Garden and Field

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3495, 3 November 1926, Page 4

Garden and Field

CBy Loma_) Hough boisterous -winds are helping to retard the growth of plants, especially the newly planted annuals. These should have the soil firmed around the base of the plant whenever they show signs of any looseness. Plants will not make much headway if the stem has play enough to wobble with the wind. Stake all plants requiring ibis attention. During tho last few weeks the weather has not been favourable, and all outdoor sown seedlings have made very little headway. Such things as Bonfire Salvias, Asters, African Marigolds, Zinnias and Celosia will not make any headway until the weather becomes more favourable. As soon the soil becomes warmer seeds of the above mentioned may be sown, and will bo found to be more satisfactory than the earlier sown greenhouse-type of plants which often remain in the garden for a considerable time before any growth is noticeable. Sunflowers may be sown, the minature varieties providing a wealth of bloom during the autumn months.

Plant Gladioli. If the bulbs are very large plajit six inches deep, to enable the plant to carry the heavy flowering spikes which may be looked for from the largest bulbs. If the happy possessor of large numbers Qf them, plant at fortnightly Intervals. Keep all beds and borders well hoed so that the ground does not acquire that baked appearance which is fatal for the well being of all growing tilings. Also plant Antirihiniums which provide bloom for so many months of the year. The rose borders in common with other plants have made very little headway the last few weeks. The severe frost acted as a decided check to their growth, and a few weeks of warmer weather would bo most welcome to plants and gardener alike. In the Vegetable Garden, Every assistance should be given to the growing plants by hoeing, moulding, etc. and all ground prepared for the main crop of carrots, mangels etc. Seed of Cape Gooseberry may be sown (an annual variety) also Maize and Sweet Corn. If weather and soil conditions permit, the main crop of Potatoes should be got in during this month, also field Peas, which provide valuable winter feeding for pigs and poultry. A few rows of the Prussian Blue Peas should not be omitted, as these provide many a dish during the winter months when vegetables are scarce. If soaked overnight, they only require an hour’s gentle cooking. Seed of cauliflower, Celery; Brussels Sprouts, Broeolli, Henderson’s Succession Cabbage and Savoy may be sown this month. It is a good plan to divide the seed, making a second sowing a few weeks later. Seeds of Melons, Pumpkins, and Cucumber may be sown. Slugs are very fond of these and often devour them before they are quite through the soil. Where small plots are grown, preserving bottles, turned upside down over each seed, afford a good protection. These may be left on until the seedling appears, replacing afterwards nightly. Perrennial Asters. (Michaelmas BuisJcs or Stanvorts.

It is not too late to plant clumps of these desirable hardy perennials. Few flowers have shown such a decided advancement as the Michaelmas Daisies, both in form and colouring. A few' years back the only varieties to be obtained were the well known blue and the white, now we have charming pink shades as well as purples and mauves. Many of the blooms measure two or three inches across, some varieties having double liowers. At tile present time Michaelmas Daisies fill a most important place in all hardy flow'd- gardens, lighting up the borders and shrubberies with masses of brightly coloured blossoms throughout the Autumn i months. They are valuable for all cut flower work, providing an inexhastible supply cf ■ bloom for many weeks There is nothing quite so hardy among Autumn blooming perennials, us they thrive equally well in partial shade or In full sunshine, and may be used for naturalizing purposes in the wild garden, in shrubberies or hedge rows where beautiful effects are obtainable by their use. The graceful small foliagod varieties which go under the heading of Kricoldes, are of great value where light cloudy effects are required in the border, the varieties in this suction have fresh, green, heath-like foliage, and produce small, dainty flowers borne on long, graceful, arching sprays, the plants being covered with blossom from the ground upwards. Their colourings include blush, white, blue, and mauve. Another particularly charming and dainty variety is White Perlo with branching sprays of lovely little double white flowers. Until lately one had to exercise a certain amount of imagination with the Pink Michaelmas Daisies, which had more mauve than pink in their colouring. But now the pink are really and truly pink, Barr’s Pink being particularly fine, also Dady Lloyd and Perry’s Favourite. Among the purples there is a beautiful variety named Royal Purple which produces lino double blooms. Beauty of Colwall has large double soft blue flower*. The largest flowering variety may bo obtained in King George, which has immense flowers measuring three inches in diameter, with broad florets and blooms of a rich violet-blue with a golden centre. As a pot plant the Michaelmas Daisy rivals the Chrysanthemum for Autumn decoration. The varieties are far too numerous

