GARDENING NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17092, 25 August 1917, Page 3

GARDENING NOTES.

BY D. TAHNOCK.

WORK FOE THE WEEK . 11IS GRK&NHOUSE. Ertmo and pot up fuchsias, and attend to; tho potting and top-dressing of all other greenhouse plant 3. The days are now getting longer and, though there is not much warmth yot, plants undfcr glass have made a start with thoir season's growth. To got a few early tuberous begonias, a number can be shaken out -of the pots in which thoy have wintered, placid close together in boxl;3 of light soil, watered and placed in the heated greenhouse to start. When properly started into growth, they are potted up into their flowering pots. Complete tho sowing of seeds of halfhardy annuals such as stocks, asters, coreopsis, scabious, marigolds (both African and' I)ronch), Phlox drummondi, Iceland poppies, etc. , The first sowings of dianthus and other annuals will soon bo ready for pricking ott into boxes, in which thoy 'will grow until largo enough for planting' out. Shallow boxes, not more than three or four inches deep will do; there must bo some holes to provide drainago, and in tho bottom spread a layer of rough material, composed of well-dccayed stable' manure, rough pieces of loam, and the siftings out of the leaf mould. This crocking layer will be about an inch thick, and over it spread at least two inches of soil, composed of two parts loam or old potting soil, ono part leafmould, one part well decayed stable manuro and, £f fresh loam' ia used,. one part clean sand. If old potting soil is used there will bo a fair amount of sand in it, and half a part will do. Add a sixinch potful of bone meal to every barrow load of the mixture; turn it over twioe and pass it through a half-inch sieve. Tho rough material will bo thrown on one side to add to tho crocking mixture. It is most important that the soil for seedlings should not bo too heavy, so that all superfluous moisture will drain away easily. The seedlings, after receiving a watering, are carefully lifted and! planted in the boxes at 'a distance of at least two inches apart. Tho usual plant box is mado out of an apple case cat in two. Hi is will provido room for 80 seedlines in each box. After pricking ofi, the seedlings should be put back again into the warm greenhouse or heated frame and shaded from brieht sunshine for a day or two. After the have taken to the new soil they should be shifted out into the 000 l greenhouse or oold frame and gradually accustomed to fresh air and Bunshino, to cause short sturdy growth, so that, when they are transferred to the beds and borders in tho flower garden,' they will not receive a check at all, but will at onco commence growing and oontinue the same steady 'development which haa taken placo since the seeds germinated, until they oo'mo into flower. Bedding plants are too often forced on in heated propagating houses. The effect is to cause a soft rapid growth which wilts when planted out in the open or forms a stunted specimen, flowering prematurely and never* growing satisfactorily. It is still fat too early to plant out. half-hardv annuals, except in the most favourablo situations. FLOWEH GAEDEIT. Continue to dig, fork, and tidy up tho beds and borders, and l complete the planting of roses, shrubs, and trees this month if possible. VEGETABLE GABDEH.

_ Tho weather iaia been so oold, and there ia yet so little growth, that thoro ia no advantage in sowing or planting anything but tue earliest varieties Una month. Ali empty ground should be manured and dug,' and spent eropa cleared oIL Tomatoes are now almost aa essential article of diet, and it ia the aims of most people to grow at least portion of their supplies. Where a small glasahouae us available there ia no trouble, and provided good plants are put out, satisfactory crops can be obtained, which will continue to ripen regularly for a considerable period. Tho tomato houses should how' be got in order for early planting; the glass and all woodwork will be the bettor of a thorough washing with hoi water and soft soap, and brick or stone walla con be limn, washed, the broken glass renewed, and tho ventilators seen to. To destroy spores of fungoid pests it is "advisable after removing any plants which may bo in the house to fuinigato it with sulphur. . Place a shovelful of red ooala in the house and' throw some sulphur ovor them; shut up the house and leave it until tho fumes have disappeared.

Most growers on a large scale prefer to <frow their plants in ketrocjeno tins mink in the bed of soil to within threo inches of the riin,. rather thzu to plant out in tho border, and, aa this method restricts the roots, directs' all feeding and watering on to. thein, and . means a considerable economy in soil, it has m-uoh to recommend it. Soil,for filling the tin 9 should 'bo got together and mixed up in readiness for planting. It, will consist of turfy loam, or as good a substitute as you can get, chopped up rough, a sprinkling of leaf-mouid, sand, and well-decayed, manure, and a dusting of bone meal. Tomato soil should not be too rich at first; food can bo supplied in a liquid form later on wheal the plants are well established.

