GARDEN NOTES

Taranaki Daily News, 28 July 1932, Page 15

GARDEN NOTES

WORK FOR THE WEEK. the flower garden. ■ Rose planting can be continued. Old, exhausted or poor vanities should be rooted out and replaced by new varieties. . The frosts have proved which of the plants are hardy. In many cases it will be found that the damage is temporary and that the plants will soon recover. If Cinerarias have been badly cut tna best' results will be obtained by replanting. . , ~ j Anemones are' commencing to bloom and will need the soil worked between the plants. , ', Ranunculi, tulips and other springflowering bulbs and plants will need the soil stirred around them. Herbaceous borders can be renovated, ■ ' the plants lifted and divided, Clearly label and mark the place Where bulbs, etc., are planted. Shrubs and trees can be planted. Het the shrub or tree be a fitting one tor the position. Leave the planting out of small seedlings until the soil gets a little drier.

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN.

Dig over ground and get it ready for cropping in spring. Cover or soiling crops can be sown. A few handfuls of oats will soon give a good crop to dig in as green manure. Peas can be sown in warm, sheltered positions. Those that are coming through the soil will need watching or the birds will have them. The best bird scare-r for small gardens is black cotton stretched about two inches above the row. The cotton must be black and it must be put on before the seedlings appear. Plantings of cabbage and cauliflower can be made. Earth up any large plants that are beginning to heart. Potato planting in warm gardens can be done. Sprout the sets before planting. You will save time by keeping them in boxes till they have formed shoots. Clean up and manure asparagus beds. After applying the manure cover with a layer of soil taken from the alleyway. This gives a raised bed and makes better drainage. THE GREENHOUSE.

Do not attempt to raise the temperature and force growth above what can bo obtained in bad weather. Ventilation at every opportunity, with just sufficient warmth to keep the plants in health, is all that i. necessary. .. ~ Let the. plants have a rest until the weather becomes warmer, then you can also increase the inside temperaPrune vines. This work should be done whilst the rods are dormant. Cut away all tics, clean oft all loose bark, and thoroughly scrub and clean the inside of tho house. A sowing of tomato seed can be made now. If soil is moist no water will be needed

Trv and avoid the use of- water as much as possible at this season, when the air is cold and saturated. Look over begonia and gloxinia bulbs, shake them out of the soil if not already done. If there are signs of any grubs, dust with sulphur ten parts and arsenate of lead one part. GARDENING IN SPRING. During the dull days of winter there is a number of good resolutions passed in regard to the gardening that will be done in the coming spring, when the days are -brighter. However, such resolutions are only the signs. of bad weather and short days, for with better weather and longer days the gardening is put off until the autumn, when the weather is cooler and the ground moist. The best time to start gardening is now, and those who wish or expect to have results next < spring should get to work at once. To start with, it will be necessary to dig .over the ground. If it is a rough, neglected area, there will be other preparations necessary, such as skimming off the turf or long weeds and burying them in the bottom of the trench. This takes much longer than simple digging, and what is more, it needs doing some time before the seeding or planting is done. Weeds and turf, when buried, cause the soil to lay light and hollow, and time must elapse between digging and burying of the weeds and planting, for the soil to get firm. Plenty of ground is dug over, apd planting or seeding done the same day, and often good results arc obtained, but why do we hear of so may failures o seeds and crops in early spring? H is not always attributable to slugs and bad seed, but a close .examination would show that it was largely due to the hurried preparation of the soil not providing a good firm root hold for the plants. If you have any intention of growing vegetables or flowers, get to work at once with a good spade, so that the soil is ready for seeding or planting as early as possible. In these economical times manure is expensive, and the motor is of no use to the boy with the box on wheels, fire shovel and old broom. There is, however, any amount of green grass and rank weeds that can bo collected. Half fill every trench with "reen rubbish; if you have none in your own section, there is usually plenty alongside the road. There is a lot of n-ood plant food in the top two inches of turf sods, whether growing alongside a road or in a paddock, there is one precaution to take, aiid that is to see that no perennial weeds such as dock, convolvulus, nut grass or couch are carried in with the grass. If this work is done now all that will be required in spring is a forking, over of the surface, and the sowing and'planting can be done straight away. DON’TS. Don’t fail to overtake the arrears which are bound io accumulate in the amateur’s garden in winter, but don’t work against Nature. If the ground is rain-soaked, keep off it; work can usually be found under cover. Don’t delay the pruning of apples, pears and plums. Don’t put off this work because of frost; ordinary pruning is quite safe in hard weather, but large branches needin" removal should be left till last. 1 Don't forget that where liquid manure

