GARDENING DIFFICULTIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22066, 23 September 1933, Page 17

GARDENING DIFFICULTIES

Whcu writing or editing articles on garden work, it is reasonable, indeed necessary, to place before the reader accurate information concerning the correct methods of procedure to make success certain, but, often enough, it is fully realised that only the favoured few can command the conditions that would enable them to do exactly that which is best mid to steer entirely clear of that which is not good (says Amateur Gardening),, Ideal soils and situations for particular plants, may be described —and it is right that they should—but it would be unfortunate, very often, if such information should lead every garden owner whose soil is very imperfect to abandon the idea of growing his favourite plants. Times out of number it has been writ ten; that roses prefer a strong, heavy loam. That is perfectly true. Sometimes the statement has been so emphatic as to convey the impression that roses cannot succeed in other kinds of soil. That is decidedly incorrect, for the truth is that very few plants grow and thrive in so widely varied soils as the rose. It is only necessary to keep a watchful eye on the hedgerows in Country lanes to find evidence that the English dog rose

grows in all sorts of soils, and where briars thrive there, also, will the cultivated garden varieties flourish. It is, of course, necessary that some effoct shall be made to improve poor soils, and that is possible by deep digging and adding various materials, as frequently described, to correct mechanical imperfections as well as increase nourishment.

Similar remarks might be applied to most classes of garden plants, but there are cases, as, for instance, where gardens are .on lime, that render it advisable to submit to limitations and realise that it is almost hopeless to try to grow everything. Those who live on lime should concentrate upon planting lime-loving plants, of which there is an abundance and no lack of charm. Gardens by the seaside will grow many things that merely languish in the Midlands, and it is better to have a flourishing garden of maritime plants than to fill space with things that will only struggle for existence. When writing about digging and planting, it comes naturally to the mind of the teacher to emphasise the ill-effect of turning over and trampling the soil when it is sodden with rain. The amateur gardener who, at this season of the year, is seldom at home in daylight, except at week-ends, will find small comfort in this information, when, as so often happens, week-ends arc successively wet and ue is anxious to press forward with work of urgent importance. Light, porous soils, which drain freely, suffer less from disturbance in wet weather than those of a, heavy, tenacious nature, and.if the precaution is taken to lay down planks

upon which the digger can'walk to and fro, the harm done will be reduced to a minimum. Even heavier soil may be worked if some dry sand, or clean dry chaff, can be freely scattered in every trench as digging - proceeds. It is wise to break clods with the edge of the spade, or, better still, to use a fork instead of the usual tool for very wet digging, the reason being that soil disturbed when sodden and left in large lumps bakes hard when dry weather follows.

When planting must be done under the conditions at present under consideration. it is prudent only to use sufficient pressure to keep plants in position. Postpone, proper finning until the soil becomes tolerably dry. The moisture, meantime, will serve to prevent the roots suffering, but it is very important that a close watch shall be kept upon the changing conditions, and that firm treading shall take place at the earliest opportunity. It will be obvious that these recoinmdndations are put forward solely as emergency methods to be resorted to under conditions of dire necessity, 'they are in no way to be interpreted as refutation of the advice, which is perfectly sound, that it is wise to dig when the ground is in tolerably dry condition. Late planting of surface-rooting subjects entails risk of the tufts and roots being heaved out of the ground during frost. Where circumstances render late planting almost compulsory, the risk can be materially reduced by shaking loose straw or other litter entirely over the plants and surrounding ground upon the first appearance of frost. The litter must be quite dry to be effective, and it is wise to remove it when thaw is complete. Those who are anxious to avoid being held up by frost when- they wish to continue digging may help themselves by spreading a thick layer of similar dry material on a stretch of undug ground. Such coverings will keep much frost from the soil, and, by raking the material off when ready for work, it will be found that the soil beneath is in quite good condition for digging. It must be borne in mind that, although freezing helps to pulverise and sweeten soil, the burying of frozen lumps is distinctly bad. Those lumps will retain frost for a very long time, and thus keep the whole bed in a chilled state. Gardening is never entirely free from some difficulty, but the successful man is he who learns, first, what is correct and ideal, and then works out by intelligent reasoning where he may compromise and modify in order to convert impossibility into possibility with a minimum of harm. It is frequently better to make the most of present opportunity than to remain inactive to await ideal conditions that may hot arise until it is too late. At the same time, there is this comforting thought: much of the garden work that should, according to orthodox ruling, be done in autumn, is commonly delayed until spring, with only slightly loss satisfactory results. Do your best, and leave the rest to Providence's ruling, is a good old gardening maxim.

A good deal more about remote ancestors may be learned as the result of excavations which June been begun at St. Albans, England. Many interesting finds have been made on the site of the ancient Bounin city of Vernlaminin. Tins year’s work includes not only further digging in the Roman settlement, but also the uncovering of at least part of the still qjder British city which is known to lie close behind it. If these explorations age successful one may learn a great deal about what sort of people lived in Britain before the coming of the Romans, and may discover that they were not quite the savages that one usually imagines them as being. The excavators, however, arc not likely to find in the British city anything quite so beautiful as, the marvellous decorated pavements already discovered on the Roman, site. These and other finds may be seen by visitors to the excavations.