THE GARDEN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 67, 16 February 1939, Page 7

THE GARDEN

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

THE FLOWER GARDEN. The dry weather continues, and a certain amount of watering Ims to be done, but wo must again protest against the way some gardeners do it, that is a little and often. If you are going to water plants give them a good staking, and then when the surtnce is dry enough, hoe the surface over, This will stop undue evaporation ami the water you have given will be conserved to the use of the plants. It is a fact that we have noticed better plants aiid better gardens in the country where water i 3 not used to the saiuj extent as it is in the towns, 'ibis is simply beoause the gardener has to rely on the hoe more than lie-docs with the watering can. One of the finest beds of roses we have seen is out in tho country, where water is scarce for garden purposes. There are some things that must have water now, dahlias, for instance, and where this cannot l>e given tho plants will be found to l>e stunted and attacked by thrips. Even where water is used this pest can lie found and is a very hard one to eradicate without continued spraying, The dry season is responsible for this state of things, and one must be content to do their best. Chrysanthemums arc shallow-rooting plants, but at the same time the soil round them must he kept well worked and if water is given (french the soil, and then use the hoe again. The second break buds are showing now, and those who are growing the plants for show blooms are busy disbudding and feeding them with liquid manure. This should never be given to any kind of plant when the soil is dry. Those plants that are to Ire fed should lie well-watered first, and when tile water has soaked in the liquid manure in a weak form can lie given. One must always remember that plants do not cat; they take nourishment in the form of liquid and sift out whatever they may renuire. The balance is transpired through the leaves. When animal manure is used allow it to hang in the water for three or four days, shaking it up every day, then take the bags out of tho water and use the liquid only. It may ho too strong then, so to every gallon of liquid manure uso two gallons of water to dilute it. The roots of plants are not immediately round the stems, but at some distance from the stem, and it is here that the liquid manure should be put. Staking is an important item at ths time of the year; dahlias and chrysanthemums both require it. and it is work that cannot bo neglected if you do not want your plants broken. Another thing about staking plants is to use tho sticks in such a way that air can circulate freely amongst the shoots. Many growers of Michaelmas daisies tie the whole of a clump to one stake and the centre of the plant turns Mack, which brings disease and spoils the general effect. It would be better if single-stemmed plants were grown, and then one stake could be used and the flowers would be better.

Bulb-planting should be pushed on as fast as possible. The soil may seem very dry, but as soon as a bulb is put in tho driest soil it will begin to attract moisture, and roots will push out which will be ready to catch any moisture as soon as it falls. Tf the bed lias not 5 been got ready get to it at once, even if it has to be broken up with a pick. When planting bulbs do not use any manure, but some wellrotted, turfy loam put in under them will be valuable. A little bone flour can also be to ad ventage, but only a light dusting is required. Riant out anemones and ranunculus tubers now, using good, clean soil, and along the bottom of the trench used to plant in put an inch or so of good sharp sand. These plants can be put into this, and even put a little sand over them. Add a little lime to the soil before covering up. Both of these plants should be at least two inches liclow the surface. Keep the surface clean and free from weeds bv hoeing and raking, but do not allow the soil to set hard. A WANDERER’S NOTEBOOK. You will notice from the price list I sent you that everything that is sold here is not home-grown. My firm have agents all over the country and in every place where any quantity or fruit or vegetables is grown. You must not think that Covent Garden is the only market here; there is another at Spitalfields' and another at London Bridge. I was up early the other day to take charge of a consignment oi celery and lettuces. The celery is part of a crop of three hundred acres, and as fast as one; lorry is unloaded it is away again for another ioad. By the time I was relieved I had put through ten lorry-loads. After a spell I went on n"ain to tally lettuces. There were ten lorry loads' of a thousand score

each. They do not count these tilings hi 1 dozens, but by scores, and al ten ; o dock in the morning the donkeymen, as they call tho costers, were clamouring lor more. One lorry had a breakdown and did not arrive until one o’clock, an unprecedented thing, but in half an hour’s time the whole load hud been taken by these men. ; They are the most amusing ‘ ‘cusses j that you could find anywhere, and al-; though they talk the whole time they are, without doubt, the last tempered and most honest people you could meet. They knew I was a new hand and were very anxious to isnd out where 1 came trom; the guesses ranged nearly all over the world, but i had a shrewd suspicion that they knew already, especially as one told me he had a sister married to a “choom” in Rapakura and another had a brother in Taihapo who wanted him to Come out. “Bless vor, what abart the missus and the kid?’’ I would like to go round with one of these fellows and watch the process ot unloading vegetables on to the public, | and when I get the chance I shall do so. . ~ i What amazes me most is the Luge quantities of everything that arej handled every day. Last week a whole train-load of cabbages came in trom one place alone, and they seemed to me to go as soon as they weic unloaded. The whole lot were a good sample with nice firm heads and were beautifully packed. It would do you good to bundle some of the stuff here. The celery, for instance, is crisp and; firm and not woolly in the centre like' some I have tried to grow. lam told that it is given a dose of nitrate j of soda two days before it is dispatched to market. Yesterday ! noticed a consignment of flowers coming. in. It was only a boatload I was told, I but the vast ness of the load- was, amazing. I hope that I shall have a trip to the Seiily Isles before long, j So far I have done nothing with the flower side of the market, but one never knows when my time will come. Narcissi are great favourites at the present time, but roses from outside countries are coming in strongly, and fine blooms they arc.

