THE HOME GARDEN

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 56, Issue 4046, 11 May 1938, Page 10

THE HOME GARDEN

PREPARING ROSE BEDS FOR JUNE PLANTING. MORNING SUN AND DRAINAGE FOR GOOD BLOOMS. Rose beds should be in such a position that the plants get the morning sun. Too much sun, or a position exposed to wind, is not good for roses, but on the other hand a very sheltered position will encourage the spread of mildew. Roses can be grown with a fair amount of success in almost any soil that can be improved with treat ment. Do not have your rose beds ton wide —three to five feet will be sulli cient. When preparing the beds dig down for at least two spits, and if possible -the third spit should bo broken up well. Do not manure thir. lower spit, as by so doing the roots will be encouraged to go too far down: their food should be in the soil nearer the surface. Open up one section at the top end of the bed when starting the trench and remove all the soil that is taken out to the bottom end. It will lie needed there to fill up the last sec tion of the trench. Then take the second section, removing the surface soil to the side of the trench, and break up the bottom part of the sec ond section and throw it into the pit of the second section. Add some manure to this and mix it in well. Complete the first section by removing the surface soil of the second section that has been previously placed on the side of the trench. Thir. method is preferable to bringing the bottom soil to the surface. Drainage is important; all trench ed beds should be drained. Porous half pipes, which can be purchased quite cheaply, make* good drains. A very satisfactory drain may be made by cutting a V at the bottom of the trench and covering it with flat stones, hardwood boards, or some such material. ' Cow and horse manures are excellent for rose beds and sheep manure is ideal for fine soil when obtainable. Bone dust and meatworks manure?: may be used if animal manures can not be obtained. WALLFLOWERS. Most of the troubles to which wall flowers are heir arise from the inadequacy of their root system at transplanting time. If the roots possess abundant fibres when you transplant, they will soon re-establish themselves and you will have no difficulty with them. Superphosphate is the fertiliser that helps them to form root fibres. It works so quickly that if you apply a one ounce per square yard dressing to the nursery beds now, some fibres will form within the next week or two. and others will develop after the plants get into their final quarters. Distribute the fertiliser evenly without touching the leaves, hoeing it in if the soil is moist, wat ering if it is dry. FREQUENT USE OF HOE. While the plants are growing the hoe must be frequently used, and dur ing dry weather watering must be regularly done, not only at the roots, but overhead as well. Liquid manure may be given when the plants are beginning to flower and light dressings of soot between the rows will greatly improve the growing plants, besides increasing the size of the flowers. If the plants are to produce exhibition blooms much more attention is necessary than for the production of garden decorative flowers. Thinning out of the side shoots and the restriction of the stems to one, two or more to the plant, according to the vigour of the variety

