THE GARDEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25801, 23 March 1945, Page 2

THE GARDEN

Contributed by D. TANNOCK, A.H.R.H.S

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS “J. E.- M.” Wanaka.—Your pear it attacked by black spot ana possibly also mildew. The remedy is to spray with lime sulphur during the winter (1 in 30) and with Bordeaux mixture (8-6-40 formula) just as the buds are bursting. This should be followed by Bordeaux mixture (6-4-50 formula) when the blossoms are showing colour and by Bordeaux mixture (4-4-40) during the season. It is just possible that the wet season has intensified the attack, and that in a normal season it will be hardly noticed. “ Doubtful,” Mosgiel.—The berberis is Berberis japonica var. Bealei, which is not a common shrub. The variegated privet is more common, but both could be cut back and transplanted in the autumn.

” Potato,” South Dunedin.—Your potatoes are attacked by potato scab, which spoils the look of the tubers, but as it is only skin deep it does not affect their use very much. It is caused by a fungus, and, if at all possible, potatoes should not be grown in the affected ground for two or three years. If it is necessary to grow them in the same place, dust the trenches with powdered sulphur or white island product. Lime and stable manure both favour the fungus, and in old gardens which have been cropped for years it is hardly possible to avoid it. A very good method when planting is to line the trenches with straw or pine needles, which keep the soil from coming into contact with the developing tubers. If seed from an affected crop has to be used, it should be soaked for two hours in a solution of formaline, a quarter of a pint in seven i gallons of water. Dry the soaked seed before planting. , “M. M." Dunedin.—Freshly slaked lime is as good as anything for clearing the garden of the type of slug forwarded, which is known as the “ tiger slug ” (Limax maximus). Traps of cabbage leaves or hollowed-out potatoes or apples are also useful. Watering with weak solution of ammonia both kills the slugs and feeds the plants. Hort Nap, which can be obtained from seedsmen, is useful in glasshouses when sprinkled under the benches. "Potter,” Dunedin.—The only pruning the almond tree requires is for maintaining a reasonable shape and removing dead wood. From the drawing, your tree seems to be progressing satisfactorily. Spray your nut bushes with arsenate of. lead to destroy leaf rolling and other caterpillars. Artemisia vulgaris. “ Mugwort,” “ Wormwood,” or ” Southernwood ” is to be found in some Dunedin gardens, and probablv a seedsman could obtain a plant for you. Watercress is found in streams and ponds near Dunedin. There used to be a lot in the Woodhaugh Gardens. It requires mud or water. "J, M.,” Waikaia—l have already answered a similar question in this issue. AUTUMN PLANTING Though it is still advisable to keep Hie hoe busy among growing crops in the vegetable garden, and to earth up those which require it, there is not such a rush of work now as earlier in Hie season. As the soil is in good working order, this is a suitable time to get the ground ready for planting fruit trees and bushes in the autumn. Though special emphasis has been placed on the importance of the vegetable crops, and the need for securing a succession so that there will be supplies all the year round, fruit, especially the bush varieties and strawberries, are' almost as important. In the model allotments set out in Kew Gardens and Hyde Park, London, fruit occupies an important position. When judging the “ Dig for Victory ” gardens recently we were disappointed to find that in most gardens there was none at all, and in many of those where an attempt was made the results were not at all satisfactory. Where there were a few apple trees they had, in most cases, not been sprayed, and the diseased fruit which had fallen off was left lying on the ground, instead of being gathered up and destroyed. The bush fruits were not much better, and though not attacked by pests they were badly pruned. The raspberries were also neglected. The old fruiting canes had not been cut out, and the young ones had grown into a thicket which it would be quite impossible to spray properly. Spraying as soon as the fruit is picked is most important. Many of the fruit trees and bushes were old and not worth the room they were occupying. It is important for all who can to grow strawberries, gooseberries, raspberries, and black currants, and where conditions are favourable some apples, pears, plums, and peaches, trained either as cordons or espaliers, or fan shaped against a wall or fence. The soil preparation is important, as are the aspect and shelter, and for this reason every foot of wall or fence space should be utilised for fruit growing. Those fruits which require sun and warmth to ripen up the wood and secure the formation of flower buds, and thn ripening of the fruit afterwards, such as peaches, plums, apples, apricots, nectarines, and pears should be trained on walls facing the sun, and those which can endure shade, such as raspberries, black and red currants, and morello cherries, on the shady side. Gooseberries and strawberries can be grown in the open, but a sunny bank suits the latter very well. The most suitable soil for the majority of fruits is a strong loam, which consists of a mixture of sand, clay, and decayed vegetable matter, with a preponderance of clay, but any soil with the proper treatment and cultivation will grow good fl Drainage Is, however, of the greatest importance, and stagnant water at any time, even during the winter when the trees and bushes are at rest, is undesirable. It excludes air, and without fresh air the roots cannot be healthy. It also brings about certain undesirable chemical actions, especially when there is a lot of organic matter or humus present. Sunheat falling on water-logged soli does not warm it, and the evaporation which takes place actually reduces the temperature. Experiments have proved that if one pint of water is evaporated from 1001 b of soil, the land Is left 10 degrees colder than it would be if the water had passed away by filtration. „ . It will be seen, therefore, that if there is a soakage from land higher up, or if on the flat, water is seen to lie about, drainage of some kind with agricultural pipes rubble, or scrub should be the first consideration. In most gardens deep cultivation is all that is necessary, and for that reason I consider the position to be occupied by fruit trees and bushes should be trenched, bastard trenched, or at the least double dug. We do not want to encourage the roots to go down into the cold subsoil, for we prefer to keep them near the surface. Most of the fruit trees and shrubs are surface rooters, but to secure drainage and aeration deep working of the soil is desirable. If the subsoil is suitable the trenching can be carried out to a depth of two spits, with the subsoil picked or loosened up with a fork. During this process such rough vegetable matter as is available can be buried in the bottom of the trench. When the subsoil is not of a desirable character, such as a stiff clay, one spit is sufficient, and the crumbly part should be thrown up, but the subsoil can be broken up with a fork and left in the bottom of the trench. Of course, all available vegetable matter will again be buried in the bottom of the trench. Double digging is suitable in good garden soil which has already been , trenched, and it is again an advantage to bury strawy manure or vegetable matter of anv kind as the operation proceeds. The surface can be left as rough and open as possible in the meantime. Owing to the scarcity of labour due to the warconditions, nursery stocks are somewhat limited, and I would advise those who intend to plant in the autumn to get their orders in at once. The following would be a good selection for a small or domestic orchard:— Apples for dessert: Worcester Pearmam. Cox’s Orange Pippin, Jonathan, Golden Delicious, and Sturmer. Cooking varieties - Peasgood’s Nonsuch, Reinette du Canada, and Ballarat Seedling. The varieties listed as dessert are also suitable for cooking Pears: Wi 11 iam ’ s Bon Chretien, Louis Bonne of Jersey, Winter Cole, or Winter Nells. Plums: Coe’s Golden Drop, Greengage, and Blue Diamond. Peaches: Hale’s Early or Brigg’s Red May. Raspberries: Lloyd George, Northumberland, Fillbasket, or Superlative. Gooseberries: Winham’s Industry, Whitesmith, Ironmonger, Dan’s Mistake, and Golden Drop. Black Currants: Booskop Giant or Carter s Champion. Red Currants; Fay s Prolific or Raby Castle.