IN THE GARDEN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 15 October 1926, Page 7

IN THE GARDEN

HOSING RESTRICTIONS NOT NECESSARY

ANNUAL CO-N'OiST: VF.GEtfAIM.F.S V-I:I{SUS SL'IUJS , Nelson is nut l.:ir only place wln-re it has no! In en necessary. Id impose hosing rcsl rial inns yet. llain has been general and. in most pails, far more, heavy than is usual in Ihe second week of (ielohcr. Sandy and shingly sods have in.l suffered any serious cf'lecls, Inn in heavier soils voung crops and seedling beds received more moisture, than was good for them. Moreover, Hie. slugs continued to fatten al the expense of tender growth. In this connection it is inleresltng and gratifying In receive a tribute from a eulTespondeul who tested Ihe anti slug mixture recommend tie in la.sl week's gardening notes. He stales llial several successive crops of voung pea;; had hern almost eaten nil, while he was despairing of growing lei lines. However, lie hied Ihe sulphate of cupper (hhieslnne) and Kuillit enmpivitie.it il 20) mill laid Ihe satisfaction of seeing Ihe -lug depredations checked, it is t, inch In Imp,- llial the slug pes! is doomed, bill, it is sal - isf.-icfnry In know llial improved meIhods are available In keeji i! ut great - . r check, 'the experts al Ihe Cawlhrnii Institute an- so W illittg to help ill lllc.so, mailers and have already achieved such splendid lentils lhai we slintild like In see lllem devniiilg si if I heir lime |o lighting Ihe shiny, destructive slug. The results of their investigations and experiments will he awaited wilh much inleresl.

'the frost of (his Week gave another sel back lo early sown crops. It is a great mistake to try and beat the sea-

sons unless special preen lit ions an taken and even then il is risky.

All unused ground in ihe garden should he turned over without delay, 'there should hi- less rain from now on and Ihe ground will become, (on dry In do justice to seeds and plants placed in it. if it is no! well prepared. t'nt- sowing daiininer ifcrops. deeplyworked well manured ground is essential, as Ihe deeper the rools can penehale, the less liable I hi-v arc In I"' affected lev drv Weather.

Crops such as peas, dwarf beans, till' nips, spinach, lettuce, radish, mustard

cress, and others lhai last only a fewweeks in a stage of usefulness, requiru that fresh sowings should hi- made a! intervals of a few weeks lo keep up a slipplv. and wilh radishes, mustard and cress.' sowings should he made ahoiil evel'V 12 davs.

Onions may slil' he planted in well prepared ground

AI no sea.- I" ihe year tire ihe effects ut manuring and good tillage more apparent than during ihe spring and early summer nuuiths, for, no matter how carefully Ihe emus may he sown or planted, sal isfaclorv results cannot he obtained unless the'soil conlains the necessary food lo promote healthy growth.

One of Ihe mosl important mailers in raising seedling crops is in have the soil thoroughly well worked and finely broken iiji so that ihe. voting roots can spread unchecked. As Ihe season advances more care must he exerciser! in sowing seeds slight iy deeper in drills and giving more covering I ban for earlier sown crops.

To keep iiji a succession of vegetables, especially in small gardens, don't hurry 100 many crops in at one lime; space si Id, 111 every ease, be left for SUC-

Kueoiirage Ihe growth <>£ cabbage, caulillower and other colevvorts by keeping the soil well stirred and giving occasional light dressings of nitrate of soda.

In providing for a supply of herbs, Ihe following varieties arc easily raised from seed :—Thyme, sage. ninjomni, laragon, borage, horeliotllid, balm .and parsley. Ail but Ihe latter will transplant readily; the parsley, however, succeeds heller when allowed In grow w here sown. Dwarl bean.s and runner beans arc among the most prolific and popular of crops, 'liny tire pari iciilarly welcome in summer and autumn when peas tire about done. Sow for succession, dwarf varieties, even when sown al Ihe same time as Ihe runners, come iulo bearing two nr three weeks earlier than most of I In- running variel ies. Kreneh beans usually lake about 12, weeks from lb." lit if sowing until reaily for use though (he lime may vary

sliglilly according (o the soil and position where sown. Scarlet runners lake, as ii. rule, ut leas!, l'l weeks before being ready for use. As most of the ilwurf varieties of beans only eoni ie.ne In produce useful crops for ii few weeks, .sowing should he ui-iil!' allien every three or, at most, lone weki, i.("i main lam a stlccessiCKl. In a/ruli) g'lrrJeuK, Uie- dw-oi stririglofls V&notiea -in- we.ll worth igrdiv/sing They iro mostly 'p'olilie c<Oflpfi''s, stnd being,

when cooked Keep tin' hoe busy between growing crops. ICarth nil peas, brans, cabbages, it;'. Tliin out seedlings. Overcrowding means pour results. Sow seeds iff savoy enl)bugo for winter use.

