IN THE GARDEN

Northern Advocate, 18 April 1932, Page 8

IN THE GARDEN

[BY “TAINUI.”]

■5 * OPERATIONS FOR APRIL. - 1 — ; ' THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. Uv 4 . , ~ *;* Plant out cabbage, cauliflower, and lettuce into good, -well >- drained soil. '2 Sow onions, broad beans, lettuce, cabbage, and quick-maturing »|* cauliflower. «'•- *:* Sow shorthorn carrots. Cut down asparagus tops that have ripened off; then, in the Z X ■ course of a few weeks, apply a liberal dressing of animal T manure; or- this manuring may be left until early spring. .*£ Dig 1 or trench any spare ground. - • *l* Dig spent pea or bean plants into the soil. They will help to on'j X rich it. . I, *t* After wet spells, chip the soil between growing crops, 4 If you intend sowing early peas, it would bo a good idea to pre■Z V pare the trench now. Put in all waste kitchen and vegetable V X ",T rubbish, with a little lime added to help decomposition. --•> ’4 Sow mustard, oats or other such crop for digging in later. U. Earth up celery as it is necessary. :t ; *!♦ Lift, and store, beetroots that are ready. ** -Gather and 'store pumpkins and. vegetable marrows. ♦♦♦ -Earth up leeks as they grow. 'V X THE FLOWER GARDEN. v* ; ♦♦♦ .. , .. Vi - 4 The small yellow so-called crocus that is just finishing its flowerI* *t* lug season is Sternbergia. If the clumps need dividing, early *.*; X summer is the best time, that is when the foliage is down. 'X Shoots may be allowed to grow’ up from the roots of ehrysan- % 4 ‘ thenViims now, so that they may be ready for taking cuttings * . X for next year’s plants. A Dahlias, delphiniums, and similar plants that die off during winter Z 4 should not be cut back too far. The main stems should be X allowed to die off naturally. 4 Salvias will often do for two seasons in - cases where they arc 4 sheltered from frosts. They should not be cut back until £ X spring. * 4 Do not forget that stocks like sunshine, rich deep soil, and good V drainage. v* X Nemesias will not stand heavy frost, w’ater-logged ground, nor 4 much wind. y Por partially shaded beds pansies, violas, primula malacoides and A cinerarias are suitable. :;' 4 Cinerarias will not stand frost nor strong winds. Carnation seed may' still be sown. The plants should be kept in 4 boxes and put out in early spring. Carnations often come ,u 4 very satisfactorily from a good strain of seed. : X Heleniums, sunflow’ers, Michaelmas daisies, etc., are now growing 4 over. They should be cut down. If the clumps are old, take C 4 them up and plant plenty' of new young grow’th that springs 7" V up from the roots. .- X Most of the spring flow’ering annuals may' be put out now, such., >as Iceland poppies, stock; 'pansy',’primula' malaeoidesj etc. " -X-' -'.There 'is .still.time--to sow seed of sweet peas, godetia, Clarkia, X larkspur, slock, viscaria, Sweet Sultan, nemesia, cornflower, 4 Virginian stock, liiiaria, calendula, etc. All but stock are X easily’ raised in the open ground provided slugs, snails and 4 slaters can be kept off. y Iris Tingitana, anemones, ranunculi, and many bulbs may still be planted. 4’^*^•^ ,^•^*^•^*•*****•', *♦**♦**• 4 *-*****‘•* , ******** , ♦* , •**♦'*** , *■ , *♦**♦**•* , ♦* , ♦ <, ♦ <, ♦**♦* , •**♦**^ ,^*^,^'^‘^*^,^< '-••^‘- , •^ ,

