The Home Garden

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22687, 27 March 1937, Page 10 (Supplement)

The Home Garden

FLOWERS Plant out the annuals from early sowings and sow hardy annuals in vacant spots in the borders. Continue the plantings of spring-flowering bulbs, narcissus, anemones, ranunculus, scillas and muscari. Keep the dahlias tied up and watch for caterpillars in the buds; if very persistent, spray with arsenate of lead. The chrysanthemums are swelling their buds and will require ' " attention to feeding regularly. The decorative chrysanthemums will pay for disbudding to improve the quality. [Winter sweet peas should be kept well tied up to the stakes; pinch out the tops when six good leaves have been made. The Greenhouse ' Sow verbenas, pansies, Iceland poppies, nemesla, calendula, stocks and carnations. Poinsettias that have filled their pots with roots will appreciate some liquid manure. The begonias and gloxinias will need to be dried ofF to make room for the winter occupants of the glasshouse. Climbing roses grown in the glasshouse are usually pruned in autumn. Make a start with the propagation of perpetual carnations. Remove the earliest cinerarias and primulas from the frames ' to the glasshouse.

orkiivg, Guide for tKe "Weelc

VEGETABLES Sow cabbage and cauliflower (early varieties), lettuce for winter supplies, early horn carrots, turnips and spinach. Sow onions (for transplanting) on land worked to a fine tilth; tripoli and giant rocco varieties for pulling green in spring. Earth-up and feed with soot water advancing crops of celery and leeks; spray with Bordeaux to prevent leaf spot. Pumpkins and marrows that are ripe should be well diied in the sun before storing away. When the season's crop, of asparagus has ripened, cut ofT the tops before the seed falls on the beds. A dry autumn gives a good opportunity for clearing up the weeds before winter. Clean up and dig all vacant plots. The Orchard Gather fruit for storing as it ripens, storing only sound fruit. Mark any trees in the orchard for removal owing to disease or treatment for unfruitfulness. Insert cuttings of bush fruits to replace old worn-out bushes; use sturdy shoots of the current season's growth. Prepare the site for new plantations of raspberries and cut out the old canes of established stools. Where root pruning needs to be done, get the operation in hand early. Digging a hole for a new fruit tree is much inferior to trenching the whole site; do it now.

Border Carnations j Planting Layered Stocks I r JP H E border carnations which were; layered in January have appreci- i atcd the moist weather and should now; bo well rooted and ready for transference to their permanent quarters. The first proceeding, however, will be to sever them from, the parent! plants, after first examining them to see that sufficient root has been made, j The layers should then be left for a . week or so to recover from the shock of having to depend upon themselves! for nutriment. In lifting, if the layering pin was placed in the correct position—that is, well above the cut —no j injury to the roots can accrue when j it is removed, but care should be taken, j as, if roughly dragged up, the roots! may come with it. as sometimes happens when they have grown round a badly-inserted pin. A strong, compact bunch of roots is desirable, and is the usual result of ' good layering, but some shoots will re- j main backward whatever is done, and. ; on lifting, disclose only the most rudimentary evidence that root formation has started. This does not mean that the layer is valueless, for, however slight the growth may be, it is an asset in carnation culture that this is sufficient to ensure perfect, if somewhat slower, development, especially when transference is made early enough in the season for growth to continue while the weather is still mild and open. Use Only Healthy Stock The importance of using only health? stock is obvious, but, unfortunately, rust often develops late in the season, and one does not like to consider discarding otherwise good plants without first trying some remedial measures. Considerable success has been obtained by carnation specialists in the control of rust by spraying with a solution of common salt, the quantity being one tablespoon to two gallons of water, after which the plants are freely dusted with carbonate of lime, which is left to dry on. This treatment is generally effective in curing bad cases in from four to six weeks, or can be repeated j if necessary without mutilating the! plant by the removal of affected leaves. Favourable Positions In heavy or retentive soils the beds or borders are all the better for being! raised a few inches above the sur- I rounding level, to assist in drainage, | and an open, airv, position is best! suited to the welfare of the plants. j Plant, firmly, but not deeply, as car- j nations are surface rooters, and be sure j to give each .plant a stout label, with the name legibly inscribed. It is also | a good plan, where numbers of carna- j tions are grown, to keep a numbered chart of the varieties, then, if a label j does happen to get lost, the variety can easily be found by means of the chart. 1 It is vexatious when the labels become misplaced and a variety loses its identity, as it is frequently difficult to get them identified again. Chrysanthemums Story of Development Owing to its being incorporated in | the seal of the Emperor of .Japan, long ago the chrysanthemum became known as the Flower of the East, but nowadays it is undeniably a favourite throughout the world. It is said to have had its origin in Greece, the Greeks naming if by combining two words which meant " gold flower ". The chrysanthemum as they knew it, was a small button like flower of a deepish yellow, which eventually found its way to China. From there a Japanese took specimens into his own country, where attempts were made at propagation. We find the chrysanthemum alluded to in a Japanese floral anthology as long ago as the year 905, while a short time before this a Japanese Emperor decreed that a one day festival be held in October each year in honour of the flower, a fete observed to this day in Japan. The plant found its way to the Western world by way of France, having been introduced by an Englishman named Robert Fortune, lie discovered it on an island near the eastern coast of China By this time the flower had reached much larger proportions and owing to the resemblance it bore to the " pompons " the French soldiers wore in their caps, the soldiers christened it thus, a name one occasionally hears in connection with the chrysanthemum to-day. When propagation under glass was commenced, it was realised that the flower had undreamed-of possibilities. The petals could be made to feather and curl both inwards and outwards, making realization difficult that a flower of such magnificence and beauty could have originated from that daisylike flower of ancient Greece.