Pumpkins and vi'getable marrows are invaluable in the maintenance of the vegetable supply during white l ) - . '1 be culture of both is similar, but the pumpkin requires more room. Although it icquiros more space (ban Hie marrow the pumpkin shoukl I"- aeeomino<lated in almost every garden as il may well be grown .ilong a wall. In fact. llio natural babil. of growth of this family ik climbing. If given an opportunity, the old climbing habit, will again bo assumed and may be utilised by planting the pumpkin near an old tree slump, the rubbish heap, or a low shed. The surface oi the Soil should be kept, I'Oll..lantK stirred in older to check weeds, and also maintain a surface mulch for the purpose of conserving moisture. Ap plications of liquid manure may ho given several limes during the growth of ihc phi',ls. For this purpose ;[lh of superphosphate and ,',lb of nitrate. of soda, or sulphate of ammonia to .10 gallonse of wider is admirable applieil at, 1 In- rale oi 2 or 3 gallons per plant. There should be in ed to pinch the leaders In produce laterals. In .fact, it, it, not desirable to do so. I'm- the. best Ii nils are produced on the main stems. Most, marrows grow nil the laterals. To secure a greater pel of fruit a certain

amount, of hand-pollination should lie caiiied out. may be. sown up to the. end of October. The writer lias grown splendid pumpkins and marrows on old rubbish and compost heaps.

MIDST Till 1 . FLOWERS

Allow the foliage of daffodil:', to ripen ol'l naturally. Do not cut il. bill lie it up in knots. Seil in the beds and borders should In- stirred occasionally to Keep down weeds, etc. Spring showers heal down llio soil very quickly.

riant chrysanthemums now. (live the ground a, top-dressing <,f lime.

.As soon as dahlia shoots that- start from the dormant eyes around Ihe crowns are 2\n\. high they should be ( 111. off Willi "a piece of the tuber illlaclied and potted or boxed U> establish for planting early in November. Where several of each kind are wanted, they must be propagated from cuttings. I'oinset.tias require to be annually pruned by cutting hack portions "I tile shoots, now being a suitable time to do

Hydrangeas have started into good growth. If the pruning back and iiunning out. has not been attended to, have it done al once and liberally manure, especially those plants that, are growing in I übs and pots. Now is the best time of Ihe year to plant the different varieties of palms .iiid bamboos. I'hoenix are noble-grow-ing palms for avenues and as single specimens. It is not 100 laic It. sow seed of cob linscas. clarkias. godelias, linarias. mignonette, annual lupins, eschschollzias. gilias, saponarias. silene, convolvulus minor, malope and candytuft in the open beds and borders. Tiie planting of antirrhinums, slocks, verbenas, dianthiis, petunias. asters, pansics, violas, Canterbury bells, Icelaud and other poppies, lobelias, scabios.'i, African and French marigolds, should be completed according to reijiun ments. Spent blooms of anemones and ranunculi .should be regularly cut off, excepting any (hat are wan lied to save seeds from.

Cyclamens have of laic years become such general favourites as to lie represented in almost, every garden. Tun niiicli can scarcely lie said in favour of these charming dwarf growing and profuse (lowering plants. They are suilalile tor planting near the edges of Mower beds, in borders, in separate I'ound beds and in the rockery. For pt»!■ culture they are invaluable as they are easily cultivated mid supply an abundance of blooms during the winter and spring months. Propagation is effected from seeds, tin/ seeds being raised in pols and pans placed in a. glass frame and picked off int.) other receptacles and grown on until they arc sufficiently large for bedding out. of for their first potting. Mo-dium-M'/.cd Imilis planted in (he autumn produce an abundance of bloom the following winter, and spring. During dry weather they should be mulched with rotted manure and given good sua kings of water.