Wintering Plants. Many plants that are tender may be lifted and planted under the eaveS of the house or other sheltered position for the winter. Others may have slips taken off at the root or stem for rooting now and planting out next spring. It is quite a good plan to have a small nursery bed in a sunny sheltered position where pieces of seabiosa, carnations, pentstemons, petunias, verbenas, etc., may be rooted. -If you. have a special petunia, verbena, or similar plant that you would like . a .bed of next year, .pieces may be put,in now.. The short side growths wjll root and- make good plants for putting out next spring. The old plants, of, seabiosa are not generally' worth keeping; but pieces may be pulled off at the root or stem, and they-.would make good plants. Poultry ; Manure. Poultry,, manure; is. strong, and should never bo applied fresh to the soil'., .Mix it .with dry earth and allow the mixture to become thoroughly drier before using. From four to five ounces to the square ■ yard . will be eno.ugh. A,useful liquid, manure can be made from: fowl .manure. Place the manure! mixed-with an equal bulk of soot iir a sack. - .‘Suspend this in a barrel of water, and squeeze occasionally between two sticks. Use after soaking for. about a week.

Propagation from lieaves. I have already referred to the propagation of Lachenalias from leaves. Other plants that may .bo similarly propagated are Gloxinias, Streptocarpns, , the fern aspleninm bulbiferum, Gesnerias, Ancuba, and some Begonias. The general practice is to take a mature, loaf without the leafstalk, so that the leaf will lie flat on the surface' of the 'soil. Give the under side of the leaf a dusting with fine dry soil—this particularly in the case of hairy leaves. The idea is to make an intimate contact between soil and leaf. Place the leaf on a flat surface topside down, and wita a sharp knife make short cuts where the main andj secondary veins intersect, cutting through the latter only. Place the leaves under side uppermost flat on a soil consisting mainly of clean sand and bash mould. Stand the box in a warm place. In the course of a few weeks, buds will make their appearance at.the-cuts; they may be severed and planted out when large enough. Precautions to be noted are firstly, that the soil should be well soaked with , water before laying on the leaves, and secondly, that water should not added while the buds arc forming, as sufficient moisture will remain underneath the leaves. Another method is to take leaf cuttings and set them in the soil after the manner of ordinary slips or cuttings.

Delphiniums. Small seedlings a few inches high should be pricked out into boxes, and planted out when growth commence? in the spring. They are almost certain to be lost during winter if planted out now. A good plan is to put wire around the boxes and hang them up out of the way of slugs and snails. It is getting late now to divide delphiniums, if this has not already been done. It would bo better now to wait until growth has commenced in. spring.

Beetroot. Beetroot .sown in late spring or early summer are now sizeable. They * should be lifted and stored either in a cool dry shed or under the house. Lift the roots carefully, and twist the leaves off before storing. If left much longer in the ground, they would enlarge but depreciate in quality. The beets may shrivel a little in storage, but if soaked in cold water before cooking, they will be quite satisfactory. Lawns. The is a good time-for treating impoverished lawns. Grub out the weeds and give the whole lawn s firm scratching with the rake. You need not be afraid of injuring the grass.. Then give a dressing with good soil as free from "weed seeds as possible, and with w’hich some basic super or bonedust has been mixed. If the manure only is applied, use at the rate of about three ounces to the square yard. Mosaic weeds like dandelion, catsear, or rib-grass leave bare patches : when they are removed. A thick sowing of grass-seed should be made on these patches. Chives, ; Chives is a perpetual plant of the onion family. The foliage only is cut off and eaten; the plant beeps on growing and sending up new leaves. Chives make a good edging for the vegetable garden. They require no special soil or treatment, beyond the lifting and dividing of the clumps every or three years. The tops have a more delicate flavour than onions, and are useful in salads and for many other culinary purposes. Marrows. Marrows should never be laid on a damp floor. If it is intended to keep marrows for seed purposes or for domestic use, it is better to hang- them U P with a piece of strong twine than to lay them on the floor. Hedges. Since hedges arc to become permanent plants, it is well to give them a good start off'. A good trench may be dug any time now and the soil well manured with bonedust. Too many hedges are carelessly planted and without any thought of their permanence. Give the plants every encouragement to grow well. Teeoma is ten-1 der and -should be left until spring.