GARDENING NOTES

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 66, Issue 5599, 31 March 1943, Page 6

GARDENING NOTES

ORCHARD SOILS REPLENISH THE HUMUS The majority of fruitgrowers rightly consider that clean cultivation of orchard lands during the spring and summer months is desirable. Yet if this system is continued for a number of years the result in time will be a deficiency in humus. This will bring about a soil-condition which is

mere or less injurious to the trees, and tends to increase the difficulty of

maintaining satisfactory cultivation. Especially is this so in the case of clay soils which, as the humus disappears, will have an increased tendency to run together after heavy rainfall, and to dry out again rapidly under the influence of sun and wind. Therefore it becomes essential that the humus should be periodically renewed. This can be accomplished by sowing a clover crop to be ploughed in together with composted material or old cow manure during spring or early summer. For preference, clover, mustard or blue lupin should be selected, as the orchard trees will then benefit considerably, not only by the humus, but also by the nitrogen which such crops will renew in the soil. In order to secure the best results, whatever crop is selected should be planted early while the soil is warm, so that good growth may be made before cold weather sets in. If the sowing is deferred until late, little more than the germination of the seed will take place, and the crops will remain in a stagnant condition during the winter months, permitting probably an un-

desirable growth of weeds- Under such circumstances the clover crop will have made poor headway when the time arrives in the spring for it to be ploughed under. In that case but little will be gained either in humus or nitrogen, probably not sufficient to compensate for the cost of seed and labour.

HOW TO ROOT CUTTINGS After taking cuttings of plants and shrubs, it is sometimes difficult to get them to root properly. This is an excellent plan: Get two pots, one of which is smaller than the other. Fit the smaller one inside the other, leaving a space of about two inches between. In the bottom of the large pot put a layer of crocks. Next take the small pot and stop up the hole with a cork. Stand the little pot in the middle of the big one. Now pack sandy soil in the space between the two pots, bringing this to within an inch of the rim, and put in the cuttings, leaving a little space between them. The only thing to do now is to' fill the small pot with water, which soaks through the pot into the soil and keeps it nicely moist. No water should be poured on the soil. WORK FOR THE WEEK In the vegetable garden sow shorthorn carrots, endive, spinach and swedes. Plant out strawberry runners. Prepare for planting fruit trees. In the flower garden sow all kinds of spring-flowering bulbs. Sow Canterbury bells, delphiniums, pansies and violas. Take cuttings of pansies, violas and penstemons. Transplant lilies. Disbud chrysanthemums. VEGETABLES Continue with the clearing away of all spent crops. Decaying leaves often harbour plant pests, and they give the

garden an untidy appearance. Dig over all vacant plots so that the soil can get the sweetening influence of the weather. The recent rain has been beneficial to growing crops but more rain is required. Keep the hoe going to destroy all seedling weeds. Sow onions to stand through the winter. Onions are deep-rooted, therefore, any manure used may be placed well below the surface. Sow prickly seeded spinach, turnips, shorthorn carrots, and turnip-rooted beet. Plant out cabbages for spring use. Where the soil is heavy lime is essential. Lift beet and carrots as they mature and store them for winter use. Sow cabbage and cauliflower seed in a sheltered position. Lift and store protatoes as they mature. Store spring-sown onions as soon as they are well dried. Spray celery with lime sulphur to prevent rust from getting a hold. Sow parsley in a sheltered position. Earth up celery, but be sure not to cover the growing centre growths. Give winter rhubarb liquid manure. Dust seedling cabbages with Derris-dust to control grubs. FLOWERS Give the garden a good clean up. A little care now will save quite a lot of work later on. Plant pansies, violas and polyanthus to make an effect next spring. These plants do best when the soil has been deeply dug and well manured. Plant hoolyhocks, aquilegias, Iceland poppies, and sweet-williams. Plant ranunculus and anemones in well-prepared soil. A sunny position suits them best. Plant paeOny roses now. These plants sulk if planted during the wet winter months. Sow sweet peas now. These will bloom early next season. Sweet peas do best in a sheltered, sunny position. Make cuttings of pansies and other perennials. Sow hardy annuals in the open borders where they are to flower. Plant gypsophila, beared irises, and Christmas roses. It is time now to plant iris Kemferi. These do best with their roots in moist soil and where they get all the sun possible. Prepare the ground in which to plant roses. These do best when they become established before winter.