THE GARDEN

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12465, 5 June 1926, Page 19

THE GARDEN

SEASONABLE HINTS INTERESTING NOTES BY “RATA" ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS Strawberries.—Your plants are too close together for the hope of a successful crop. I would suggest that every alternate plant be removed, also every alternate row, even then each row win only be 20 inches apart. The plan for planting which I can most recommend, for the surplus plants you will have on hand, is to place three plants in a triangular group at a distance of 5 inches apart and each row not less than 2ft Sin apart. In n abort time the plants will run together and form one large cluster of strong crowns, and • a saving of one year at least will be y effected. Strawberry beds Bhould never be dug or forked between the rows, tor by so doing you destroy a large number of fibrous roots, to the serious injury of the plants, and By loosening the soil the sun more easily penetrates, and dries up the roots, which ought to be kept cool and moist. Before planting, the ground should be thoroughly trenched and plenty of manure put in the bottom of the trench, failing a supply of manure, use Blood and bone meal, sprinkled in nt tho rate of 4oz to the square yard. As soon as growth is established, about the beginning of September, give more Blood and hone, sprinkled on the surface between the rows, and lightly hoed in with a Dutch or torpedo hoe. When the fruit is set. and the plants in full bearing, give then a weekly dose „of liquid manure, composed of 2os of guano to a benzine tinful of water, It* is not advisable to make it stronger, or the flavour of tho fruit may be affected. Do not use the liquid manure in a watering can, hnt give each plant a small jug full. Tho use of a board to stand on when setting out the plants prevents the soil being trampled down into a heavy mass, if it is in a damp condition.

WHAT TO DO JUST NOW CoUoct and burn hedge trimmings and tree prunings. Overhaul and clean the lawn mower. Prune the fruit trees now. Clean flower pots. Make new seed boxes. Prepare early seed potatoes. Prepare stakes for early peas. Wheel manure on to the vegetable plots. Mulch the fruit trees. * PREPARING GROUND FOR POTATOES Not enough attertion is paid by imateurs to the preparation ot tho ground for potatoes, double the yield tan be obtained from ground deeply dug and well prepared. It *s better not to plant potatoes on the same ground two years running; but dig up the plots iow where the parsnips, onions, carrots and turnips were grown last year. Dig in only leat mould now and leave the surface rough. It is essential to get early seed potatoes sprouted before planting, therefore the early potatoes which are \n store should have attention. Any varieties which are prone to scab disease should be steeped in formalin, placing them afterwards in trays or boxes with the large end uppermost, aud keep them in a dry situation. Cabbage, Scotch kale, and other standing vegetable crops should he lightly hoed between when the ground is dry, and the plants earthed up; this protects their roots from frost, and supports them against wind, and also keeps the weeds down. FRUIT GARDEN Bush fruits should be planted, pruned and manured. Bum the primings, and if the ashes are not wanted for any particular purpose, throw them around the roots of the trees; they * are powerful fertilisers. Gooseberries and currants may be lightly forked between to mix the manure with the toil, but raspborr.es should have three or four inches of dung, not very rotton, laid around the cancs and the soil between them should not be dug at all. The pruning of standard trees should consist chiefly of opening out the head and regulating tne growth, .frithout severe measures of any kind. Where large boughs require removal, it is a proof of neglect of aomt> kind in seasons gone by, and if many large* branches are dead or dying, dcpond upon it, the tree is in a bad state at the roots. Most probably the surface roots arc gone altogether. In small gardens, old fruit trees ere frequently killed by lai&ing tho soil about them, and so year by year, burying their roots farther and farther from the atmosphere. Trees affected with American blight should be washed wi+h strong brine, taking care not to damage the f-uit or wood buds in any way If the trees were to Ks effectually cleansed in the winter, a vast amount of labour would be saved during tho summer season. Dig around old-established fruit trees, ar.d co*or the surface dos* to the tree with a layer of old manure, six inches thick, and the size of the fruit will ho imp- oved next season. Trees which V*ar prolificallv do not need it. Root prune anv trees that grow too luxuriantly to boar well. THE FLOWER GARDEN Evergreens arc generally planned at this season, because, if alterations are in progress .and it is found convenient to plant all at once deciduous and evergreen trees together, much time will ho saved. Almost all trees mnv he moved now, except hollv, which is better transplanted in September.

On wet clay soil there is more likelihood of loss of plants through removals, than on warm dry loams, therefore it is a wise precaution to surround the roots with a mixture of fine loam and sand, in a nearly dry state, so that the wounds on the roots will be encouraged to heal quickly, and at sprouting time, the roots will run freolv into the tempting mixture. WORK IN THE ROCKERY Falling leaves often find their way into crevices of the rock garden, and if allowed to remain there all winter, considerable damage mav be done to some of the more tender olantß, and the entire rockery should be examined and the bulk of the leaves removed. This is also a desirable time to make additions to the rock gardens, ofl* to carry out any re-modelling that may be contemplated. The following are good rock plants which are very hardy -. silene. lock pinks, aubretia, cerastium, linaria, saxifrage, achillea tomeutosa, heliantheimim. thrifts, mesembyauthenums. catmint, viola gracilis, and dwarf nasturtiums. DAFHNE Daphnes can be grown from cut. tings if planted now. Half fill a shallow box, with very sandy soil, or a mixture, composed of leaf mould, jadoo fibre, sandy loam, and coarse grit. Insert tbe cuttings., cover the box with glass and place in a warm position. They will not need watering for a couple of weeks. FEED THE CINERARIAS Where these plants arc showing flower buds, they will receive much benefit from an occasional watering with weak liquid manure. Tho plants must not ho allowed to become dry; at tbe same time thov must nnt be over-watered, and water-logged, or the stems will (Umo off