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Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6993, 1 November 1932, Page 9

Specially written for the Times by “Lorna.”

Annuals for November Planting. Most of the summer and autumn flowering annuals may be planted during this month. If they have to face

dry weather during the early stagos of their growth, these late planted annuals need special attention. The soil should be deeply dug for them and enriched with manure to encourage quick growth. In planting, lift the seedlings with as much soil as possible. A much bettor start iu life is given them if,

after making the holes, the plants are watered in, meaning, tho pouring of water into the holes with the plants so that the soil is washed down to tho roots which become embedded in wet soil before any dry soil is drawn around them. Plants treated thus, will get away much more rapildly. This applies to all winter greens, etc., which may be planted out in the vegetable garden during this month and next. Among attractive annuals aro petunias, zinnias, asters, ursinias, French and African marigolds, salvias, vonedium antirrhinums, lobelia, viscaria, nasturtiums, nemesia, phlox drummondii, dimorphotheca, etc. Tie delphiniums to stakes, and as a precaution against mildew dust the foliage with sulphur while it ils damp with the dew. Weak liquid manure may be given weekly to encourage large spikes, but where this is not practicable, work in a little guano or sulphate of potash around the plants, and then mulch with grass clippings. Treat liliums in the samo manner. Grass mowings are useful for placing around azaleas and rhododendrons, keeping the soil cool and moist.

Plant cannas, dahlias, chrysanthemums, heleniums, michaelmas daisies, and gladiolas.

The Vegetable Garden. Plant tomatoes on deeply-dug, welldrained soil, not ovor-rich with manure, which encourages sappy growth in the plamts, and do not buTy them too deeply when planting out.

Sow or plant pumpkins, marrows, etc., and plant cape gooseberries. Sow all kinds of beans, and spinach with rotation crops, as space permits.

Keep the soil between tows of vegetables well hoed at all times. A fine surface soil prevents the evaporation of soil moisture. As soon as soil becomes caked on tho surface, the moisture below begins to evaporate. Sow seeds of celery, leek, brussels sprouts, succession cabbage and pickling onions. Summer Spinach.

Spinach is such a valuable vegetable that it should be grown in our gardens all the year Tound. Its health-giving properties are many, and it cannot be partaken of too freely. During the summer months it needs a little more attention, and is then best grown in shallow trenches in a position where it will not get the full force of the sun’s rays. Planted alongside a taller vegetable, such as tomatoes, sweet corn runner beans o>r peas answers the purpose. The trenches enable water to bo given, freely.

Carrots. Small sowings of carrots may "be made every few weeks, as they are so much, nicer when young and tender, and are useful for salads as well as a cooked vegetable. Thin out seedlings

as soon as they can bo handled, and after this is done sprinkle a little superphosphate along the rows and give a good watering. To help carrots make quick growth, and to be tender | and sweet, a little guano may be (sprinkled along the rows fortnightly, I commencing when the roots begin to swell.

Sowing Small Seeds. Owing to the fact that small seeds, .when sown, are so near the surface they are much exposed to atmospheric fluctuations. Therefore they need more |careful attention than seeds that are more thickly covered with soil. Some are so small that it is not safe to give more than the slightest sprinkling of jvery fine soil, just a dusting over with ■ silver sand being sufficient. Some growers simply press the seed into the Ithe soil. When seeds have to be treated in this way the necessity for watering must be minimised as much as possible. It would be better if no seeds were watered until germination takes place, but this not, in a general way, practicable. It is a difficult matter to maintain soil in a uniform state of moisture without having resource to the watering can. The germination of seeds sown under glass is much assisted by the way the pots or pans are prepared. They should be filled to within an inch of the rim with suitable soil •which should bo thoroughly moistened. Then fill up with very fine soil nearly to the rim, press the seeds into this, water moderately and cover according to the size of the seeds. On this lay the paper. Where no glass house or frame is available, very successful results are accomplished by preparing the seed pot in tho usual manner, standing it in another one, one or two sizes larger, cover with paper, and on that place a piece of glass. In this way the seeds will be perfectly protected against atmospheric changes until germination takes place. When tho young plants appear the paper can be witthdTawn and light and air gradually admitted. Where the soil is full of weed seeds, it is better to take the precaution of thoroughly saturating the pots with boiling water in OTder to kill the seed, and this also aids in destroying ally fungus germs which may bo lurking in the soil. Alpines.

The Creeping Sandwort (Arcnaria Baleariea.)

Of special interest at the present time is this attractive little plant, of which, patches four feet or more across, clinging to tho face of cool rocky walls, are covered with white flowers which stand two inches only above the leaves. It delights to roam over cool rocks and walls and unless prevented will clothe the whole face of cool recesses in the rock garden. It is also very pretty, spreading about the sidos of stone steps. Saponaria Ocymoides and Campanula

Laurii. This glorious combination of exquisite mauve and softest pale pink is also to be seen at the present time. Overhanging rocks, the long trailing growths of saponaria are thickly studded with, the lovely little pink flowers;, while campanula laurii lifts masses of dainty bluish mauve flowers on lengthy, wiiy stems, the large bloems opening wide to the sunshine, possessing ft satiny sheen which adds greatly to their beauty. This campanula has the happy habit of filling every little crevice, but at the same time would never become a nuisance, and blooms over a long season giving yet a few more blooms during the autumn. The habit of the foliage is prostrate. Corydalis Cheilanthifolia.

One of the brightest things in the rock garden in September and October is this pretty corydalis, a plant that is by no means so widely grown as its beauty deserves. The specific name is admirably descriptive, for its leaves closely resemble the fronds of one of the cheilanthes ferns, the only difference to the eye being of texture, for, whereas the fronds of the fern have a certain firmness of build and sobriety of tint, the leaves of the ©oiydalis are of a pale bright green that is not actually, though apparently, slightly translucent. The flowers are of a brilliant clear yellow, but owing to the beauty of its foliage the plant is attractive at all times.

rowl Manure. Where this is obtainable it can bo of great assistance in both flower and vegetable gardons, but should be stored at least three months before using. In the vegetable garden it is best kept away from peas and tomatoes as its use forces too much leaf growth, but can be used in liquid form when tomatoes have set their fruit. Where potatoes have been planted far enough apart and moulded up, fowl manure may be dug in at the bottom of the trench and such things as cabbage, cauliflower, etc., may be planted therein. In the flower garden it can be sparingly spread round such things as violets, roses, perennial phlox, delphiniums, paeonies, hydrangeas, azaleas, liliums and daphne. It can also be mixed with the subsoil when planting out the dahlias, chrysanthemums and miebaelmas daisies as long as it does not come in actual contact with the roots. In storing it for use, it must be kept quite dry, placing it in layers with either soil or sand between. Whenever plants are showing signs of poor growth, a light topdressing of this mat nure will provo very beneficial. On the other hand, if growth becomes too sappy, th» manuring is being over don®.