is plentiful it can be used to advantage on old fruit trees in winter, or even on vacant land in the vegetable garden. Don’t defer pruning vines; late cutting often results in the cut surface “bleeding” when growth becomes active again. , •• ' . Don't neglect after frost, to look round rose and bush fruit cuttings, or anything recently planted; they need to be made firm after frost. Don’t overlook the fact that now is the best time to clear out perennial weeds, such as couch and bindweed; every bit of root should ‘be forked out and burnt. Don’t fail to roll lawns frequently, especially after a spell of frost. Sweeping also is beneficial. Don’t forget that lawn repairs can he carried out at any timgi during the winter, provided the weather is mild. Don't think dirty pots are good enough. Scrub them thoroughly in hot water and stack the various sizes separately. Don’t leave the preparation of seedboxes until they are wanted. By making or procuring them now much valuable time will be saved in the busy season. Don’t over-water frame plants now; keep them on the dry side, and ventilate wherever possible. All decaying leaves should be removed regularly. Don’t bring bulbs straight from the Blunging material into a warm greenhouse; they will be all the better for a few days in a cool house, partially S 1 Don’t allow tulips in pots to become dry at the roots; neglect in this matter is a frequent cause of “blindness.” Don’t forget that cinerarias and pelargoniums, among greenhouse plants, are liable to green-fly attacks. Fumigate the house occasionally on a calm mgnt. asparagus beds. Although good asparagus is grown in rows, like other plants, no doubt the old system of beds is much the best for small gardens. Having cleaned away the tops and burnt them, ‘ scatter the ashes on top, pull off the weeds, other rubbish, including seedlings, and surface soil almost down to the crowns of the plants. Then apply a good coating of decayed manure or seaweed. Mark out witli the garden line the path 'between ©r around the bed, and having raked off for burying elsewhere, the weeds and rubbish, dig out sufficient soil to cover the manure, putting on three or four inches. This will leave the surface of the bed nearly a- foot above the level of the path, and will not only improve drainage, but actually make the bed warmer. If well rotted manure is not to be had, procure some leaf mould or decayed vegetable matter and add sonic "ood brand of artificial manure, ready mixed for vegetables; there are several stood, locally-compounded mixtures offered. Allow sufficient leaf • mould to give a covering of about four inches deep,- and about eight ounces, of the manure per square yard. Mix the leaf mould and manure and apply as advised before covering with soil. In September apply a dressing of common salt at the rate' of two or three ounces per square yard. Also apply sulphate of ammonia, one ounce to the square yard in September, October and December. A frequent mistake and a very serious one made with asparagus is to allow, the tops to be broken off by wind or cut indiscriminately for decorative purposes.

