THE GARDEN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19529, 11 July 1925, Page 3

THE GARDEN.

WOEK FOE TEE WEEK. NOTES BY D. TANNOCK. F.R.H.S. THE GREENHOUSE AND NURSERY. Continue to put iu cuttings of chrysanthemums, to pot and box op goruniums, uo Ixxi ap tuberous begonias, and dahlias, and to make sowings of haif-haniy annuals, perennials and alpines. Prune and thin climbers growing on the roof of the greenhouse, and topdross those which are planted out in borders under the benchos with a mixture of turfy loam, well rooted manure, and a little bone meal. Before adding the now soil the surface should bo forked ;n> a bit, all rubbish and exhausted soil removed, {md the new soU rammed in fairly firm.

THE FLOWER GARDEN. Continue the pruning of hardy trees and shrubs, afterwards forking or digging the surface of the beds and borders to make them tidy. Turf and patch lawns, and, as growth has already started, the mower should bo run over them occasionally to keep strong and rank growing grasses rn check. Lift and replant michaolmas daisies and early flowering chrysanthemums, and prepare for digging or forking over tho herbaceous borders. THE VEGETABLE AND FRUIT GARDEN. Continue to dig and trench vacant land when it is in good working condition, prepare warm, sheltered, well-drained borders for planting a few early potatoes, and the sowing of seeds of a few early vegetables. Make up hot beds for bringing on seeds and for forcing rhubarb, and seakalo. Continue to prune fruit trees and bushes. SOWING SEEDS. To proride early plants for putting out as soon as weather - conditions are favourable a number of seeds of tho hardier kinds of vegetables and flowers can be sown now. To secure germination a certain amount of heat is necessary, and, this must bo supplied in the usual way by hot water pipes or fermenting manure and leaves, known as a hotbed. Should no source 01 artificial heat be available it will be better to postpone sowing for a fortnight or more until the sun heat is stronger and the days longer. When small quantities of seedlings are required pots or seed pans will do for sowing, and these must be provided with plenty of drainage, in fact 6in pots should bo half-filled with crocks. When considerable numbers of seedlings are desired, boxes are more suitable, and we sow practically all our seeds in boxes. These can be made from old fruit cases by splitting them down tho middle, which will provide two boxes about 12in by 21in and 4in deep. It is a decided mistake to sow seeds in too groat a depth of soil, it becomes' sour and sodden so readily, and wo do not want our seedlings which have to bo transplanted, to root too deeply. Ot course provision has To bo made for drainage, by making a number of holes in the bottom, and in addition a layer of rough material, such as siftings from the loafmould and loam, about an inch in thickness will bo necessary. A seed bod should be fine, firm, well aerated, and composed of soil which is readily drained. The usual mixture is one of clean loam as free from the seeds of weeds as possible—two parts, leafmould, one part, clean sand half a part. In some cases we mix an equal quantity of old cutting soil or potting soil with the loam if it is at all wet or inclined to be heavy, for a | soil for seed sowing must not stick to the hands or the tools. After turningover the mixture twice, it is passed through a half-inch sieve, and a smaller lot put through a very fine sieve for topping and covering the very fine seeds. A rich soil is not suitable for seed sowing as we want to encourage the development of fine fibrous roots, and to do this we like the roots to ramify through the soil in search of their food supplies. As early transplanting is desirable, it is more important to got a weJl-doveloped root system than ' growth of stem and leaf during tho first stages of the seedlings development. On top of the layer of rough material place about two inches of the soil which was passed through the half-inch sieve, making it firm with the fingers, and after levelling it with the firming board put on a layer of not more than half an inch of tho fine soil, making it firm and smooth .with the firming board. As we usually sow a number of varieties of the same kind in a box, the next operation is to divide the box up into a number of equal parts—either 6,9, or 12. It is most important to label each kind, and these" should bo ■written before sowing takes place, putting the date on top, then the name of the species and variety. Do not tear the packet, but cut it open with a sharp knife, and then carefully shake tho seeds out thinly and evenly over the space alloted to them, taking care that they axe not too thick and that they are evenly distributed. After sowing all tho box, press the seeds into tho soil with the levelling board, and just cover them with tho fine soil, again