is recommended. Too much stripping must, however, be avoided, or coarse ness will result. Shading may also be necessary, but the material must be placed well above the plants or they will become drawn. Pansy plants are subject to attacks by red spider or fly. As a preventive spray the plants once a fortnight with diluted soapsuds from the wash boiler, or a solution of soft soap, ',lb to the gallon of water. The use of either of these sprays must be discon tinued when the flowers begin to expand. AMARYLLIS BULBS. The amaryllis iS* perhaps the most striking of our bulbous plants. The bowers are large and varied in colour; they are very decorative in the garden, and whnn cut last a long time in water. The bulbs may be planted now. They will grow in most soils, but a rich, loamy soil is best and the beds in which they are to grow must be in a sunny position sheltered from wind. Good drainage is essential. Provided the beds are well prepared in the first place the amaryllis will give good results, if undisturbed, for years. When lifting is necessary early spring is the best time, when the flow ering season is over, and the bulbs should then be stored until February or March, when they may be replanted. These bulbs like plenty of water. Amaryllis make fine pot plants and are useful for indoor decoration when in bloom. A FEW HINTS. Most herbs may he grown from seeds, but it is more satisfactory to purchase small plants. Keep the beds watered and weeded and the soil loose. Pentstemons are very easily raised from either seeds or cuttings. Seeds are sown in autumn and spring. Increasing stock by cuttings is interesting. Although the pentstemon is a perennial it is best to plant each year, for the best flowers are obtained from young plants. Dirty flower pots must be avoided as disease germs and spores of fungi are carried from one plant to another by them. Attention to this matter will save much trouble later. Sow seeds of the different kinds of nemesia. The large flowered Strumosa mixed will provide quantities ol bloom of many colours. This type is taller than the grandiflora compacts mixed, which is excellent for massing in beds. Blue gem is rather dwarf in growth, but is a very effective border plant. The flowers are soft azure blue in colour. Ground that has been manured constantly with animal manures requires a good dressing of lime now and again to freshen the soil. The constant use of these manures has the effect of making the soil sour and heavy. Chrysanthemums are now in full bud, and they will require plenty of water and liquid manure. See that the flower buds are’ securely tied to wires or stakes, so that the flowers will not be broken or bruised by wind or wet weather." Plant ixias where they will get plenty of sun. Put the bulbs in about 3in apart and a couple of inches deep. •Place a little sand about the bulbs when planting. Water carefully, increasing the supply as the plants lengthen. Named varieties may be purchased, but these bulbs are generally sold mixed. Beet will grow in any garden soil, but the best is produced in somewhat rich, dry, sandy loam. Fairly good beet can also be grown on stiff, clayey soil if it is well broken up and worked. The soil should be manured with very old, well decayed manure. This

should be mixed well some time before planting. Beetroot may be grown at any time. Good drainage and good cultivation are necessary for the successful growth of herbs. The ground should be loose underneath, but firmed well on the surface and around the young plants. Powdered alum is useful where snails and slugs abound. Place the powder in a tin with a perforated lid and sprinkle around the haunts of these pests. It leaves white patches on foliage, but causes no injury. If the cutting blades of a lawn mower are not sharp the grass is torn off and the lawn will never look well. Do not throw away the smallest seedlings when pricking off, as these plants usually give the best results ultimately. RICH SOIL FOR LEEKS. For the successful growth of this crop rich ground is necessary. A fairly heavy soil that has been prepared well will grow good leeks, but the w.ost suitable is a deep, rich and friable loam. The ground must be broken up well and manured liberally with decayed manure or bone dust. This must be mixed thoroughly with the soil. Leeks are gross feeders, and appreciate quantities of plant food. Sow the seeds in boxes or seed beds and thin out the seedlings to two in ches apart in the rows, then when they are about 6in high they may be transplanted. Put the young plants into holes about 6in deep made in the bottom of a drill. Frequent hoeing between drills is necessary, and at each hoeing draw a little soil up around the stems. This will cause them to lengthen, and will blanch the whole of the lower parts of the stems. Care must be taken, however, to keep the earth from the centre of the plants when using the hoe. Leeks are sometimes blanched in the same way as celery, by placing collars of brown paper around the stems before commencing to earth up the plants. When the plants are. growing well an occasional application of liquid cow manure or nitrate of soda will considerably improve them. During the whole growing period abundance of water is necessary.

INCREASE ANCHUSAS THIS WAY. Anchusas, those beautiful blue flowering mixed border plants, are not too easily divided, and seed raising is a slow business. Raising young plants from root cuttings is a quick and successful method. At this season, when the plants have finished flowering, you can usually spare one for propagating purposes. Cut off the top growth, lift the roots and cut them up into 2in long pieces. Make a slanting cut at the bottom of each cutting, and a horizontal one at the top to remind you which is the right end. Avoid the central tap root, which is too thick to make satisfactory cuttings. Plant that in a reserve border where, even though slaughtered so much, it will eventually become a good plant. Set the cuttings Ilin apart in shallow boxes of sandy soil, leaving the top Jin of each cutting exposed. After watering, stand the box in a cold frame, where before autumn the tops of the cuttings will callus and form nice crowns. Next spring, when these break into growth, plant them in the mixed border where they will flower beautifully in their season.