THE VEGETABLE PLOT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21396, 20 October 1934, Page 10 (Supplement)

THE VEGETABLE PLOT

RAPID SPRING GROWTH Under the influence of more genial weather conditions, potatoes are now making rapid headway, and no time must be lost in earthing them up. One night's fx*ost is enough to cripple the leaves if left unprotected. Do not overlook the necessity of spraying with Bordeaux as a precaution against attacks of " blight." The plants should receive the first spraying when about six inches high. Flowering Bpikes on rhubarb and seakale should bo removed as soon as they make their appearance. Newly planted rhubarb roots should bo allowed to develop all their growth the first season to enable them to build up strong, healthy crowns for future cropping. It is a great temptation to pull some of the stalks, which look so healthy, but it will weaken the plants if done before thoy have established themselves. Asparagus beds should now be yielding a steady supply of succulent young shoots, and the roots will appreciate a dressing of agricultural salt at the rate of two or three ounces per square yard. Constant attention will be needed in keeping the beds clean and free from weeds. The plants resent any intrusion of their quarters, and neglect in this respect will be dearly paid for by greatly reduced crops. As a rule, shoots can be cut until the middle of December. It is never a good plan to be too severe on the plants, as the stems which are left have yet to build up vigorous buds for next year's growth. New asparagus beds should not be cut until the third year. It is sometimes possible to cull a few shoots from two-year-old plants without endangering their prospects, but more often than not early cutting results in the bed being irretrievably ruined.

The early sown turnips will be ready for thinning out, but this operation need not be, too drastic, as turnips from the early sowing are best pulled for use in a young stage, but at no time, however, should the seedlings be allowed to starve through overcrowding. A sowing can also be made of garden swedes. The purple and bronze top varieties are more refined in quality than the field variety, and their tastes are equally simple. Celery plants should be sufficiently advanced to be pricked out, and it is not advisable to allow them to have too much root run in the boxes or frames where they are pricked out. There is more likelihood of them run, ning to seed if they form tap roots. A Sin. or 4in. depth of soil is sufficient, if watering is attended to in dry weather. SEEDS TO PLANT

A great variety of seeds may be planted at this season to make the garden a blaze of colour for the summer months. It would be impossible to give anything like a full list, and most growers probably have already made a selection. There is no need to suggest such favourites as phlox, petunias, asters, sunflowers, zinnias, salpiglossis, dahlias, dianthus, carnations and many others. There are some useful hotweather plants, however, that are not so generally used as they might be. Anions these are ageratum, a most effective border plant; amaranthus, with its brilliant foliage; Celosia Thompsoni, beautiful feathery flowers of many colours; calliopsis, of a white range of yellow, orange, and rich brown; and the dwarf variety Drummondi, useful for borders; ornamental capsicums, sweet sultan, gaillardias, and verbenas. A little later, when the weather becomes warmer, succession sowings can bo made, and then other seeds can bo put in which do better a little latter, such as balsams, cosmos, portulacas and salvias. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS Mrs. W.H.R. (Rusaell).—The article on violets on this page Inst week will have supplied the required information. tf.J.L. (Mauku).—The specimen is Raphiolepsia ovata (Indian hawthorn). The native putaputaweta is Gorpodetus eerratus. Miss B.G. (Hokianga).—Podalyria Bericea <Afncar; satin bush). The plant is a native of South Africa and will grow to about 4ft. in hcignt. " Avis" (IJaipara Plats).—l. The rock plant is Ajuga reptans, 2, Allium roseabachianum (onion family), "but this variety wt one of the most showy and does not spread to any extent. "Native" (Kaipata Flats).—l. Asploni-am flaccidum, 2. Polypodium Billardierii (houndb longuo). a. Lycopojium Billaraierti. 4. Paracusia capsularia (aka-kioro). 5, Coprosnia robusta (karamu), A SMNgongotaha).-The disease is known as " bladder plum." Pick off all infected frmt and burn them. The best treatment is a spray with winter strength Bordeaux just before the buds start in spring. '! Subscriber" (Matamata).—The Bordoaux mixture was rather strong for the tendsr foliage after blossoming. Lime sulphur, 1 in 120, is not so hard on the young leaves, but no great harm will have been done. F.S.L. (Huarau).; —The best lime to transpjant clematis is just as gtowth starts in spring, but it may be transplanted with success any time from autumn until growth begins. After that time it is best left undisturbed. T.H.R. (To Awamutu).—To prevent the beetle eating the* leaves of the fruit trees, spray with arsenate of lead, loz. of powder to four gallons of water, with the same quantity of hydroted lime added to prevent burning of the foliage. J.W.S. (Kunieu). —The specimen blooms are neither plum nor almond, but appear to be the Japaneso single-flowering cherry, known as yoshino. Soino foliago and wood would have helped in ascertaining the species, as cherries, plums, poaches, almonds and apricots nil belong to tho genus Prunus. " Quince'' (Ka'.ikati).—Tho disease is tho quince leaf spot and is carried over each year on tho dead leaves. It is as well to destroy all fallen leaves by burning, and spray with lima sulphur, 1 in 60, beforo the flowers appear, with two or three applications during the Bumm'T at 1 in 100 strength. G.E. CWaiuku).—l. Too liberal ttse of nitrogen and lack of phosphates is often a cause of poppies failing to flower. Tho use of superphosphate will usually rectify the trouble. 2. The Acacia Bai'flyaiia can be cut back now with safety. 3. The species is pyracantha, but cannot Bay which one fiom the email specimen. " Sour Grapes" (Matakana).—There is no disease or pest apparent on the grape flowers; they appear to have received a check. It would be advisable to clear away the passion-fruit sufficiently to allow free access of air <o dry the flowers before the sun shines on them in the morning, as the bunches may have been scalded in that way. , C.P.W. (Wainiana).—Subterranean clover is an annual, and after dowering the heads turn down to the ground and anchor themselves till the seeds germinate. It provides a considerable amount of feed, but in thin pastures is _ likely to die out in summer, when feed is scarce. In good pastures its aggressiveness causes it to bo considered as a weed. " Lawn" (Cambridge).—Pearlwort (Sagina procumbens) iB often a troublesome weed on lawns, and, as it spreads rapidly, it is advisable to destroy it on the first appearance. In spring or autumn scarify the lawn with a fine tooth rake to tear out as much as possible; then apply a top-dressing of fine soil, to which has been added some bonedust, loz. for each square yard of lawn. "Inquirer" (Auckland).—Walnuts vary considerably m the quality of the nuts when , raised from seed, and known good varieties are propagated by budding on to stealing stocks. Your tree may be a badquality seedling if the kernel is so email. Another cause may ha-vn been the pickins of tho walnut# for pick ling too eoon before the kernel had developed sufficiently. The nuts should bo left as long as possible, but for pickling it should bti possible to paas knitting needle through the husk and shell. Kepos.