Amateur Gardener.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 97, 30 May 1914, Page 5

Amateur Gardener.

(By "AOTEA.") THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. There is very little planting or seed sowing to be done at this season, but preparation should be well in hand. Do not let exhausted crops cumber the ground. Keep the hoe going, whenever th- soil is in fit condition, between growing crops. If it has not yet set .down firm by the recent rains, prick it up lightly with the garden fork. In digging ground it is well to skim off two inches of the surface and bury it in the bottom of the trench. By this means a very large number jof slugs and the chrysalids of caterpillars, etc., will be got out of the way. All vegetable refuse, such as cabbage leaves, may be buried deeply, or added to the compost heap, with a little lime io destroy noxious germ's and insects. IN THE FRUIT GARDEN.

Planting and pruning should be pushed forward whenever the weather is suitable. Gather up and burn all leaves and primings. Preparation should also be made for spraying peach trees with the 10.10.40 winter formula of Bordeaux mixture.

It is also advisable to use the same spray on any other kinds of fruit trees that* have been attacked by fungoid diseases during the past season. Where trees have made healthy growth a protective spraying, using the same formula, just as the buds arc swelling in early spring, will be found sufficient. Peach'trees require spraying at both -season;:';, as they are impatient of the use of strong fungoids while growth is active. Nectarines are also included under this head.

All suckers should be removed from raspberry plantations,...pulling them up i.j the best practice, and a mulching of p:ood half-rotted manure given. Do not iiig amongst the plants, as the roots are fibrous and hear the; surf ace. PRUNING- rLOWERING- SHRUBS AND TREES. . That flowering shrubs arc often disappointing and do not give the maxi-

mum of floral beauty, is more often due to the pruner than to the plant, the soil, or the situation. There are several distinct flowering habits to be found in the generality of shrubs and trees that are planted with the object of beautifying the garden at various seasons of the year. To prune these different habited plants all on. one plan would put about two-thirds of them out of action, as far as floral beauty is concerned. To prune back in winter plants that flower on the wood of the preceding season would make a ilowerless plant, while to refrain from pruning those that produce their flowers on the young wood would often create ragged and leggy bushes. The principle of pruning is really very simple if a little thought is given to the subject, and the pruning given being in accordance with the fact as to the manner and habit of flowering of the subject on hand, whether the flowers are produced from axillary growth or spurs from the older wood, or whether they are produced along the length of the wood of the preceding year, or at the termination of the branches. It will make the matter plainer perhaps if I illustrate it by appending a. few notes on some of the most generally planted kinds. It is not recommended, except in certain cases, that this pruning should be severe or even annual, but when it is necessary it should be carried out on the lines suggested;; Abelias: Prune during winter. Acacias: Prune after flowering. Amelanchiers: Prune during winter. Azaleas (hardy) require very little pruning, thin out the shoots if crowded, rBuddleias: Prune during winter to a strong bud. Chimonanthus fragrans: Spur back all laterals after flowering. Camellias: Where size is to be reduced cut back in the autumn. Ceanothus: Thin out during winter, and" shorten the flowering shoots after flowering. ,: . Choisya ternata: Almost at any time. Cotoneasters: Prune during winter. Crataegus, the flowering thorns: Regulate the branches during winter. Cbmits: Cut back in spring those varieties that the' effect is produced from the bright-coloured bark of the young wood. Flowering varieties like C. Aorida, C. koussa, and C. capitata, should be regulated by winter pruning. Clianthus puniceus: Prune . during winter.

Cytissus and Genistas (the brooms): Cut back the young wood hard after flowering. Do not cut back to old hard wood, or it will most probably fail to start well.

Deutzias: Cut out the flowering wood when the flowers fade to encourage young growth, and thin out the old wood during winter. Diervilla (weigelias): Thin out the old wood during winter and shorten back the flowering growth as soon as the flowers are over. Ericas (hardy) require very little pruning, except to keep in shape; any cutting other, than cutting the spikes for use should be given after flowering. Escallonias: With the exception of E. floribunda, which should be cut hard back, require little pruning, which, if necessary, should be done during winter. Exochorda grandiflora is naturally of suitable growth to display its flowers to the best advantage, and only needs pruning should the plant be getting too large and more room cannot be given. In that case thin out some of the old wood during winter, shortening the leading shoots and spurring in the laterals after flowering. E. albertii is of more upright growth, and' to keep it furnished to the base, cutting out some of the old wood and shortening the leaders after flowering, may be advisable. Fabiana impricata: Cut back immediately after the flowers fade. Forsythias.: Thin out during winter and shorten back as soon as the flowering is over.

Fuchsias: Hardy plants, like F. riccartoni, F. gracilis, and F. corallina, may be pruned hard if necessary during winter.

Hydrangeas: Cut the old flower spikes back to a strong plump bud. H. paniculata should be cut back hard during winter. Indigo'fera gerardiana should be pruned in winter, hard if necessary.

Leptospermum scoparium, the NewZealand tea-tree, should be occasionally cut back after flowering. If at all crowded it is liable to get leggy and bare at the base. This applies to the crimson varieties, too.

Pfiiladelphus: Prune immediately after flowering if necessary, as the longer the plant" lias to make its new wood the better the flowering will be the following season. The pruning should be on similar line's to that advised for deutzias, but not so severe. Prunus: The flowering plums and

cherries may be thinned out during winter, but generally require only occasionally pruning. P. mume, which flowers early, should be cut back immediately after flowering, and P. sinensis should also be cut back hard as soon as the flowers fade.

"Pyrus: There are a very large number of ornamental trees of diverse habit in this genus, but the principal floweringtrees come under the "malus". or apple section, and their pruning when needed is on the same lines as for the apple, but not nearly so severe, as the flowering habit has to be encouraged instead of the fruiting one. P. arbutifolia is valuable for its bright autumnal foliage, so to encourage strong shoots and fine leaves it should-be cut back hard during winter. Rhododendrons: It is only in exceptional cases that these require pruning, if it is imperative that the sizes must be reduced, or if the plant is getting straggly, it is best to sacrifice the flowers and to prune back in the autumn, as the plants have to form adventitious buds. This will give them time to start strongly and to form good growth for the following season. If cut back after flowering the growth will be much weaker. Spireas: Generally speaking, these should be cut back after flowering, but there is a section which flowers on the terminals of the young wood during summer —as S. japonic a, S. menzesii, and S. douglasii. All the varieties of these species should be pruned hard back during winter. , Styrax japonica is a beautiful flowering tree, and while it has room for extension it should be left severely alone. When pruning is absolutely necessary it should be carefully done during winter.

Syringa: The lilac flowers on the terminals of the young wood; it is very rare for it to, form flower buds if cut back after flowering. The best plan, if it is desired to reduce 'the size of the plant and yet have some flowers, is <to thin out and to shorten back a number of the leading shoots during winter, which will then give flowering wood the following season. The shoots left can then be cut out when the flowers fade.

Viburnums, as the Guelder rose —Y. opulus sterile, and V. macrocephalum—the plumed viburnum, should be pruned in winter. The latter requires rather hard pruning if the' flower spikes are wanted to be large and fine. V. tinus and its varieties should be pruned when necessary in spring after flowering.