for special mention, as their number is now well over sixty, which include many desirable colours for all forms of garden decoration. Propagation Of IdlinrnS from Scales. It may not be generally known among amateur gardeners that Liliums may be reproduced from the scales of which the bulbs are formed. Some varieties Of HUumg dp pot Increase as rapidly as one would wish, and a few scales stripped from the outer edge of tho bulb would be well worth experimenting on in order to procure a large number of bulbs. The method is to procure the scales when the main stem is dying down. Then select a corner of a sheltered border which is well drained. Provide some sandy, loamy soil and sprinkle the scales on the prepared position, covering them with an inch of soil. In a general way it will take four years for tho bulbs to reacn flowering size, but this is the only way of increasing the Liliums which do not seed or multiply quickly in other ways. Preparation of soil for Sweet Peas. To obtain ready good Sweet Peas during the Summer months, it is essential that the plants are provided with a good deep root run. Mucn depends on the class of soil one has to deal with as to tho depth of trenen and the amount of manure used. It is no good attempting to grow good quality flowers in a shallow soil that is perhaps, full of shingle or other inferior sub-soil without removing this to a depth of at least two and a half feet and replacing with a soli of a, more genial nature. Sweet Peas revel in rotted leaf mould or the refuse from burnt rubbish heaps, and the remains of an old straw stack. No fresh manure should be used, and it is advisable not to grow Sweet'Peas on the same site two seasons running. Basic Slag and Kainet are both valuable for Sweet Peas, and a good dressing of l}nie is also beneficial. Wood ashes and soot are also useful for Sweet Pea culture. The trench for summer blooms should be left a little lower than the surface soil to enable the peas to obtain all the moisture available. Staking Plants in the Garden, The month of November is usually noticeable for gales and heavy wdnds, therefore all plants needing stakes should be attended to. 'lbis is an important point in garden work, and one that is often very bauly done. The main point which should tend to success in this work is—start early. If sticks are put to plants when only half grown It will prevent many growths from growing crookedly, or fro,m getting broken by the wind. Use suitable sticks, they should be neither too thick nor too thin; nor too long, nor too short. Never bunch up plants until they look like so many uniform parcels. Endeavour to have stakes ready before they are required, they may often be cut and pointed on a wet day when other garden work is at a standstill. Having obtained good stakes, take care of them, and as soon as the plants no longer need them, scrape the soil off tho points and store in a dry place. Stakes should bo just long enough to support the plants without leaving a 10l of wood sticking out above them. Gladioli especially have their beauties marred by the presence of stakes which tower above the flowering spike. In the case of herbaceous subjects such as Geums, Paeonies, etc., one must use throe or four sticks those should be well pushed into the soil as near, tho roots as possible, sloping the sticks outwards, to allow of a graceful appearance, then fasten soft string to the sticks low enough ;o catch all the principal growths, bur not necessarily all the shorter ones, or the effect will be too stiff and prim. One string at a time is generally sufficient, a second one may be added as \growth advances. Dalhias should bo 1 slaked early and tied in, in tho manner described as growth requires. 1 Small wire frames are ideal for using i in the Carnation bed, which are matte 'just high enough to keep the lowering stems from sagging earthwards. The galvanised wire which tones with the foliage of tho Carnation is nor very noticeable. Great care should he exorcised in staking standard Roses, fruit, aad forest trees, which have been recently planted, or the stakes may do as much damage as the wind. The stake should not quite reach to the branches of tho tree or the wind may chafe them against the stake top and rub the bark through, also prevent the top of the stake from chafing the tree stem. To avoid this I many gardeners wrap a piece of sacking or cloth around tho tree stem and then tie tightly with cord or raffia to the stake. Unless trees are well staked they may as well bo left to the tender mercies of the elements.