WORK IN THE GARDEN

Southland Times, Issue 24109, 24 April 1940, Page 16

WORK IN THE GARDEN

By

BRENDAN P. MANSFIELD, F. Inst. P.A.

THE COOL GLASSHOUSE Anticipate the occurrence of mildew : and rust on chrysanthemums. To control spray with liver of sulphur, potas- ‘ sium sulphide, using a quarter ounce to each gallon of water. Sow seed of Poor Man’s orchid, schizanthus, and a little cineraria for succession. Geraniums, marguerites (Paris daisies), pelargoniums, hydrangeas, may be propagated by cuttings made from ripened growths. THE FLOWER GARDEN

Lawns should receive a final mowing. To trim the edges neatly is part of the same operation. Good gardening is reflected in clean cultivation. Remove spent blooms, old flower stalks, litter and rubbish of all kinds. It only serves as a harbour during winter for insect pests and plant diseases. Sweet peas if sown now produce flowers in late spring and early summer. Allow at least six inches between the plants and ensure that the soil is deeply dug and reasonably enriched with majjure. The corms of large flowered and primulinus gladioli should now be lifted, keeping the tops intact, and laid out in an open shed or similar place to ripen. When the tops of gladioli, lifted from the open ground, have completely withered the corms may be cleaned and stored in a dry place where they will be safe from frost or vermin until planting time.

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN

With a little extra care by protection, should frosts threaten, summer vegetables and salads may be held in the ground for some time, thus saving the winter stock, which is always more or less limited, and has a long season to serve. Again we remind readers lifting potatoes to ensure they are carefully picked over by hand, any diseased tubers, or those infected with wire worm, set to one side for immediate use and sound tubers divided into at least three grades before storing. In planting, in pulling, in storing, or for table use, graded vegetables are always more attractive. The little extra trouble caused is well worth while; while appearance is not everything it does certainly contribute to a pleasing effect. During growth it is conducive to ordered development. As the season advances and soil conditions become heavy and cold it is more important than ever that the hoe be used consistently and thoroughly. Attend regularly to all vegetables required for winter use, removing without delay such leaves as are decaying or yellow. Are you growing endive this year? It is so easy to grow, so nutritive and luscious. If you don’t know it, think of a winter lettuce. Plants set out in position now will not yield large, blanched heads but should provide useful material for late use. THE FRUIT GARDEN American blight is an apple pest which is at all times more plentiful than is desirable. Though no effective spray of an economic nature can be applied at this season, the stems of trees affected may be grease banded in order to catch those insects which descend to the roots to hibernate during the winter months. There is another form of winter blight that spends its whole existence on the trunk or branches of the tree and this must be dealt with during the winter. The method of control suggested is the flame of a blow-lamp, such as is used by plumbers and painters. The flame should be directed by rapid movements on the affected parts, each part being visited several times until the insects are completely destroyed. It is well known that apple canker invariably follows an attack by woolly aphis. It is essential then that this pest should be kept under control. Superphosphate sprinkled heavily on the soil beneath the trees close up to the stems is beneficial. Sulphate of potash, in small quantities, is also useful in encouraging vigour.

GREEN MANURING Green manuring is beneficial to both sandy and heavy soils. The practice of green manuring, which is the digging under of a green crop, is an effective method of applying humus to the soil and increasing its fertility. Any soil that is deficient in humus will be improved by green manuring. The addition of humus to the soil will improve its texture, and also its power of absorbing and retaining moisture. When a crop is buried the surface soil becomes enriched by the nourishing materials which the crop, during the period of its growth, has drawn from the air and from the lower portions of the subsoil.

The soil has been stirred up and disintegrated by the development of the roots during its growth, and when dug under, provided that sufficient moisture and warmth is present, the crop will readily decompose, and the succeeding crop will thus benefit from the fertilizaing ingredients contained in the decaying mass of vegetable matter. The effect of green manuring on sandy soils is to consolidate the soil, the humus formed binding the particles together. On clay soils the addition of humus will loosen and aerate it.

