Amateur Gardener

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 259, 5 December 1914, Page 5

Amateur Gardener

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. The flue rains have restored normal conditions of work in the garden, and the adventitious aids of watering and mulching will be less necessary, though a continuous use of the hoe must not be neglected. Weeds will now grow apace, and should be destroyed while small. The soil is in good condition for transplanting operations, so that cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli plants can be put out under favourable conditions. It is best to plant in shallow drills, as the soil remains moist longer about the roots, and it also serves as a protection from winds. The large • type of ca"bbage, like Enfield Market, is now almost out of date. The- smaller, quicker maturing sorts like Harbinger, and Favourite, which can be planted :■ milch/more clos'ely, are'more economical, while their flavour is milder and the ' texture of therleaf more tender. This is equally true of cauliflowers, those varieties, that. form a medium-sized, close head are usually, of finer quality. Broccoli are much stronger growing plants that occupy the ground for a much- longer period, especially the late sorts, and ample room must be given for their development.•■' In rich ground three feet between the rows and two feet between the plants is not excessive. Where the soil is only of moderate quality /they can be planted a little closer. , With cabbage and cauliflower a quick growth from start to finish is desirable, so that the soil need not be made, so firm aa it should be for broccoli, which will have to contend with much more severe weather conditions before the crop -'cornel-. to maturity, so that it is essential that the stems and leaves of /' the plaUt should be solid andvfirm. . Where the aspect o'f the garden is sunny and hot, the sowing of spinach, turnips/and radish will not be very satisfactory." "Should hot weather prevail during tlje summer months, the coolest part of the garden should be chosen • for these crops. Lettuce must have an .open position or the plants will fail to form good hearts. Plenty of humus in the soil is a necessity, with a. plentiful supply of moistur.e, in order to •grow tender, well-hearted lettuce during hot weather. • The earliest.celery plants should now "be fit for planting out in the trenches. When transplanting,- care should be ; taken to conserve/.all the roots possible, as any cheek will affect the quality of the produced A good watering that stops short of making the - ground sodden should be given jwhen • planting is completed. ~^: t t Tomato plants be;'/ (wnere trained to stakes^/or/fence) .tiV}ft..up as growth proceeds, and the lateral.rubbed off at aii -early stage/ The*'leading " growth should not; be-' stopped until such time as tljereare sufficient trusses > showing (about/foufc. -or five) to ensure ; a complete-'crop7/.l'' , '--^'-;.:,. i^ Exhausted crops should be removed from the ground as soon a& : t.heir/ usefulness' has passed. Spinach, /turnips, and lettuce running to see t d areinot only ( eyesores, but they/take; of the soil than the useful portion has done. French beans should be sown for succession, and another sowing of runner beans should be^made. Asparagus beds that are not in strong condition will benefit by the cessation of cutting. A mulching of short stable manure and a dusting of fertiliser will assist in strengthening the crowns, without which good fat heads can not be produced.