Blue Predominating

A GAT! 1)1'"N in which blue flowers predominate can be made a feature for quite nine months in the year, if planted with a due regard to the season in which each kind of plant will flower. ,If the blue garden can be separated from the rest of the garden by a trellis, a splendid backing can be given by training Solanum Wendlandii (or in the colder "districts, Ceanothus dentatus would be more suitable), the clusters of bloom forming a picture in themselves. It is interesting to watch the different tones of blue which accompany the seasons from September onward. The first arrivals are usually the scillas and chionodoxas, and these should bo grown in the company of forget-me-nots. As these fade the display is taken up by the glorious blues of tho muscari or grape hyacinths. If partly shaded places are available there is nothing better for these than clumps of Anemone hepatica associated with Omphalodes cappodocia. These will continue in bloom throughout November when the ceanothus is at its best, and beds of violas Pickering Blue and W. ,H. Woodgate, would be in full flower. Filling December Gap In December there is likely to be a gap unless it is bridged with plants of the bulbous species, which flower as summer draws near. Iris sibirica Perry s Blue, and pumila in two shades will do excellently, although they are not quite free from a suspicion of lilac or lavender. True blue will, however, be provided by the Camassia and Ixiolirion Pallassii, hardy bulbs which should be more universally grown. In December a drift of azure can be provided bv the blue flax Linum perenne, with Linum narbonense as a fit companion. The rich ultramarine of the latter form an unforgettable picture. For the summer months the annuals

come into tbe picture and there is no lack of variety of these in all shades , of blue. The visearias in blue shades

Wonderfully Effective Display

form dense little bushes literally covered with bloom. The variety named Blue Gem will lie found one of tho best for the purpose with flowers of a pleasing shade of -lavender blue. Ageratuins from the pale lavender blue of Mexicana to the deeper shades of tho dwarf Blue Cap and Little Dorrit. Phacelia canianularia is a beautiful blue annual worthy of a place but how seldom is it seen in gardens! The plant is quite hardy and succeeds best if sown where it is to flower. "Delphiniums Blue" Masses of delphiniums in all their delightful shades of blue should not be overlooked as these will be one of the most conspicuous features of the blue garden at their time of blooming. As the summer flowers wane the arena is taken by the Michaelmas daisies, of which their are several good blues in the Amellus section, such as Frikartii, bright blue; King George, violet blue; and Prezioza, deep violet blue. In the taller growing Novi-Belgii varieties there are not so many true blue, but Blue Gem, deep blue, and Anita Ballard, china, blue, would fit well into the scheme, bringing us to the close of the season's enjoyment of blues massed in every conceivable shade.

Treatment of Cacti At tho end of Alarch, as soon as the sun has lost most of its warming power, watering should gradually be diminished, until by the end of May the plants should only receive a spraying once a week with tepid water, ihe golden rule for all who are novices at cacti-growing is " the drier the better from March until September." It must, however, bo realised that this rule does not apply indiscriminately to all succulents. Cacti and succulents both have this point in common —they are both fleshy. Unth plants may have spines, but the cacti will have at tho base of the spine a tuft of hairs. They may be microscopic, or so long and dense that the plant is hidden, but the hairs are always there. Cacti must have the treatment outlined above, succulents, on the other hand, must not be kept too dry. Too often, any curious-looking succulent is dubbed a cactus, and errors in management or in advice result. Those who have succulents should endeavour to obtain their generic name, and thus avoid often grossly wrong treatment. A method of determining whether a plant is a cactus or succulent has already been •riven, and it might be added that the most cactus-like succulents, the euphorbias, are further distinguished by their sap, which is milky white. With care and correct treatment, the majority of the cacti can be (lowered each year, and not once in a lifetime, as many people think.

