THE GARDEN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 225, 21 August 1940, Page 4

THE GARDEN

Notes are published under this heading, and readers interested in gardening are invited to send in questions relatingl to matters upon which they wish expert adr r ice; answers will be published with the weekly notes THE FLOWER GARDEN

Antirrhinum seed can be sown now. It is nather slow in germinating and the boxes it is sown in should bo kept under glass until the young seedlings begin ro come up. Make tno surface or the soil very hue and press it down iirmly with a piece of hat board, iisow the seed thinly on the surface, sprinkle a little soil on it and pre=s me soil down again with the board. As soon as the young plants come up they must have plenty of air. They are pricked out as soon as they are large enough to handle. All summer bedding plants that are grown from seed are treated in much me same way as the above. There are quite a number that can be sown now, such as nemesia; the best of this plant is the one that is known as compacta. Godetia plants are good for massing and the 6eed can be sown now. Gailiardia, dianthus, carnations, phlox drummondi and stocks can all be sown now. Chrysanthemum plants that are rooted now can be potted up into three-inch pots, and as soon as they begin to grow again stand them outside where tney can be watered if required; but tliey must not be coddled too much. Pentstemons that were rooted in the autumn should be got out into the open ground. The soil tor them should be in good heart, but not too heavily manured with fresh manure or the plants will grow coarse and these do not flower too well.

Lupins and delphiniums can be put out in the open ground now. They are both plants that like a well-limed soil, and if it has been manured for some previous crop it will be all the better for these plants. These plants do well or look wed in conjunction with each | other. Fuchsias are plants that are coming to the froht very fast, and in many cases there are some gardens where beds of these plants are to be grown. The present time is a good one to prune the plants, which are treated to a yearly pruning in much the same way as roses are done. Mignonette is a plant that should be grown in every garden, but it is not one that can be easily raised from plants to be transplanted; the seed must be sown where the plants are to be grown. Slugs and snails are very fond of the young plants and during the seedling stage they must be protected by some means. An old motor tyre cut round the centre and placed flat on the ground is a good protection to the young plants. Thin the seedling plants out to a foot apart as , soon as they can be seen. This plant * is one of those that like lime in the soil. Old mortar rubbish like that kept for carnations is one of the best things that can be given, but if there is none of this handy use ground limestone and fork it in before sowing the seed. QUESTIONS. “Interested ’ says: “I have two walnut trees eight or nine years old and wondered if you would be good enough to tell me how old they need be, or if there is any special treatment, before they will bear nuts. Also, I find quite a number of my gladioli corms are shooting. Would it be too early to plant them yet, or is there any way to nold them back Y Is it just the season or some other causer 1 The corms are dried off and are kept dry afterwards. I would also be pleased to have some information about Japanese irises. Mine have been planted for three years now with very little success.” It is .not unusual lor walnut, trees, to \ take some years to bear. In, some garden books it is stated that walnuts will bear in from seven to fourteen years. There is an old saying, “A woman, a dog, and a" walnut tree, the more you beat them the better they ; be.” Some old gardeners used to boat's their walnut trees regularly every 1 1 year. We do no; know it they treated,! their wives in the same way. Gladioii j i conns will start into growth if there ] is moisture in the air or if they aro . 1 kept in closed bags or boxes. When' i the shoots are about three or four ■ I inches Tong they should be planted. As I far as ti e know there is no way to stop them once they have started growing. You should not have any trouble with Japanese irises. As a rule they are easy enough to manage and will > grow and bloom in good garden soil j or along the bank of a stream. They are the most accommodating plants in this respect that we know* of. “Flower Grower” says: “Wo thank| you for your helpful notes, but would! you please state how far apart seed-! lings of any kind should be placed when! they are first pricked out. Also, I j have been told that it pays well to i prick seedlings out twice and would | like to hear what you have to say j about this. What is the correct depth . to have the soil in the box the plants are pricked out into ? We have measured the soil in several boxes and have found that it varies from one and three-quarter inches in depth to three inches. What would you advise ? When seedlings are pricked out into boxes they should be at least tw'o inches apart. Some plants are pricked out twice, but with the exception of celery we do not think there is any advantage to be gained by doing so. Celery is rather slow at first and if it . is pricked out first wlien very small it can be given more room- and will have far more roots per plant. The question of depth of soil in a box is one that will depend on the grower. Some growers only use shallow boxes, and others like at least three inches in depth, and we think that if less soil is used there will not be enough soil to give the plants plenty of rooting room. Press the soil well down into the boxes before beginning to prick out. “Amateur” says: “Could you recommend a good fertiliser for root crops, especially carrots ? I have heard that kainit or even salt is good. Would you recommend the ready mixed Bordeaux in powder form P It would certainly be a great convenience to get it that way.” The best fertiliser for root crops such as carrots, parsnips, etc., is proper crop rotation, using soil for these vegetables that lias been manured for some previous crop. Salt is uselul when dusted along the rows between carrots, but it is unnecessary to use it on parsnips. Anj' good soil that has been deeply dug will grow this crop. As far as the Bordeaux powder is concerned. we have never had very good results from its use. It is said by some users that they have had good results from it, and we would be pleased to hear from anyone who has used it and what the results have been. “A.G.” says: “I have planted some fruit trees this year and have been told that they must he pruned hard the first season. If this is done I shall lose all chance of fruit for some time to come.” Yes, it is necessary to prune all fruit trees hard the first year. If you allow them to fruit before they arc established you will lose more fruit than you will again, and besides that The trees will not grow as they should. An apple tree should not he allowed to bear for the first two years at least. “Daphne” says: “For the last three rears I have tried to grow dalipnes,

