THE HOME GARDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20716, 8 November 1930, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE HOME GARDEN.

THE FLOWER GARDEN. Soil, weather, and atmospheric conditions during the past week have been most favourable lor bedding out seedlings and ior seed sowings in the open ground, and also lor lightly stirring the surlace soil to break tlio hard crust after recent heavy rains and getting rid ol seedling and other weeds. Continue the planting of chrysanthemums according to requirements, and nip off the tops ol those previously planted when 6in. or 7in. high. November is the best time to .begin the planting of a general collection of dahlias, completing the planting by the end of December. Outdoor sowings of asters in properly prepared and treated soils should be done at once. Sow the seeds thinly in rows or clumps and lightly cover with fine earth. riant fuchsias, pelargoniums, gaillardias, flbrous-rootad begonias, verbenas, Marguerite carnations and a late batch of gladioli. Bed out zinnias, phlox Drummondii, scarlet salvias, French and African marigolds, petunias, coreopsis, schizanthus, etc., according to requirements. For dahlias, dig fairly deep holes, loosen up the sub-soli, refill with the soil taken out mixing with it some rotted manure or a handful of blood and bono and fine bonedust in equal quantities. Cosmea, portulacas and feathered cockscombs (Celosia pyramidalis), are excellent autumn-flowering annuals. Allow the cosmea plenty of room to grow. . Narcissi and other hardy flowering bulbs should be allowed to dry off their foliage before being taken up or the foliage cut of!.

PROGRAMME OF WORK.

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. After a wet season every portion of the ground carrying crops should be well loosened up either by deep hoeing or digging. Thorough and frequent cultivation is not only a means ol conserving moisture, but liberates plant food and assists bacterial action in the soil. In no case neglect to thin out seodling crops before they become drawn and weak. Attend to earthing up and staking of peas, beans and other plants needing support. Both peas and beans delight in a deeplyworked, well-manured soil, and if given these conditions invariably produce heavy crops. Sowings can now be made of cucumber, marrows, melons, sweet corn, and make another sowing of pumpkins and squashes. The planting out of well-hardened tomato plants can now be made with every chance of success. Earlier planted tomatoes, potatoes, onions and other crops subject to fungoid diseases should be occasionally sprayed with Bordeaux mixture. To keep rhubarb plants in good bearing, apply plenty of animal manure, or failing this, mix lour parts superphosphate and one part sulphate of ammonia, and apply at the rate of soz. to the square yard. To keep up a succession of peas and dwarf be£ns, make sowings about every three weeks. Make a sowing of onions for pickling or for using in the green state. A sowing of leeks, too, can be made for later planting. J 1M , Throughout the summer frequent and deep cultivation is an important factor in the success attained.

MANY FLOWER VARIETIES.

gaillardias. Tho large-flowered, singlo perennial gaillardias aro particularly valuable plants for garden decoration and for cutting. * They produce their georgcouslycojoured flowers almost throughout the' year and especially during tho winter, when there is a scarcity of other flowers lor cutting. Seedlings plarWd now make good, strong-flowering plants during tho late autumn continuing throughout tho winter and up to the present season. For tho bold decoration of bowls and rases gaillardias aro exceedingly popular. In addition to the largo, single-flowered varieties of perennial growth, there are several that are best treated as annuals including some very showy kinds with jull double flowers, thi»t aro of dwarf habit o( growth and aro most effective for masses. They produce fine heads of bright yellow and red flowers. Seedlings olanted now soon some into flower fl nd continue throughout the summer. The doubles are of annual duration. {Said* gC* - «"• sumcicn ' room to spread.

STATICES. SKtiees' or sea lavenders have becomo extremely popular, especially for cutting to house decoration. The flowers last ,o„ 8 to. »^S b ViirornfmSt»i oriS* heliclirysums and rhodanthe, ■■= inrl ' flowers for winter decorations. There aro annual and perennial Y arlctl °J Macrophylla, the hardy perennial, pro duces long spikes of mauve-coloured blossoms and is a showy border plant. Jhe annual varieties, notably Suiuata, tho free-flowering blue and bonduelli, the clear vellow, make a beautiful contrast, and aro largely grown _ for cut flowers. There is also a pure white variety and a cloud, a perennial, produces its numerous small white flowers on branchine steins, giving it a cloud-bke appeal aifce Dicksonii, another perenmal variety, produces pretty, bright pink blosEoms. Suworowi, an annual specias.-is •very distinct, producing up-ight spikes of bright, rose-coloured flowers. A selec tion of sfatices are useful subjects in the garden Ind partly valued for cut flowers. All are easily grown.

eschscholtzias. Eschscholtzias and dwarf nasturtiums tiro extremely showy sumraer-flQweiing plants. Although eschscholtzias are Strictly speaking, perennials, the modern practice is to grow them as annuals and to sow the seeds where they are intended to flower, They may either be sown in the autumn or spring. Scatter the.seed thinly to avoid after thinnings. Usually, every seed germinates. They make a brilliant display on the rock border or in Clumps or groups.in the mixed horde . The modern eschscholtzia is a great advance upon the original California poppy, representing a number of extremely beautiful varieties that show a distinct ranee of most brilliant colouring and are ceorgeously effective for summer bedding The colours comprise bright orange and yellow shades, rose, chamois ruby, ricli crimson, cherry red, ivory white, apricot buff and rosy carmines. They are very hardy, free from insects and most flonlerous.

