THE GARDEN

Southland Times, Issue 19345, 10 September 1924, Page 15

THE GARDEN

ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT. “Amateur” (South Invercargill).—As soon as all danger of sharp frosts are past is the time to start the work of sowing down a lawn. A sharp frost would loosen up the nice fine surface necessary for a good lawn, and many of the fine seeds may be injured just as they are germinating. The best thing you can do just now to keep down grubs is to stir up the surface soil well to expose them—-the birds will soon pick them up. Use some fresh lime in the process of working the soil. In this way the soil is put into good form to be ready for the seed, in addition to getting rid of the grubs. WORK FOR THE WEEK. (By “Horticola.”) Wednesday.—Complete all digging, trenching and manuring at the earliest possible moment. Thursday.—Sow another batch of broad beans; stiffish, well-nourished soil is the best. Friday.—Dust early spring cabbage with six-months-old soot and hoe in lightly. Saturday.—Sow sweet peas outside in a well-prepared trench; sow six inches apart and one inch deep and supply protection. Monday.—Continue sowing peas thinly, three lines in a row, each outside line 3 inches from the inner one. Scatter a little lime and protect. Tuesday.—Sow Brussels sprouts in heat or in a cold frame in a box, placing over the box some glass or paper, which should be left there until seeds germinate. Wednesday.—Plant violas firmly on a shaded border, allowing them 12 inches apart. Seedlings that are ready should be pricked off without delay, and any seed sowing not yet done should be completed at once, whether it be done under glass or in the open ground. Sow sweet peas, mignonette and the hardiest annuals in the open, and transplant violets during the month. Lawns not already sown down should now be sown.

In the vegetable garden, turnips, leek, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage and small saladings can be sown as required, also parsley (in a warm border). Early potatoes should be planted; also horseradish in a spare corner and- asparagus. Sew marrows and pumpkins in pots. A little advice as to. sowing. Never cover the seed too deeply. Nature never covers her seed. A mere dusting is all that is required. If the soil is free, rich, and open, little or no covering is required. A watering will suffice. Large seeds are the better of a covering. Many seeds are destroyed through being sown too deeply. The larger the seed the deeper it must be sown. Very fine seed requires little or no covering.

If sowings of tender annuals have gone wrong, such as stocks, asters, nemesia, phlox Drummondi, and others, do not delay making fresh sowings. There is still time to have them ready for planting by the first week of November, the date I prefer for planting tender annuals. Spring flowers are coming out at a great pace, particularly such as primroses, polyanthus, and narcissus, owing no doubt to the mildness of the winter. These conditions will tend to force them open prematurely, and those who are contemplating showing at the spring show will require io be watchful and give some that are growing on dry and warm soils a good soaking of water to keep them cool at the roots, and thus prevent the blooms opening too soon. A little stimulant in the way of some weak liquid manure given now, just as the buds are developing, will prove very beneficial both in strengthening and putting good colour into the flower. Cow and sheep manure mixed and given in liquid form is a very cooling stimulant. Do not give liquid manure when the ground is dry. The best time to use liquid manure for these and all other flowers is immediately after rain. In the absence of rain give them a watering before the liquid manure is given. IN THE ORCHARD. HINTS ON SPRAYING. Apart from seed-sowing, spraying is probably the most important work at present in local gardens. For almost all diseases and for a good many insect pests, the spring spraying is invaluable, chiefly because the solutions can be applied easily to every part of the tree, and because these solutions may be used at much greater strength than when the tree is covered with foliage and fruit. In addition, we have an extra kind of spray at our disposal—red oil—which is very effective for dealing with woolly aphis and all kinds of scale insects. Conditions for Spraying.—We may summarise a few points thus: (1) Use the remedies at the strengths and in the manner advised by the sellers—these are business people who have everything to gain and nothing to lose by giving the best directions. (2) Spray at the right time, on the principle that prevention is better than cure. (3) Spray in good weather, so that the materials may dry on the trees before rain comes. (4) Do the work thoroughly, so that no breeding-places for the pests may be left on the trees. (5) The theory is to have every particle of trunk and branches covered with a film of spray, but not enough to come streaming off. Spraying Apple Trees.—ln response to inquiries we are supplying information given previously, but in a different form. We have been asked: “What must I do now with my apple trees?” In the first place, the trees should have been pruned, dead wood cut out, centre kept open by the cutting out of surplus wood, sidegrowths shortened to a few inches, leaders and other main branches shortened to perhaps one third of their length. Secondly, spraying is needed. For woolly aphis (recognised in winter by the large galls, lumps or knobs on the branches), and for the various scales of all sizes and shapes, red oils is the best spray at this season, when the trees are bare of leaves. For blackspot and other fungoid diseases that affect the fruit itself, it is advisable to spray the apple trees with Bordeaux mixture, or lime-sulphur used for spraying peaches and nectarines. To kill mess and lichens on all kinds of deciduous fruit-trees, caustic soda at the rate of two ounces to a gallon of water makes a very effective spray. Lime-sulphur may also be used for this purpose.

Peaches and Nectarines.—These kinds of trees should have been pruned long ago, as they are almost the first to start into growth. For them spraying with a fungicide at the present time is absolutely essential if any good fruit is to be expected. Without winter (or spring) spraying, the trees will fall victims to leaf-curl, as a result of which almost all the leaves and fruit will fall. Later, the young leaves should be sprayed, but with a weaker solution.

Other Fruit Trees.—All deciduous trees will benefit by a spraying with red oil one day, and by a spraying with Bordeaux or lime-sulphur another day, when the red oil is properly dry. The Pink Spray.—-This is ‘the spray that is given to nectarines, peaches and other fruit trees when the buds are bursting, as they are this week. Until then the buds are protected by bud scales, and it is round the latter that the various fungoid spores find shelter. It is easy, then, to realise the importance of this ‘pink’ spray. GENERAL NOTES. ROSES. Finish planting all roses as soon as possible if good blooms are expected this season. The excited state of the shoots from the mild season or winter must not make one impatient to rush through or finish pruning in unnecessary haste. The state of the terminal buds will naturally

check the buds near the base, which buds we must depend upon for good bloom. So long as these buds do not push away too much there is nothing to fear. Carry on pruning as circumstances demand. THE VINERY, Generally speaking, September is a good time to start off vines for the season by manuring the border both inside and out, soaking the inside border well with water and closing ventilators; but, considering the mildness of the season and the apparent swelling of the buds at the present time, I advise starting a little earlier, and I think the present is a good time to start them off. Providing pruning and cleaning of the vines have been properly carried out in the winter, as previously advised, they should be in fine condition for a start. Where the vine border extends inside the house as well as outside loosen up the soil with a fork. Give this dry soil a good soaking with water. Then cover the border with a good layer of manure—cow manure preferred. Blind the surface with soil and give another good soaking of water to carry the liquid manure down to the roots. Then close all ventilators, as advised. From this onward ventilate in the usual way, though for some time very little will be required, and none from the bottom or front vente. All that will be required can be given from the top vents. It is a good plan to leave the points hanging down for a time to secure an even break of growth.