SHRUBS AND TREES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19328, 15 May 1926, Page 4 (Supplement)

SHRUBS AND TREES.

TRANSPLANTING OPERATIONS. In last week's notes attention was drawn to the importance of having all land in which fruits or other trees are to be planted well broken up and prepared before the time of lifting. With deciduous varieties little or no preparation of the trees is needed, until they are sufficiently dormant for transplanting. Once the sap has returned and the wood has properly ripened transplanting can be performed with safety.

With evergreen varieties, whether fruits, /shelter or ornamental trees, the plants require to bo prepared some weeks before the time of lifting. WRENCHING TREES AND SHRUBS. Wrenching is the term used by nurserymen for this operation, and is performed by cutting around the plants and lifting until the roots are freed from the soil. They are then trodden firmly and left until an abundance of young fibrous roots are formed. In a few weeks, if the wrenching is properly performed, a network of roots is produced, allowing the plants to be lifted with a good ball of earth, that will ensure success if reasonable care is taken in planting. These young fibrous roots, however, being quickly formed, are tender and soon suffer if exposed to the sun or harsh winds. PROTECTION OF ROOTS. At the time of lifting wrenched trees or shrubs there is really no reason why the roots should be exposed, at least not more than a few minutes, as it is a simple matter to place the' plants in a damp piece of sacking, removing one at a time as required. By this means, the roots are kept fresh "and intact. If procured from any reliable nurseryman they are invariably packed so that the roots are properly protected, for if not balled up singly, "they are only packed in such quantities" as will onsure the roots being uninjured. LOSSES IN TRANSPLANTING. It is surprising the number of plants that are lost each season through being lifted before any previous preparation has.

been made. Wrenching, it is true, entails extra time and labour, but if properly performed is in every case the surest means of success. With properlyprepared plants tnere should be few losses, unless it is through neglect and careless handling, allowing the roots to be exposed until they become parched and nearly all the vitality taken out of them. Deciduous trees, as already stated, being practically in a dormant condition at the time of planting, are not so liable to suffer as evergreen varieties, but even with these the roots should in no case be left exposed, but should be damped and covered with soil until ready for planting.

ESPALIER-TRAINED TREES. In gardens of small area, it is surprising that this method of training fruit trees is so little practised, as there is certainly no more economical or more interesting method of cultivating several varieties than on the espalier system. The one great advantage is the small amount of space they occupy, compared with trees grown on the standard principle, for if planted in rows the whole length of the garden, or by the side of paths,- or even trained on the dividing fences, they will only take up in width from 18in. 'to 2ft. at most, at any season of the year, if properly trained. VARIETIES FOR ESPALIERS. I Apples and pears particularly do well, trained in this manner, while some varieties of * plum, especially some of the Japanese kinds, succeed well if carefully trained. If planted in rows in the vegetable garden, 20ft, apart, the trees being placed 15ft. apart in the rows, it allows ample space for the cultivation of vegetables and other crops between the rows, while the cultivation of ihe soil for this purpose naturally assists to promote more vigorous growth. TRAINING ESPALIERS. Although there are numerous methods of training, by far the most simple and best for the ordinary garden is the horizontal system of training. The best support for training is made by putting in posts and straining four or five wires the wholo longth of the rows, the first wire being arranged about a foot from the ground, and the others from lOin. to a foot apart.

PRUNING ESPALIERS. The best trees to select are maidens, otherwise trees having three shoots, viz., a leading shoot, and one on either side, that can be trained to the first wire. At the time of pruning the leading shoot should be cut back to just above the next wire, the object being to produce two other shoots, one on either side for training to the next wire, as well as a leading shoot to be carried up, and so on until side branches are secured for each wire.

FRUIT TREES AS BORDERS. If it is not practicable to plant in rows in the vegetable garden, a row, planted by the side of paths or upon the dividing fence, will take up but small space, compared to two or three standard trees. Espalier trees, with reasonable attention, us ua 11 y produce abundant crops of fine fruit, due, in great measure, to the sun and air having free access to every portion of the trees, so that the wood is always thoroughly ripened. Another great advantage of this system is that the trees are more easily pruned and treated for insect pests, while when in the fruiting stage, they are not so liable to injury by high wind. ADVANTAGES OF ESPALIERS. • This method of culture is # by no means difficult, and requires but little skill, and when once the trees are well started can be successfully trained by any amateur. As the trees advance in growth, summer pruning is essential to obtain the greatest success, while a certain amount of winter pruning is naturally necessary. Summer pruning, however. in almost every instance, induces fruit fullness, and one of the chief objects , in espalier training is to endeavour to induce fruiting spurs to form at regular intervals throughout the whole of the branches, and this can best be attained by pinching back the side or lateral growths during the summer. The fact of the branches being trained horizontally results in more lateral growths than when the branches are grown naturally, so that more stopping is necessary.

FAILURES WITH CABBAGES. - v Failures with cabbages are frequently due to the choice of variety. By planting unsuitable varieties at the wrong period of the year failure is almost inevitable. The time of transplanting is more important than the time of seed sowing, but the following list may prove useful to those who have in the past been unsuccessful:— Early varieties such as Early York, Enfield Market and Eastham should be sown in February, March and April, planting out the seedlings as soon as they are big enough to handle. Cabbages should be ready for cutting from the boginning of July. Second Early leaves no choice, and Flat Parisian is the best. Sow the seed during May and June so as to have the plants ready for planting out in August, September, and ready for cutting about December-January. Main ,£rop sorts, which are sown during July to November, and transplanted from September to January, take about four months to mature, ajid include St. John's Day, Champion Allhead, Succession and Surehead. Late sorts are sown during OctoberNovember, and transplanted during late January and early February, the resultant heads being ready for use. in August-Sep-tember. The best varieties are Drumhead, Red Dutch, and Giant of Auvergne.