There are many crops suitable for green manuring. Any crop that makes rapid and luxuriant growth, and that can be readily turned over, is suitable for the purpose. Consideration should be given to the time of the year when it is desired to have the crop in readiness, its suitability to soil, and so on, when selecting a crop for the purpose.

Leguminous plants, such as clover, peas, lupins, and so on, are useful crops for the purpose, as they obtain their nitrogen from the air. They are suitable for soils deficient in nitrogen,_ as they enrich the soil with this ingredient. There are other crops, such as mustards, that are also suitable for the purpose. . Green manuring is invaluable in the orchard, as the green crop can be grown and ploughed in between the rows of fruit trees. Green manuring depends for its success upon conditions favourable to the decomposition of the buried green crop. Warmth and moisture are essential.

NUTRIENT NEEDS OF PLANTS

Over a score of elementary substances are found to compose the tissues of plants. The importance of many of those elements which occur in minute amounts and which were formerly regarded as being accidentally absorbed along with the more obvious nutrients is gradually being revealed. Some very obvious and damaging effects have been traced in fruit, vegetable and field crops to the lack of such elements as cooper, zinc, iron, iodine, manganese and boron, and spectacular effects have been recorded from the provision of these elements to subsequent crops on the same soils. While no general recommendations can be made concerning the use of substances containing these rarer elements, the necessity for their use must arise where fertility is diminished by the continual growth and removal of crops, and no provision in the form of organic applications is made for their return to the soil. Fertilizer practice is mainly concerned with adding or replacing the nitrogen, phosphate, potash and lime, in which soils are primarily deficient, or which are being continuously removed by crops. The city gardener has to place his chief dependence on chemical fertilizers. The discovery of the best fertilizer for each particular soil involves careful experimental work. There are, however, numerous combinations of fertilizing substances which, if not ideal, give good results. The home gardener who lacks information as to the plant food content of his soil, and who desires to grow a wide range of crops of whose requirements he knows little, should play safe by using a high-grade complete fertilizer, and give a liberal application. Though he applies more than the plants actually require, the increased cost is so slight that the assurance of having enough is worth the additional expense.—“N.S.W. Agricultural Gazette. THE ROCK GARDEN Most alpine subjects are now over, and one is apt to allow the rock garden to look after itself, but a little attention at the present time is amply repaid another year. Weeds must be carefully removed, spent flower spikes cut. off, and any rampant growing subjects either restricted or allowed more room by moving the less fortunate neighbours to a fresh site. If carried out in moderation the latter is the better course on a large rock garden, as only large splashes of colour have a good effect from a distance, and in Nature most alpines cover great areas, therefore the true alpinist should aim at this so far as possible. When these matters have been attended to, a good mulch of compost suited to the wants of different subjects should be given and well worked in among the crowns; this gives a good measure of protection in winter and also encourages the formation of roots from all bare parts, thus renewing the life of the plant in many cases. Uncovered ground should be coated with soil, or broken up slightly with a hand-fork, to give the garden a neat and fresh appearance, after which all plants of doubtful hardiness should have a sheet of glass, slate or celluloid placed over them to throw off the winter rains, as dampness is the real cause of most losses during the winter. When moving alpines from one place to another, the style of rooting should be considered. Campanulas, Sedums, Saxifrages, most Gentians, and a host. of others, may be moved with impunity, while others like Lithospermums, Erinus, Helianthemums and Cistus, all of which have long, whip-like loots, are most impatient of disturbance, and although they may grow, never really recover their wonted appearance. Hence it is much better to have a stock of young plants on hand to replace over-grown specimens. A weekly or fortnightly visit should be paid to the rock garden during the winter to remove leaves and other debris blown m by wind, as apart from obstructing the all too feeble light, they prove a shelter for the slugs that prey on the plants.