DWARF NASTURTIUMS. The dwarf or Tom Thumb varieties of nasturtiums are fitting companions to eschscholtzias. They are not so hardy, end require to be sown in the spring* after the frosts are over in the open ground where they are to flower. i' ew flowers can rival these nasturtiums for brilliant colouring, and when grown :n the rock border or in masses in tho garden or in ribbon borders by the sides of walks and drives, tho effect when they are in full flower is most striking. Ino flowers, too, have become most popular for cutting for the dinner table and small vases. The delicate shades found in the newer varieties are very pleasing. They nro specially adapted for hot, dry summers. They produce a prolonged display without any care or attention. _ They comprise a wide range of beautiful and unique colouring from dazzling scarlets to creamy white with intermediate shades. They are of the easiest culture. All tho varietien are best grown on poor-soil. Tho flowers then appear above the foliage.

HUMEA ELEGANS. Tlumra Elegans is a most beautiful and graceful biennial plant, a native of Australia, with fragrant foliage, and produces bright, pink, light, feathery, looselybranched drooping panicles of flowers on tall stems. The flowers are greatly prized for cutting and filling vases on thn mantelpiece. Their drooping, feathery appearance is exceedingly 'lhey lire everlasting in character and will keep perfectly fresh in appearance, and true to colour for quite two years. Well-estab-lished, pot-grown plants may stilly ho planted iri sheltered places in tho mixed border. , ORNAMENTAL GRASSES.

Orriameibtal grasses are specially suited for growing in a reserved spot for cutting for t|io adornment of vases, table decorations, and bouquets, both fresh Grid everlasting, for which some <f tlie varieties <uo suitable. With tho exception of stipa pennatn, the perennial feather griss, tho others are annuals. Briza maxima, eragrostis eltgans, lagurus »>v;it\is, honrleum jubaturn, agrostis nebulosa, triciolaona rosea, bromus aurers and setaria\ macrochaeta are all popular Mid useful Varieties.

VEGETABLE CROPS.

BUSY TIME IN GARDEN. Tho weather during tho past week, though still tinged with cold winds, has afforded a better opportunity of proceeding with sowing and planting. Almost throughout tho whole winter —in fact, up to tho present month—tho weather has been remarkablo for tho number of days upon which heavy, cold rains havo fallen, and for the absence of tho average amount of sunshine at this season. During such weather the soil has been kept so cold and sodden with moisture as to bo almost impervious to air and warmth that is so essential to growth. In such seasons oven tho most practical growers cannot fail to havo experienced failures with many of the early-raised crops, especially somo of the more tender varieties. One of the first operations, as soon as the soil is dry enough to work, should bo to thoroughly loosen up the soil between all growing crops. Frequent cultivation not only gives added warmth and air to the soil, but liberates plant food, without which healthy growth cannot take place. From this time onward every effort should bo made to keep up a succession of crops, especially of such varieties as are most in demand throughout the spring and summer, such as peas, dwarf beans, spinach, beet, lettuce, radishes and other crops that mature in a few weeks. To maintain a supply, such crops require to be sown at intervals of a few weeks, according to the varieties. In addition to theso,- other crops such as carrots, parsnips, onion, for salad or for pickling, sweet corn, cucumbers, marrow, melons, pumpkins, squashes and similar crops, if not already sown, should have attention.

IMPORTANCE OP THINNING.

Special attention must be given to thinning young seedling crops before they at- | tain too large a size. At this season they grow rapidly and soon becomo so dense that thinning cannot be done without loosening the roots and choking the growth of the plants left to form the crop. The best time to thin is as soon as the plants have formed two or three of their rough leaves. At this time they have scarcely formed any fibrous roots, and can be removed without, disturbing tho soil around the roots of the plants left to grow. And while this applies to most plants, root crops, especially such as carrots, parsnips, long-rooted beet, salsify and similar crops, may often be spoiled by being left too long unthinned, for instead of forming clean, straight rootp, the roots branch out a little below the surface, forming what are called fingered roots. At the time of thinning all seedling weeds showing in the rows should be carefully removed. Between the rows they can bo easily kept under by frequent hoeing or light digging, the latter at this time being more effective, as the weed can be buried instead of having to be removed.

