Flowers . . .

Northern Advocate, 23 August 1947, Page 2

Flowers . . .

It is wise to get all hardy trees and shrubs planted this month. Ground may be prepared for tender trees, shrubs, and climbing plants,for placing next month. Roses are beginning to shoot and all pruning should be finished this month. Birds generally eat the scale which is troublesome on old rose bushes. If there are no birds, paint over the scale with diluted red oil. This treatment is better than spraying' the whole plant at this season. Carnations, anemones, and sweet peas will benefit by a dusting of lime and powdered sulphur 1 & 1, when the plants are just damp with dew. The mixture may be shaken through a bag. Pansies and cinerarias will benefit by a top-dressing of well-rotted manure. or compost with blood and bone, and superphosphate. Nemesias will also benefit by blood and bone and super forked in among the plants. Schizanthus, nemesia, lobelia, antirrhinum, dwarf ageratum, carnation, delphinium, larkspur, pansies, statice, and verbena seedlings may be planted out now. Seed of the hardier summer flowering annuals may be sown now m box-

Gerberas may be planted now. Old clumps may be lifted and divided, replanting the single crown outside growths. Gerberas like deep, welldrained soil. Well-rotted manure or boncdust should be dug in. The corms should be level with the soil surface. Choose a warm sunny situation with' good drainage. j Hydrangeas may have a good sprinkling of lime about the plants for the pink shades, and a light sprinkling of sulphate of iron for the blue shades. C'ld plants may be lifted and divided. Iresine is a rosy red perennial foliage plant that is most useful for bedding along with dwarf begonias. Also useful as clumps in the mixed border, or for planting near a building. Rooted pieces may be pulled off on old plant, or cuttings will root at a joint. Herbaceous spiraea or astilbe does better in a cooler climate; but the plumelike flowers in cream, mauve, and pinky shades are worth a trial in a rather cool, moist position. They look pretty along with ferns on the banks of a lily pond. Tall, fibrous-rooted begonias may be cut back to where they are making strong shoots, to make strong, shapely plants. Geraniums and pelargoniums may be planted. Cld bushes may be cut back this month.