THE HOME GARDEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19031, 30 May 1925, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE HOME GARDEN

THE FLOWEE GARDEN. The planting of roses in the prepared beds and other p.aces may now be commenced. Belore planting, carefully examine each plant, partially prune the tops, shorten back long roots, and cut ofl any portions that have been broken or injured by the spade in digging them up. In planting roses care must be taken not to insert them too deeply in the ground. The budded portion or rose proper should be, at least, from lin. to 2in. above the surface. Carefully arrange and spread out the roots, partia.lly cover, firmly tread, and fill in without any further treading, leaving the surface light and loose. Transplanting permanent trees and shrubs may now be undertaken, provided they have been properly prepared and established, and are in fit condition for safe removal. Scarlet flowering gums, peppers, acacias, jacarandas, camphor laurels, grevilleas, etc., are invariably grown in pots, as they do not transplant with safety from the open ground. Medium-sized plants always succeed better than tall ones, whose roots have become matted in the pots. Chrysanthemums, with the exception of a few late flowering varieties, should have the flower stalks cut down level with the ground. The old plants may either be allowed to remain, and kept free from weeds, or removed to separate quarters to winter. Dahlias are later than usual in ripening off. Do not lift them prematurely, as the descending sap strengthens the tubers. Any that interfere with tne work and are in the way should be taken up, earth attached, and be transplanted until properly matured. Staking newly-planted trees is always advisable to hold them firmly in position, and prevent injury to the roots, and the swaying of the tops, forming a socket around the stem.

FLOWERING BULBS. A LATE SEASON. Anemones, Ireesias, narcissus, alliums, and other early flowering bulbs are, owing to the long, dry autumn weather, much later in coming into bloom than usual. Paper whites, a few of the earliest only, are in flower, hence the great

PROGRAMME OF WORK.

scarcity of flowers that everywhere exists, at the present time. Cyclamens, too, arc lrito in coming out. Violets also are! scarce, and there are no flowering shrubs, j Dahlia loslio, the tree variety that was in full flower before the recent disastrous! gain, has been completely denuded of its lovely mauve-colourcd blossoms. In Europe and America, to supply the demand during the off-season, many variel ties of flowering plants, notably, roses, carnations, lilacs, spiraes, dentzias, etc., I , are forced into flower ky growing them —■ -jzi I—under 1 —under artificial treatment in heated houses. The time has arrived when a few of the leading kinds for the purpose should be grown here j to supply the everincreasing demand. CULTIVATING AMONG BULBS. The soil around | the different varieties of bulbs should be I kept free from weeds and occasionally stirred. The weeds j between rows of daf- | fodils should be light - | ]y turned under with ! the spade, and hand- ! weeded among the j plants in the rows. In the beds where anemones, ranunculas, and other bulbs a r u growing too closely together to admit of digging among them, they must be hand-weed-ed, and the soil afterwards lightly stirred, using a pointed stick. In some instances anemones are developing; a species of fungus upon their foliage. Dusting a little dry lime, mixed with powdered sulphur, should arrest this disease. An occasional liming among daffodils is necessary to control slugs, which, if left unmolested, increase and greatly damage the flowers. A surface mulch of dry ________ powdered cow dung greatly benefits anemones and cycla ' mens. I haedy annuals. To provide early flowers a selection of a few of the hardiest varieties of annuals I should be planted for this purpose. Wallflowers, stocks, candytufts, calendulas, lupins, pansies, and penstcmons should be planted, also gaillardias and nemesias where the soil is fairly light and dry, and where severe frosts do not, occur. Dimor- i photheca is a very showy hardy annual for early flowering. On 110 account plant j tender annuals at this season. liOSE GROWING. * ~ A POPULAR FLOWER. Roses arc always extensively grown in every garden, and arc chiefly confined to j the hybridlcd and hybrid perpetual vaneties, with a liberal supply of climbing sorts to furnish pergolas and arches to train against the sides of buildings and fences and to intermix in tho hedgerows. In selecting roses tin? amateur, and indeed (ho experienced grower, will find it to his or her advantage to select those varieties that are good and vigorous growers and free flowcrcrs, and of a permanent character. Unfortunately some of tho most glorious coloured roses have a bad habit of dying back, and are most unsatisfactory, as a few plants of this character give the rose-bed an unsatisfactory appearance, necessitating replacements the following season. The most of the varieties belonging to tho pernettiana soction, notably, Rayon d'Or, Golden Emblem, The Queen Alexandra is subject to.die backam] is consequently unsuitable for the ordinary grower. WORK AMONG VEGETABLES. GROWING CROPS . In tho vegetable garden many of the more advanced crops have suffered from the recent storm. And in many instances the young tender foliage has been torn and damaged by tho wind. This naturally results in tho growth being checked, as sound well-developed foliage is essential to healthy vigorous growth. As soon as tho soil is sufficiently dry (he plants should be again placed upright, tho holes around their base being filled and made firm. After the lato heavy rains the soil between all growing crops should bo well, broken up as soon as tho soil is in a workable condition, cabbage, cauliflower, and other col worts aro benefited by being earthed up as soon as sufficiently advanced. This tends to keep tho soil warmer and drier during the wet winter season.

