THE WEEK’S WORK

Southland Times, Issue 23649, 26 October 1938, Page 12

THE WEEK’S WORK

THE COOL GLASSHOUSE As the sun’s heat is now gaining in intensity, shading will require attention. Days being longer, brighter and warmer plants may be watered more freely. Tuberous begonias, now growing rapidly, must be advanced to bigger pots. Use a light, spongy, compost. Hydrangeas for flowering at Christmas must be kept partially shaded. Give copious waterings, and liquid manure at regular intervals. Pot on Japanese, decorative and single chrysanthemums. They should now be in four, five and six-inch pots. Chrysanthemum compost is: turfy loam, four parts; leaf mould, one part; coarse sand, wood ash, and old mortar rubble together, one part. A six inch potful of bone meal and soot should be added to each barrow of compost; mix the ingredients thoroughly.

THE FLOWER GARDEN

Sweet peas advancing in growth require aid and support with bushy scrub.

Prepare beds or borders for seasonal bedding plants. Provided they were well manured for a previous display no further manure is necessary. Bedding plants may be set out in permanent situations as they become ready. Use only sturdy, stocky, wellhardened plants. Avoid those which are weak, thin and lanky. Salvias, zinnias, verbenas, tree marigolds, petunias, salpiglossis or other of the more tender bedding plants should not be planted before the middle of November.

Do not remove daffodil foliage. Turn it over and tie it down.

Soil is broken to a finer tilth by continuous, consistent, use of the hoe. By this means weeds are also suppressed and moisture conserved. Early flowering chrysanthemums and dahlias may be planted as material is ready.

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN

Mould, or earth up potatoes as growth demands. A small handful of fertilizer to each yard of drill should be applied. Sow dwarf French and butter beans in a double row with six inches each way. Not less than 30 inches should be left between the rows.

Early sown peas should be advancing to flower. They will benefit by a good soaking of liquid manure. After flowering, if the growing points are pinched, more rapid swelling of pods is induced.

Sow intermediate and long varieties of carrots.

A further sowing of hollow crown parsnips should be made. Plant Giant Rocca, Brown Spanish and James’s Keeping Onions. A rich firm ground is best. Sow Kohl Rabi in drills one inch deep. Thin the plants to 12 inches apart. Allow 12 inches to 15 inches between the rows. They are best for culinery purposes when between the size of a golf and tennis ball. Sow turnips, spinach and lettuce for succession.

THE FRUIT GARDEN

Tomatoes should be growing vigorously. Keep all lateral growths removed. Admit plenty of air and light Shortjointed plants prove the heaviest croppers. Tomatoes are most successfully grown in a cold glasshouse or in drums on the veranda. Any receptacle which will hold 12 or 14 inches of soil, and say* 10 inches in diameter is a sufficient size.

Never plant tomatoes unprotected in the open ground in this district before the middle of November.

Spray all fruits when most of the blossom has fallen to control caterpillars, aphis, and so on. Prepare the spray as follows:—Water, 12 gallons; lime sulphur, one pint; soft soap, half pound; lead arsenate, four ounces; nicotine, one ounce. Spray forcefully; direct the nozzle downwards and inwards.

Keep a sharp look out for curled or blistered leaves on peaches and nectarines. Bum them. Apply a drenching spray of Bordeaux mixture.

NATIVE PLANTS

TE PUA-WANANGA

There is possibly no more attractive, interesting and easy to grow indigenous plant than the pua-wananga, Clematis indivisa, which is now attracting considerable attention in all bushclad areas throughout both islands where the long cord-like stems looped from tree to tree hang in great festoons completely studded with delicate waxy white star-shaped flowers. Its place is in the bush but it may be .introduced to gardens where conditions conducive to its growth and development may be provided; as will be obvious the shoots with green leaves will stand out in full light but the root must at all times be in the shade. Its natural method of development is for the leaf stems to coil themselves about the branches of other trees gradually working the plant up to the sunlight, so necessary for the opening of the flowers.

In the early stages of development the leaf stems are remarkably sensitive, turning, if only slightly rubbed in the direction from which the irritation comes. To the, Maoris it was the sacred or sanctified flower as the name they gave it implies. Possibly one of the saddest sights at this season is to witness non-thinking joy riders loading long flowering strands of native clematis into their cars having torn it ruthlessly from some tree it had clothed, destroying for all time the pleasure others might have derived from its beauty for the temporary joy they derived in tearing it down, for, by the time it would be taken out of the car again, the flowers would be tarnished and largely spoilt. Similarly, plants should not be removed from the bush, for unless they are prepared by proper methods and lifted with care, they fail to thrive. Young, well-rooted, strong, vigorous plants are readily procurable at small cost through any nursery.