IN THE GARDEN

Taranaki Daily News, 15 July 1929, Page 15

IN THE GARDEN

THE WEEK’S WORK. THE FLOWER GARDEN. Lift dahlias, let them' dry for a day or so before storing. A dry, frost-proof position is necessary for storing them. Rose planting should be pushed on whenever the soil is in the right condition. Do not delay ordering the roses, even if the ground is not ready. The plants can be ••heeled” in temporarily. I here is little use in trying to work the soil when it is 100 wet. It is bad for the soil and uncomfortable to the worker. The next week or so is one of the worst times in the year for planting seedlings outside. Better to wait for a few days. Rose pruning can be commenced at once. Prune hard if yon require a few good blooms for exhibition. here the roses are grown for garden (l. or for cutting purposes, do not prune too hard. ’ At the same time keep the buslies as full of young wood as possible. Sharpening and cleaning tools, overhauling stakes, seed boxes and labels are all jobs for wet weather. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. Leave work on the ground till the soil is drier. It is now at saturation point, and to work it is to spoil it. Cabbages and cauliflowers that are beginning to turn in will benefit from an application of nitrate of soda. Ground for potato planting should be . prepared as soon as possible. The sets should be placed in boxes to sprout. Sprouted seed is in every way an advantage. Once the soil is workable, a sowing of

peas can be made. Clean asparagus beds by cutting and burning the tops, and hoeing and raking off the weeds. Now is the time to prepare the ground for new asparagus beds. They should be ready for planting in August. Digging and trenching will be going on apace whilst the weather is not fit for other work. Trenching is a most important work in vegetable growing, in fact it is one of the secrets. Fresh plantations of rhubarb can bo made now. Rhubarb requires plenty of manure and a good, .jfeep, well-trench-ed soil. Keep the soil between crops well stirred, and burn all weeds, decaying foliage or other rubbish, otherwise slugs, snails and other pests will find harbours. A few potatoes can be planted, also a row of early peas sown. Both crops need a dry, warm, well-drained position. Potatoes in store for seed purposes should be gone over, and any showing the least sign of disease must be removed. Keep the tubers in full light, so that the shoots are not drawn but grow sturdily.

THE FRUIT GARDEN. Do not leave the ordering of fruit trees until too late. Citrus trees should not be planted till next month. Pruning will now bo in full swing, and it is a job that should be pushed on with all speed. .Spraying must bo attended to at once; the sooner the winter spray is on the better. If you are making additions to your orchard now is the time to plant new trees. Be sure and gather all primings and as much dead foliage as possible, aud all mummified fruits, and burn them. They are the resting place of fungi.

TULIPS. Tulips are among the most beautiful of hardy flowers, the finest tulips being unsurpassed for brilliant colour. We need to plant the best kinds in quantity for, exquisite as the flakes and bizarres or striped kinds are, it is the self-colours that give the best effect. Tulips have beei. so long grown and are ..so variable in charcater that considerable confusion exists amongst them. The popular garden forms may, broadly speaking, be divided into two classes—early and late flowering. For over three centuries they have been grown by florists, who have raised numerous varieties, which are divided into four sections. When a seedling flowers .for the first time it is usually a self, but in a few years and often for quite a number of years it will break into the flamed or feathered tulip, which has the colours finely pencilled around the margin of the petals, the base of the flowers being pure. Tulips are easily grown in rich soil. Where the land is stiff and cold they havfe a tendency to die out. They may be planted from March to the end of May, the earlier date preferred. It is a good practice to drop a little sand in each hole for the bulb to rest upon. Three to four inches is a good depth to plant, three inches if the soil is low and inclined to be wet, and four inches if on dry soil. Tulips should be lifted about every three years or the flowers become small. Lift them when the tops become yellow, then dry and store until planting time. If the ground is not required they may be planted right away, as there is no advantage in keeping them out of the ground.

WHAT IS HUMUS? There is no word which occurs more often in statements about the soil than humus, yet if those who use it were asked to say exactly what it denoted they would be in difficulties. Here is what Dr. E. J. Russell says on the subject:— The first obvious change is that the plant material loses its green colour and goes black; this can easily be observed when leaves are dug into the soil or dragged in by earth worms. The old chemists were much interested in this black substance, and in the early days of the last century when men of science were very prodigal with new names for new forces and new substances they supposed it to be made up of a number’ of compounds which they called ulmic acid, coenic acid, apocoemic acid, humic acid, etc. No one has ever succeeded in preparing any of these compounds in any state that would satisfy a modern chemist, and there is no evidence that they exist, but their names have been piously handed down through the generations of students, and they still occasionally turn up in popular articles. So

far this black matter has defied analysis. Modern organic chemistry has been developed largely to deal with liquids and crystals; this black substance is neither, but-is an amorphous; glue-like body of the class known as colloids. Physical chemists in several countries are working at colloids, and we may yet hope to see some method of resolving them. The way out of such a predicament is to give the substance a noncommittal name, and so we retain the old designation, “humus." hi other words, the only answer which can be given to the question is “Nobody knows.” CYCLAMEN. These charming dwarf-growing and profuse flowering little bulbous plants are amongst the best of winter and early spring flowering plants. They can b:e planted at. any time no. The home of the cyclamen is in woods, usually of deciduous trees, where during summer there is shade and coolness, while during winter, warmth and protection is given by the trees which, owing, to the fallen leaves, also allow the sun to shine through. The soil they grow in is largely composed of leaves in the various stages of decay and each year the bulbs or corms are covered with a fresh layer of leaves which protect them from the sun. The nearer the conditions under which the plants are grown resemble the natural surroundings the better. Throughout the growing season ample supplies of water are needed and this means perfect drainage is es sential.

