GARDEN & ORCHARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 3508, 7 June 1921, Page 9

GARDEN & ORCHARD.

By

D. Tannock.

WORK FOR THE WEEK. THE GIIEEXTIOESE AND XERPERY. Continue to pot greenhouse calceolarias Into their flowering pots. Schizanthus seedlings, which were pricked out some time ago, will now be ready for putting up into 3in pots. Finch out tlie tips of the leading shoots to cause brandling, and stand them on a bed of ashes up near the glass to prevent them fionr becoming drawn and spindly If bulbs intended for forcing have not already been brought into the cool greenhouse no time should be lost, and after a few days in the cool house they can no shifted into the heat to hasten on growth. THE FLOWER GARDEX. The leaves should be off the deciduous trees now, and ilie shrubberies and herbaceous borders can receive their final cleaning up. Shrubberies can also be pruned and dug over to make everything look neat and tidy. Though it is not considered desirable to dig shrubberies very deeply (many of the plants being surface rooting), bv turning over the surface soil any weeds which have appeared during early winter are covered up and the shrubberies remain tidy well into the spring. Scuffle hoeing is of little use during winter. The sun is seldom strong enough to dry the surface, and kill out the weeds. Continue to prune and tie lip the rambler roses to their supports, and cut back the long, strong shoots on the bush kinds to prevent them from wriggling round during wet, windy weather, forming puddles round the neck-and wearing off the 1 hough there is little use spraying for mildew and black spot in the winter, all leaves should be raked up and burned, and it is a good idea to top-dress badly-affected beds and borders with sulphate of iron at the rate of 4oz to 6oz per 50 square feet. This should be well powdered, dusted over the surface, and lightly forked in, and it is often desirable to give another dusting in spring after the pruning is completed. 1 he ordinary garden hydrange (Hydrange hortensis) is a plant very popular, and justly so, for in addition to being ouite hardy in all but the coldest districts, "it is useful for providing cut flowers for filling large bowls and vases, for greenhouse decoration, and for filling large pets and tubs to stand on verandahs and terraces. For greenhouse and room decoiation plants in small pots are the most useful, and they can be flowered in sin or 6in pots when confined to a single stem. Young tips can be rooted in the summer or autumn, potted on to 4 in pots when well rooted, wintered in the small pot, and potted-up into sin or tin pois in spring. As they are greedy plants, a good soil mixture similar to that recommended for chrysanthemums should be used, and they require plenty of water while growing, with liquid manure once a week. F'or large pots or rubs old, ♦ullgrown specimens are required, and these can bo grown on quickly, being repotted every spring until they become very large, when an annual top-dressing will be quite satisfactory. Prick out all ti.e loose surface soil with a sharp stick, add good turfy loam,, and ram it firm with a potting stick, leavimr the surface level. Bonedust or other approved fertiliser can ®>e led to the topdressing and liberal supplii’,3 of liquid manure diirnior the growing season will ensure good flower heads. In the flower garden they can be planted in the shrubbery or the mixed border, and in large feeds by themselves. They glow in an 3’ kind of soil, but are most effective on banks where there is plenty of soil and moisture, and they will thrive either in partial shade or fnil sunshine. Conditions suilablo for rhododendrons are also suitable for hvdranges. and I consider they would do well associated with them. They would follow the rhododendrons end maintain the display. Though they wi : l grow on grassy banks they are better when there is a circl. kept cultivated and weeded, and an Emin d mulch with weii-rotted mauve will assr-r growth. Being a greedy surface renting plant, they should he mulched with well-rotted manure or leaf mould in the spring, arid an abundance of water during dry weather, with liquid manure at intervals is an advantage. When there is no clanger of early frosts the plants can be cut b.icn near to the ground level, and when growth begins the young growths can be thinned out to allow those which are left room to develop. Where early frosts are to no lound t;ie flower beds can be cut bre.s., auu t. •• snoot again thinned out to on each old stem. Where the ) ■ - ' Is . I,: ‘ ll! V it can be propagated’ '"■V j-"> "1 “•« ' «f well pe „ i rr.sc tc.l in the autumn along with other haru-wooued plants. Pieces about 9 to ir lnc “® s 1< - make good cuttings the Hove:- iiea.l or unripem-d tips „f the branches being cut off, and if these are buried two-thirds of their length m the pound niiirt of Uiern will root. I should have mentioned that the flowers which we I nmo are sterile, none of the essential organs being develop <1 but sometimes when 1 - ved produce fertile flowers v.ni-,1 are either blue or white, with a sprinkling of the sterile kinds on the heads O 0,. a number of named varieties , .l™. 1 °f-. /be most suitable : P°‘? ‘■ but for ordinary garden •I be take if from the I, -to luieo k,m Is. blue I dug Preferred . ' ■ ■ * «t « diffi, lit to g, t Y put • lown to a lack of iron in , !, e , UJ | reel this, watering with a weak solution ot sulphate of iron is recommended In ?°™ • ™ ’ v ’ " i: - or Oid iron i‘ s put mlo a tin of water and the plant watered wml, ~f. rusty wafer and sometimes -,. rao , of < !d iron no,, filings, or old nails are buried round the plant* l . Hydrange paniculata grandiflora is a real shrub and a good garden plai t either for the shrubbery of for filling feeds on die lawn. a greedy plant the beds or borders t K : (■ i and 1 ,1 . i a ll v B vv or hor-o i inure. In beds ice pi. nits should be put tv, ~ n , , r ° feet, apart, and once well established tb-y are cut bard hack to with in an inch ' f ibe old wood every tear. An annual mulch of we!! rotted manure is necessary to imuniain a vigorous nowth and they must have plenty of wulei at all times. In an old gard.-ri near Wellington, which T visited recently, where rhododendrons. Japanese maples and magnolias had grown into tines, f was sfrucic with the abundance of hydra nees. They were planted everywhere, and though neglected were ' flowering well and wore quite the feature o f the garden. 1