pressing it down with the lovelier, making the surface smooth, level, and firm. Give the soil a good watering with the fine rose, and place in a warm, moist part of the greenhouse, covering it with a sheet of paper. Darkness is not essential, but it is nesessary to shade to prevent evaporation, and tho shading must be removed as soon as tho seedlings begin to appear through tho ground to prevent them from becoming drawn and spindly in their efforts to reach the light. Should tho soil have been too moist or been made too firm the seedlings may have a difficulty in getting through, and it should bo washed down with the watering oan or pricked with a piece of stick to break it up. Fresh seeds germinate readily, and tho seedlings will begin to show up in a few days when the pots or boxes are placed up near the roof glass and shifted out into a cooler and more airy house as soon as tho real leaves appear. Should the seedlings bo very thick and in excess of requirements a preliminary thinning is an advantage, ever though tho seedlings have to be picked out with a pair of forceps. Damping off is often troublesome among early seedlings, usually when they are too thick and have been kept too long in the heat, and the remedy is to prick them out at once, or, if they are not large enough to handle, to water them well. I should have mentioned that seedlings should never bo watered with cold water from the tap, and if there is not a tank in the house to hold rain water the cans and a few tins should be filled at night and stood in the house until tho morning, when tho temperature will be the same as tho atmosphere inside. Seeds to be sown now are antirrhinums, pentstemons, stocks, lobelia, verbenas, nemesia, dianthu?, dahlias, tuberous begonias, salvias, nicotianas, cosmos and such vegetables as onions, leeks, celery, tomatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, and lettuce. Bv sowing the hardier kinds of bedding plants early, we get them through all therr various stages and out into the cold frames or outside altogether in a sheltered place before tho rush of spring propagating comes on. for few. if any. have too much room under the glass at this season ORNAMENTAL SHRUBS. At a time when flowers are scarce, and there is little colour in the flower garden, berried plants are very useful, and one which holds its fruits long after most of the others have ripened and fallen is particularly valuable. Pyracantha angustifolia is such a plant, and as its berries ripen slowly, and do not appear to be relished by birds, they are now about their best. It was called Couoneaster angustifolia, and it was under that name that I obtained it in Christchurch some years ago. It is an evergreen shrub, probably 10ft to 12ft high, of a dense spreading, bushy habit. The branches are rather rigid, horizontal, often spine-tipped, covered the first year with a thick grey down. The leaves are narrow, oblong, rounded at the apex with a minute tip or sligh tnotoh there. They are smooth and dark green above, and covered beneath with a grey felt. The flowers are white, ain across, in corymbs 2in wide, of little beauty, and the clyx and flower stalk are felted. Tho fruit is of a brilliant orangeyellow when ripe, and is covered with grey down when young, about Rn in diameter, much flattened on top. These berries are retained in full beauty until well on in tho spring, and as they are produced in such abundance a well-grown plant is very decorative. It is a native of China, and was introduced to Kew by Lieut. Jqnes in 1893, and later by Mr de Vilmorin. Another interesting shrub at tho present time is Garrya" elliptiea, an evergreen of rapid growth, attaining a height of from 12ft to 16ft. The male flowers produce silver-grey catkins up to 12in in length at the ends of the branches, and though they are not bright they are very attractive. It is anative' of California and Oregon, and was introduced to England by Douglas in 1828. It thrives on a dry, sunny bank, but does not transplant well. . . Another shrub which ite flowering with rs at the present time is Correa speciosa, which, according to Nicholson’s Dictionary, is n synonym of C, ravelinallis. It is known the native fuchsia in Now South Wales, probably on account of the shape and colour of the flowers and their drooping habit. The flowers are red and green, and in some casts yellowish-green and white. They grow s'ng'lv or in small hunches at the end of the branches, generally in a drooping position The petals are united into a tune, and 'though not very showy, are interesting and valuable at this season. The shrub van be grown from cuttings. ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT. *• R L 5.,” Cromwell. —Your geranium leaves' are attacked by a rust fungus, usually more troublesome during dry seasons. Spray with potassium sulphide solution, loz in 3 gallons of water.