SUMMER PLANTING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22030, 9 February 1935, Page 8 (Supplement)

SUMMER PLANTING

VARIETIES OF BULBS v IMMEDIATE ATTENTION During January and part of February there are several bulbous subjects due for planting that will bridge the gap between the last of the summerflowering bulbs and those that appear in the winter and early spring. No time should be lost in planting these as the dormant season is short. Earliest to flower is the beautiful belladonna lily, Amaryllis Belladonna. The bloom's," which appear in advance of the leaves, develop from the end of February onward ancf the first to flower is that fine variety, speciosa purpurea, with rich purplish rose blooms with white centres. Next comes rosea maxima with deep rose-coloured, fragrant blossoms and finally the darkstalked variety, elata, with pale rose blooms. The chief point to bear in mirtd in the culture of these lilies is that they resent disturbance. A site should be selected for them where they may remain undisturbed for several years. Prepare a bed 2ft deep, composed of 6in of drainage, and 18in of soil, adding to the latter well-rotted manure, leaf-soil and wood-ashes. Plant the bulbs 6in deep and the same distance apart. Before the belladonnas have finished flowering the colchioums and autumn floAvering crocuses will have commenced to unfold their blooms. They are at their best in April, and groups of twenty bulbs or more will look better than single specimens. No special soil is needed for them, and the large bulbs should no£ be planted more than 3in deep. The autumn-flowering crocuses are ideal subjects for the rockgarden, besides succeeding well in narrow borders or on steep grass slopes. The foliage does not appear until spring, but it is no more untidy than that of the spring-flowering varieties. The bulbs should be planted in February liin deep. One of the best varieties is crocus speciosus, because when once it establishes in a place where it will not be disturbed it spreads obligingly, and soon makes a lavender and lilac sea of its own.

Another group of bulbous plants to be attended to without delay is the Sternbergias, plants which will bloom well into the late autumn. These again prefer to remain undisturbed for a number of years, and are best in a warm, well-drained pocket in the rock garden. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS "Plum" (Otahuhu).—Plum Purple King. •G.E. (Waiuku).—Regret your specimens were in too damaged a condition to ascertain anything. " Lemoni " (North Auckland).—Yes, the suggested mixture of manure for the lemons is quite good, and can be applied during the month of March with advantage, as it will be ready for the autumn rains. X.Y.Z. (Papatoetoe).—The principal cause of the berries falling from viburnums is imperfect fertilisation. As many of the viburnums are self sterile it is possible that the introduction of another tree will remedy .the trouble. R.W.D. (Pukekohe).—The holes in the tubers are no doubt ih® work of the potato tuber moth. Do not leave the tubers exposed at night when digging, a# the moth lays eggs (in the eyes), which will hatch out rafter the potatoes are stored, and riddle the tubers. See notes this week. "Subscriber" (Horohora). Danfhonia pilosa. Where there is a good rainfall the grass -£' ill make succulent growth, but in dry areas it becomes unpalatable, except where fresh growth is made after burning or heavy stocking. On poor hill country it is a good pasture plant, but on ploughable land it becomes an aggressive weed.

"Rubs'* (Frankton Junction).—l. Busselia juncea may be propagated either by cuttings inserted in sandy soil in spring, or by layering the shoots at the present time". Peg the young growths down in sandy soil, and keep moist and shaded. 2. Nierembergia is usually raised from seed sown in September. but cuttings may be taken (about two inches long) in spring. Some bottom heat is necessary to strike them. " Lachenalis. (Avondale).—Lachnealias and grape hyacinths should be planted at the present time. The sooner they are in the ground now the better the blooms that may be expected. Bulbs do not like fresh manure, but if the ground is poor some well-decayed cow or sheep manure may be worked into the soil well down and away from the bulbs; or a top-dressing of the same may be given when the foliage is well through the ground.

