GARDEN NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 264, 7 October 1942, Page 6

GARDEN NOTES

THE FLOWER GARDEN. It is up to every gardener to help to make things brighter and to do this a few shillings spent in seeds and plants can mako a grand show. Gardeners of r the present day have many advantages j over those of past generations. There, j are soil improvers which are the result of hard work in laboratories and which will suit every kind of soil we have to deal with. It does not matter what kind of soil you have at your disposal the main thing is to try to understand its needs. A friend writing on this subject said that when he first tried the soil he thought it was useless to do anything with it, but after digging a part and taking all the largo stones out of it he found it would grow good cabbages; and then ho happened to read an article wherein tho writer said that roses could be grown whore cabbages flourished. So he tried a bed of twelve roses and had very good success with them. Since then he has grown many other plants with equal success and now says he would not change his poor, stony soil for any other. There are plenty of people who can grow things under all kinds of adverse conditions, but it will always be found that they mako the soil the lirst study and then look to the needs of the plants. Another thing that few people seem to take much notice of is the way in which plants should be set in the soil. They will get a handful of plants and go out into the garden with a dibble and stick them in wherever they can find a space and expect the plants to grow fast. If these plants were carefully lifted from a box with a trowel and a ball of earth and roots transferred to tho soil it would make a lot of difference. Careful planting is essential at all times. Then there is the anxious gardener who likes to plant cvervthing with some manure to help it along. It is a great mistake to think that a plant needs manure before it is established. Either work the manure into the soil before planting and mix it thoroughly with the soil, or wait until the plant's begin to move and then sprinkle a little manure along the soil between the plants and hoc it in lightly. The soil will then take charge of it and break it down for the use of the plants. Prepare the ground for planting out chrysanthemums. The soil they were growing in last year should be removed and replaced with fresh turf from the turf heap. These plants are not very deep rooters and it is important to plant them firmly. As long as the turf is clean and frosh it is not necessary to add manure; this can be given when the plants begin to show the second crown bud.

QUESTIONS. “Amateur Gardener” says: “I have some potatoes which are rather small; some measure one and a-half inches to one and three-quarters. I was wondering if they arc too small to plant. Also, I have grown some polyanthus from -seed which I planted last anutinn. How soon will these flower?” Plant the potatoes by all means. Much of tbo secd that is being used this season is not much larger. Pick out all the best and set them out in the same way as ordinary seed. Thcro arc a good many growers who would be thankful to get the seed you mention. If the polyanthus plants have been planted out in good soil they should be showing _ signs of flowering now. You will notice buds showing if you look into the centres of the plants. They may even bloom yet if you look after them. “Gerbcra” says: “I have some very largo pi antis of gerberas which I would like to divide When can this bo done and what kind of soil do they require? Gerberas can be lifted and divided as late as November. Lift them out as carefully as posisibJo without destroying their roots, before dividing, them. They like a good soil, which must lie well drained. Leaf mould makes a good manure to work into the soil for them. When planting, take out a trench and spread tho roots out every way. The crown of the plants should be level with the surface of the soil. The plants should bo about 18 inches apart every way. Keep the soil well worked, but do not water them overhead. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. October is probably the busiest month of the year for anyone who is trying to grow vegetables. The main crop of potatoes can he planted now or as soon as the land can be prepared. As soon as x-arrots come up, work the soil between the rows to a depth of one or two inches and keep this tilth going until it its impossible to work between the rows without injuring the tops. Parsnips can bo treated in the same way and as soon as the tops cover the soil there will be no need for further working. I lie onion crop is one that likes plenty of working, and later, when the.bulbs are beginning to form, dust a little fowl manure along between the rows and hoe thio into the ground. When hoeing amongst the onions, keep the sod away from tho base of the plants. Earth up cabbage and cauliflower plants to keep them steady in -the soil and also to hold the moisture. French beans can be sown now hut the ground for them must be well drained. One mistake that most growers make is to plant these beans too close together. If they are given at least, six inches they will do better than when they aro planted closer. The same applies to peas; if gardeners would only give the plants more room they would get better crops. When going over , a harden -recently we saw peas planted in Four rows and the seed had been sown so thickly that the plants were almost touching one another. Enough seed had been sown in this row to plant six rows tho same length. Seeds of pumpkins and marrows can bo started now between two pieces of wot flannel; as soon as the root begins to show, pot each seed up into 3in pots. One grower we know of collects all the birds’ nests -he can get and fills them with soil and puts a seed in each. When thdy arc planted out the whole nest is put into the ground, bow leek seed this month for transplanting later. Tho main thing is to get good strong plants; to do this, take out a shallow trench and along the bottom put some manure; cover this with a few inches of soil; sow the seed along the top, and cover with half an inch or so of soil. As soon as the young plants come up, weed them and keep them weeded until they arc ready to plant. _ Celenac and celery seed can be sown in boxes this month for pricking out as soon as they arc ready to handle. This seed is rather small and care mufit be taken not to sow it too thickly. If these plants arc allowed to become 6pindly they will never do much good afterwards; but grow them well apart and they will make good, strong plants which when set out early in the season will be sure to do well. The demand has already begun for tomato plants, but those who get them now would be well advised not to set them out in the open but to pot them into 4in or sin pots and keep them under a frame for the next two or throe weeks. Do not keep the frames closed, but put something under them to keep them raised so that the plants can get plenty of air. The plants will be nice and strong for setting out in the open next month, and, being moved from pots, they are not likely to flag. Cucumbers can be started in tho same way as pumpkins, but it is better to keep them growing in pots until they arc a fair size before planting them in tho open. Tho apple cucumbers aro good both for salad purposes and for cooking in the same way as young marrows. Kohl rabi is a vegetable that is not grown as much as it should be. When about half-grown it is very tender and sweet. Salsify is a long root vegetable that should be grown in much the same way as parsnips. Sow the seed in drills and thin the plants out to four inches apart. They do best in a light, sandy loam without any frosh manure in it. Do not forgot _ that lettuces like liquid manure even if the eoil is moist. They like a cool root run at any time.