The prevalency of cold salt-laden winds seems to limit the number of plants suitable for growing in exposed positions and kinds which were thriving were Pittosiorum Ralphi, and P. crossifoiia, Pohutakawa, and Ngkio, THE VEGETABLE GARDEN AND ORCHARD. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Continue to clear oif spent crops and to manure, trench, or dig all vacant ground leaving the surface rough and lumpy. Prune fruit trees and bushes, afterwards raking up ail twigs, leaves, and small or diseased fruits and burning them. The surface soil can then be dug over lightly or ploughed, and a good dressing of stable manure can be spread for the bush fruits it would be appreciated. Winter sprays can also be applied, and though the doctrine that prevention is betetr than cure is reasonable, I do not recommend spraying unless there is some kind of blight to destroy. “Jonathan.’'—You can commence shifting your fruit.trees any time now. First prepare the holes tor planting the trees into once they are lifted. In width the holes should be at least six inches more than the general spread of the roots, ami in depth from one and a-lialf to two feet. In heavy soils, plant nearer the surface and in light soils and dry climate plant deeper. To lift the trees throw out a trench round the tree at least two or three feet away from tlie trunk till you get below the roots. Carefully remove all loose soil with a fork and severe any long tap roots at the base. Retain as much of the soil about the roots as possible by tying sacking about them. This also prevents the roots from becoming dry in transit. Before planting, examine the roots and remove all damaged portions with a sharp knife. When planting, tramp the bottom of the hole firm and see that it is raised slightly in the centre. Give the roots their proper “spread.” Work in a little soil at a time, seeing- that no cavities are left among the roots, and be sure to firm the soil well. If the soil is dry, give it a good soaking with water before and after planting. Be sure to stake your trees, especially if they are standards. Pruning can be done after planting. “Interested,” Mar.deville. —(1) The pear Pitmaston Duchess is a good one and does well when grown as a bush. The following pears are autumn fruiting and have proved hardy and fruitful in most localities: — Bon Chretien, Duromleuu, Doyenne do Cornice, and Beurre D. Anjou. (2i dlie best hawthorn with autumn tinted foliage is Crataegus prunifolia. C. coccinea and C. Cruss-galli have large bright red berries which are very ornamental, but the leaves do not colour brightly. The common hawthorn, C. Oxyeantha, often shows good autumn tints, but it is now listed as a noxious weed owing to its being a host plant for the dreaded fire-blight. (3) I cannot say what the plant like chives is without seeing a specimen. (4) The seed and nursery establishment of Howden and Mcnerieff is non-existent. The business was wound up two or three years ago.