QUESTIONS. ‘•lceland Poppy” says: “I want to grow a bed ot these Mowers for my own use, but I have not had any experience in gardening matters. I try to follow out your instructions from time to time and my latest work has been to layer three carnation plants. I do not know whether they are border carnations or any other kind. They wore given to mo as cuttings two years ago and have made good plants with plenty of flowers and are still blooming. Can you tell me when they should be planted out? Mv idea is to plant them as a. Border round my vegetable garden which lias concrete paths through it. Shall 1 trench this land, which is fairly good loam and is well sheltered from heavy winds? Could you also tell me what to do to my tomato plants the lower loaves of which are withering up and falling off. There is some fruit on them, but so far none' ha.s ripened yet. Is there anything I can do (o hurry them on?” '■■■■■

Iceland poppies are easy plantß to grow if you get them in early enough and use some old, woll-rottea manure in the soil when making up the bed. Use plenty of lime on the soil before planting out. but in some soils this is not always required. Make the bed narrow enough to be worked from either side so that you do not have to walk on it when the soil is wet. Set the plants out a foot apart. If the soil is old and has been used and ! manured before, it would be a good plan to work in some horticultural, napthalene when working it up. This, will kill or drive all insect pests away, j The carnations are evidently the tree, or perpetual varieties and they can be, moved as soon as they are rooted.: Work-up the soil well and use plenty, of lime in it. Carnations are lime-, loving plants. IF you can get some! old mortar rubbish from an old brick chimney you will find it’s bettoT than lime and can bo put underneath the plants in handfuls. Plant firmly and water them in order to establish them. Most likely you will find that as soon , as they planted they will begin to send up flower stalks from the centre. These must bo nipped out to allow the plants to shoot put. They will be quite happy along the concrete path as long as they arc not planted too close to it. About a foot away should he enough. Dust the plants with lime every week or so to keep rust away. It is a very common complaint with tomatoes for the lower leaves to curl up when the plants are fruiting, ou do not say if yon have sprayed them. If yon have not done so, spray them with Bordeaux 3-4-fiO. A little superphosphate and sulphate of potash will probably lielp the fruit, feow round the plants and water in it. “Bulbs” says: “'Would you publish a list of bulbs that can be grown in pots and vases without drainage? T understand that there are quite a lot and I would like to try some. I have no glasshouse, but at the same time I have a glassed-in verandah where cactus plants and a few other things do quite well. I understand that some special soil is required. Any information you can give will be very much appreciated.” Narcissi bulbs can be grown in pots with drainage by using ordinary soil with a good mixture of sand m it, and the same applies to hyacinths and freosias, but at the same time it is not a good plan to take any of them inside until they are well rooted in the pots. Stand these pots outside or sink them in the soil until they becrivi to grow. Use six-inch pots and four or five bulbs can be put in each. In the case of pots without drainage von can buy peaty moss made up readv to go into these, and well broken up oyster shell can be added, and a few pieces of charcoal. The whole secret in growing them is not to overwater. After watering, stand the pot on its side so that any surplus water can drain away. The following bulbs are grown successfully in this Laeheualias, hyacinths, narcissi, but like those in p° ts with drainage it is necessary to start tile growth before they are subjected to warmer conditions. PESTS IN THE GARDEN. The following, taken from an Australian garden paper, suggests something that might be well worth trying. In any case, our gardens would be licher for manv of these old-fashioned plants, and we'know that there are very few of them that are attacktd by insect pests: Each year there is news from some part of the country relating to various types of crops suffering spoliation through pestilential visitations of insects, or of trees being stripped by caterpillars, or maybe of fruit failures through disease. In fact, it appears that year by year such visitations are

on the increase, no matter how much further we seem to progress in measures to prevent damage in this way. There are many theories as to the reasons for this, the most logical ot which is that which attributes it to specialisation and selection and breeding, (.•'.using weakening in stocks. In that insert pests always go first for the weaker types of plants, it follows that such plants as those which, have been evolved through specialisation are naturally tho first to suffer when an insect disease visits anv district. Working on this line, experiments have been made in innumerable ways with tho view to finding a remedy lor tho trouble. In some cases success lias been attained, particularly with crops, by breeding, so that the more insectpest resisting types are evolved. But more interesting to the ordinary gardener is the information that some success has been tho reward of experiments with herb borders in gardens, where attempts are being made to grow the weaker type of flowers. The theory is that insects keep away from strong species of vegetation, a fact which can easily be verified by placing mint near ant runs, when the insects will soon begin to avoid it. Plants of the herb tyeo have not been subjected to specialised breeding, and are therefore well able to take care or themselves. Placed round weaker members of the vegetable kingdom, they appear to afford protection from pestilential visits.

So far the best herbs for this purpose have been found to be plants of tho thyme and santolina type, while lavender and sweet marjoram are also useful; also insect -repelling are pink and white hyssops, winter savory, blessed thistle and southernwood. It is just as possible that others like rosemary and sage are equally effective and'only need a trial to prove their efficiency. The idea of trying herbs in gardens as insect repellers came from the observation that, while a garden consisting of both a flower garden and a herb garden suffered spoliation in the decorative side, no insects were observed to attack the herbs. Gardeners, who this year have seen cherished plants wither away through visitations by various kinds of pests, may well try the herb border protection next year, in the hope that it may prove more effective than their usual methods of pest resisting.