but after a while they die out. Can you help me Y My sou is very iieavy and wee in the winter. Also, could you tell me where i cuu get the following chrysanthemums r” Wo-think that most of your trouble with the daphnes is want of drainage •in the soil, if you cannot drain it, try growing the plant in a tub. The best soil for these plants is a sandy peat loam or any good sandy, turly ) loam that does not run together. Place the tubGn u sunny but sheltered position and see that there are drainage holes in the. bottom. Fill this with the loam and add a little bone dust, and plant in the centre. When the plant begins to grow.it must not be allowed to get too dry, but should bo watered as occasion requires. When working the soil in the tub it is only necessary to scratch the surfaoe and to remove any weeds. These plants do not like root interference. Every' season a dressing of fresh loam can be put on the surface and a little bone dust added to it. They do not like a quantity' of rich manure, but a little well-rotted cow manure will do no harm. W T e do not know if the chrysanthemums y T ou have named are in New Zealand, but if y'ou apply to one of the specialists in these plants he will be able to tell you. ASPARAGUS BEDS.

To make an asparagus bed it is necessary' to dig the soil to a depth of three loot and to see that the water can get away from the bottom of it. As the work proceeds, work in plenty' of animal manuro and mix it thoroughly with the soil.' The - best size to make is five feet wide, as this will take two rows of plants two feet apart. The plants should be planted eighteen inches apart in the rows. Make the bed a lew weeks in advance of planting to allow it to settle down. When the plants are ready to be put in, open two shallow trenches about four inches deep and wide enough to spread the roots out on every side. New or fresh manure should never be allowed to come in contact with the newly planted roots or they will rot before they' get a chance to grow. When the roots are covered up the crown should be about two inches below the surface. It is very important that no shoots should bo cut from the bed the first year.

Later on, when the plants begin to grow, manure can be spread over the surface and worked lightly into the soil. If the soil from the bed begins to fall away, some boards can be put along each side to keep the soil in place. The bed will probably be slightly higher than the surrounding soil >vd can be worked from cither side with- 1 out walking on it. ( THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. Plant potatoes now, using one of the quick maturing varieties for early work. It is a wonder that Jerusalem artichokes are not grown in all gardens. I They have considerable value as a food article and they are easy to grow. When they are grown in a soil that is on the sandy side it can be manured | with some old well-rotted staff before ! the sets are put in the ground. If .they are not required for kitchen food I tliey make splendid food ior poultry. One lady says that she considers they make the best food for ducklings she I has ever tried. There are some people who think them a most delicious vegetable. Perhaps something could be ! done by selection to get a smoother 1 and better shaped tuber. This has been done in some cases and we believe that it can be done again. A correspondent says the large variety of shallot is known as the Russian and that it is better than many varieties of onions for usefulness. If it is planted now it will last right through : the winter.

Spinach is, a very useful early vegetable which can be sown now. A wellmanured position is the best for it. Either the prickly or the round seeded varieties can be sown and in well-rnan-ured soils will come on very fast. A dressing of nitrate of soda will help the plants to come on very quickly. A few tomato seeds can be sown now for a few early plants, but next month will be quite soon enough for the main crop varieties. There is very little to be gained by putting these crops out in the open ground too early m the season. The soil for tomatoes should lie clean and free from any disease. If tomatoes have been grown in it within the last two years the soil should be heavily limed. A dressing of sulphate of potash is a splendid thing for this crop. The ground for planting asparagus should be got in order for setting the plants out in the new bed. It is not necessary to set the plants out yet, but they ean be put ill next month as long as the soil is dry enough. Rhubarb can be planted in well prepared and manured soil, but the roots should not be allowed to come in contact with any fre’h manure or it may rot the roots. On-- of the most useful varieties . of rhubarb is the Crimson Winter. This is good either for winter or summer use. Like the summer variety, it must not be pulled the first season it is planted. Old asparagus beds and rhubarb tieds can be treated to a good coating ' of manure. After the manure has been put on the soil it can be covered with soil from the paths at the sides. SHELTER. There is plenty of room for more shelter in this part of the country, and those who have a chance to put in plenty of shelter trees should set about the work as soon as possible before the soil gets too warm. It seems a pity that in this wonderful country, once covered with forest, we should have to buy firewood and timber for any other purpose when there is plenty of land which would be far better employed growing trees than gorse and other weeds. The grasslands want- more s-hel-

ter, the stock need more shelter, and the farmers need more timber. There are gullies in many places that are only covered with rubbish and they would bo much better employed in growing trees of some kind. Most varieties of the eucalpytus family do well i.n this district and the wattles are another very useful tree to grow. For shelter there are the Lawson and the macrocarpa; the latter is probably one of the finest all-round trees that can be grown. The timber makes splendid posts and, the wastage is good for firewood. Whenever the ground can be cultivated before the trees are put in this should be done by ploughing and working up the surface. If this cannot be done, then good-sized spaces should be provided by digging.