AQUILEGIA.

GA R DEN ARISTOCRAT.

Aquilegia or columbine is an old favourite, and the flower has, in recent years, been greatly improved upon by judicious cultivation.

The name is derived from "Aquila,” an eagle, or “Columba," a dove, owing to the reversed flower bearing a semblance to these birds.

However, it is now one of the choicest flowers of the garden, and well deserving of the little attention it demands, the beautiful introduction, Miss Scott Elliott, coming some years ago as a very pleasing variation. The long-spurred variety is the only one worth growing in the garden of to-day. It is termed the aristocratic long-spurred aquilegia, which is a very appropriate designation of such a remarkable flower, with wonderful variety of delicate tints, and such artistic combinations. Seed may be sown in September, October or November, and will bloom in spring. It is possible by sowing seeds at the present moment to obtain blooms. If too late to bloom this year, which is possible, if pushed along, they will bloom next season, and probably yield superior flowers. The seed may be sown in boxes, and as soon as they are strong enough to be moved, they may be placed into special beds to get more root growth and when large enough and strong enough, plant them in their permanent position. It is important io shade the boxes at this time of the year. The foliage of the aquilegia is very attractive, and suitable for use with cut flowers. When under water, the leaves have a peculiar faculty of gatherin" moisture which form nodules like quicksilver. Aquilegias will stand a lot of feeding, and the ground should have been well prepared before being planted. Use old cow manure, with a sprinkling of some fertiliser. They are not very particular as to soil. Sand and leaf mould will be good, but not too sandy. A dressing of lime before preparing the ' bed will be the best. CINERARIA AND PRIMULA. Both these are splendid spring flowering plants for partially shaded positions. Seedling plants may be obtained now, and if given a little attention will come away quickly and make a good show in the spring.

ROTATION OF CROPS. This is a subject worthy of attention if the best possible results are to be obtained. To attempt to grow cabbages or other plants of that family upon the same plot several seasons in succession is to court failure by bringing on club root and general poverty of produce. The surface soil becomes exhausted, and these plants cannot reach the lower subsoil where they might obtain the necessary nourishment. It is good practice to have deeprooting crops such as carrots, beet or parsnips following on after cabbages, onions, potatoes, etc., while peas and beans and other quick-growing vegetables may be grown after onions, for which the soil has to be well-manured. Crop rotation will do much to improve the output of the vegetable garden,, but even with the best system of rotation, success cannot follow without adequate working of the soil and proper manuring. The soil must be deeply dug or trenched with an adequate amount of humus or manure worked into it well down, and a sprinkling of lime spread over the surface. If this has not already been done, no time should be lost so as the weather to sweeten up the soil and break down the larger lumps. Working of the soil should only be done when the ground is in fit condition for it; that is when it is not too wet.

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. Slugs are numerous and destructive in wet weather, and play havoc with many young seedling crops, unless frequently dusted over with lime, soot, sludge or other remedy. Where raised beds’have been formed, the material can easily be applied without trampling upon the cultivated soil. The same practically applies to weeding. The beds can be kept comparatively free from weeds by hand weeding, even when the soil is too wet to hoe and clean between crops sown on a level surface. For late sown carrots, turnips, parsnips, spinach, beet, onions, lettuce and others of like character, as well as raising of cabbage and other colworts, raised beds for autumn and early winter sowing are a decided advantage, as there is always a greater risk of excess ; rather than the lack of sufficient mois- , Asparagus tops should nowhavebeen I

sufficiently ripened to allow of their being cut down. The ’beds should he thoroughly cleaned of weeds, and where the beds are nearly level with the sur.face a trench dug around the sides of the beds to take away surplus moisture will be a decided advantage. Top-dress-ing or muc.hing, however, should be deferred until early spring.

EARLY POTATOES. I --- - t I The potato as a crop for the small garden where space is limited is often given no thought. As a main crop for winter supply the average garden is too small, and to try and raise enough to last the average family the year round is out of the question. With early potatoes this is not so, and a few rows will give a supply sufficient to carry oh the household needs from the end of the past season until the new crop is obtainable at a "favourable price. Most gardens have a sheltered border where a few potatoes could be planted. It may be close to a hedge—a place too dry in midsummer, but in the winter just moist enough for the purpose. The soil will need working and manure must be supplied. For early planting choose nice even-sized sets, and set them to ■sprout before planting. This latter can be done six l weeks before planting. The shoots on each set should be reduced to two; this throws &11 the strength of the plant into one or two shoots, and instead of numberless little tubers you

get a few better-sized ones. The tubers should not be planted deeply if the ground is naturally wet; just push the 1 tubers gently into the soil and cover with two or three inches of soil. When the shoots appear through the soil add another inch or so and continue to draw up the soil a little at a time until the crop is ready for digging. This method keeps the soil well worked and weeds are no trouble. With early crops the continued damp climate produces . a sappy growth that usually falls a victim to blight. Spraying from the time the plants show through the ground is the antidote. Just how often this spraying should be done depends upon circumstances, bnt every three weeks should be often enough. The early sprayings, whilst the haulm is soft, are the most important, and if well done twice or three times at that stage it wlil often carry a crop through quite clean.