GARDEN NOTES

Taranaki Daily News, 15 December 1932, Page 15

GARDEN NOTES

THE WEEK’S WORK. THE FLOWER GARDEN. Stake gladioli.’ Reduce the number of growths on clumps of herbaceous plants. Plant dahlias and chrysanthemums. Clear away annuals that have finished flowering. Dig the. ground and: replant. Plant .salvias, celosia, African and French marigolds. Sow zinnias, celosias, portujaccas. Cut off spent rose blooms. Spray for aphis and mildew. Lift narcissi, tulips, Spanish iris. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. Plant kumarasSow cucumbers, marrows, pumpkins and melons. Pinch out , the tips of the leading shoots of melons, etc. . Prepare celery trenches. Sow a pmen of seed. Early sown plants'can be transplanted. Never allow: plants to suffer for want of water. Make further sowings of dwarf beans. A sowing of runner -beans can be made. Remove - , the lateral shoots of .tomatoes. Keep plants tied to supports, spray ' regularly. Carrot, beet and other root/crops are benefited by mulching; Leeks will benefit by; applications of liquid manure.

ZINNIAS. ' These lovely autumn-flowering annuals were never so popular as now, and there were never better varieties obtainable, but sad to say there seems to be difficulty in obtaining plants owing to disease. Those who raise them from Seed find that, although the seed germinate well, the young plants no sooner -begin to get any size than the - leaves start to brown and the plants fail. That it is due to a disease there is no doubt, although so far little investigation has been made. In a measure the trouble is due to faulty methods of growing, and more-natural and less “forcing 5 or artificial methods would . give better results. The zinnia is essentially an autumn bloomer, making. its , growth during the hot, dry weather and flowering when the moist, cool autumn days arrive. , The essentials to produce good plants are good, seed, of course, hot growing conditions and well-drained soil. Shade, even when seedlings are small, dampness, such as the damp atmosphere of a greenhouse, and an excess of vegetable matter or manure, in an undecayed condition, are detrimental and if they do not actually cause disease, at least aggravate it. In many cases too early sowing has been -tjje undoing for November is'quite soon enough to sow zinnias? as the seed ■can. then ’ be grown under piore .natural conditions. Seed gown how. outside will germinate- and make a good autumn show. Make up a seed bed in a-warm, sunny position, and draw, out drills. long enough to take the seed to be sown. - , If. soil is dry and weather hot, water the drills before sowing th® seed, which should be covered with about half to*, inch of sandy soil. If weather is very hot and sunny, put a few twigs of teatree or a few pieces of macrocarpa on the Surface just to break the fierce ray? of the sun or-a drying wind. Do. not apply water; keep watch, and when me seedlings are UP remove the shading. The’. plants should be transplanted /when they have made the second, pair of leaves. Plant in a well-drained, sunny position. Give the soil a dressing ©f horticultural naphthalene a* before planting, well mixing, ft* with, the' top. six of -.50f1../-Use ’ ho rfrpsh - stapte; 'manure, but if any; isj required give- a little superphosphate. Put'mitjhe and give each plant "a little wafer. If plants show sighs of suffering-. the" next day, give each a little more wafer, but do-not saturate the bed every evening. Once the plants have taken hold,?:.to watering / once a week in dry weed 16 / will be quite sufficient, and even W .fo unnecessary 'in many cases, plants may not grow so large and gross, and theblooms may be rather smaller, but the vigorous sturdy plaats will give better results than the large, overgrown plantsthat are so easily broken by wind. filling beds and borders. Early .flowering annuals, as candytuft, linarias, nemesias and several’others mat have completed- their flowering season should be dug under, and the ground they? occupied replanted with suitable varieties of summer and autumn flowering annuals. Beds occupied by narcissi may be planted with phlox or other, shallow-rooting plants that well have ceased flowering by the time the daffodils restart their growth during the autumn. By. this means a succession., is maintained, otherwise there would be bare spaces. Petunias are also suitable for planting among the narcissi. Thia is the best time’ for planting scarlet salvias. To produce a good display they shoujd be grouped or massed. Dwarf French marigolds have become very popular, and deservedly so, as they produce quantities of flowers throughout summer and autumn. Cosmea are best for large gardens or out of the way corners that afford protection from the wind, The double flowered forms are exceedingly pretty. Although their season of flowering is short, cosmea are. prized for cute ting and their wealth of bloom, Zmmas have become favourites., Celosias and pprtulaccas are suitable for planting right UP to the end of the year, hot WEATHER VEGETABLES. There is always a difficulty to heep UP .the supply of fresh vegetables during January and February, especially in gardens where the water supply is - Strictly limited. Dwarf beans are a good line

