SPRING WEATHER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19454, 9 October 1926, Page 4 (Supplement)

SPRING WEATHER.

BUSY GARDENERS. ASPARAGUS BEDS. Established asparagus beds are now denveloping their crops. At this time liquid manure, if other stimulating manures have not already been applied, will do much to hasten and strengthen their growth. In cutting, care should be taken not to cut away every strong head, until only weak shoots are left to carry on root action. PRODUCING GOOD ASPARAGUS. To ensure good annual crops a certain number of shots must be allowed to grow unchecked from each crown, in order to encourage the formation of strong new roots and a new set of buds for next season's crop. If kept cut too close, the roots, instead of increasing in strength each year as they should do, if a few strong shoots were allowed to grow from each stool, are weakened. TOO MANY SHOOTS. Too many shoots are by no means an advantage, and it is in every case better to thin ont some of the weaker than to deprive the plants of all of the stronger shoots. These need not be cut at the commencement of the cutting, but before the strength of shoots begin to decline. GROWING SEA KALE. Sea kale is a dainty vegetable, and-it is surprising that it is not more generally represented in private establishments. It can be grown in any good garden soil, and strikes readily, and soon forms good crowns from root cuttings, so that a stock of plants is soon obtained if roots are procurable. PLANTS FROM SEED. Failing root cutting, sea kale can be easily raised from seed, which may be sown at once in drills drawn about 15in. apart. As soon as the plants are a few inches high thin out to about 6in. apart, the object in every instance is to encourage one strong crown to form, so that any weak side shoots that grow out below . the main crown should be removed from time to time as they grow. BLEACHING SEA EALE. Once good strong crowns are secured the next important operation is bleaching the , heads, and this can be done by lifting the plants and placing them "in a darkened frame, or by covering the plants with 9in. ' to a foot of light soil or other suitable ! material that will exclude the light, where the plants are growing. By adopti irig both methods a succession of crops ; can be maintained for a much longer ■ period. There is no advantage, however, in forcing or bleaching until strong crowns are secured. ROOK AND PIE MELONS. . Rock, water and pie melons may be J sown any time from the middle of the pre- , sent month until the first week in Novem- * ber, so that no time should be lost in placing the ground in the best possible condition for raising the plants. NEED OF WARMTH. To raise and grow melons successfully they must have warmth in the soil, for unless they are thoroughly protected, they often receive such a severe check from the cold winds and variable temperature that they rarely recover sufficiently to make healthy growth, and are the first to fall a prey to the green aphis. In sowine. evert though the season is advanced, a good i plan is to cover the plots where the seed ' is sown with bottomless boxes or tins, and ( cover with a pane of glass until the plants are well started. Once the ' plants are raised, the glass can be removed in favourable weather, so as to strengthen and harden the plants. SOWING THE SEEDS. In sowing rock melons 6ft. apart each way is a suitable distance to arrange the plots. A good loamy soil that has not been frashly manured, is best for this crop. Water and pie melons require more space to spread, and may be sown in plots from 9ft. to 12ft. apart, according to the varieties grown. Instead of,simply digging holes where the seed is to be sown, the plants will succeed far better if the of the ground is dug over and well broken «PTO CORRESPONDENTS. "Poorman," Tapere.—Specimens to" name. No. 1 is Buddleia variabilis—a pretty shrub producing its numerous flowers in terminal racemes. No. 2. Bignonia La Trobei—a showy evergreen climber very similar to Bignonia Australia. J.E.T., Ngaruawahia.—Onion-like plant to identify is the common garlio (albium sativum). a native of Sicily. It soon becomes naturalised wherever introduced. Spreads rapidly in gardens and pastures, becoming a noxious weed. H.M.H.. Hamilton.—Re your seed sowing being not quite satisfactory. A boxed-in frame, such as you use, should be well adapted for seed raising. Although Bin. Nt the bottom would be better than Gin., and instead of a boarded bottom use fine gravel with some coarse .sand or fine charcoal on top. This allows the natural moisture to ascend and maintains a more humid temperature. In answer to your several questions: No. 1: Well moisten the soil in the trays before sowing: 2: no further watering is necessary for a few days; 3: cover seed-trays with a sheet of paper to be removed as soon as the seeds germinate and the seedlings appear above ground; 4: do not wet the paper before or after covering or placing it over the seeds; 6: the glass light should have no shading, either on the top or on the underside, excepting, perhaps, a slight shading during the hottest part of the day, with a blind to be rolled up at other times and during wet, dull weather: 6: some seedlings take longer to germinate than others and must he watered when the surface soil becomes dry. Water with a can with a very fine rose attached, wetting the whole surface. The soil for sowing seeds in should consist of fibrous loam not sifted too finely and with about one-third of river 6and. A little leaf mould may be added, but not any manure. Following this system should enable you and other amateurs to obtain successful results. Some fine scoria at the bottom of the trays affords drainage. " Amateur," New Lynn.—Boxing off seedlings so often referred to in gardening notes, applies to transplanting the young seedlings that have come up thickly in the seed pans or trays and if left crowded together would become weakly, whereas when pricked off into boxes and allowed room they make strong plants for putting out into borders. At this season many thousands of seedlings are being treated in this manner. The object being to produce sturdy, well-rooted plants, which, if carefully taken out of the trays and transplanted into their permanent places, will scarcely feel the shift and start right away. K.G., Remuera.—Twig of acacia in full flower to identify is acacia floribunda, an exceedingly graceful species. The other twig without, flowers may be the species retinoides, but as there uro severe! that arq almost identical in the foliage it is quite impossible to name them unless in flower and even then some are almost identical. " Inquirer," Lower Remuera.—To furnish unsightly clay bank, buffalo grass iB the most useful and permanent subject. Planted about lOin. apart over the whole surface it soon establishes, spreads out and becomes a thick sward. Now is a suitable time to plant; select well-rooted species, yiltademia triloba is about the best flowering plant for the purpose. It will succeed on hard, gravelly and stony banks, also in clay. Its daisy-like flowers are produced in the greatest profusion almost throughout the year. Polygonum repens is another suitable subject, also free flowering, with pink flowers and coloured foliage. Spreads rapidly; both are good dry weather subjects. L.S., Epsom.—Stephanotis floribunda, the Madngscjy- jasime as it is sometimes called, will not succeed with you on western exposure. It is much too tender to grow in the open, excepting, perhaps, in a very sheltered, warmer corner and northern aspect. Bignonia venusta succeeds well hero in suitable situations. Seeds of poinciana negia are not worth sowing as this goregous flowering plant is too tender even when grown in a greenhouse. Kbpos,