PLANTING THE BULBS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22356, 29 February 1936, Page 8 (Supplement)

PLANTING THE BULBS

VALUE Op GREEN MANURING ** * The benefits to be derived from completing the preparation of the soil sufficiently in advance of planting to allow of its settling firmly, and so assuming the mechanical condition conducive to sound, healthy growth, cannot be over-estimated. Particularly is this so in the case of bulbous plants. Subsequent soil settlement does, not, it is true, retard their progress", to the same extent as plants which are transferred to the soil with an already active root system, but on the other hand they are loss fitted to derive full benefit from manui'es which aro incorporated at the time of planting. 'JJhis is largely due to the fact that the great majority of bulbs are not improved by the addition to the soil of any great quantity of animal manure; instead, they are actually injured by its presence, which will have the effect of encouraging the production of soft, unhealthy growth, in addition to ruining the health and strength of the bulbs themselves. On the other hand they are equally unhappy in a poor, humusstarved soil, Nothing is more conducive to the striking of a happy medium between the two conditions than timely soil preparation. Chemical fertilisers, which aro so often employed, are not immediately available to the rootsj they must first of all be dissolved in the soil moisturo and acted upon by other chemical constituents. _ The experienced exhibitor knows full well, however, that though much can bo accomplished by the aid of fertilisers, the beds will also require periodical renewal of tho humus content, to maintain a standard of the highest excellence. This cannot be done better than by green manuring during the summer months. _ If a good dressing of cow manure is worked in during the spring, and mustard or iupins immediately sown down, these plants will draw heavily on the manure, absorbing all the rank feeding water it may contain, and at the same time drawing a certain amount of sustenance from the air. This valuable food and additional humus in the plants themselves aro returned to tho soil when they aro dug in. > No time should bo lost in getting the preparatory work in hand where reliance must be placed entirely on artificial fertilisers. Most bulbs will respond well to a dressing of basic slag, kainit and bonemeal in the proportions of 40. 20 and 40 per cent, respectively, and applied at tho rate of four ounces a square .yard. The soil must in all cases bo deeply worked, and the fertilisers distributed evenly throughout the cultivated depth. It is often the case when bulbs are grown for garden decoration that the opportunity to work the soil does not occur until near planting time. If the soil is in fairly good condition, having been liberally manured for previous crops, it will suffice merely to dig over the soil when the summer occupants of the beds have been removed, but if the soil is in an impoverished condition, tho wisest policy will be to feed the present occupants of the beds to the utmost limit of their capacity, and it will be an advantage if a dressing of bonemeal is pointed into the beds without delay. A certain amount of the plant food will remain in the soil for the benefit of the bulbs, FOR ORCHID LOVERS An increasing number of amateur growers are taking an interest in the culture of orchids. For those with the necessary facilities at their disposal, a great deal of enjoyment will be possible with 3ven a moderate collection. With the object of increasing the public interest and advancing the knowledge pertaining to orchids, the Australian Orchid Review, a quarterly journal published by the Orchid Society of New South Wales, the initial issue of which is just to hand, will be welcomed by all growers. Most of the literature available on the subject at present has been compiled for the northern hemisphere, and a journal written especially for Australian and New Zealand conditions, will be invaluable as a means of keeping growers in touch with latest developments as well as providing sound cultural information for those taking up this fascinating hobby.