and frequent sowings should be made. Do not make large sowings, but often. A sowing once a week for the next few weeks is not too often. Sweet com js another good hot' weather vegetable, but here again it is a case of-sowing a few seeds once a week. The. native New Zealand spinach is also worth growing for use during the hot weather, the seeds should be soaked in water for 12 hours before sowing. The seed should be sown tjfinly of the plants put out two feet apart. The young succulent shoots are used. When dealing with these hot weather subjects deeply worked soil that, has been well manured some time previously should be used. Applications of weak -liquid manure are also an advantage. MENDING A LEAKY HOSE. A leaky hose pipe is not only wasteful of water, but makes a mess of the place and the clothes of the person using it. The present circumstances, however, in many cases do not allow of the purchase of new hose, and if watering has to be done it must be done wjth the old hose. A method of repairing is by cutting the hose at the breaking and joining the two pieces by means of a piece of smaller metal pipe. The light piping used for conducting electric wires is very useful for the purpose, a length of six inches is long enough to effect a good join. LILIES. LIFTING AND DIVIDING. During hot summer weather all lilies appreciate a good mulch to help to keep the roots cool. It is. common practice to plant them among low-growing shrubs, such as .rhododendrons or azaleas, as there they have their roots shaded. Most varieties are best left undisturbed for several years until they become very crowded. When they have-to be lifted and divided for replanting especial. care should be taken not. to damage the basal roots unnecessarily, as these are perennial roots and any damage to them has a bad effect upon.the bulb. The stem roots, that is, the roots produced from the stems above the bulb, are, of course only annual, dying off with the stems. A good compost of leaf mould, peat, and loam with a little sharp sand added is the best for lilies. As they throw up their flower spikes and until flowering is over they should be kept moist, but perfect drainage is essential. Lilies are such beautiful flowers that they are well worth considerable trouble to ensure the best results. GRASS GRUBS. These pests are most destructive, not only to lawns, but also by attacking the roots of pansies, violas, and other plants. They are extremely, difficult to get rid of, as the things which will •destroy them will also kill the plantsAlways kill any of the grubs which are found when, working the. ground. They are easily recognised, being of a dirty white /colour about three-quarters of an inch, long and generally curled round. In ,the beetle -stage they are hard and brown and may be heard buzzing over the; lawn bn warm evenings. They rest during the day-time ip the soil, usually under trees or hedges. Mr. Hyde horticulturist, says in the “New Zealand Journal of ' Agriculture”:—“The grassgrub will now be emerging from the ground in the form of brown chafer beetles during warm summer evenings. In districts- where this pest js numerous lawps may be' protected by broadcasting arsenate of lead powder, loz to the square it should be well mixed with Ape • soil. This material destroys the, young larvae as soon as they hatch out. from the eggs that are laid.” - CANTERBURY BELLS.

Of biennfel campanulas, only one can he saiS 'to be popular, and that is the Canterbury bell, This, represented by several forms, is probably grown to a far greater'extent than any other. Canterbury bells are largely employed for greenhouse decoration, but more particularly for tfie embellishment of the outdoor garden. For the latter purpose ■ the seed is sown in December in a bed or in a seed box, and when the young plants are sufficiently advanced they are planted put in prepared beds ’until the border in which they are to flower the next year is ready for them. The extent to which the varieties differ, in the case of Canterbury bells is remarkable, for not..only does the. normal form bear flowers of different shades of rose, white and bhte, but there are varieties with double blossoms? in which the range of colour is just as great. Added to these, there is a singular form, Campanula medium ealyxeanthema, in which the calyx is wide and spreading and of the same colour as the coralla. This is popularly termed the cup and saucer Canterbury bell. The same colours are also represented in this as in the ordinary form. When Canterbury bells are flowering in an outdoor garden especial care should be taken that they do not set Seed. If the old flowers are cut off as spon as they are past their best, a Secondary and fairly effective display Will be the result