Dry Border Problem

A difficult spot to deal with is a hot, , dry border backing against a wall of the house that is exposed to the full force of the sun all day, and yet is sheltered from rain by the overhanging eaves of the house roof. To attempt to bed out tbe conventional annual bedding plants usually results in failure to make anything like a satisfactory show, for most of these require abundant moisture during the growing season. , The best use to which such a spot can be put is to convert it into a permanent bed lor plants of a succulent nature. These are all interesting, and will certainly be happy in such a position, for they will adjust themselves perfectly to such conditions. J here w ill he no need to lill the border with the commonest kinds, for there are scores of varieties, and once their distinguishing characteristics are understood they will prove quite fascinating. It will he noted in the sketch some rough pieces of stone are indicated. Buried in the soil, these serve a useful purpose, as broad based stones will always do a great deal toward keeping the earth beneath them moist and cool, even in scorching sunshine. Time to Plant Ixias The charming and attractive flowers of the ixia, or African corn lilies, are so varied in colour in the different varieties, that they are especially useful as cut flowers. ' The blooms are elegantly arranged on the slender but wiry stems, and when cut, last a long time in water. However, unless they are grown in large quantities, it is sacrilege to cut them at all. If a sunny, sheltered spot is available, and the soil made to their liking bv mixing with it plenty of decaved 'leaves, rubbish from the garden 'bonfire and sand, the small corms will throw up their elegant spikes in quantity. . Plant the corms four inches deep, but no manure of any kind should be used, and while the plants are in active growth they should never be allowed to become dry at the root. The climate of South Africa, where these plants are found wild, is such, that the plants are able to make their growth in the wet season, For some reason, in many places, the conns never seem to do very well after the first season, and where this is the case, fresh stock should be procured, or raised in a different part of the garden.

Some good ixias are Afterglow, Rosea plena, Snowflake, Viridiflora, green with a dark eye, Vulcan, Bridesmaid, white with a crimson eye, Conqueror, yellow and red, and Crateroides major, the last named being the variety > grown in large quantities for the cutflower market.

Rock Garden Plants

the prospective rock gardener has completed the building part of the operations, his thoughts will naturally turn to the plants which are to grow upon it. Those plants in the following list will be found, for the most part, easy to grow in any ordinary rock garden compost. No attempt has been made to include difficult or rare plants, such as the rock gardener will be sure to wish to add to the collection as he hecomes more proficient in this interesting phase of gardening. Most alpines are sunlovers and delight in open situations, but some prefer the shade, and these are indicated in the notes on each plant. Aubretia, the purple rock cress, is too well known to need much description. The soil should

be limy, and requires a sunny place. Armeria maritima, the thrift or sea pink, of which there are several varieties, Vindictive being about tbe best. Alyssiim saxitile com pactum, is the best form for the rock garden, popularly known as gold dust, and well merits the name. Androsace sarmentosa, easily grown in any sunny place that is well drained. Ajuga genevensis Brockbankii will grow in sun or partial shade. Campanula garganica, a trailing bellflower, which delights in a sunny place. Campanula pusilla, of which there are several colour forms from white to deep blue. Cyclamen Noapolitanum, whose dainty flowers appear in late summer arid autumn, is line for a shady corner. Dianthus deltaides is one of the best of rock plants, making sheets of colour when in bloom. Erinus alpines, line for small crevices in a sunny position. Geranium sanguineum, a quite prostrate plant which blooms throughout the summer. Geurn Borisii flowers almost throughout the year. Gypsophila repens rosea, bearing clouds of tiny pale pink flowers in early summer. Helianthemum vulgare, known to most gardeners as the sun rose. Fine for sunny dry places in limy soil. rberis sempervirens, "Littlo Gem," is a neat variety of the perennial candytuft and has flowers of pure white in spring. Lithospermum prostratum, "Heavenly Blue," is one of the bluest of rock plants, and is in flower almost throughout the year. Omphalodes verna, "Blue-eyed Mary," does well in semi-shade. Primula pulverulenta, good for a moist soil in partial shade. Saponaria ocymoides will produce cascades of clear pink flowers in early Bumm.er in

LIST OF EASILY-GROWN VARIETIES

sun or partial shade. Saxifraga Hurseriana Gloria, an alpine which smothers itself with flowers in early spring. Seduin Lydiuin has leaves which are green at first and turn a deep crimson in hot, dry weather. Thymus serpyllum coceineus is a form of the common thyme. Jt is a sun and lime lover, and is worth growing for the fragrance of its foliage alone. Viola gracilis: Of this there are many varieties, but the ordinary form with deep violet blue flowers makes an attractive display in serni shade. There arc such a large number of kinds of rock plants to choose from that to draw up a short list must necessarily leave out many others equally as suitable, but those mentioned will flower freely and give satisfaction without any undue trouble 'to make them happy.

Watering, Seeds

Success with raising seeds in pots or boxes under glass, depends largely on the way tliov are watered.

Except in the ease of very large seeds which arc buried deeply overhead watering may he definitely harmful. Not only is it liable to wash the seeds out of position, but also to consolidate the soil to such an extent, that the embryo roots have difficulty in penetrating it. The host method of watering is by immersion. If the seed pots are stood in a flat bottomed vessel, water can be poured in this until it reaches the riins of the pots ; the water will then percolate through to the surface and moisten the soil uniformly. When removing the pots do not splash the water over other pots which, may still be in the container.