THE GARDEN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 71, 21 February 1940, Page 7

THE GARDEN

Xntos are published under this heading, and readers will be published with the weekly notes.

THE FLOWER GARDEN. The month of February is generally considered the best time lor an autumn sowing of such plants as antirrhinums, cineraria, calendula, Iceland poppies, primulas, pansy, viola, Reality of Nice and many of the hardy subjects. In such a season us this the seed can be safely sown in the. open ground, but it is extremely difficult to sow the fine seeds thin enough in the open ground, and so we would advise all gardeners to sow them in boxes of good soil that has been properly prepared for t ho purpose. sA soon as these young seedlings arc large enough, they can he pricked out into other boxes of good soil, wheer they can be grown until the ground is ready to receive them. From some experiments we carried out last season we found that a teaspoonful ol superphosphate sprinkled over the soil of eacli box did a great doalv ol good. There was a marked difference of growth between the plants in the control box and tlio.se of the treated, even in the case of plants sot out in soil that was worked and made up according to the best gardening practice. During the last, weft or two such plants as dahlias and chrysanthemums have had rather n had time from the continual heavy winds, and it lias !>oen necessary to spend a considerable time tving them up. If this is not done they are liable to lie verv much broken about, and many of them tv ill cl> ruined. The time lias come now when feeding the plants can he be-

“Tulip” says; “i have lifted all my tulips and they seem to be nice, fat bulbs. They are larger than when I

gun. Do not run away with the idea that because dahlias are strong growing plants they can be feci with strong drums; the contrary is the proper course. Make the liquid manure about the colour of weak tea and allow each plant about a gallon of the liquid every two or three days. When the liquid is taken out of the mixing cask add two gallons of water to each gallon, of the liquid manure. The same tiling applies to those chrysanthemums that have set their buds. Alter each watering the soil should be lightly stirred to stop the surface from caking and getting hard.

Remove all old and worn out stalks of herbaceous plants and burn them, they arc of no use in the compost heap. The heavy rain lias made the lawn grass grow very fast now and some oi it can he taken oif and put in the compost heap. There is nothing like lawn grass to enrich the soil that is being stacked up to make the compost heap. When this soil is heaped or stacked up a good layer of the compost heap put between cacti layer will make a lot of difference to the richness of the boxing or potting soil when it is cut out. It does not take a great deal of soil to fill boxes in an ordinary garden, and a yard or two of turf will make a lot of difference to the working of the garden. If the compost is heavy, some coarse sand can he used to keep it open and free. QUESTIONS.

“E.W.” says : “Could you tell me what is wrong with my hydrangeas? in other years they have (kcii beautiful, but this year they have not done at all well. They have ■ gone rusty looking and the 1 lowers the same. Is it time to take cuttings, and do J take only tips? I planted lour lemon trees near a hedge, but they are not dbing well. Whenever 1 put them in 1 give them plenty of fowl manure and they just stand still. Do you think the soil would he too poor or Loo dry near the hedge ?”

You have not given any details in connection with the growing of the hydrangeas, hut we suspect poor drainage and lack of feeding material. It might pay you to lift the plants and remake the bed, attending to drainage, manuring and deep digging or breaking up the clay underneath and working in some old strawy manure to keep the clay open. When the plants are growing well, a good covering of fowl manure will do good towards 'helping them to grow, hut has a tendency to keep the blooms pink. If you want to get blue blooms you will have to use something to destroy the alkaline tendency of the soil and make it become acid. The Americans have a way of deciding the acid contents of a soil which they call its Rn content. From three to lour will grow blue hydrangeas, but anything over this, will begin to produce pink in its various stages. Lime the soil well to keep plenty of pink in the blooms. Guttings can he made from the tops of tinflowered shoots, which should be taken now and inserted in a box of sand in a cold frame or shady part of flic garden. Cut across the shoot just below a node and remove any leaves that will go in the sand. They will take about a month io root, and can then lie. potted up for planting in the next spring. We do not. know what is wrong with the lemon trees, but it seems as though the soil they were planted in is not good enough. It may be cold and requires ‘draining, heinous will not stand wet feet and even when heavy land is drained it is better to plant as high as possible and heap the soil 'up. Another tiling which may have some hearing on the matter is the stock on which the lemon is worked. Many sweet orange pips have been sown and lemons worked on them. These stocks arc unsuitable or at least many of them are not suited to cold clay soils. It lias, been said that a stock called Triloliatn will stand frost well, and would probably he a good one. However, it would he better to remove the lemons from the hedge and plant them in the best soil you have as long as the drainage is good. Protect them during the winter from frosts.