HOW TO CONTROL GREENFLY. With the advent of spring, we find our roses giving promise of a fine show, of bloom in the near futuure,..but just when we are beginning to congratulate ourselves on the progress our plants . are making, we find a number of pests begin to work havoc among them. Begumprs find their carefully’tended plants literfind their carefully-tended plants lifterally covered with greenfly. Experience will soon teach them not to wait until the aphides firmly establish themselves on the plants, but to take measures to prevent their increase directly the first few are observed. These creatures increase at a tremendous rate, so that delay means disaster, for the presence of large numbers of these pests in damage to the young shoots, to say nothing of their unsightliness. • Tfie only practical way to rid the bushes, of greenfly is to spray thoroughly and frequently. There are several reliable washes that may be used with effecton greenfly, those containing nicotine and quassia extract being particularly useful. . Those who have time can prepare their own insecticide with the. aid of soft soap .and quassia chips. Dissolve 11b of soft soap in a little boiling soft water, then take 2Alb of quassia chips and just cover them with water, allowing them to boil and simmer for 12 hours. During that time the liquid may be strained off five or six • times, and poured into the melted soap, fresh water being added to the quassia after each straining. The resultant -mixture,, after being well stirred, is ready, for use, and is sufficient to make 25 gallops of the wash. Spraying must be done thoroughly or some of . the aphis will be . missed, apd a few will soon develop again into a colony. It is necessary, too, to spray off two ■ • .successive days. • According to entomologists, . the young of the aphis inay be, and often are, born, after the death of their parents, and the second spraying would put this right. Hot water applied by means of a very fine spraying syringe is also very effective. This is also the month for grubs of all sorts, and one must be constantly on the lookout for these. There is nothing like hand-picking for these pests, but often one has not sufficient time to do this thoroughly, The grubs may be destroyed by means of the following spray:. Pure nicotine may he used at the rate of

loz to 10 gallons of water and 2oz of soft soap. Another good grub-killing wash may be made with loz of arsenate of lead in 10 gallons of water. THINNING HERBACEOUS GROWTHS The fact does - hot appear to be generally known that herbaceous plants give much better results if the shoots to each plant are limited to a comparatively small number than when all that appear are allowed to mature. A little thought will, however, convince anyone of the common sense of this statement! and after a trial of tfie practice no further evidence will be necessary. It stands to reason that half a dozen shoots will develop more satisfactorily than twenty, and as a rule the better the shoots are the finer will be the inflorescences. ’ ' Therefore it is a good plan when the young shoots are from 4in to 6in long to look over the plants and remove a large number of the weaker growths, leaving a comparatively small number to mature. Perennial asters, sunflowers, chrysanthemums, phloxes, paeonies and other plants, of similar growth may be dealt with ‘in this way. ’ Then, with plants that require staking, instead of tying them round in bunches, place a separate stake to each shoot. This method takes a little longer, but the effect is much more pleasing than that obtained by the haphazard method only too often practised. A GOOD “PICK ME UP.” One good shovelful of cow manure in a bucketful of water makes a splendid “pick-me-up” for various plants. Leave the manure standing in the water for a couple of hours, then mix thoroughly by stirring with a stick. Give the plants a good watering and then pour a fair quantity of the diluted cow. manure around them. It is wonderful what a

difference this mixture makes at this time of the year to such plants as roses, chrysanthemums, dahlias, : cosmos, Michaelmas daisies, liliums, or any . plants just coming into flower, and algo French beans, runner beans and peas. PLANTING KUMARAS. When planting kumaras, the soil should be drawn up into low ridges and the plants planted in a horizontal rather than a perpendicular position. The roots that are produced from this stem will eventually swell UP and form the tubers. Working the soil around the plant? so as to keep it in a loose, friable condition is most important. The plants should be nicely rooted before planting, and, if not, lay them into some nice sandy soil, allowing about an inch between the plants; give them a watering and shade with a few pieces of macrocarpa for a few days. They will soon make new white roots, and can then be safely lifted and planted out, practically without a loss. If planted as soon as obtained, if weather is hot and watering arrangements not too good, there is often severe losses, but by laying in the plants and letting them start new roots under these conditions losses can be almost eliminated. SILVER BEET. This is a good vegetable for use when other green vegetables are “off.” Sown now the plants grow quickly and the leay.es can.be pulled (they should never be cut off) as soon as large enough. A row of 25 plants will give a good supply and will keep the average family supplied. The seedlings can be transplanted, the plants need to stand two feet apart. The Iqcullus types are the best if the midrid is preferred as a vegetable, but if the leaves are used, like spinach; avowing of sugar beet will give the better and longer supply.

ALL Varieties “Standard” Flower and Seeds described in Free Catalogue. 5 pkts. Extra Choice Seeds, 3/3, post free. Tomato, Perrett’s Early Market 1A per packet. .Clarkia Elegans fl. pk, six mixed colours, 1/- per packet. Iceland Poppy, Coonara Pinks, 1/- per packet. Gynoglossum Amabile Blue, 6d per packet* Calendula fl. pl. “Radio,” 6d per packet. Matheson & Roberts, Ltd, JO Octagon, Dunedin.