THE GARDEN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20070, 9 April 1927, Page 3

THE GARDEN.

WORK FOB THE WEEK: Notes by I). TANHOCK. F.R.H.S. THE GREENHOUSE AND NURSERY. Cinerarias will now be established in their pots or tins, and to secure short sturdy growth it is better to place them out in cold frames. The sashes cab be taken off during the day and put on again at night in case frosts catch us unawares. During the brightest and warmest part of the day they can be shaded with a piece of scrim, hut a little wilting will not do them any harm. It will be necessary to watch for caterpillars and the leaf miner, also green fly, and it is advisable to fumigate them once a fortnight. Calceolarias are excellent plants for the cool greenhouse. They require very little fire heat, and the only drawback to their cultivation is their susceptibility to attacks of green fly. They get . in among the hairs on the undersides of the leaves, and the only method of getting at them is to fumigate with X.L. All. Plants will now be ready to shift on from their Sin pots to 6in and 7in sizes, in which they will flower. A suitable potting soil will consist of two parts of fibrous loam, one of leafmould, one of well-rotted manure, halUa part of sand, with a Sin potful of wood ashes or crushed charcoal, and one of bone meal, to every barrowload of the mixture. Use dean, dry pots, well crocked, and do not pot too firmly. After potting stand them in the warm house for a few days, and then place them on a bed of ashes in the cool house, where they will make slow but gradual growth throughout the winter. Continue to put in cuttings of _ geraniums, and make up beds for putting in cuttings of violas, pentstemons, and bedding calceolarias. These should be in an open sunny position, and to secure good drainage it will be necessary to take out the soil to a depth of a foot, to put in about Bin of rough ashes, clinkers, or fine coke, and over this a layer of rough leaves to prevent the soil from washing down into the drainage materials. Mix up a good heap of cutting soil composed of one part of clean loam, one part old potting soil, one part leafmould, and one part of sand, or sand and lime rubble in equal proportions. Put in Bin of this specially prepared soil, make it firm and level, and on the surface spread a thick layer of clean, coarse sand. To keep the soil in place it is necessary to fir a Dm plank or board round the bed, and ns a frame overhead on to which a piece ot j scrim may be tacked. , . I This is usually put on when the cuttings are put in, tacked in position, and left there until the spring. Ihc scrim provides shade and shelter until rooting takes place, and keeps off frosts during the winter. Pinks and carnations can also be put into a bed such as the one described, or they can be put into boxes ; and placed among the geraniums. THE FLOWER GARDEN. Take advantage of the dry weather to collect seeds of hardy annuals, perennials, and rock plants, and though these may not be quite ripe, if they arc gathered while attached to the flower stems they will continue to ripen and develop, and the ■seed* will drop out into the bag when Continue to pick the old flowers off the dahlias, to mow and roll the lawns and to keep the garden neat and tidy until after Easter. Continue to weed and topdress the rock garden, to dig or trench now beds and borders, and to prepare lor planting trees and shrubs. THE VEGETABLE AND FRUIT GARDEN. Take advantage of tho dry weather to dig potatoes and to lift and store beetroot and carrots if tho space L required for other crops; also to root ana pruno fruit trees and to dig or trench ground in preparation for making new plantations of bush fruits or fruit trees. Thorough preparation of the foil is most important, and it l is much easier and more pleasant to trench, dig or prepare holes now, whilo the soil is dry and easy to handle, than later on when it becomes saturated by the winter rains. It is aiso advisable to send in orders to the nurserymen for supplies «f both bush fruits and trees, and