“Amateur'’ says: ' I should bo glad to know how to prepare a bed for strawberries. I have heard that February or .March is a good time to put them in. 1 have the ground deeply dug. I have some blood and bone and superphosphate mixed in equal parts. Would that do, and how much per square yard? ] have some runners that could be transplanted now. 1 suppose I could still dig up the plot again and work in some stuff or garden refuse. Also, would you tell me the reason for carrots splitting?” Strawberry plants will grow and crop well in almost any garden soil that is deeply cultivated and generously manured. Good drainage is an important factor. Good, loamy soil is most to their liking perhaps, but. excepting such extremes as heavy, cold clay and very light, sandy soils that are hot and dry, there are few gardens where strawberries cannot be successfully grown-. Many failures with them occur as a result of defective root action, due to planting in waterlogged, stagnant ground. If the soil is very heavy, efforts must bo made to lighten its texture and improve drainage. (See last week’s notes on soil improvement.) In heavy land, opportunity should be taken to work in liberal quantities of such tilings 'as strawy manure, old compost heap and similar materials that are likely to keep the top soil open and well aerated before planting is done. On the other hand, horse and cow manure, turfy loam, spent hops and so on should .he added to light sandy soils to increase the moistureholding capacity and humus content. Whatever the garden soil, it must be cleared of weeds and deeply worked. When they are planted in shallow ground where the subsoil has not been broken, they are seldom successful. If the land has already been trenched, manure of a well-decayed nature can be put on top and forked into the soil. It is not necessary to bury the manure very deeply, because the plants are not deep rooters and their roots work mostly in the top six inches of soii. Basie slag can be sown over the area to be planted at the rate of half a pound to the square yard, or, failing that, use a mixture of superphosphate two parts and sulphate of potash one part. Work this in at the rate of a quarter of a pound to the square yard, and then rake and firm the surface, and it is ready for planting. If basic slag is used there is enough lime in it. A little can be used as in ordinary garden work. Put the plants out as soon as they arc well-rooted, and when planting spread the roots out or plant them with a good ball of earth as when lifted from the bed. Carrots split from excessive moisture in the soil after they have finished their normal growth. ' Carrots left in for the winter arc often split.

bought them last year. How long could they he kept out of the ground before it is necessary to plant them? The reason I ask is that wo may be moved from here, and if this happens it will he towards the end of March. What kind of soil and manure do tulips lihe best? They have done well here on a sandy kind of soil that is very easy to work. What lias become of your Co vent Garden correspondent? 1 have been there, and J have seen all he describes, and it brings hack old memories.”

You can safely keep your tulips out of the ground until the end of' April without doing them any harm. Even if they have an inch or two of shoot oil them, they can ho safely planted. The soil such as von describe is very suitable ior growing tulips hi. It is a mistake to plant them in too rich a soil. A little pure bonemca! will not do them any harm. Keep the soil well stirred between them with the dutch hoe after planting. Our Covent Garden correspondent lias joined up with some section of the British Army and is rather tickled because he has been put in the commissariat department, where lie has to superintend potatoes and cabbages, at least this is wlint he savs.

“P.H.G.” says: “Would you kindly give me a lew hints about growing bulbs in drainless bowls? J. have about a dozen varieties; and there is no room in the garden to make a bed for them. I have a dozen bowls about Gin across and the same in depth. Will they do?” The bulbs can be grown in the bowls in fibre, and it is time that you began the work now. The fibre is special stuff which you can get lrom the seedsman and horticultural supply stores. When you get it, give it a good soaking in water, and then squeeze it as dry as possible before pulling it into the bowl. .Some pieces oi charcoal about the size ol a hazel nut can be pui in the bottom. Wben the bowl is a lieu l half filled, the bulbs can be put in, nearly touching one another, and then more of the fibre can be worked in between, but leave the necks of the bulbs exposed. When all the bowls have been filled, place thebowls in a cool, dark position. I he object of (bis is lo encourage plenty of root action before top growth begins. Most failures with them are due to the fact that top growth is allowed to begin before the bowls are filled with

roots. Bring them out to the light when the green tops are first seen. The j fibre at no time should he very wet — just moist is enough. You must not expect the same fine flowers as you would get from planting the bulbs in the open ground, but you will get a lot of pleasure from growing them in this wav. THE VEGETABLE GAIIDEX. '

On looking up some old notes for February we have found that the principal activity for that month is to supply growing plants with plenty ot water, but we hardly think that applies to this season. In most eases the ground is moist enough now to be able to carry on for the rest of the season without any more water. The heavy wind has been one of the chief troubles, iand plants that have been exposed to it have suffered considerably. Tomatoes must be retied to their supporting stakes in many cases. As soon as they are dry enough, spray them with Bordeaux mixture even if they were only sprayed a week ago. The heavy rain may have washed tne spray away and it would be just as well to provide another lot. Keep all the laterals removed and give the plants a dressing of superphosphate. If you have not already got your leeks planted out, lose no time in getting them into the ground, whichshould be well manured. If they are planted in drills they can be easily watered by having the water run along the drill if water is wanted. It does not matter if the leeks reach a Jargo size, because they will bo well grown and 'are sure to be tender. Plant out celery in well-manured trenches, and get the plants in as soon ns possible. Silver beet is a splendid winter vegetable and no garden should be without an ample supply. ■-’When sowing the seed in well manured ground, set the seeds out to at least a foot apart and keep the ground well worked as long as it is in a fit condition to work. Winter spinach can also be sown now and the ground can be well manured for the purpose. Plant cabbages and cauliflowers on raised ridges and use basic slag in the holes.

Onions arc ripening off in some gardens and they must be pulled and dried >as soon as they are ready, because fbc moist sod will start these

plants growing again if they are not lifted from the soil. Marrows and cucumbers will go on cropping for some time yet if the fruit is picked before the seeds begin to harden. If early frosts come these plants will feel them before anything else. Keep French and runner beans well picked, and if you should have too many of them runner beans can be put in jars and salted down for winter use. As soon as any crop' has finished its usefulness, take it out of the soil, and if the soil is to be used dig it over and get the crop in as soon as you can. If it is not wanted for any crop, sow it down with a cover crpp for digging in later. Lupins are a good crop to grow, and when one gets a good crop it will do a lot towards making up the parts that have been taken from it by other crops.