THE GARDEN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 10, 9 December 1937, Page 17

THE GARDEN

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

THE FLOWER GARDEN. The gardens are beginning to dry out again after the good soaking they received last month, hut as long: as the hoe is kept going there is no need for the use of water yet. Those who havewater laid on to their gardens are too prone to use it at the slightest provocation. It is different in the country districts, where there is often a shortage of water after a very dry have water laid on to their gardens are quite as bright as the rest of the town gardens. However, it does not seem to be possible to stop the use of hoses. When planting out young seedlings it is often necessary to water them well to give them a start into growth ; even here it is not necessary to keep on sprinkling the surface as so often is the case.

The majority of the seedling plants that we have seen are doing very well this season. Unfortunately, there has been considerable trouble with asters and we are afraid that there is very little that can be done to help them at this stage. In future, both seed and soil will have to be treated if the wilt is to be stopped. Asters are splendid autumn bedding plants, and it is a pity that they should be so liable to attacks of disease. The only thing to do is to use some other plant that is not so liable to disease of any kincl.

Zinnias are hardy and strong, and make splendid bedding plants and now-a-days plants can be got that range in height from Ift. to 3ft. or more. They are excellent cut flowers for any purpose and make a show for a long time. The French marigolds are also hardy and will grow in the poorest and driest of 6oils. If you cannot get plants procure the seed at once and sow it where you want the bed. It will be necessary to thin the plants out as soon as they can be handled, but they will not receive the check that most plants get from being transplanted. There moy be something in the argument that some gardeners make that seeds sown “in situ” do not last as long in flower as those that are transplanted, but one thing we know is that they will stand more dry weather than the others, because their tap root goes straight down to the moisture parts of the soil, whereas transplants rarely have any tap root to speak of. It gets broken in the process of pricking out and never makes a strong new one. I 1 land has been deeply cultivated and the suh-soil well broken up it has the advantage of resisting drought better than when it is simply surface dugAnother thing that will help all kinds of plants to bloohn longer is to keep the faded flowers rigorously picked. Never allow them to form seeds at any time and they will know that their chief aim in life, as far as they are concerned, is not finished. Their aim is not to grow flowers to gladden the eye of man, but to raise seed with which to perpetuate their own kind. Petunias are splendid plants for a hot dry season, and here again different varieties can be had with flowers from an inch or more in diameter to five inches across. The seed of these plants is so small that we do not recommend sowing in place because they would fall on dry soil and would never reach the moisture so necessary to germination. Sow the seed in a pan of fine soil under glass and shade until it germinates. Prick the young plants out as soon as they can be handled and they will soon be ready for planting out. They will last in bloom until the frosts of winter come along. . . ... Seed of Iceland poppies and primula malacoides can. be sown now so that you will have strong plants to set out in the autumn. The main thing for winter flowering is to get good, strong plants for this purpose. CHRYSANTHEMUMS.

Chrysanthemum plants are now showing their first bud, which is known amongst growers of these plants as the break bud. It is no good from a flowering point of view, being far too early, but it is looked upon as one of the seasons when work has to be done on the plants. In cases where the break bud is too far from the ground it is better to cut the plant back. The same thing will happen as if the breqk bud was merely pinched out. That is to say, the plant will send up fresh shoots from the axils of the leaves and these shoots will in time bear the next crop of buds, which are called the first crowns. From an exhibitor’s point of view they are no good, producing coarse heavy flowers, so when they appear they are nipped out and another shoot taken up which will, about the first or second week in February, produce another bud, called the second crown, which is the one that most growers are looking for. For exhibition purposes three stalks or branches on a plant are all that are required and everything else is pinched out so as to drive the, sap of the plant into these shoots and Irom these shoots to the buds that are on top of them. When these buds have set feeding can begin.

A—Break bud removed. B—First crown at the top of stem. C—Second crown, the bud that is wanted for show flowers. Note. —All shoots removed from axils of the leaves with the exception of those which are wanted.

forcing, and it is better to give lime and soot iu equal quantities than to risk giving them any manure. Work the soot and lime in around them and leave the plants to find it for themselves. AVith the perpetual flowering varieties it would be better to pinch the main shoots out and make them send up additional shoots, especially if they are plants that have been put out this season. If they are given some shelter from frosts in the winter they will continue to bloom all the year round when they are properly established. We shall have more to say about this aspect of their culture later on.