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. As soon as the weather permits, every portion of the ground carrying cropc should be gone over, and the soil loosened up. Owing to the fierce winds and heavy rains some crops have naturally suffered, and every effort should be made to remedy the defects. Trees and plants, too, should be examined, atKl any that have been swayed about and loosened by the wind should be straightened up and , securely staked. J In sowing seeds at this season the warmest and driest position should be selected, while even then better results will be attained if slightly raised beds are formed. At this season small seeds should be only lightly covered,. while larger seeds, such as peas and beans, should have from lin. to 2in. of covering, according to the nature of the soil. The thinning out of seedling crops must have attention. The space between the plants left should be regulated by the varieties grown. Onions, from 4in. to 61n. apart; turnips, 4in. to 6in.; carrots, 3in.; parsnips, 6in.; and other crops accordingly. Young seedling crops will need constant watching,; to protect the plants from the ravages of slugs. Frequent dusting of lime, or other remedies, will be necessary to protect the plants until they are strong enough to withstand their ravages. The soason for lifting and: transplanting fruit, shelter, ornamental, and other trees and shrubs having again arrived, intending planters would do well to see that the soil is placed in such condition as will ensure success after planting. Tree drainage is in every instance necessary to the health of the trees, so that the plot where the trees /' are to be planted must be made so that no stagnant water can accumulate at the roots.