**** BY "AOTEA" •+**

! IN THE FLOWER GARDEN. Where wallflowers are to be left for a second season all the seeding flower stems should be cut off, and the ground loosened up round the jilants. • Annuals that have been sown in the borders should be well thinned out, leaving sufficient plants to make a strong clump. All bedding out should now be finished. Eoses are recovering well from the frosting, and are now making vigorous growth. Tie up the strong growth on pillar and pergola roses, as it is very easily broken off if left unsupported. Clumps of daffodils and other spring bulbs will now be mostly ripened off, and where it ,is intended to take for division or storing, this may now be done. Daffodils will put up with a considerable amount of drying, but will be found to succeed much better if replanted as soon as sufficiently dried to clean and separate. Bulbs lifted from the ground should not be left where the hot sunshine can scorch them, but should be either removed to a cool shed or have some protection placed over them as they are very easily damaged by sun-heat. Now is a good time to sow seeds of hardy biennials and perennials. Amongst the former, Wallflower, Intermediate and East Lothian stocks, Sweet liams, and Canterbury Bells, will be found most useful. Hardy perennials such as Dephiniums, Gaillardias, and Oriental Poppies will make much more robust plants if sown in well prepared beds in the, open garden. Primrose and Polyanthus seed should be sown in a shady moist position in good soil. Sow thinly and thin out quickly. where the seedlings come too thickly. UNDER GLASS. Begonias that have been raised from seed should now be ready to put into small pots and kept growing freely. A sprinkle overhead morning and afternoon will be. beneficial. Beware of overpotting and overwatering, as no plant is more impatient of sour -soil than the tuberous begonia. If well attended to seedling begonias should make good flowering plants for late summ<*. The Calceolaria, one of the very best spring flowering plants for the greenhouse, is very much neglected now. Time was when it was not uncommon to sec fine well flowered plants up to two feet and more through,'but they are now rarely seen at all. It is not a very difficult plant to grow if certain conditions are maintained. Seed should be sown in well drained pots or pans of light rich soil." The seed is very small, and should have only a light sprinkling of sand to cover it. Wate,r the pot and let it stand to drain before sowing the seed. Cover with a piece of glass arid place in the coolest part of a shaded cold frame, or even outside under the shade of a-shrub. As soon as tlie seedlings are large enough to handle they should be pricked out into other pots or pahs, and kept shaded from-strong sunlight, but always close up to the glass. a frame facing south being best.. Pot on until the plants are in 7ih or Bin pots, or even larger if large plants are wanted. If the plants once get pot-bound, they will commence to throw up flower spikes. The endeavour should be to avoid'" this, as they very rarely make good plants afterwards. The Cineraria is a much more popular plant that requires similar treatment. A cool, moist atmosphere and shade from strong sunshine. , ToVnatoes must.not suffer from want of water at the roots when carrying a crop of fruit, or both quality and size will suffer. . ■ *

Grape vine borders, too, should be ex-

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amined to see that moisture is sufficient. A plentiful supply should be assured before the fruit commences to colour. Very often the cause of the berries cracking is lack of moisture, which hardens the skin of the berry, and as swelling takes place very quickly as the berries colour, the skin cannot expand sufficiently, hence cracking and spoiled bunches. Admit plenty of air and do.not close up completely at night. The front ventilators may be used, too, on calm, hot days. THE ROSE CARNIVAL. , The Domain Flower Show bids fair %o become the floral event of the year, and well it should be so. It would be hard to find more suitable surroundings for the purpose, and somehow a tent seems a much more suitable place to exhibit roses and other flowers than even the most suitable hall. Rose growers who have fine blooms, though perhaps not lovers of exhibiting,, will be doing a service in many ways by showing* their flowers at this carnival. There are very few people who do not appreciate a fine "rose, or a good vase of sweet peas. Perhaps a few hints on exhibiting roses may not be out of place here. The best time to cut is one of the problems that worry some exhibitors. I think that the late afternoon on. the day previous to the show is the best. It must not be left too late, for as the atmosphere cools the flowers are inclined to contract, so that a bloom that will open out full on the following, day may be cut, while a younger suitable j bloom may be passed over as not forward enough. I do not advise placing them in the show boxes straight off. [The blooms should be cut with a good length of stem, and placed deeply in bowls of water, and then stood in a cool place until morning, when the placing of the flowers can be done carefully, in good light. Though judges should not be influenced by 'he staging of the flowers before the quality of the individual blooms, first impressions always have some effect; and then the exhibitor owes something to himself and the public to stage the flowers to the best advantage. Where the competition is keen, a judge does not care about having to face the blooms round to get. the best view of them, so they get passed over; some faults that are very, apparent at rose shows are bedding the flowers down into the moss, so that the depth of bloom, a very important item, is hidden; showing large blooms that are past and showing the eye, in preference to smaller flowers- of : better form; snot taking off the ragged, damaged, outer petals where these are conspicuous; showing flowers with con-' fused or quartered centres, and by using foliage of a class dissimilar ito the flower shown. This is a very common fault. Hybrid, teas are often shown with the foliage of Hybrid Perpetuals, causing sometimes, where H.T's are poor, a doubt as to whether the variety is a H.T. or hot, now that so many varieties are so similar.

The foliage of the class, ; especially that of the variety itself, is by far the most suitable to go with the flowers, and should be always used. With some societies it is a disqualification to use dissimilar foliage. Naming the blooms is another point that is too often neglected. In close competition judges will always give any doubtful point to the exhibit that has the individual flowers named, if even at times incorrectly. With favourable weather during the coming week there should be a fine exhibition of flowers at the Domain Car-., nival.