very strong grower, reaching eighteen inches across and twelve inches high. The fruit i? about the size of a walnut, and of excellent colour and flavour. They are borne well above the ground and are well sheltered by the foliage. One tiling about this new fruit is that the flowers are self-pollinating and produce fruit right through the season. Owing to the large size of tho plants it will he found necessary to put them eighteen inches apart in the rows, and tho rows at least three feet apart. Our informant said that he had seen a fine lot of the piunts growing and was very much taken with then' appearance. As fat- as hardiness for tin’s district was ouncemed, ho was not able to judge, hut he was confident that they would ho a line thing for the Auckland province, where, lie believed, some of the plants had boon sent. Such a strong growing variety should prove quite an acquisition to this country, and it would ho well worth trying. This variety has been named “Hawkcshury.” THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. Cabbage plants enn ho put nut this month for winter crops, hut one must always guard against the attacks of tho diamond-backed moth and white butterfly grubs. As. far as wo know, the

most effective remedy is to use derns dust, which can he sprinkled on the plants without any tear of poisoning anyone. This powder is death to insects, but harmless to human beings. Last season many of the growers were troubled with club -root in their cabbage patches and in one or two cases the source of infection was very hard to find, hut we were able to trace it to the seed bed. Corrosive sublimate at the rate of one part to three thousand of water is a good remedy to dip the roots of the plants in before planting, and as an added precaution a handful of basic slag in the hole will help. It docs not matter if the roots come in direct contact with the slag ; they will not bo harmed in any way. The lune in the slag is a help against club-root, and gardeners woutl be well advised to try it. . Keep on sowing lettuce, peas, anu French beans for succession. Lettuces like a heavily manured soil with plenty of moisture while they are growing. Liquid manure can he given to those plants that are just about to come to a head; it will make them tender and sweet. Tomato plants must he tied up as they grow and the small side shoots nipped out. The single stem system is the best for all purposes. It is not too late yet to plant runner beans, a.nd those who have not done so can put in a low now. The beans should not he planted closer than a foot anart and the ground lor them should be well manured by having the manure forked into the soil on either side of the row. Poles or something will have to be provided for them to climb up. Carrots and parsnips call be put ill now, or even next month is not too late'; but the roots will not be very large before the cold weather sets in. Make a trench for celery and put in plenty of well rotted manure below. If the soil is shallow a collide of

A. —Soil level. B. —6 inches of manure. C. —2 inches of soil D —Celery plants, one foot apart. E. —Bank of soil from trench to be used later to blanch the plants.

boards should be put on either side of the row and Alien the celery can be earthed up above the ground. Watering must be attended to carefully at all times and as soon as the plants begin to grow a little nitrate of soda sprinkled along the row and win bed in will be found to be a great help. Keep tho hoe going as long as possible among growing crops, and with the exception of lettuces and celery there will not be any need to water tlie plants.