GARDEN NOTES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17945, 24 November 1932, Page 10

GARDEN NOTES

JillllltllinilllllllHlltltlflltlllMllllllllimiHHlHMllllimilllll The gardener has had little he could do of late owing to the drought and lack of wateriiig facilities. ' However, lie must he prepared to plant leeks find repeat sowings of lateVpeas and salad yegoi tables lit the first opportunity when the weather breaks. All land that has been cleared of early , croppings should be well dug ape}' broken . up and any grpen iiiaipure to hand ' trenched .ip ppsition fpp neiv I'pws. peas If should be ’ cut off some 6?J). from" the ground, and at the close of thedhy the < roots dug in where a' nevl crop of the same produce is’to be sown. Annuals should be planted, ahd, if > care is taken that the ball of the root is :■ moist and has a gtoodormsiof .fibre’,ytytle fear of the weather atpeting if' nged trouble the grower,, if, when planting, he takes care and plants firmly. §|and ; well over the place where the plant is to go and take oilf the spjl yy|th,a. sc;ooß',’ insert the plant',' and with fjotK lianas press down with your full weight. * In taking. out the 'soii phe can see ||| what slate it is in. If there are any' | lumps they must be broken iip all'afound the Spot. When the plant is in poeition, use the Scoop to break up the sur* ‘ face to let in the air. ‘ By using this method no waterinr; is needed other than that given to the plants some two hours before planting. ! ASTERS. : Those who huv their plants ready crown should osk f6F the variety they pnlredplre. Alters are beautiful flowers, but' one is sometimes disappointed in the results, and this is mainly caused bv obtaining a variety dissimilar to prpI vious growings, and thus being! dissatisII fied. The most popular section of asters arc & the Victoria; these flowers are reflexed and of beautiful form and ciilor. '. The If giant Japanese (Cbihfet) jS an improveI menfc on the old Japanese. The plants are strong and vigorous growers, and fairy a large number of handsome | flowers. | Ostrich Plumes are of graceful form, with petals covered wiffi delicate filaments, giving the flower the charming f elegance of the ostrich feather. For ■"it.flowers this section of £he aster fami ily is to he preferred, for'many of the colors are much enhanced by artificial | i lighting. ; The Marguerite is a single aster, which : originally came from China, but is, in its up-to-date form, of merit equal to any of the doubles. Bgj 'ZINNIAS. I" These are great feeders and require nlentv of manure in whatever form ob- ; tainable. If the ground is not "made ready for their reception by well-rotted manure, mulching with liquid minure, =• when the plant is well set, must be con- | tinued throughout its growth. If no S» opportunity is aVailShla 'lo*do so, 'Apply

ample cjose-cut lawn grass around the plants, or use chemical riianure in the water-can. RUSES. The blooms are now at their best and they niast not be neglected; the daily removal of old blooms, spraying, disbudding, feeding, and stirring tlie surface soil with the scuffle hoc, must bp constantly observed. The ramblers are throwing out big whips and thought must be given as to their value. Those not required must be cut away and the best allowed to shape the tree as required for the position it serves. Later on the old, Wood can be cut away so as not to spoil effect, THE VINE. The shoots (or laterals) with the embryo bupches are .mow well grown aud it will he evident to even the most careless grower that the over-crowded vine cannot carry all the wild wood it makes, and therefore he must select the most promising shoots and break off all not required. Pinch off the tip of lateral, leaving two leaves beyond the bunch. Should, however, the bunch retained be near”the spur, leave a few more leaves 'tcyond it- Shoots with no fruit can be stopped at the sixth or seventh leaf. The aim should be to have as much foilage as will shade the fruit. Tjii.s tipping'of the lateral does not check the vine long, and the hud at the axil of the last leaf will soon grow, and when sufficiently long mils} be pinched back to one leaf, arid so on until enough leaves are added for shade. Neglect in stopping will result in weak-.growth, and however strong the vine appears to pc it becomes liable to attacks of mildew and other ills if left to run wild. The shoots must be tied to the wire above the main stem; this wire should be tautly strung) some 18in. above that which supports the main vine. This will allow the shoots to have support, and their leaves will then give the shade heeded. The tying of the shoots must, pot be neglected, as they are very brittle and any strong wind at the present staee may ruin the crop! When the hunches are in flower, which is known by the pleasing odour they emit, a slight spraying of the vine, with a very fine spray; with clear water helps. Later, when the fruit is well set/' should big hunches he sought, severe disbudding must be practised and the bundles further thinned with long scissors, cutting out all ill-matured berries. THE VEGETABLES. The early broad beans have in most cases yielded their crop. As the plants

cease to become productive, and if the ground is not wanted, they should be cut down to within 4in, of the ground, and the soil bowed to make a ridge up to their ropts,.aml if it is possible a good soaking given them. Three or more young slioofs will break away from the base, which, if encouraged, will either give some useful tips to cook or will form a secrind crop‘of beans. Potatoes must he watched and sprayed from now on. The most important point in spraying potatoes is to apply the spray in a fine mist that envelops the whole pjant with }i thin" coating of the moisture. The entire underside, as well as the upper surface of the leaves, must be covered. WATERING PLANTS.

The dry season has been the cause of much waste of water, for one observes the hose going in force in many cases. The conditions of our town supply and where tanks are the. only supply, now. makes evident that a careful use of water must be observed. Note should be taken as to what needs the hose and whether a broadcast spraying with, the nozzle on is of any benefit. The soil is dry to well below the surface roots, and any attempt to moisten to a depth that will give an abundant growth must be plainly seen to bo useless. Thus the use of the hose should be given to the salad vegetables and quick-growing supply only, and the watering-can without the nozzle used on the cabbages and such-like) slpyifjr growths, which must not be allowed id slacken off if crisp growth is to bo Obtained. When using the water-can, place tiie tfp of the spout Well at the stem of the plant and allow the water to slowly sink into the ground where it is needed. A good supply twice a week thus given is of much more benefit than a wasteful spattering with the hose pipe nightly, that does little more than dampen the leaves, which the nigjht dew gives naturally. The tomatoes must be watered with the can while the sun is shining, shortly after midday being the best time.