Attention must be given to earthing up and staking of peas, runner beans, tomatoes and other crops needing support. For peas small branches of teatree, or similar material will provide the necessary supports. For tomatoes, runner beans and other crops needing stronger and taller supports, a bundle or two of laths, usually obtainable for a few shillings at any of the timber mills will provide excellent material for forming trellises or other methods of support.

The planting out of tomatoes can now be done with greater prospects of success. The season up to the present has been anything but favourable for those earlier planted, for even in the most favourable situations, little growth has been made. There are 'few vegetables grown that are more popular or more in demand during the summer months than tomatoes, and, as they succeed well in almost any variety of soil that has previously been well worked and used for other crops, thero aro but few gardens in which space could not bo found for as many plants aa would provide fruit for household use. CULTIVATION OF TOMATOES. In planting tomatoes tho mistake is too often made in highly manuring the soil at tho time of planting, resulting in the plants making rank luxuriant growth and entailing an extra amount of labour and attention in stopping and removing superfluous shoots. The best method of training is to confino the plants to one single stem, removing all side shoots as soon as they start to grow. When not forced with manure sturdy, short-jointed growth will be mado from the start, and bunches of flowers and fruit will form at short and regular distances apart, tho whole length of tho stem. It is after the bunches are formed and tho fruit is set that assistance is needed. At this time the plants require plenty of food to enablo them to develop the heavy crops they carry. Unfortunately, no variety of tomato appears to be practically immune from disease. Tho only remedy appears to ho persistant spraying with Bordeaux mixture, during the whole growing and fruiting season.

CULTIVATION AND MANURING. To obtain the greatest success with summer crops tho soil cannot bo too deeply worked or too well manured, the nianuro being placed more deeply in tho coil than it need be for autumn or early spring sowing. Even for root crops, tho ground cannot ho too deeply worked, although if manure is applied for theso it Kiist he kept well down, or it tends to encourage branched instead of straight, clean roots.

EARLY CELERY CROPS. Early-sown celery should, as soon as large enough, be pricked out into boxes filled with good rich soil, placing the plants at a sufficient distance apart, each way to enable them to bo lifted with • good ball of soil attached to each plant.

THE ORCHARD.

DESTRUCTIVE AGENTS. With the sotting of fruits in the orchard tho labours of tho fruit-grower is at once increased. Tho destructive agents that growers have to fight before some fruit can be secured render it necessary that nothing should bo left to chance, but that every possible means should be used to prevent as far as possible damage caused to the fruit and foliage by pests. In this respect the energetic commercial grower has little to fear, as he has too much at stako to neglect to take proper measures to secure sound fruit. It is with the smaller fruit-growers where the danger lies and where the

neglected trees form breeding grounds and scatter broadcast the various pests and diseases. There is really little excuse for neglecting to spray, as both tho instrument for spraying and the materials required are obtainable at any of the seedsmen at comparatively small cost, with full directions at what strength to apply.

INSIDIOUS FUNGOIDS. Unfortunately tho enemies of the fruit aro by no means confined to insect pests, as these are certainly more easily controlled. It is the .insidious forms of fungoids that play such havoc with many varieties ol fruits in their various stage 3 of development that are more difficult to deal with. Thorough winter spraying does, without doubt, minimiso tho evil, but seldom effectually destroys it. This is evident by tho rapidity with which the fungoids spread, if moist, humid weather prevails when the fruit is approaching maturity. For the destruction of insect pests, spraying at intervals throughout tho whole fruiting season is absolutely necessary. To bo ■ thoroughly effective against ■codlin moth tho trees require to bo sprayed from tho time of the setting of the fruit until thoy aro fully developed, tho spraying being regulated by tho conditions prevailing. In showery weather, for instance, moro frequent application is necessary than in dry weather. COMBATTING THE LEECH. Tho leech of all pests is by far the most destructive to tho foliage if left unmolested. The eggs of this insect aro deposited upon tho leaves by a small (ly, often a number of eggs being laid on ono leaf. These, in a few days, hatch out and at once commence to feed upon tho foliage. It takes about three weeks for theso to attain their full size, and by that time (if not destroyed) they play such havoc with- tho skin of tho leaves as to leave them practically skeletons. Fortunately the arsonato of lead solution, when judiciously applied, is as destructive to these and other leaf-eating pests as it is to tho codlin moth, wliilo tho solution adheres to tho leaves for a longer perior than most other remedies, especially when applied in dry weather. Varieties that aro sprayed for codlin moth, such as apples, pears and quinces aro not likely to bo injured by the leech and other leaf-eating insects, as the spraying applied for tho codlin moth is equally effective in destroying them. 1 Fungoid diseases aro more difficult to deal with. Both winter and summer dressings aro required to control such .insidious diseases. Tho advantage of thorough winter dressing, however, is that the material can bo applied at greator strength than would be safe to apply while tho trees are in full growth.