In the GARDEN

Northern Advocate, 24 October 1936, Page 10

In the GARDEN

, [BY “TAINUI”]

firm', and plant three well-rooted pieces about 12 inches apart to form a triangle. This will make a good clump when in bloom. A mulch of cow manure will be an advantage during hot weather.

Chrysanthemums for exhibition need special treatment, and are best grown in beds by themselves. For best results give them a hard bottom, with from six to nine inches of the soil mixture on top.' Care must be taken to see.that the drainage is good. A bed built up on a hard foundation and boarded in at the sides gives best results. Fibrous loam four parts, cow manure one part, and wood ashes a quarter part, make a good mixture, with a four-inch pot of bonedust to a barrow-load of soil. Tread the ground before planting. See that the bed is in the open. Shade from trees is harmful, but shelter from strong winds is necessary. The plants should be about 18 inches apart. It is quite a good plan to grow some late-flowering chrysanthemums in tins, tubs or pots, so that they can be moved indoors for decoration during the winter months.

Kennedya. The Kennedyas are beautiful twining plants, native of Australia, and they are easily raised from seed. To gotten the seed-coat, boiling water should be poured over the seed. Then allow to soak all night. Give the plants a moderately rich soil and a sunny position, with ,gcod drainage. The seedlings may be put out when about eight inches high. Water during dry weather. Seed may be sown now, either in boxes or in the open ground.

The Argentine Pea.

The Argentine pea is a perennial and a great favourite with us. It is a good bloomer. It bears 1 lavender blue flowers, 'and it generally behaves itself very well. But it does not last many years with us, so that it is well to have a few young plants coming on to take the places of the worn-out ones. The seed coat is very hard, and the seed should be soaked in water overnight. The young plants need protection from slugs and from strong winds. Give a good deep rich soil with added; also a sunny sheltered position. Then this climber will do well.

Aubretia.

The aubretia has generally been considered a rock-garden plant, arid most useful for covering the ground and stones with its neat grey-green foliage, arid are of a pretty lavender-violet

shade. The flowers are small, but if the plant flowers well, they are very showy. There are several different varieties, varying slightly in colour and in size of bloom. The aubretias have come into favour as edging plants, and they are really excellent for this purpose, particularly for edging a path. The colour of the foliage fits in with the grey of the path and the stones better than with the grass. *

Aubretias are perennials. Seed may be sown now for plants to bloom next yGarj or a box’der may be made now by dividing plants and by putting in small slips. Give them a soil that is not too rich. If the soil is too good, the plants are inclined to grow too much instead of flowering freely. Give them also a firm soil. Do You Know? That trenching or deep digging is a good measure against drought. That worn-out hungry soils want organic matter, not lime. That the choko, besides being a useful vegetable, makes a good summer covering for a fence. ,Give them plenty of depth and plenty of food. That celery prefers a moist soil well supplied with well-rotted animal manure or compost. That marrows and pumpkins may be sown any time now in the open ground. That wood,-ashes is an excellent soil dressing for peas and onions. That endless labour is saved if weeds are scratched out as soon .as they show through. That soot makes a good dressing for cabbages and cauliflowers. That neither lime • nor basic slag should be used with ammonium sulphate. That marigolds will grow from cuttings. That carnations grown from seed make nice bushy plants if the centres are cut out. when the plants show signs of sending up flower stalks.