PRUNING BUSH FRUITS. NORTHERN CONDITIONS. Bush fruits arc among (he first hardy fruit-bearing plants to retjuiro attention in pruning, as they arc about tjie first to ripen their wood, as well as tlio earliest to start in'.o growth in spring. In the northern gardens, the gooseberry and loganberry, arc the two most generally grown, not because the currant and raspberry cannot be successfully grown . and fruited, but more on account of tho difficulty in protecting the fruits from the ravages of small birds, which generally strip the bushes of fruit before they ar'o sufficiently coloured to be of u:>e. ' While it is quite true that gooseberries, currants, and raspberries grow and fruit abundantly in more southerly and culder districts with Jess attention than is needed in our suburban gardens, the . gooseberry, under anything like reasonable treatment, rarely fails to produce satisfactory crops. -As for the loganberry, it is doubtful if the plants grow better or fruit more abundantly in any part of , the Dominion than in the Auckland district. It is surprising that gooseberries at any rate, are not wore widely represented in our gardens. The small amount of space they accupy com- ' pared with other fruits, and prolific character of the bushe?, when proper care and attention is given to their cultivation, makes them invaluable to persons having only limited space. Cultivation for Fruit. The most important thing in their culture is to keep the soil around the plants free of weeds, and protect the roots by mulching during dry weather. , Both gooseberries and currants aro • quickly affected by drought, and this generally occurs just, at the time the plants are in flower. All bush fruits, when in a healthy fruiting condition, are furnished with an abundance of surface roots, and unless these are protected in dry weather, often i results in the blossom falling instead of setting fruit. Benefits of Mulching. ■ Soon after the plants start into growth thorough mulching should be applied Fresh stablo manure »iat contains most of its manurial properties is the best, but failing this, a dressing of super- • phosphate or other stimulating manure should be applied, and this mulched with any suitable material that will protect - the roots and assist to retain the ' moisture when it is most required. In cleaning around the plants deep cultivation must be avoide-i, a light stirring of the soil with the iioe being all that is necessary. Pruning Gooseberries and Currants. In pruning, the gooseberries and currants should be tho first treated, their season of rest being so short that unless pruned early while the plants are in a, dormant condition the groTt.h may lo weakened instead of strengthened by the operation. Neglect is t'oo often the cause of failure, whereas they need more liberal treatment, both in pruning and mulching, than most other plants. This especially applies lo gooseberries, for when growing freely most of the young growth, with the exception of the leading shoots, require to be shortened back to within an inch or so of the their base. It must be borne in mind that the fruit is produced on. tho - young wood as well as on ihe spurs formed through cutting back of tho previous year growth. The br.mr.:iea should bo evenly distributed throughout the bush, and ieft sufficiently open to allow of tho free access of light and air. JSlack currants require but little pruning, simply thinning out and rcg<i:.it<ng the branches being all that is n- e ied. Lo^iuberries should have a place in every garden, as they aro prolific croppers and take up but little space. They succeed well in almost any soil or situation, and if trained on trellis o- fen;*;, a few plants with reasonable treatment, will produce abundant crops of fine fruits. / TO CORRESPONDENTS. E.E.S.. Pukekohe.—Do not cut back heliotrope bush that has grown too large until early in September. It may tlien be cut hard back. Cuttings may be taken from the young shoOta and put in early in November. Suckers that have co£tio up around lilac bush and Pyrus iaoomca should lie srubbed out. Seeds of laburnum may bo sown at once. G.G.H.. Oparau.—To destroy the borer grub that borea into the stams of fig and other trees, insert some phosphorus, into tho holes; tho fumes will destroy the grubs. Tho two best, hardy varieties of sweet oranges aro Parramatta and Best Seedless. T.H., Eljerslie.—Amclanchic canadensis is the name of the fruitins" plant, which is closely allied to tho medlar. It is called tho Canadian grnpa-pear, and is a very ornamental shrub, having a profusion of whito flowers in early spring and rich autumnal foliage. It is very hardy, axid belongs to tho ordor Rosacea:. It is a native of Canada. A.G.K.. Kopata.—Ro fruits of Gravonstcin apples apparently setting and afterwards dropping: This must bo due to imperfect fertilisation. Your best rfcmedy will bo to plant a few trees in closo proximity to the. two Gr»vensteins you namo of some othjjt variety that flowers at tho sanio time. An application of nitrate of soda when tho flower buds aro swelling assists tho setting of tho fruits. " Anxiously." Dcvoir^rt, —Tho foliage, and in some cases tiio stems, of year tomatoes in unhealed glasshouse damping is evidently caused by too much moisture at tho rootß, want of sufficient air, and sudden change of teinperatura frxjm .mild heat to cold. Under suf:h conditions tomatoes cannot thrive at this sej»ou of tho year '.vithout the aid of artificial heat. " Corm." FcUding.—Re dipping lilium,' gladioli and other bulbs in bluestono to destroy fungoid germ: lib. of bluestono to 10 gallons of water should be the proper strength to dip liliums in iust before planting them. Double strength may bo'applied to gladioli, which may bo treated after tho bulbs are taken up, allowing them to dry before storing. Immersing thorn in the mixturo for a few minutes is sufficktflt. E.J.N., To Kuiti.—Sepdliuc. cahhaco plants sent to report lipon are not affected by dipease, but by a deficiency of bmo in tho soil. You may have given the ground an overdo?o of soot, which is, very caustic la its properties. Before restrains apply a, liberal dressing of limo to ttnf'wu, and results will bo different. A little soot is always beneficial, but an overdose bums the roots aud gives the plants a mckly v appearance K^-03.