IN THE GARDEN.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 June 1926, Page 22

IN THE GARDEN.

CLEANING UP. WORK FOR THE AMATEUR, TIME FOR HEDGE AND TREE PLANTING, At this season of the year gardens wear an untidy appearance, due to the falling leaves and the dying-off of perennial plants. Growth has practically come to a standstill, and with every heavy rain the surface eoil becomes beaten down. Every opportunity should be taken to rake up and. remove fallen leaves, which, if stored in a heap to rot, form very valuable manure for the leaves after they are raked into many plants. The easiest way to lift heaps is by means of two short pieces of board. Tlie dying tops of perennial plants, which add so much to the untidy appearance of the various beds and borders, should, be cut down and removed. Those plants which die right down to the ground, such as paeonies, should have stakes provided to mark their position so that they may not be damaged when digging. Whenever the ground is sufficiently dry to work, the hoe should be run through between the plants to break up the surface and keep it open. It is well to remember, however, that tramping over wet ground is a mistake, and work should be postponed while the land is saturated. Weeding and loosening the surface may be done to any borders which can be reached from ' the paths without walking over the dug surface. HEDGE PLANTS. Hedges may be clipped and trimmed up now, and weeds and dead leaves removed from the base. With one or two expections, hedge plants should be allowed to grow to the full height required before being topped. Trim the sides close in (do not allow the plants to grow too thick, as this only means encroachment upon the garden). Especially with evergreen hedges, the plants do better and form a closer hedge when kept thin. The planting of new hedges may be undertaken now. Hedges form an important feature in the garden, both for, shelter purposes and for beauty. Before planting it is well to consider the variety most suitable for the particular purpose, the height required, and the amount of space which can be adorned. One frequently sees macrocarpa planted round small sections. While this forms a good breakwind very quickly, it is hot a suitable hedge where space is limited, as it takes too much out of the surrounding soil. Most people prefer an evergreen hedge rather than one which is bare during the winter months. Any of the following trees are suitable for small gardens:— Holly 'with proper treatment is not a slow-growing plant, and makes an ideal hedge, being impenetrable. Olearia Fosterii —the golden ake — makes a splendid hedge until attacked by disease. ' Coprosma, with its dark green glossy leaves, is also a good hedge plant, but will not stand hard frosts. It is particularly suitable for seaside positions. Privet makes a good, close hedge, but takes a Jot out of the ground. Escallonia is one of the easiest and prettiest hedge plants. The foliage is dark glassy green and the flowers are either pink or white. Eleagnus is a very quick-growing plant, very handy, and forms a good, thick hedge when regularly trimmed. It will grow well in any soil, and may be grown even under the shade of larger trees. . Laurel and lauristinus a re too well known to need description. Both make gcod evergreen hedges. There are many other plants equally suitable but the foregoing will give an idea of the varieties most suitable for small gardens. For very exposed positions in new localities where shelter is urgently needed the best and quickestgrowing plant for temporary shelter is the tree lucerne. This will grow as much as five feet in a year, and is very easily grown. Pruning of evergreen shrubs where required should be done now to admit as much light and sun as possible. PRUNING BUSH FRUITS. The pruning of red, white, and black currants, gooseberries, and raspberries should be done now. Before commencing this work it is necessary to have some knowledge of how the fruit is borne on the different plants. Black currants bear on young growth, hence the new wood should be encouraged and old wood removed. These bushes should be encouraged to throw up sucker growth from the base, these, growths being merely shortened a few inches to remove any soft, sappy growth which would be liable to be nipped by frosts. Old branches may be cut right out, and any wood showing borer holes must be removed, cutting well below the affected part. Red and white currants bear on spurs. New growths should be shortened back to three or four buds to encourage spurring. The growth should be thinned out to keep the centres of the bushes as open as possible. Gooseberries also bear chiefly on spurs, and new growths should be shortened back, the main branches to three or four buds and laterals (side shoots) to one or two buds. Keep the centres of the bushes open and endeavour to keep them symmetrical. Raspberries bear on young canes of the previous year’s growth. All old canes should be broken or cut out at the.base and new growth reduced to four or five of the strongest canes to each stool. The canes retained may be shortened a few inches. After pruning, gather up all primings and burn them and fork over the ground around the bushes, working in some bonebust around the currants and gooseberries and mulching the raspber rtes with good stable manure. PLANTING TREES. The planting season for roses, trees shrubs, and fruit trees is a busy one . and efforts'should be made to have th< - ground thoroughly prepared before tin i trees, etc., arrive. Thorough drainagi 1 must be provided to ensure satisfactory t growth. If water accumulates at tin roots nothing but disappointment cai result. Each plant should be carefully examined before planting, and any broken or damaged roots removed wel 1 beyond the break. Any long, straggly roots should be shortened back and on

no account doubled up to get them into the hole. Make the holes large enough to allow the roots to spread out evenly. The soil both below and above me roots should be made fairly firm and some fine soil be shaken in among the roots before covering. Most trees and shrubs are better staked when first planted, to prevent them being loosened before they have a chance to take hold of the ground. Stakes should bh driven close to the trunk before the roots are covered so that damage may be avoided to the roots. Tramp the soil firmly around the .plants and have, the surface loose. Do not plant too deeply. Usually the depth at which they were grown in the nursery can be seen by the soil mark on the stem, and this is the correct depth to place them. If the holes are made with a mound of earth in the middle for the base of the tree to rest on the root; may bo spread out evenly around it in a downward direction, which helps to keep the tree rigid. The foregoing directions apply to most ornamental shrubs and trees as well as to fruit trees and roses. Some, however, arc better planted without disturbing the ball of sil. Rhododendrons, boronias. heaths, and daphnies are among those which should bo planted without breaking the ball, as their roots are very matted and fine. Avoid lime in any form where heaths, rhododendrons, epneris. etc., are to be planted, as lime H fatal tn these plants-