WORK IN THE GARDEN

Southland Times, Issue 23998, 13 December 1939, Page 24

WORK IN THE GARDEN

By

BRENDAN P. MANSFIELD,

F. Inst. P.A.

THE COOL GLASSHOUSE French tree marigolds yield a plentiful and lasting display during winter. Box-grown plants may now be pottea into four or five-inch pots according to size of plant and later transferred to drums in which they will flower. Contrasted with chrysanthemums tree marigolds require little skill in growing to good specimen plants, fne main stem must be supported by a strong stake and lateral growths, which are very brittle, looped in loosely to lt- Not only are tree marigolds easy to grow, but they are much more lasting than chrysanthemums, remaining in flower fully 10 to 12 weeks. Con-

sequently, they are Inuch more satisfactory in point of view of attention and period of flowering so far as the average amateur is concerned. > Tree marigolds should be grown out-of-doors as long as possible, thoroughly hardened but strong, vigorous plants being the aim of the grower. Any good compost will grow them to perfection and they may be left outside until the first frosts threaten, by which time they should be five feet high and three feet through. THE FLOWER GARDEN Recent heavy rains, following boisterous weather, have done much good, but it is essential that attention be now devoted to soil aeration —that is, hoeing. Whenever you have 10 minutes to spare, spend it in the garden with the hoe.

Complete bedding operations for summer and autumn display. Where it is considered plants will not have reasonable time to attain full development before flowering begins they may be planted a little closer. Generally, and speaking broadly, 14 inches apart is a reasonable distance, but this may be reduced to 12 or 10 inches according to time of planting, condition of soil and size of plants. (( An interesting example of ‘ permanent” edging may be seen in front of the Central tennis courts, Block I, main gardens. Here echeveria and dwarf armeria are used in association, making a pleasing colour combination and lasting display in sharp contrast with “short duration” plants such as lobelia, tagetes, dwarf marigolds or alyssum. An important point in the growing of roses is to remove spent blooms. Don’t snap the withered bud, but cut off the stalk on which it is carried. It is easy to see the point of contact with the main stem, from which another shoot will arise. Medium and tall-growing plants, whether annuals or perennials, will require some aid in support by staking and this should be attended to before they become further damaged by wind or broken down with heavy rain. As a stimulus to growth, when plants are active and if the humus content of the soil is deficient, feeding by artificial means may be resorted to. A mixture consisting of superphosphate, three parts, sulphate of ammonia, one part, sulphate of potash, one part, is recommended and may be distributed evenly at the rate of one ounce a square yard. Fish manure and weak cow manure, in liquid form, are also beneficial. Sow seed of perennials or biennials, particularly wallflowers, myosotis (forget-me-not), primroses, polyanthus, auriculas, Iceland poppies, East Lothian stocks, and so on, for spring display.

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN How many vegetables have you in the garden which can be used during the days of short light—winter—and when conditions are hard? Surely it is then we need to be fortified with fresh, nutritive vegetables if our vitality and efficiency is to be maintained. Do you realize how many vegetables there might be maintained in your garden for use during winter? Just list them and we venture to suggest you will be surprised how far short your garden falls of expected standards. As ground becomes vacant through the digging of early potatoes and clearing away of peas, beans and lettuce, every available square inch should immediately be filled to capacity with winter greens such as Brussels sprouts, curly kale, savoys, spring cabbage, silver beet, spinach and broccoli. Seed of garden swedes may still be sown; also beet if Globe variety is selected. It is too late for parsnips, but further sowings of stump-rooted carrots and turnips are suggested. In the sowings of turnips select a cool, shaded place. Lose no time now in planting celery and leeks provided a trench one foot deep has previously been prepared and a heavy dressing of well-rotted manure dug in. These are both crops which appreciate, and respond vigorously to, good conditions. Successional sowings of lettuce and other salading plants may be made as desired and don’t omit sowing a little endive for use in winter. Salading plants should always be sown at intervals of 10 to 14 days to maintain supplies. Have you tried kohlrabi, the vegetable which may be.used as a cabbage or a turnip? Seed of the purple or

green variety, or a mixture, may be sown thinly in rows 18 inches apart where the plants are to grow. Thin them finally to 15 inches apart in the rows, transplanting the seedlings to other places. After strong growth immediate attention should be given to the earthing up or moulding of potatoes. A sprinkling of lawn mowings applied along each side of the rows, and a very light dusting with sulphate of ammonia is an advantage. Spray with Bordeaux mixture now, spray thoroughly and spray again in seven or ten days’ time. Subject to a sheltered position and well-nourished soil being available,, plants of marrows, pumpkins and apple cucumbers may be placed out-of-doors. It is suggested that they be planted on small mounds. While we do not favour culture of out-door tomatoes in this district, where they are grown it is better that they be trained on the dual stem system and the growing points pinched out after four trusses of fruit are formed.

THE FRUIT GARDEN Biting insects are best controlled with lead arsenate, using one ounce to each gallon of water. The poison will be well,washed off the fruit before it is ripe.

Strawberries should be covered with bird netting to protect young developing fruits and place loose litter around the plants. The main essentials in the growing of tomatoes indoors are the removal of side or lateral shoots, copious supplies of "water, generous feeding, free ventilation and the removal of lower leaves by degrees, as plants mature. Woolly aphis, American blight, will soon be in evidence on large fruits. Painting with methylated spirits is a certain remedy. Apples and pears should now be sprayed with lime sulphur at summer strength—one to 30 gallons of water. This will check mildew and scab diseases.

