THE GARDEN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19015, 10 November 1923, Page 3

THE GARDEN.

NOTES BY D. TANNOCK, E.R.H.S. WORK FOll THE WEEK. THE GREENHOUSE ANt> NURSERY; This is the month in which to sow biennials such as stocks, wallflowers. Canterbury bolls, sweet williams, etc. A biennial is a plant which makes its growth in one season anti flowers the next, after which it should die. Several of the plants we treat as biennials, however, are true perennials, and much better results are obtained by treating them as such. Wallflowers can be sown in specially prepared beds of nice light, well-drained soil free from club root, for this disease is quite as likely to attack them as cabbage or cauliflower. After working up the ground and getting a fine surface, at the same time working in some lime, make broad drills about four or six inches in width, and about half an inch in depth. Sow the seed thinly and cover with half an inch of fine soil. Make firm with the head of 'the rake, and water if the soil is dry. and shade with a few pieces of scrub until the seedlings appear, which will ho in a few days. Remove the scrub and fix some black cotton over the rows to frighten the birds. Stocks and the other biennials can also be sown in the open, but as there is not. the same need for largo quantities of seedlings of them, they can be raised more satisfactorily in boxes. Prepare the boxes in the usual way, sow the seeds thinly and place them in the cool greenhouse, a frame, cr on the shady side of a wall or fence. Damping off .is very Troublesome at this season, and if the seedlings com? up too thickly thev should be thinned out as soon as the seedlings are large enough to handle, or they should be pricked out into other boxes. It is important to sow these biennials just at the right time, for if too soon they are liable to make an attempt at premature flowering in the autumn, and if too late they will not develop into sufficiently strong plants to flower the following spring or summer. Biennials are most useful in the spring and early summer, and they are far more useful than the tender animals which so many people plant out. They do not require heat at any time, and when well grown and properly established in their flowering rpiarters in the autumn they are sure - to 'flower well the following spring, no matter what kind of weather is experienced. The season starts with wallflowers, for-get-me-nots, double daisies, which arc* succeeded by stocks, columbines, 1 and snapdragons, anil continues with sweet william and Canterbury bells, which take ns on to Christmas, when the spring raised annuals begin to come in. W nllflowers-to sow arc Giant Blood Red. which is very sweet scented, cloth of gold, bright yellow. Fire King, vivid orange. early dark Harlunger. brown. sweet william, putton’s nink. Canterbnrv bells, single mixed and double mixed, stock beauty of Nice. Brompton. f-nlton’s soring bedding. Mvo-s-'tis, royal bine, Alpestris \ietnria. dissif’flora. arpiilegia Hong-spurred hybrids.).. Continue to ventilate vineries, tomato houses, and plant houses with 'Teat rare, do not be afraid to give plenty of air in the mornings andwvhile the sun is hot, but -. but out all cold wunds and close no earlv in the afternoons when the damping anil syringing is done. Till: FLOWER GARDEN This is a busy time in the flower garden, and the plants in the herbaceous border will require to be staked at < nee. Soring flowering bulbs and plants have to be lifted and the beds dug and prepared for their summer and autumn occupants. Roses have to be fed and a careful watch kept for green fly or mildew, and carnations, which are now throwing up their flower stems require support.- Bedding out can be proceeded with now, as they should he comoletcd by the middle of this month if possible. Though the roses, both _ ramblers ami hushes, are quite clean yet, it is well to anticipate trouble and to give thorn a spravincr wit.li a fungicide such as sulphate of n’otassium, or of some approved mildew destroyer once a week, and to spray with soapy water once a fortnight. Thinning of the buds will require ronstant attention now. It is better to go over the plants every second day, and the surface of the bods and liorders should be kept scuffled up regularly -to remove foot prints and kill the seedling weeds. The D ardcd litis are corning into flower now. and the. new varieties which wc imported a short time ago are now well estab fished, and show good promise. They an

