Gardening Notes

Northern Advocate, 11 July 1925, Page 9 (Supplement)

Gardening Notes

(By "Taiim.")

JULY : OPERATIONS FOR THE MONTH TfaE GARDEN £la-nt out autnmn-sown onions. prepare new asparagus "beds. . Kant pot&fco onions and tree unions. Bow early peas, 'broad beans, lettuce and cabbage. 3hit out early potatoes. £lant out ca"bbage, lettiice and cauliflower. . Plant rhubarb roots in well enriched soil. Dig in soiling crops, as they becoltne sufficiently heavy. Don't leave potash out of your inanurial dressing for onions or potatoes, it is not only essential to the correct functioning of these plants, but it is also an iavig orator and in a marked degree, a wholesome measure against tendency towards blight. THE FLOWER GARDEN . I Hard-wooded cuttings Of shrubs may be put in. • 1 Plant trees, shrubs, roses, etc., whenever the soil is in the right I condition. , • I Fork over the ground between plants, during fine "weather. , atinuG ro&6s< PrunO "bouvardias. They should.' "be cut to within 4in. or sin. of i . the ground, and all dead wood, should be removed. The light 1 yellow and the large white (Humboldtii) s&Ould be pruned | lightly. . _ _ \ yjq are now over the hardest part of the winter, and flowers are I becoming a little more plentiful. A little growth can be seen, 1 and generally the gardens are not as dead looking as they Bulbs, anemones, ranunculi, violets and others are "beginning to think of spring, and in some gardens in Sheltered positions || a few stocks are already in "bud. A light dusting of super will be beneficial. . Stocks for picking should have the centres picked out xn order to stimulate side growth; tTiese will make good stalks for picking. Early nemesias, even in sheltered positions have suffered from the effects of too much rain. Should the plants have suffered too great , a check, it might he well to take them out, and replant with nemesias, schizanthus, stock, dianthus, etc. August is the "best month for planting climbers, orders for which should he sent in thiß mouth.

ASPARAGUS. Although asparagus will live aid thrive In -almost any kind bf soil even •under unfavourable eonditions or when otttirely neglected, the desirable: tender suceulent stalks niay .fee developed ftnly under favourable eonditions of soil and cultivation. A warm rich loam having an easterly or northerly aspect m the best and manures and fertilisers must be used more lavishly. In starting an asparagus bed, a, thorough preparation of the soil is necea-i jsaTy, aa the plants will be expected to, last in the same position for many i years. G-ood is very essential A 8 these will not tolerate stag-; soil (conditions. The ground should be trenched to atq least two leet, aijd in order to help flrsinage, it is q. good plan to place yoftd sweepings cparse sand of burnt refuse under the bedi With heavy soils, .the bed shwuld be raised about.nine or. twelve inches above , the surrounding level? with -light soils, there is. no; m raising, tlie bed; Any eagount of animal manure' shofuld be t3i#roughly ntixJed the soil.as th.O' jtTfl»cli is being filled in. It is far better to do this than to top dress shortly After planting. In planting make a shallow trencli a spade deep and about the same width Sown the middle of the "heal. Then iat intervals of from 18 to 24 inches raise the soil in to shallow inStods. On these mounds place the plants, with the roots spread out equally in all directions. Cover up a 8 boon as possible, when the top of the orcjwns of the plants should be from thtee to four inches below the surface. !Dhe rows should *be two feet apart. Onje year plants are to be preferred as ihcfse will be better able to withstand the check of planting out. Furthermore, the plants should be got into the ground as soon as possible as the suceulent roots do not like exposure to the aun. Try and plant out in dull weather. There need be no "hurry in planting out asparagus roots, but the ground be got ready as soon as possible. August and September aTe good months for planting.

CLIMBERS.

In planning and arranging our gar<fler>s, climbers and twiners should take a prominent part in the scheme —particularly in our climate which is eo well suited to many of the handsomest and most graceful climbers. Here these plants are both useful and ornamental, and we have a wide choice. There are subjects suitable for screening unsightly places, for covering fences, acting as break-wands, winding 5n and out of rustic fences, arching pergolas adorning summer houses, and fdr other decorating purposes. There are strong growers, almost gross in the most ■ favourable positions, and there are frailer subjects; all have their peculiar uses. Solanum Wendlandii. This is without doubt the most handsome of the big genus solanum. It is a gross feeder, arid in favourable positions makes a great amount of growth during the warmer months. Its blooms are very bold and handsome —larger clusters of rich blue flowers. During its growth it 3'equires a good deal of Attention in the matter of tieing or tacking up, for it is not self-sustaining. It is an awkward. subject to clean up or cut back, fqr it is armed with strong -spines, which aften cause sores where they lacerate the skin. It is hardly more than talf hardy, being frequently badly,

cut down "by frosts, but it dies hard, and will frequently come up again from at or neazr the soil level. For a warm, well sheltered position this climber is hard to Treat. Easily propagated from cuttings. PHAiSAEOLUS CARACALLA. This Is commonly known as the Snail (limber, a rather appropriate name, as the flowers have a fanciful resemblance to the snail shell; and they have an almost oppressively sweet odour. The plant, once properly started, as a strong grower without being gross. It does not relish frosts, "and should"if possible, be .protected in a suitable position. It is readily propagated from seed.' TACSQNIA VAN VoLxEMII. T?his is the crimson pasteion flower. It is not the showiest of the genus p&mflara, biit it is a well-known and a v&xj?: serviceable specif, . Rooking partidblarly ibfcautiful hanging,, down frpm {an It is .fatrly. hardy, being cat down only most atiV&'e frost's. . -Readily: propagated from aped- U MANDEYILLEA. This Is one bf the most desirable of

our climbers. It is medium in its habit of growth, being neither rank nor slender. The single blooms are large, pure white and very beautiful. The plant is quite hardy. It is readily raised from seed. 'CLEMATIS. The clematis hybrids are among the most l>eautiful of all climbers. They have the disadvantage, however, that though hardy, they are not easily grown to perfection. The chief difficulty is getting them to make a good start. Once the plants have become quite satisfied with their position, they will make good headway. Clematis prefer a loamy soil, light rather than heavy, and they like lime or chalk mixed in -with the soil in the proportion of about a spadeful of lime to a barrow-load of soil. They also enjoy a mulch of rotted manure put on in July. During the hot summer wea-

ther, they would benefit by a mulch of grass leaves or other substitute that will serve to keep the roots cool. They also prefer a position where their roots will b& in the shade and their flowers in the sun. If the flowers are freely cut when in bloom, very little pruning becomes necessary. When they become tangled and crowded as some varieties will, they should be pruned m the early spring. The spring is the best time for planting clematis. Many of the varieties may be struck from cuttings taken from ripe but not old wood, and cut between the node 3, which is qkusual—more cuttings are taken just; below the node or joint of the ste&. <; (To be continued.)