It does not kill, perhaps, but it certainly weakens the roots, and. the result is thin stalks and a meagre crop. If large, thick sticks are required, every chance must be given during the growing season for the plants.to develop and build up a reserve of energy, and this is impossible unless they have plenty of manure, and are allowed to mature the growths.HERBS IN THE FLOWER GARDEN Usually the'herb garden is considered part and parcel of the vegetable garden, and in many gardens the only herbs represented are mint, parsley and sage. There are several which would justify a position in the flower border. Gold borage, caraway, lavender, rosemary marjorum, basil, balm, are all wb-ith growing in the flower border. It is very nice to be able to walk round the garden and pick off a leaf or so of some aromatic shrub. Most things can be canne'd and bottled, but the true flavour and scent of the fresh herbs has so far refused to be opened at will with, a corkscrew or tin opener. If you wish to really enjoy the full pleasure of the I garden you must have a plant, or two of these sweet smelling old-fashioned herbs. KILLING PESTS. To get rid of slugs give the land a good dressing of some soil fumigant when digging Clean out ferneries, hedge bottoms, and rubbish lying under walls and elsewhere about the section. If it is soft green rubbish open a nice deep trench, put in the rubbish and cover it over; open another trench when that one is full. Woody rubbish should be burned and the ashes scattered on the surface. A simple slug trap is the complc|e peel front half an orange, and placed on the ground with concave side downwards. The slugs will creep beneath it, the peel is examined daily, and the slugs destroyed. Turn over boxes,

tubs, logs of wood and large stones; slugs will be found beneath these. Slugs favour damp soil, and draining andcultivation will be found to lessen the number of the pests. During the winter by digging, hoeing, and hard weeding cruciferous weeds, such as charlock, shepherd’s purse, old stumps and leaves, much will be done to get rid • of the turnip and cabbage fly. Any refuse on the turnip or cabbage bed should be buried. The grubs, of leather jackets lie beneath the ground -chiefly in wet, undug spots. .A thorough digging, and addition,of a soil fumigant,will get rid of these wireworms and other soil pests. Remciilber that the efficacy of a soil fumigant depends upon being thoroughly mixed with the soil and at least two or three inches below the surface, In short, clean up "the garden, getting rid of every weed, useless plant and rubbish, and pests would be reduced to a minimum. 1 SEAKALE. Although not very common, there is do reason why it should not be, for there is nothing difficult about growing it and even if it does need blanching for use this is easily done with a few drain pipes or with the root lifted, boxed, and stood, in a warm, dark place. Seakale as its name implies, is a native of the seashore and if plenty of sand, salt and seaweed is used it can be grown almost anywhere. It can be grown from seed, but the more general way is by. root ►cuttings. These arc obtained by lifting the large crown (usually lifted for forcing). At the base of the main root there are several throng-like roots; these are broken off, the top end cut. square, and the lower end slant-ng so as to distinguish which way up to plant them. These are tied in bundles for convenience and planted out before spring as opportunity offers. It can be done as soon as cuttings are made. The cuttings should be about nine inches long and all those as thick or thicker

than a pencil can bo used. The soil should bo worked 15in deep at least and be of fairly good nature. It is not necessary to be. sandy, but & welldrai- I soil is essential. The root cuttings should be planted straight down with the flat cut top just cohered with soil. Do not bend the roots when planting. There. are several methods of planting, in rows the roots about a foot apart, and rows 18in. They can a-lso ibo planted in clumps of three or four, allowing nine inches between »each root and 30in between the clumps. This last method is usually, adopted when it is proposed to force or blanch the crown* without lifting. Throughout the summer the plants are allowed to develop only the central crown, \ all side shoots being pulled off. During winter forcing and blanching can easily be done by lifting the roots, standing them in boxes with a little leaisoil around them to keep, them upright, and standing the boxes in the dark. The forcing outside can be done by covering the crowns with dry leaves, (oak leaves are said to give the best results) and covering the heap with a box, pot or some material, tp keep completely dark, and also to throw off th? rain. , , COLLECTING LEAVES. Leaves, are an invaluable source of plant food, and no leaf unless.it is diseased should be destroyed except by digging or adding it to soil to be wn* verted into plant food. If pure leaf mould is required the leaves must be stacked to decay, but where they axe to be added to soil as a plant food they can be dug in straight away and Nature will do the rest. “Leaves” include the minute blades of grass and other small herbage to- those of large trees. -Certainly some such as pine needles ar® very hard and take a long time to decay, but these placed in the bottom of a trench and allowed' a year or so will break up into plant food.