GARDEN NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 225, 22 August 1945, Page 8

GARDEN NOTES

THE FLOWER GARDEN. There are plenty of hardy seedlings that can be set out in vacant places in the garden. Antirrhinums that are planted out now will soon begin to grow. The centres of the, plants can be pinched out so that each one will bush out nicely and be covered with flowers. Nemcsia can bo planted out wherever there is space for them. 'lhese plants are highly coloured and when planted in good large breaks make a wonderful show. The daffodil beds must be kept clean and free from weeds. 'JLhese weeds should be picked out and can be taken away to the compost heap. In theso days every care should be taken of this heap, because it is necessary to keep a good stock on hand for future work. There are plenty of trees and shrubs of all kinds that can be planted out now, especially those that have been balled or had their roots done up in sacking. Potted shrubs and trees are also quite safe : in fact, if they are not required at once or the soil is not ready for them they can be kept on hand, either with the pots buried in the soil or even stood outside, where they can bo watered. One of the finest herbaceous borders we saw lash season was made up with delphiniums in the background; next to theso some of the newer lupins were planted; in front of these perennial phlox, and the border was finished oil' with the annual phlox compaeta. There are a lot of other combinations that could be worked out which would look as well as the one We have mentioned. Chrysanthemums that are ready can be potted up now in readiness for planting out. We believe that it pays well to pot all plants that are being grown for show blooms. When the time comes to plant them out they can be rammed into the soil, where they will giow into sturdy plants. Shortjointed, sturdy plants produce the best blooms and the only way to get them is to plant them firmly in the soil. The soil need not be very rich as long as it is good and fresh. The feeding can be done when (ho plants are showing buds. Work up the soil for dahlias, putting in plenty of manure, and then lime the surface. It is too early yet to plant out gladioli conns, but the new bed for them can be dug. If manure is required, put it well down. Dig as deeply a.s possible and then leave it to sweeten up for a month or so. Last year we suggested that cyclamen corms could be planted out in the garden as soon as they had finished flowering. A reader has written to say that ho has tried this and finds that it is so successful that ho is going to plant out some more this year. The best flowers were some that were grown under a camellia bush, but. taking them all round they were a decided success. Some were planted in the rock garden and covered with a sheet of glass. These are doing splendidly. Plants in the rockery havo begun to make growth and they can be helped by having a top-dressing of good soik mixed with some -well-rotted manure. Fork this in lightly round the plants and they will respond at once. Where plants have died out in the rockery, move the soil they were growing in before replanting with anything else. Replace the soil taken out with some good fresh stuff made up with good sifted loam and sharp sand, to which can be added a handful or two of bonedust. Bonodust is a slow manure, but it is very suitable for most plants in the rockery. It often pays to fdl some of the places that are empty with annuals. QUESTIONS. "Garden" says: "Last season I sowed onion seed about the middle of April and set the plants out on the first of September. Not having enough, I bought 200 plants. The first lot I planted from my own sowing grew well, but fully 80 per cent sent up seed stalks. The lot I bought had only two seed stalks showing. Can you account for this? Acting on your advice, 1 cut the seed stalks out and in nearly every case I got two onions, flat on one side certainly, but still aofirl onions." We cannot account for so many running to seed. The only thing is that the strain could not have been a good one. This kind of thing often happens with onions, but not to the extent as yours did. Some gardenois say that it is due to a check in the growing season, and this may account for the seed stalks. "Tioes" says: "Would' you recommend mixing ■ trees, such as pines, macrocarpas, cums and wattles, when planting them ? Also, in putting in three or four rows, how far apart should they be spaced?'' We do not recommend mixing tree.; in a plantation. Give each variety a space, to itself. Gums can be planted in a row outside macroearpas without doing any damage. Mine feet apart would be right for planting and then some of those that do not do too well could be cut out later. "G.C.T." says; "My son has sent mi' somo delphinium seed from England. He fiays they are a splendid kind and wants mo to take care of them, until he comes home. Would it not be better to sow the «eed now rather than wait?" Yes, sow the seed at once, as it does not keep well. With imported delphinium seed it is better to soak it in hot, water for an hour before sowing. Put it in water you can just put your hand into and leave it there for an hour ; then sow in boxes of a light compost and cover with a little soil, pressing it down with a flat board. When the young plants are about two inches high, prick them out into other boxes. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. The time has come when we must get busy in the garden and prepare the soil to grow those plants that we wish to have on the table. There are some things that can be planted now, the principal of these being onions and potatoes. Get the onion plants set out as soon as you can. At one time it was thought possible to continue growing onions in the same place, but since onion mildew has become so prevalent it has been found that it pays well to change the ground each year and to give it a good manuring. The best .manure for onions is a mixture of farmyard manure which has had some fowl manure worked into it. Dig this into the ground with a fork and mix the manure thoroughly into it. When the soil has been dug and manured leave it for a while until the soil settles down and is dry on the surface. Then it can be worked down and lines drawn across it at the required distances. If the rows are 15 inches apart there will be enough space to work with the hoe between them. Five or six inches apart in the rows will be enough. Set the plants firmly but not deeply in the soil. If they do riot stand up at first no harm will be done because as soon as they begin to grow they will stand up. Get some potatoes in as soon as possible. Seed is not too plentiful and if you havo not got in your supply get some as soon as you can and put them out in a tray to green up and shoot. They will do this very quickly at this time of the year, and then plants can be set out as required or the ground becomes available. Set out some cabbage plants in fresh soil. Green vegetables are always in demand in the spring and one can easily keep up a supply in the early. part of the season. Make another sowing of peas as soon as the last lot sown are about an inch in height. Birds are troublesome this year and these early crops must be protected as they come through the soil. As far as we know there is nothing to equal half hoops of wirenetting! Once these aids are made they will last for many years and will come in handy for other things that have to be protected. Make up a special bed for lettuces by covering the soil with manure and on top of this put two or three inches of soil. This will raise the bed a few inches above the surrounding soil so increasing the drainage, which is very necessary at this time of the year. If there is a sparo frame handy, some lettuces can be planted in this and with the aid of the glass will come on quickly. Sow some leek seed in a well-manured bed. These plants will do for early planting and then some more seed can be sown for planting later on. Red beet seed nan be sown in a warm part of the jrarden. The early globe or round varieties are the best for early sowing. Soak the seed overnight in hot -water and when sowing set the seed out singly. Sow silver beet in a wellmanured bed and thin the plants out to a foot "apart. Spinach seed can be sown in the same way but the thinnings can bo used as soon as they are large enough. Get the site ready for runner beans.