It is so important that good, well-grown Beetllmgs be planted that it would be profitable for the cultivator to pay ■ the ' nurseryman moro for pianta pricked out a sufficient distanoo apart in the box to onable him to lift them with a ball of soil,' ajid thereby reduce to a minimum tho check which they receive. Whero only a few plants ore grown it might bo worth while getting the nurseryman to put them up into small pota; tiioy would then roceivo very littlo check when planting, out. cclii bo' gTown and ripened in the open air quite successfully in' Dunedin provided they are planted in a dry 1 warm border near tho house, a wall, or a fence. The border should be dug over now and a littlo well-decayed manure added; but, like the eoil for growing them under glass, it should not bo mado too rich to begin with To get satisfactory plants the seed should have been sown and tho seedlings ready for pricking out now. These aro grov n on in a' groenhouse or frame, and when about fota to six inches high are potted up : into six-inch pots, good ordinary potting soil being used. When well established ir tho pots they aro stalled and placed out in a cold fraino to harden off. Growth continues, and when they have fully developed their first bunch of flowers they aro ready for planting out. This is usually about tho beginning of November. Tho plants aro watered and carefully taken out of the pots, tho crocks removed, and planted firmly in the border in which thoy are to grow. It i-j most important to plant firmly to cause a short-jointed dwarf growth and the development' of flowera and fruit. A good strong stako is provided for oaeh plant, and they aro tied to it as growth proceeds. _ All side growth is removed from time to time, tho plant. limited to one stem, and as the lower bunches of fruit roach their full development portion of the foliago is removed to allow the s-tin to get at tlieai to comploto tho ripening ! The plants are stopped at two leavts above the fifth b noli, which is as many as one could reasonably expect to develop. If a lovf of the late fruits fail to ripen thoy can be usnd f — rmking jam. chutnev, or pickles. None lioed be wasted. During the summer, as growth proceeds, the plants should receive a thorough watering with clean water a week, and an application of weak liquid manure after the watering c ce a fortnight. A dusting of Clay's fertiliser or other standard plant food, stirred into the surface of the soil, once a month, can take the place of the liquid manure where it is difficult to obtain.

The mcpt essential thing in growing tomatoes in the open a*r is to put out rood well-crown plants with tho first flower bunch fully d-n'olop"d. and T am quite euro that it i? equally important In plant wellgrown plnnts tinder glass; they need not be showing flowers. Holme's Supremo and Sutton's Open Air ,irn <vititahle v-ineties for open-air cultivation. . ~ ,

ANSWERS TO CX)RB.ESEONDENTS.

" J-iUtoii Hamburg'." Duncan street, Dunc<liu, piuittod two black Hamburg vines. Thoy were three feet high, and irnvo not mado satisfactory growth. Preparation of the border Bhould be thorough, and, to induce sti'ong growth, the stem should, in planting, have been cut back to six inches, •the first season's growth, which forms tho main rod, should bo pruned back to four or live feet, and bent over to secure sin oven distribution of sap to all tho buds. Whon thoy shoot, tio up tho rod and disbud to a lateral growth overy 18 inches. I'heso laterals should bo pinched at tho fourth leaf, and sub laterals stopped at tho first leaf. When tho season's growth ia completed and tho shoote have ripened, pruno tlie laterals back to two buds from tho main rod. When growth starts again, d lis bud to one shoot on each spin 1 . This will develop, and on it tho grapes will bo borne. As tho vines aro not growing well, cut right down, mulch with good farmyard manuro, and givo a thorough soaking with clean water. Black Hambro is not the best variety for tho open air in Dunedin: bhasselas de Jesus, lioyal Aluscadmo, or Black Princo are more suitable. Novice," Dunedin, wants to know of plants suitable) for covering a day bank, a fence, and a walL The bank is too steep to hold soil and would be better faced up with Btono forming a. wall garden. If it ' ls r . mur °iy desired to cover tho bank, plant W ichuriana roses of tho Dorothy Perkins typo in good soil at the bottom of tho bank and train them over it. Tho wall should bo covered with Ampelopsis Veitchii, often called the clinging V lrginian creeper, and the high fence with strong growing clematis, such a 0. Montana, O. Montana rubens, 0. vitalba, (J. Jackinanii, and C. virgin iana.

' Dahlia" (Dunedin), wants to know the treatment for old dahlia tubers. They should bo packed into boxes of soil and plaocd in tile greenhouse or framo or in a warm sheltered position to start. When tho young shoots appear round the base of the old stem they can be taken olf with all the roots they have and part of tho tuber attached and planted out. Keep to ono stein jat first and disbud if largo flowers for exhibition are required. " Nemo " (Dunedin) desires to know one or two of tho best apples for cooking and dessert, and at what ago the trees should be to bear early; also the treatment of winter rhubarb.' Tho best two dessert apples aro Cox's Orartgo and Jonathan, two cookers, Hawthor'nden and Stirling Castle. Three year old trees, specially seiccted, be planted. Rhubarb should not bo pulled tho first yea? after planting; muloh with stable manuro and water well during tho summer.