THE GARDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3212, 6 October 1915, Page 14

THE GARDEN.

OPERATIONS .FOR THE WEEK.

FLOWER GARDEN.—The tender shoots of roses will require looking to, as the F s en fly, or rose aphis, affects them early m the season, and if allowed to increase unchecked the growth of the plant is seriously affected and the blooms suffer. The best and safest spray to use is either weak tobacco water or Gilhurst’s compound, made hj dissolving ?oz in a gallon of water. This should be applied all over the plants late in the afternoon, and should be allowed to dry on the plant. The application may have to bo repeated once or twice before the plants are dean. The planting out of all shrubs, creepers, and flowering plants should be completed as early in the month as possible, so that all may have a chance to become strongly established before the hot and dry weather sets in. Phlox, pentstemons, and carnations should he planted at once. If a small bed can bo devoted to each of these a fine effect is produced for many months. They arc much more satisfactory thus treated than if scattered about all over the garden. Dry bulbs of dahlias should now be planted out, and to grow these plants well the soil should be deeply worked and heavily manured. If old stocks are to be depended upon they should bo divided up, so as to plant only a small portion, having one or two eyes attached. Hollyhocks may still bo planted out. These plants also require the same liberal treatment as is necessary for dahbas, by which moans tall, noble spikes are produced. They should be more largely grown than they have been of recent years, move particularly as the fungoid disease which rendered their culture almost impossible a few years ago is not now so troublesome. Seedlings of many of the tender annuals which are growing on in boxes should not bo allowed to suffer for want of water or

through overcrowding. The begonia may be propagated by cuttings as well as from seeds, and this process is usually followed in the case of named varieties- (single or double), The cuttings can be taken when the plants start in spring, as in the case of dahlia cuttings, about 3in in length, or when the plants throw’ side-shoots later in the season, but whore possible they should be taken with a heel. Insert the cuttings round the sides of small pots in light, sandy soil. A half-spent hot-bed is a good place in which to strike them, where the bottom heat would be in excess of the top heat, and not too moist, as they frequently damp in too moist an atmosphere or in shaded shelves in warm houses. They soon form roots in a suitable position, and also a bulb at the base of the cutting. If cuttings were taken in spring they would make flowering plants at the end of summer, but later-struck cuttings would not need repotting, but should be left in the pots they are struck in until the following spring. If cuttings were taken in spring they would make flowering plants at the end of summer, but later-struck cuttings would not need repotting, but should be left in the pots they are struck in until the following spring. In any case plants from cuttings are not so vigorous as healthy seedlings. KITCHEN GARDEN.—Tomatoes may now bo more freely planted out in the open, but a little shelter should bo given is a protection from cold winds and possible frosts. A later batch of plants shou'd bo grown on in case of injury to the earlier. Kidney and runner beans should now bo ■own, also a good breadth of Yorkshire Hero or Stratagem pea. A good deal of labour will now bo needed among the advancing crops of carrots, parsnips, onions, turnips, etc. All will require thinning out and keeping free from weeds; if neglected for a short time at this season much loss is occasioned and extra labour involved. If not already sown, cucumbers and vegetable marrow should bo sown thinly under shelter. Those should not be rapidly forced at this season, but allowed to grow’ gradually out of reach of frosts, when they will form sturdy such as will not suffer when planted out in the open. Potatoes should bo hood as soon as the plants can ho soon in the rows; late potatoes may still bo planted out. Celery which has been grown on in boxes and duly transplanted should, as soon as strong enough, bo planted out into trenches, and sowings should now be made in favoured localities in the open for main crops. Newly-formed asparagus beds must bo kept free from woods, which is best and safest performed by hand-weeding, as unless groat car? is exercised in the use of a hoe much damage is done to the grass. Rhubarb which has been forced should have all the manure which has been used for this purpose taken away from the crowns, and the plants allowed' to make some growth, as the forcing tends to weaken the growth.

GREENHOUSE AND FRAMES.— Petunias should be grown on into 6in pots, before allowing them to bloom. If good varieties of these are potted up and stopped nt every point, after they make an inch or two of growth, and if the stopping is repeated two or Ihree times, they will make dwarf, bushy plants, which will flower for the whole of the summer, Liquid manures will bo required after the pots become filled with roots. Draccnas, palms, aspidistras, and 1 other similar plants which have boon used for decorative purposes during the winter months should bo examined; and

any -which require repotting or top-dressing should now be attended to, and the foliage should be sponged all over. This should be done regularly, as dusty foliage soon results in unhealthy plants. Calceolaria plants should now bo well advanced towards flowering, ready to take the place of the cineraria, which should bo turned out of the house as soon as past their best to prevent the spread of green fly. Coleus plants should now be started into rapid growth, as these aro very useful for tno summer months, and do well in a much cooler temperature than is generally supposed. VINERY. —As the vines grow tie down gradually to the wires. Rub off all superfluous growth, and stop the shoots two joints above where the fruit is showing. Moisten the trunk daily, and close up early. At the same time leave some ventilation, as more harm is done by too little fresh air than too much, as proved by the healthy growth close to the ventilators, when left open night and day. SOME HINTS. Much of the success of roses depends on manuring. Dung is the best, and, if plentiful, spread all over the bods between the plants. If scarce put a forkful or two round each stem, and scatter a quantity of soot over all, and then fork in. Do not fork deep. If dung is not procurable do not starve them. Bone manure of all kinds suits. With tomatoes do not grow more plants than is actually required. Crowding is a poor plan. Ten or a dozen well-managed plants arc more prolific than double the quantity squeezed in. Those for under glass culture in pots should be put into Bin or 9in ones when about a foot high. Drain the pots carefully, and use a loamy soil to the extent of throe parts to one of cow or horse manure, or if the latter is unobtainable use a couple of handfuls of bone meal. Pot very firmly. Thus induces robust wood and much fruitfulness. A good sprinkling of soot applied to the lawn towards the end of this month will improve vegetation, give a rich green tone, and keep away worms. Dung or good artificial manure is even better than soot. Young geranium plants produce the finest blooms, and it is unwise to harbour old plants of a scraggy nature when now ones are so easily secured at this season. There are many plants, too, used for planting in the open beds in the summer that require propagating from cuttings _ now', and all should receive early attention. The best cuttings are tlic_ young shoots recently formed. According to the habit of the plants they may be one, two, three, four inches long. The latter are big enough for all purposes, and none should be less than lin in length.