HOME MADE JAM

Reducing the Acidity of Fruits.-—ln cooking and preserving fruits of various kinds, when the taste is too acid, it is the invariable practice of the housewife to add sugar to counteract this. Actually, the practice is not a scientific one. Sugar does not counteract acidity; rather, the sweetness masks the acid taste. Now that, owing to the outbreak of war, sugar is likely to be rationed, it becomes very desirable to adopt' a better procedure. Alkalies neutralize acids; and, therefore, to reduce the tartness of acid fruits the use of an alkali is called for. Of all possible alkalies, bicarbonate of soda recommends itself for use, as this is a very mild alkali and one easily obtainable in a high state of purity from any pharmaceutical chemist. When bicarbonate of soda (known as “sodium hydrogen carbonate” to scientific chemists) is mixed with an acid, the acid is neutralized, provided the proportions used are correct, and carbon dioxide gas is set free. This causes an effervescence. In cooking fruit, it is the better plan to stir the bicarbonate into the fruit after it has been cooked. The quantity must be judged by taste, as it varies according to the acidity of the fruit, the most practical plan being to stir a little in at a time and jtaste after each addition. It is very important not to add too much. One reason is that the flavour of fruits is only appreciated against a tart-taste background, so that the acidity must be merely reduced, not entirely destroyed. A second reason is that flie addition of too much bicarbonate will render the fruit alkaline, and this will have the effect of destroying the colour when due, as in the case with red, purple and blue fruits, to anthocyan pigments. THE GARDEN IN WAR TIME FLOWER GARDENING Horticultural writers are rightly stressing the importance of the production of home-grown food, and as I shall be playing my part in that direction I need make no apology for these notes on a brighter- subject. The identity of the first person to remark that “flowers will cheer us during the dark days ahead” has already been lost, but he was right. The sensible thing to do is to strike a balance between leaving things as they are, and destroying the whole of the garden beauty spots in the hope of reaping a bumper crop of vegetables. Experienced gardeners will know that this is not as easy as it sounds and those who are old enough to remember previous experiments of the same kind will realize that if the war drags on much, of the work will have to be done with inexperienced labour.

Let us, then, increase very considerably our areas under vegetable cultivation, but at the same time, make provision for flowers and a peaceful spot in which to snatch a brief period away from the cares of war-time life. It is rather the method of cultivation that will differ. Each plant will be expected to give a good account of itself. The list of plants that have received the Award of Garden Merit of the R.H.S. should receive careful attention, for these plants have all stood the test of a careful examination of their merits and faults, hi addition, every gardener will know a few plants that give especially good results in his particular garden—now is the time to plan. Any gardener who has the convenience owes it to horticulture generally, and to the raisers and introducers of new plants in particular, to see that the results of their efforts are not lost. This can easily happen and we can all help if we plant a , small patch of ground in a suitable position with a stock of all our. recent acquisitions, and of those plants that are unable to fend for themselves under conditions of difficulty and neglect. Many plants are now seeding and a pinch of seeds gathered from the less common sorts may prove very useful when the brighter days dawn and when the trade may not be in a position to meet the demands for a time.

Bulbs ought to be planted freely. They will grow in positions that are quite useless for the cultivation of ordinary plants and here they may remain without further attention. Most bulbs thus planted will give something in the way of flowers for several seasons. They can now be obtained at reasonable prices, but it should be realized that the short supply is likely to make future consignments expensive, at least for the duration of the war. In this connection, summerflowering bulbs and corms ought to be carefully harvested and stored, as they will probably have to render service beyond what is usually expected of them. Give particular attention to the labelling of these and also of dahlias. Of the latter, only the best varieties will be considered worthy of further cultivation, but keep a stock of old favourites—they may disappear from post-war catalogues.

LEEKS The value of this hardy vegetable was thoroughly proved last winter and spring, when the severe frost which killed broccoli and even kale in many gardens left the leeks unharmed. For this reason the production of leeks should be increased in war-time for, easily grown, they constitute a valuable and health-giving food over six months of the year; moreover, leeks lend themselves to several different methods of preparation for the table. Leeks now growing in trenches for the production of specially long, blanched stems, respond to generous treatment in regard to watering with liquid manure at frequent intervals, especially during spells of dry, warm weather such as we are experiencing in the south. During showery weather applications of a fertilizer may be given, to be washed in by rain. In eithei - case it is a good plan to scrape a little soil down from the sides of the trench after each application to form a soil mulch, and also to assist in blanching the stems. This practice also serves to keep the trenches free from weeds. Although trenches are essential to the production of long-stemmed leeks for the vegetable show they are by no means necessary for the production of leeks of good quality for the table. Specimens three inches in diameter and with six to nine inches of blanched stem can be produced in quantity by a far simpler method. On a well-cul-tivated and manured piece of ground drills are drawn to a depth of six inches and at eighteen inches apart. In these drills holes are made with a crow-bar, one foot apart, to receive the plants. The latter are just dropped into the holes so that only the tips of the leaves protrude, and are watered in with weak liquid manure. The subsequent hoeing and cultivating between serve gradually to fill up the holes as the plants increase in height.