IN THE GARDEN

Northern Advocate, 26 October 1935, Page 6

IN THE GARDEN

[BY “TAINUI”] . ♦ ♦ ♦ I OPERATIONS FOR OCTOBER. % $ . -.— : $ I THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. I I A good time for sowing half-hardy m^ r Tnnerb^an? 18 ’ *| and melons, as well as Fren ch and runne b • makes . No time should be lost in sowing vegetables, as , it hard to get the seed through the see d before Y ■ Put in main, crop potatoes. Sprout and. gieen £ Plant out tomatoes, lettuce, cauliflower (late maturing). «| as Yorkshire Hero an<k Stratagem, sown tow. | should come in about Christmas tune V ° U ‘ “ t AlwiraSlc&Td“ r 'sp"it STkee^t L surface soil loosened £ X This h&s to keep the moisture in. , % X —-- " ,■•<£♦ 6 the flower garden. * t * I Young carnation plants are .best Retied out in the centre when | * abdul'lin. high. This makes a better shaped plant, and one- £ generally bushy enough to stand without stakes. A 4 Pansies will last in bloom much longer and give larger blooms k P i the latter are kept picked as they fade, and if weak liquid * ■ & manure is given once a week, 4 Celosias are splendid bedding plants. Their beautiful plume-like * X heads of. bloom in red and yellow shades are very showy in % 4 Vthe autumn. Seed should : be sotvn noiy. . t Celosias should have a moderately rich soil; they are more attrac- £ 4 tive if-they do not gfow too tall. • ... X Sow aster, zinnia, sunflower, French and" African marigolds, * *|* salvia, ’petunia, kochia, balsam, and other summer-flowering ❖ X plants. *i* ❖ When the foliage is damp, dust flowers of sulphur over-roses, * T sweet peas, delphiniums, and other plants subject to mildew. £ X, All kinds of edging plants, carpet-bedding plants, rockery plants, % 4- etc., should be planted out now. *,♦ V No time should be lost in putting chrysanthemum slips in the X X ground or in boxes, so as to make strong plants for putting *> 4 out later. . Y % One dahlia shoot is enough to make a good plant. The shoots a should be cut off with tuberous roots attached. T Dahlias will root from slips. A wide-mouthed fruit jar placed £ X over the slip will help it to root. | **« •'■■■ . . »»

What to Grow This Summer, Dahlias of the. Giant .variety along the fence line. A row of cannas at the back will, make a. background; or the cannas may be planted between dahlias. Cannas will grow on that hard piece of ground that is full of roots from the trees, and still get h lot, of sun. The plants should be mulched with well-rotted manure. v Dahlias, the Charm or the Pompom varieties for a mixed bed on the lawn, or for small beds. Use from three to seven plants of the one' variety, according to the size of the bed, . Phlox Driimmondii that is planted how wiU be over in 4he autumn. The bed may be filled with dwarf French marigolds, or the Guinea Golds -for early winter bloom. , Salvia splendeus will look well planted in front of a good green hedge, .provided the soil can be dug and enriched with manure. Salvias also look well planted in a bed in the lawn.

Petunias will 100k 0 well on that hot dry bank, provided the soil is enriched a little to give them a start. Also 'for the bare patches on the rock garden, or for a bed in the lawn; but they must not be planted near the scarlet salvia, as the colours would clash. Portulaca makes a gay trimming in the garden, and may, be used for small beds, oh the paths for edging beds, or on the rock garden. " . Asters would be splendid , iri that bed oi .good, deep, rich soil, that will be ready attain early in the autumn for planting for next winter bloom.

Chrysanthemums will want a good sheltered bed, and at the same time not one where the plants are likely to be drawn up. Cosmos look well at the back' of a Jong, border; and..petunias look well in,;,:,front; ;of the cosmos.. The new • Orarige Flare - will - look- well - with the dwarf orange marigold. Delphiniums will look well in a long border, in clumps -in the mixed border, or in a bed. Marigolds, celosias and zinnias are good old favourites that are not likely 1 to be forgotten. ,< - Top-dressing .Alpines. A common cause of loss among alpines is owing to the height at which they grow out of the ground, or because the soil about them has been wished away by rain. It Will be found of great assistance to go over the plants, regularly and to top-dress any that may stand in need of it. This should be done once a, year at least, in the spring; and if the same practice is carried out in the fall, so much the better. As a general rule, it may be said that all plants forming a kind of neck or stem which rises above the; soil in course of time should be topdressed, so as to bring the earth to a level with the base of the lower leaves. When the plants have grown too high to be treated satisfactorily by the simple adding of soil, they should be lifted and planted more deeply. Many cushion-like plants will be all the better for having some fresh soil worked in among the rosettes of leaves. A suitable top-dressing for alpines is a mixture of loam, leaf-soil (or peat) ; and sand. After the application, it is a good plan -to water the plants once or twice at close intervals.

New Boses. Only those who have tried successfully, or otherwise, to raise rose seedlings, realise the difficulties that have to be overcome to be successful in the undertaking. The average grower has little idea of the forethought? time, labour, patience, disappointments, and losses incident on the onward improvement of fbe rose. The crossfertilisation of the blooms alone is certainly a ticklish and uncertain job. One of the greatest drawbacks that the raiser of new roses has to contend with is the vagaries of some seedlings, liidiich are a puzzle even to the most experienced. Some of these improve with age, others—fortunately there are not many—thrive splendidly for a few years, possibly winning great honours on their being exhibited; then for some unaccountable reason, they suddenly develop some serious fault, which renders them worthless. Unfortunately for the purchaser, as well as for the raiser, these unforeseen faults appear after the rose has been commercialised.

When anything like this happens, we must remember that the variety has been tested for years beforehand; that the raiser-has sent it out in good faith; that his loss is very much greater than ours, and that to vilify him for things beyond his control iis, to say the least, a great injustice. But the most serious drawback for the importer and disseminator, and,’ incidentally, the grower of the new roses in. this country, great difference in the climate. Many novelties raised- say in France, and which do well there, when exported to England and. America, fail to give satisfaction, aiid vice versau-..;.The same applies,’ but much more so, here. Argentine Pea. This perennial pea is a great favourite with us, a good bloomer bearing lavender-blue flowers, and a very well behaved plant.. But it does hot last many years,* so that it is well to have a few young plants coming along to take the places of the worn-out ones. The seed is very hard, and 'should be soaked in water overnight before sowing. Plant the seedlings but when about eight inches high, and give the young plants protection from, slugs and from strong winds. Give a good deep rich soil with lime added,. aind a sunny position, and this climber will do well, Kennedya. These beautiful twining plants are natives of Australia, They are easily raised from seed. Boiling water should be poured over the seed, which should then be allowed to soak over-night. Give the plants a moderately rich soil and a sunny position, with good drainage. The- seedlings may be put out when about eight inches high. Water during dry weather. Onion Mildew. Small yellowish patches on the leaves are the first indications of onion mildew. These patches spread, and the leaves finally turn .whitish, with a purplish tinge. The disease Is hard to control. Potash should always be in the food ration of onions, as it helps to keep the plants resistant. Good wood ashes is an excellent manure. Good drainage is necessary; also an open, sunny position. As a remedy against mildew lime-sulphur (one in sixty) is recommended. If a dusting with sulphur follows, the results are better.