a distinct improvement, on the old kinds, and should displace them as soon as they become common. Rhododendrons are just about at their best at present. Fragrantissims has again proved a most prolific bloomer, other good kinds being Pink Pearl. White Pearl, Charles Lawson, Calonhyllum, and Fastuosnm Acre pleno. 'the rock garden is very attractive at present, the following being a few of the most interesting species;—Ramondia Pyrenaica (Pyrenean violet) is not at all a 1 common plant, and one of the most difficult to accommodate. It forms a close rosette of crinkled, hairy leaves, which like to grow in a perpendicular, shady, crevice between two recks. For soil it likes a mixture of peat, limestone chins or lime rubble, and turfy loam, and it should never be allowed to become dry. I The flowers are violet with orange centres, and are borne on stalks a fey.' inches high. It can be raised from seed il great cave is taken, and the leaves, if pul in as cuttings, will root under a bell glass. Dianthus alpimis is one of the best of the alpine pinks, and is a veal rockery gem. lake all dianthus, it likes a soil in which there is some lime, and is very satisfactory on a dry part of the. moraine. It only grows about four inches high, in dense tufts bearing deep rose flowers from an inch to two inches across. It is easily raised from seed, and can also bo increased by division D, neglcctns is also a little alpine gem, but it is not out yet. Primula Cockbnrniana is another of the saisfactory alnines, but it likes quite an. other situation -a moist bed at the foot of the rock garden, or a moist part of the moraine. For soil it likes loam and leafmould. with a little sand, and from a rosette of leaves it sends nn a slender flower stem on which there are whorls of bright orange scarlet flowers. It is really a biennial, and should be raised from seed every year. It was included in the first ol Wilson’s introductions from Chinn. Primula algidn is one of the new primulas which is flowering with ns for the first time. It is not out vet. but will probably ho a dark blue capitals. It is thriving in a drier position than Gockburniana. THE VEGETABLE AND FRUIT GARDEN. If seeds have failed through being sown too early in the wet, cold ground, no time should be lost in renewing them. the ground is now in good working condition, and if forked up and broken down with the rake before it becomes too hard and dry it will form a very good seedbed. Sends sown now that soil conditions are favourable will produce seedlings, , which will catch up on stunted sing-eaten ones which have been trying to live through the past month. Stake peas, earth up potatoes, thin seedlings, and keep the soil cultivated among all growing crops. Make sowings of peas, French and butter beans, turnips, spinach, radish, and lettuce to provide a succession, and make plantings of cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. Most of our early spring vegetables are obtained bv sowing the seed or by putting out the plants in the autumn, and where the soil is light and gravelly, or where it Is deeply cultivated and "-ell drained, there is no difficulty in wintering peas, cabbage, broccoli, and silver beet, all of which are available now. If sown or planted too early they will mature prematurely, but tf this is done at the right season they will simply root and hang on during the winter, ready to start .into growth whenever we-thcr c'-ndifions are favourable in the spring. \s there is no disturbance at the root through transplanting they grow on gradually in spite of spells of inclement weather. I am sure that if more attention wore given to autumn sowing and planting, vegetables would not be as scarce or dear as they are at present. A watering with liquid manure made by dissolving 2oz of sulphate of ammonia in a gallon of water will stimulate growth at this season. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. “Holly.”—Hollies .can be transplanted quite easily at almost any time provided the branches are pruned back to reduce loss of moisture. Though they loosen their loaves they will sprout out all right so long as the stems arc fresh and green. In fact, wo like to see newly transplanted hollies drop their leaves, but we do not like to tee them wither and her' on. “Walnut,” Hampden.—The brown patches on the leaves of your walnut are caused by a fungus, which as a rule docs very little harm. When an epidemic occurs it causes the leaves to fall early. ■ .and . consequently damages the tree. Gather and burn all fallen leaves and spray with Bordeaux mixture or commercial lime sulphur. “Central,” Clyde.--The weather was probably too cold for your tomato plants in early spring, but if they remained healthy they will he growing away now. The green caterpillars which attack your cabbage in autumn can be kept in check by spraying with hellebore or arsenate of lead, but as these are poisonous they should be used on young plants only. “A. II.,” Waimaifi.— I would certainly cut cut the pine tree, and leave the lime, which is the best tree to plant near a house. Tf it is not too much trouble it will bo better to take the tree out hy the root.