IN THE GARDEN

Northern Advocate, 22 April 1933, Page 11

IN THE GARDEN

[BY “TAINUT”]

X * OPERATIONS FOR APRIL * % THE VEGETABLE GARDEN % t X Keep the ground stirred between growing crops. Also lightly chip the surface after wet spells. ,♦« X Sow mustard, oats, etc., for digging in later. X »j* Sow onions, broad beans, spinach, lettuee, cabbage, and quick- «£♦ X maturing cauliflower. ' *♦* •|* If yon intend sowing early peas, it would be a good idea to get. ♦> X the trench ready now. Put in all the waste kitchen rubbish and vegetable refuse you can find, and add a little lime to »♦. *•* help.the decomposition. *;* All present plantings should be made in good, well-drained soil. *£ Dig or trench any spare ground. ••• Thin out early sown carrots. The thinnings may be washed and *j* *♦* used. .j. ♦j« Cabbage, cauliflower, or onions may, with advantage, follow the X pea or bean crop. These last-named leave the ground in good X A condition for leafy vegetables. *!• $ • * £ THE FLOWER GARDEN * j ' ' ,♦« X Most liliums have died down now. They may be lifted and £ divided. They should not be left out of the ground to be- *♦, *»* ’ come dry. ❖ X In heavy soil liliums should have their bulbs surrounded with *;* sand, ♦;* The small flowered nerine or Spider Lily that is in bloom may be •> X lifted and divided at this season. Plant in firm ground with *;* the neck of the bulb just showing above ground. Remember when planting carnations to mix some old lime-rnbble or ground lime or shell lime with the soil. Good drainage, X fresh air, and sunshine are necessary for best results with <♦ carnations. X Label dahlias before they finish flowering, also choose varieties A X for next season. v •J« The rock garden will want renovating. Cut back straggling *;* plants. Divide some plants. Worn-out and blighted plants *•* are often best, removed. »♦* A top-dressing of new soil may be needed on the rock garden at X X this .season. A The following annuals are suitable for the rock garden:—Dwarf ❖ *j* viscaria, linaria, linum, kaulfussia, Virginian stock, nemosia, *;* X sehizanthus, dianthus and nemophila. <♦ A The following seed may be sown now:—Viscaria, Virginian stock, y schizantlms, cornflower, alyssmn, aretotis, calendula, candy- *♦*' X tuft, kaulfussia, nigella, emophila, Clarkia, nemesia, linum ♦*« lobelia, godetia, eschscholtzia, sweet Sultan, dimorphotheca, *♦* V . dianthus, larkspur. X Carnation, gerbera, delphinium, scabious,. gaillardia, and other ♦> ♦> ' seed of perennials may be sown; they will be ready for plant- *;* ting out in the spring. . ,*♦ X ❖

Dahlias. This flower is becoming the main flower for summer and autumn show bloom. It may be had in such variety of form and colour that it may suit all tastes. While special treatment may be necessary for show’ blooms, excellent results for garden decoration and for cut flowers may bo obtained with very little trouble. cry good results may be got from seed, provided the seed is selected from the best varieties, crossed with other good varieties. Thoroughly dry the seed for storing, and sow in the spring.

Dahlias have become very difficult to classify. The different varieties have crossed to give many beautiful flowers worthy of the show bench; but it is often hard to say to which class they belong. But there is one point on which there is general agreement, and that is that the dahlia should have a stiff stem capable of holding the flower upright. Many beautiful cactus varieties have been sent to the rubbish tip for ' holding their heads 'down. The new hybrid cactus has not quite the delicate fine petals of the old cactus varieties, but it has the necessary stiff stem. Another point of agreement of all the double forms of dahlias, is that they should have a high full centre. Whatever the shape, the petals should have substance, and be well shaped; and evenly and neatly arranged to form the flower. Many of the single dahlias are only about IS inches to 2 feet high; these are excellent for bedding. The pompoms arc also used for this purpose, the new varieties making very neat and compact bushes. The Orchid dahlia is un-common-looking, being single and star shaped.