E.P. (Bombay). Cydonia (Japanese quince). There are several varietes, the red flowering one, popularly called " japonic*," being the most common. C. sinensis and C. cathayensis, both from China, will bear quite large fruits, yellowish when ripe, which may be used for the flavouring of apple jelly, or, if the quantity is large enough, for making "jelly alone. Most of the varieties are excellent springflowering garden shrubs. "Garden Lover" (Helensvilla).—Caterpillars "of one of the Porina moths. There are several varieties of these, one of which is the " grass caterpillar," whose depredations are often blamed to the grass grub. The grass caterpillar eats the ground bare, but the grub eats the roots only, leaving the tops loose. The porinas are night feeders and are very voracious, and were probably taking to the trees on account of the grass being very dry. "Peach" (Glenbrook).--The peaches are affected with brown rot, and from the appearance .of the fruit the trees have suffered greatly Irom lack of moisture during the dry spell. There is little that can ce done, at this time to save the fruit. Systematic spraying throughout the seaGon is necessary to control the disease. Lime sulphur, 1 in 120, should have been applied twice in January. An application at once may sava some of the fruit.

"Novice" (Dargaville).—The apple leaves do not show any sign of firebligbt. but some of the wood is needed to make a correct diagnosis. The tree has red mite, and this, coupled with the dry weather, may be the cause of the tree failing. Spraying with lime sulphur, 1 in 100, will check the mite. But a good egg-killinu spray in winter does the moat good. Tar distillate is good for this purpose. Direction will be given for the winter spraying nt the right time.

W.B. (Hemuera).—The reason why the pumpkins failed to set while no trouble was experienced- with the marrows is not apparent, but in any case where the blooms do not seem to be setting freely, it is always advisable to hand pollinate the female blooms. Frequent causes of failure to set are too rich ground, which causes too luxuriant a growth of foliage, so that the blooms become hidden. In this ense it will be as well to thin out some of the growths to allow light and air to reach the blooms, and to hand pollinate.

"In Doubt " (Wailii).—l, The lilium is becoming exhausted, .ind would be all the better for lifting and planting in some fresh soil. This may be done when the stems have turned yellow. Lilium auratuni is a stem rooter, nnd appreciates a topdressing of leaf soil during the growing season. Plant the bulbs six to eight inches deep, and shade the portion of the stem immediately above the ground. 2. Wattles are usually trimmed immediately after they have flowered in spring, but if the flower is n« object, they may be cut at midsummer also. A wattle hedge can be lightly trimmed at any season of the yenr, as long as too much is not taken off nt the one time.

V.S.E. (Hamilton).—You cannot begin tn prepare the site for a lawn 100 60on. even if the weather is dry; early preparation enables the ground to settle, and gives an opportunity for weed seeds 1o germinate, which may be kept hoed off. thus ensuring a clean seed bed. The thicker the seed is sown the quicker the area will be covered. Up to two ounces a square yard would be 11 good sowins. Any seedsman will make you up a good mixture for your purpose. A.M.J. (Turua).—the injury 1o the dahlin leaves is due to thrips, which thrive in dry conditions. The lack of water has aggravated the trouble, the plants not being able to grow away from the pest. Nicotine sulphate and soap is the best remedy for thrips, but unless water can he applied by well hosing in the evenings the plants will not improve. " Wonder " (Te Awamutu).—The dry weather is partly responsible for the discolouration of the foliage, besides burning by spray. It is advisable in a season like the present to add hydrate of lime to the arsenate spray. This will frequently obviate damage to the foliage. The atmosphere being so dry the leaves have absorbed more chemically-laden moisture than is good for them. There are signs of leaf spot, but it has been killed by the spray. The rot of the pear has been caused by scalding. Spraying was probably done in the evening. and the pears remained wet until the next morning, when it was quickly evaporated by the rising sun. The lower end of the fruit was the last to dry, and so became scalded. For the scale on citrus an oil spra,v in winter is the best—red oil, at three per cent strength. Spring and autumn are the best times to apply potash. Little good is experienced by applying in summer, and no artificial manuring is of an* benefit if there- is no rainfall or artificial watering to convert the fertilisers into solution.