QUESTIONS. “K.R.”, says: “I have read your notes since I came to this city and I think that you might be able to help mo to bring about a better state of things in my garden. The soil is heavy and is full of stones, which do not add to the joy of .digging. Unfortunately, the only soil I have been used to is some of that at Hastings, which never seemed to require much boyorid digging and breaking up with a hoe. Here when I have dug the soil it does not respond to the same treatment. It is much lighter in colour and very wet in winter. What treatment do you recommend ? I am able to spend a few shillings on it and rather appreciate the hard work.” There are some soils in your vicinity which are hard and strong, hut they can be made very fertile with some hard work. The most important thing is to- _ take the surplus water away in the winter time and to this end a few drains must be put in at least 2ft. below the surface. Possibly you will have some difficulty to find an outlet for it, but this can be overcome by digging a hole and breaking through, a hard pan of sandstone which von will find a few feet from the surface. Once you have got through this we do not think you will have much difficulty in getting rid of the water. The water may rise in the hole in the winter, but will soon go away again. Turn your drains into this hole and then proceed to trench the soil, keeping the subsoil below but breaking it up and then work the surface soil through a screen small enough to remove any stones larger than an inch in diameter, These stones can be used for the foundation of paths, etc. AVheu you have worked a bed sow it down with a cover crop to dig'in later. What most soils such as yours lack is humus, and green crops will put it there. Animal manure is not easy to get. but if you can git it work it into the surface soil before sowing the green crop. We would suggest that you use blue lupins as a green crop and dig tliem in just as they are coming to flowering. You can give the soil a dressing of lime in the autumn and another cover crop of oats or barley for the winter, and you will find that next season you will be able to do a lo more with it. Save all weeds and anything that will rot down, and you will find this almost as good as animal “Dahlia” says: "My dahlia tubeis have not been lifted for two or three years. Do you think it would be too late to do this now, or what method would you advise?” We are that your dahlias would be very late in flowering if you were to lift them now. The best plan is to go round the plants and pull out all stalks in excess of two or three, and stake these securely so- that they will not be broken down by the wind. Even it one stalk is left they will give a better display than the whole,clump as they are now. The best manure to fork in round them is some well-rot-ted cow or stable manure, and give them a good soaking with water attei forking to start the manure working. As soon as the buds have set a teaspoonful of sulphate of. potash pel plant will help them considerably, f is a mistake to be constantly watering them;, rather, try working the soil to keep the moisture in it. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN.

The vegetable garden is a busy place now, keeping the weeds down and the surface of the soil well hoed to stop it from cracking. Some crops like lettuce and cucumbers' require a little liquid manure now to keep tliem going. This should never be given when the soil is dry; give the plants a good soaking with water first hand then the liquid manure can be given to them. Even when nitrate of soda has beep used on lettuce plants liquid manure is a good thing for them. Lettuce seed maV still he sown in well worked and manured soil, and it may be necessary to water, tlie soil until the young| plants come up. The seed is rather i

close to the surface and is liable to drv out unless it is kept fairly moist. Sow carrot and parsnip seed now and thin out the parsnips to about three inches apart. The carrots can he left and used if they are too thick in patches. The main thing is to keep tlie soil well worked and the moisture will rise up from underneath. If marrows and pumpkins have not already been planted they should be got in as soon as possible now. As long as the soil has been well worked there should be enough moisture in it to keep them growing until the rain conies. Potatoes are a very important crop in gardens, and those who have them should take care to keep them growing by working amongst them. Peas are doing well up to the present time and it seems as though most gardens have a good supply coming on for Christmas, which is the time when these vegetables are in greatest demand.

New Zealand spinach is a good vegetable for the hot weather and is one for which room should l>e found in every garden. The seed is hard and is rather slow at germinating, hut can be hurried by soaking it in hot water overnight. Set the plants at about 3ft. apart", and even then they will he close enough to cover the soil so that no weeds can grow. It is the tips of the shoots and young leaves that are used. Look after tomato plants and tie them to their supports as they require it, pinching out all side shoots as the work proceeds. When the first hunch of fruit has set spraying can be done and continued every fortnight or so afterwards. Runner beans may still he planted in well-work-ed and manured soil. They must have a deep root run and like a good, rich soil. Do not forget the white ones for drying for winter use; they are easilv grown and can he left on the plants until the frosts have removed their leaves.