to secure well-grown specimen# with a welldeveloped root system. Continue to remove the runners from strawberries and to make fresh plantations of the specially selected well-rooted runners. Draw the soil up round broccoli and cabbage to steady them, earth up leeks and celery, make small sowings of peas and beans to stand through the winter, and harvest onions. Vegetable marrows and pumpkins can be kept for- a considerable time if they are stored away in a cool dry, airy shed, HEATHS. There are quite a good selection of hardy heaths, and as there are some kinds in flower at all seasons they are very useful in both the large and the small garden. In the large garden they can be planted in large beds in the lawn, in largo groups in the shrubbery and several of the dwarf kinds are suitable for the rock garden. In the small garden they pan be planted as single specimens in the mixed or herbaceous border, or they can be grouped in the shrubbery. Though they are peat-loving plants they will grow in any ordinary soil in which there is a reasonable amount of organic matter and no free lime. Bush soil suits them very well, and wherever a garden has been made by clearing native bush a collection of heaths should be planted. They are also very suitable for associating with rhododendrons, and tho dwarf growing kinds make an excellent edging for beds or borders of these beautiful and most desirable shrubs. Erica carnea (Alpine Forest Heath) is one of the best of the dwarf kinds. It is as hardy as any plant oan be. Its flowers are deep rosy red, and they are produced in abundance during the winter when flowers are scarce. It will thrive on the rock garden, in an ordinary loamy border, and makes a fine edging for a path. Heaths flower on the young wood, and this and other of the dwarf kinds can be kept neat and tidy by clipping them immediately the flowers are over, or cutting them freely when they are in flower. Erica cinerea is a dwarf and pretty heath common in many parts of Britain. It flowers in summer, end there are a number of varieties. Erica Mediterranean is a bushy plant from 3ft to sft high, qnd growing beat in peat. Although a native of 'Southern Europe, it is perfectly _ hardy, and a# it flowers in spring, it is very valuable. Erica tetralix is the Marsh or Bell heather. This is usually found growing in moist or boggy places, but it will grow equally well m the ordinary garden soil, and it is very hardy. Erica vagans (Cornish Heath) is a most vigorous and useful kind which will thrive under any conditions, soon forming groups from 2ft to 4ft high. Not only will this plant thrive in any good, well-cultivated soil, but it will hold its own among grass, and is suitable for planting in the rougher parts of the garden. Thpro are several varieties, some with white flowers and others with brighter colours. Erica vulgaris (Calluna vulgaris), common heather or ling, is a very _ accommodating plant, and, like the Alpine .Forest iacath, is very suitable for edging paths and borders, and for covering a bank. In positions where it is at home it forms an abundance of good seed, and the seedlings appear among grass or on moist clay banns. The white variety is much appreciated. Erica Dabcscii is one of the plants which is known under several names—Menziesia polifolia and Daboecia polifolia both being used in books and catalogues. It is also known as St. Dabceca Heath or Irish Heath. It is n good' plant, which will thrive in sandy peat on the rock garden, or the shrubbery, and it has white, rose, or purple flowers according to the variety. All the dwarf heaths can be grown from seed or cuttings, but they are easily layered, and when growing in moist positions they soon root all along the stems. By burying a number of the branches in sandy peat or leaf mould they readily root, and can bo severed from the parent plants in the autumn.. In addition to the Heaths already mentioned, which are quite hardy anywhere, there are a number of the. taller growing kinds, mostly natives of the Capo of Good Hope, and usually known as “Cape Heaths,” which will thrive in any district with a reasonable rainfall and not too severe frosts. Erica arborca is fairly haj-dy and will survive most winters. It is a native of Southern Europe and North Africa, where it grows to a height of from 10ft to 20ft. It seeds readily and the seeedlings appear in the grass on banks where the Scotch heather will grow. E. Eweriana is a loose frowing plant with dark red cylindrical owers with a greenish-yellow mouth. E. molanthera is one of the best of the winter flowering bush heaths whore it will thrive. It starts to flower in the winter, and continues on till tho spring. E. Cavendishmna has bright yellow tubular flowers. B. Wilmoreana produces its flowers on lateral growths in spike? from Ift to lift long. E. ceranthoides coronata has terminal droop ing scarlet Bowers with an inflated tube. B. vestita coccinea has deep rich red flowers about an inch long. In addition to tna ordinary heaths we have the Epacris _or Australian heaths, which flower dunn-’ winter and spring. They are quite hardy on the higher levels, and thrive under similar conditions to the Cape heath, fneir flowers are borne on thin wirc-like stqim and as they last well when cut are very suitable for house decoration at a tune when outdoor flowers are scarce. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. “T. W.,” Hampden.—The name of the apple sent is Paosgood’s Nonsuch. You will probably find Hawthornden, Bismarck, Ballarat Seedling, and Scarlet Nonpareil suitable for your district. “Gardener,” Fairlie.—lt will be better to lift your Exochorda grand iflora and replant it in a dry, sunny position, and a topdressing of well-rotted manure would benefit your privet hedge.