GARDENING

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 96, 26 April 1939, Page 9

GARDENING

Routine Work in the April Borders j Now that rain has fallen their is ■ much to do iu the garden and the time |is short before frosts make the ground Itoo cold for much growth. I First of all, due thought must be given to planting those things which will brighten the garden a little during winter and early spring. Select a sunny, well drained spot fairly free from cold winds in which to plant some Iceland poppies, whose blooms are very welcome during the dull days. Stocks too, to flower early must be given the same conditions, and dry spots close to walls, etc., may be given over to a few plants of the modern large flowered calendulas. Tinarris, although not so showy as cut flowers are yet very welcome and will always bloom early. Then there is the bed for anemones which shomd be chosen with the sun •shining on it for half the day, this provides blooms with long stems. Ranunculi planted now will not prove a success unless the plot is raised and most thoroughly drained. If there is long grass, hay or straw to hand, it is wise to dig this w ; ell in, as it provides extra drainage and gives warmth to the soil, if soil pests are suspected dig in some napthalene or other good soil fumigant and let stand awhile before planting. Hasten with the sowing of sweet peas so that the plants can get ahead before foo many slugs make their appearance. Another thing for dry sunny spots is the stylosa irises whose delicate blooms are so welcome. Plant generously of helleborus (Christmas roses) as these flower too during the scarce time. Plant violets and polyanthus primroses. Plant lily-of-the-valley, and bearded irises. Plant bulbs of all kinds. Tidy up tho garden generally, most things have got somewhat shabby during the dry weather and will be best done away with and their places refilled with fresh plants. Plant pansies and violas. Take cuttings of hydrangeas and fushias. Tidy up the rock garden, prune over rampant plants back and sickly looking ones. Loosen the soil and top dress the pockets with a mixture of leaf mould and sand. Plant as many dwarf bulbs as possible among the plants as these will brighten things up at an earlier date. Plant freely of gabanias and aubrietia. Dig any vacant ground deeply and manure it. The Vegetable Garden Work up a plot for the winter crops by deeply digging it, manuing, and raising it above the surrounding soil level. Then sow lettuce, spinach, shorthorn carrots, while turnips, silver beet, and raddish seed. Plant early cabbage and cauliflower plants, riant rhubarb in deeply dug well manured ground. •Sow seed of spring cabbage and early heading cauliflower. Sow onion seed. Gather in all green tomatoes, and any pumpkins or marrows that may be spoilt by early frosts. Gather fallen leaves for leaf mould. Hasten with the sowing of grass seed for any purpose. Deeply dig and manure all vacant ground, burying as much Toughage as possible that may be lying around. Armeria Caespitosa This small growing thrift or sea pink, as it is familiarly called, is undoubtedly one of the choicest of the lot. It forms tight little hummotiks of narrow grassy foliage, and its pink flowers are borne on stems barely an inch high. It is a valuable plant for very dry crevices in the rock garden, or the drier parts of the Moraine, also, it is an ideal subject for pot culture, where it flowers for many weeks. Few flowers can outlast the thrifts, and again they are not particular as to soil, a gritty loam being about the best. I Armeria caespitosa Is not altogether an easy plant to increase, as seeds of it are never too plentiful, and many find it a difficult plant to propagate from cuttings. Its home is in Southern Europe, where it inhabits the mountains at from five thousand to eight thousand feet above sea-level. There is another form with ' rich coloured reddish flowers which goes i under the name of Bevan’s variety and will prove to great favourite when better known. The thrift family is rapid-

CSDeclallv written for “The Times” by “Lorna.”)

ly growing and the various forms are ideal for bordering and for the rock garden. Perpetual Carnations in Winter The perpetual flowering carnation is one of the most important of our winter greenhouse flowers partly because of tho vast improvements effected during the last twenty or thirty years, and partly because, even with very little heat it produces flowers when they arc wanted most. The modern carnation is a much stronger and healthier plant than it used to be, and given the correct cultivation, ono may reasonably expect to procure a good crop of clean, w T ell built flowers carried on long, stiff stems, with no splitting of the calyx or thin, papery petals. This depends mainly on the grower, who should realise that though the carnation may be considered an easy plant to grow yet it will never tolerate neglect or casual treatment for even the shortest period. With this in mind, the grower should endeavour to give his carnations the very best treatment throughout the whole of their lives, from the time they are taken as cuttings to the period of flowering. Propagation Cuttings may be struck from now on until spring. Select strong short jointed side shoots about live to six inches long, pulled off with a heel of the older wood if possible. The best rooting medium is a fine grade of silver sand. Frequent attention must be given to watering during the rooting period, for at no time should cuttings be allowed to become dry. When the cuttings are rooted, they must be potted at once into small pots. Light, turfy loam, with a little well rotted cow manure and silver sand is quite good for the first potting. Newly potted plants should not be put on shelves, a damp bed of allies being far more suitable, as this tends towards encouraging quick root action. Stopping and Potting Tlie stopping or timing of carnations is most important. Ono often hears the remark passed that carnations do not seem to flower very well in winter. The fault is frequently due to the incorrect stopping of the plants. The first and important stopping should take place when the plant has made six or seven pairs of leaves. Remember that it is not wise to pot and stop the plant at the same time. Great importance should be paid to the second and final stopping, for if this is done with a little forethought and care a long succession of flowers can be assured, just at the time they are wanted most. Usually blooms are available about three months after the final stopping. For the second potting use live inch pots and a compost consisting of four parts loam, half part cow manure, quarter part mortar rubblo and wood ash, adding silver sand, especially if loam is heavy. After potting, over watering must bo looked upon as one of the great dangers, but, on the other hand, do not allow young plants to dry out, for once a plant receives a cheek at this stage, it will never make very good headway. For the final potting use seven inch pots or six, adding to the above recipe a little coarse bonemeal and sqot, with a pot full of a good carnation fertiliser to every barrow load. Prepare this soil a week or two before using it, so that it can bo turned several times. Throughout the summer months stand the plants on ash beds out of doors, or in frames with the lights off until the time comes to house them for the winter blooming. The most formidable post which attacks carnations is tho red spider. To combat this dissolve two ounces of common salt in one gallon of water. Greenfly is best dealt with by* fumigation with nicotine compound. Selection of Varieties One of the best is Laddie, others which do well are Doris Allwood, Wivelsfield crimson, Robert Allwood, charming, and Wanda. Bursting of the calyx is usually brought by irregular treatment, such as incorrect watering, feeding, etc. Outdoor plants will often sliotv these symptoms when there has been either an excess of water or unusually dry condition, or two humid an atmosphere. The Bedding Viola

Is there anything that gives such quantities of bloom as tho bedding violas'? To get the best from them it is best to get them going as soon as possible. It pays to deeply dig and manure their positions in the garden as thi3 gives larger flowers together with a longer flowering period. There arc many beautiful colourings to suit all tastes, tho yellow -varieties are particularly charming as they give such a sunshiny effect to the garden, while alternate > planting of the yellow and mauve shades is also pleasing to the eye. If plants are not available quickly procuro soino seed, as the resultant plants will bloom quickly and give a splendid display at little cost. Seed should be procured from reliable firms as much inferior seed is on the markets which results iu much disappointment.