Some of the Best Known Classes of Dahlias. Giant Decorative. Large size, full flower with high centre on long stiff stem. Miniature -Decorative. This is the same shape as the Giant Decorative, but only under seven inches in diameter. These arc often called Garden Decorative. Charm Dahlia, These are not more than four inches in diameter. They are of rounded outline, and the petals rounded, fluted, or shell-shaped. A full flower.

Pompom Dahlias. These should not be more than 2 inches in diameter, dense of petal, but. of even and neat arrangement with full centre. The pompoms are like miniature show dahlias. Storing Dahlias. Most experienced dahlia growers agree that the tubers should be lifted in early winter when the foliage has partly died down. They may be trimmed to tidy the bushes at this season, but should not be cut back to the main stem until lifting time; even then it is better to leave a part of the old stem. . Many gardeners who have their dahlias in the mixed border prefer to legve them in their positions during the winter. When they shoot in late spring, the tubers may be lifted and divided. If the tubers are left in the ground, they must be kept covered with soil, nr the frost will kill the eyes; on the other hand, they must not be left in a bog, or they will rot. When the tubers arc lifted, care must be taken to keep them away from slaters and other pests that eat the eyes out of the labors. If lifted too soon, the tubois will not have grown eutticicntly. and will shrivel up during winter. Many of the small plants purchased in December do not make sufficient tuber to lift and live over the winter. These may be lifted and kept in soil that is just watered occasionally during the winter. Another good

plan is to leave them in the ground, and.cover with a piece of glass. The glass may be put flat on the ground. It will Iceej) the small tubers from getting too wet or frosted. Potting Soils and Materials, At this season it is well to collect potting material for future use. An important material is turfy loam, that is, the top two or three inches from an old pasture, the older and the more heavily grazed the better. Stack this grass-side down in a spare corner, and leave it for three or more months to allow the grass and fibre to rot. The result is the best jmssiblc plant food. Some plants thrive in and even insist on peat, but most plants no better without. Another material of prime value is leaf mould, which is not always easy to procure. Winter is coming, and with it fallen loaves. A few sacks of these should be collected and stacked away iir some secluded corner to rot. The result will be well worth while. The leaves must be clean and iioo from woody Iragmonts, otherwise it is best left alone. Rubbish from the floor of the bush it not advised unless it is perfectly clean. It often consists largely 0 f rotted wood, and this is liable to encourage fungoid disease.

It is well not to postpone the preparation ot, the soil for pot plants until it is actually required. This practice is bad, especially for bulbous plants. For instance, to pot up primulas in two or three weeks’ time, mix the material now, especially if manure is to he used. This gives time for the materials to become thoroughly incorporated with the soil before potting time.

See also that the potting mould is in the right condition when potting is being done. It should be soft, and warm, and it should not stick to the hand, but remain in a ball when it is squeezed, and not fall away to crumbs. Again, if is a groat mistake to work with dirty pots when potting. A dirty pot means that air is excluded, and lack of air is fatal to plants. If it does live and you wish to repot it, you will probably fmd it stuck to the sides of the pot. It may require forcing out, with the result that you break the roots and seriously injure if not. kill the plant. In your spare time, thoroughly dean the* pots, and stand them in a suitable pku-e to dry. never pot with a wet pot, and if new pots are used, soak them until they cease sending up bubbles; thou take them out and sot them to dry. To sum up, always use dean pots’ e.Jean sand, dean crocks, and dean sweet polling mould.

Ju a flood a man was seen riding doi\n the. river ou a. big bass violin. When ho was rescued from his perch ho was asked it his wife had escaped, “les,” ho answered, ‘‘fihe accompanied me on the piano.”

Business was not as brisk as the cheap jack in the market square, would have wished it. In fact, he was finding it quite a task to sell anvthing at all.

Finally he picked up a large packet of postcards. ‘‘Here you are,” he shouted. ‘•Twenty-five printed postcards for a penny. Who’ll buy ’em?" At this a young fellow iu the front row put hie hand in his pocket, with the evident intention of buying, but the young man’s mother laid' her hand upon his arm and remarked in a loud whisper; ‘‘lt’s only a fraud, Tom. I’ve se’ed ’em, and there ain’t no stamps on ’em! ”