GARDENING NOTES

Taranaki Daily News, 17 August 1935, Page 24 (Supplement)

GARDENING NOTES

THE WEEK’S WORK. the flower garden. At this time of the year a few days’ delay is not of much consequence in planting. . Stir surface soil and fill in blanks m beds when opportunity occurs. Rose pruning should be done as soon as possible. . After pruning if any scale is present spray with an oil spray. Dig over and manure rose beds directly after pruning. Trees and shrubs can be planted. Do not delay this work too long or they do not get established before hot weather sets in. Any pruning to winter or early flowering trees or shrubs should be done as they go out of flower. Prepare the ground for planting out spring and early flowering plants. Better to hold back planting for a day or so to allow the ground to be well prepared. '! Thin is the best time for transplanting evergreen trees and shrubs. Do not miss planting one or more rhododendrons. THE GREENHOUSE. Overcrowding in this department should be avoided as much as possible by ' only sowing small quantities of seed that can be handled before spoiling. Cold spells and’a sudden drop of temperature are not unusual at this season, therefore grow plants hardy and ventilate sufficiently. Pot on any plants that need it. Also attend to seedlings as soon as ready. Do not let fallen leaves or flowers lie about. Keep'pots and soil clean and free of moss, etc. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. Continue to prepare ground for planting ap.d sowing early crops. • ■ ■•' Raised beds are the only means of getting good early crops on wet- and . heavy soils. Successional sowings of peas should be made every few weeks. The remaining crops of artichokes, parsnips and other root crops can be lifted and stored. that are up should have sticks placed to them. If left to lie on the ground they are sure to be attacked by a fungoid disease. Prepare new asparagus beds. Planting will not be done till next month, but the bed should consolidate before planting. . Prepare ground for sowing onions. The onion bed must be well worked, firm, ' and with a fine tilth. Rhubarb can be planted. Established beds should be forked over and manured. Established asparagus beds should be cleaned over. Apply a topdressing of stable manure, seaweed or a rich compost. Sowings of lettuce and radish can be made. The use of cold frames for these early sowings is of great value. Prepare ground for potatoes. ' Planting can be done when soil is dry enough. THE FRUIT GARDEN. Pruning of peaches, plums and other stone fruits should be pushed on. As soon as pruning is finished the trees should be sprayed. Planting of fruit trees should be hurried on so that they are established before dry weather comes, Citrus fruits can be planted. Avoid deep planting. Rather mound the soil on the roots than plant deep. TOMATO STRIPE. Of interest to tomato growers an* sweet pea specialists is a report from the Division of Botany, Canadian Department of Agriculture (Mr. H. G.' Berkeley), in which he describes recent work on tomato stripe or streak. it is now definite that the disease is a virus carried in the sap of the plant, and not a bacterium. Careful plant hygiene is essential for its control and eradication. . The removal of plants infected in ' the seed bed and isolation or removal of doubtful older plants is recommended. When pruning, care should be taken in passing from an infected to a healthy plant to sterilise both knife and hands by washing in weak antiseptic. There also appears to be a connection between tobacco and the stripe, the viruses of tobacco and tomato plants being of the same type. Infection a has been accomplished from tobacco * which had been prepared for smoking, by means of the operator’s hands. This may be a vital point l in clean plants. SOWING SWEET PEAS. . » With many people the autumn sowing bf sweet peas is often a failure, owing to wet weather, cold soil and slugs, etc. The past two months has ,not helped such gardens either, and it will be necessary, if we are to have sweet peas to make another sowing. Now is a good time to sow, but the seed should be sown in pots; six seeds in a five-inch pot will be all right, and a couple of dozen pots will give a good supply of plants. The seed pots should be protected from excessive wet, and a cold frame, or even a box with a piece of glass over it will provide this shelter. Well drain the pots, quite half fill them with drainage material, and use a very sandy compost. Whatever protection is given, do not let it be kept close; ventilation at all times is necessary. When the plants have made two or three leayes, and either ground is not ready or weather unsuitable, they should be stopped. Small, thin sticks to hold up the plants is also an advantage. Many sweet peas are spoilt simply because the young stems are allowed to bend over and lie on the soil, causing a constriction, which prevents the free flow of sap to the leaves. CLAMPING ROOT CROPS. The old method of “clamping” or “pitting” root crops is still a very good method of storing. A well-drained and fairly dry position should be chosen and a layer of coarse straw, small tea-tree is very good, should be laid down, and on this the roots stacked. The tops of carrots and such like should be wrenched or cut off before stacking. Keep the heap firm and run it up to as acute a ridge as possible. A layer of straw, tea-tree will do, should be laid on the roots and this covered with nine inches of soil patted firm and smooth. In the top at intervals should be a vent to let out moisture generated by heating. This can be a wisp of straw or a handful of tea-tree inserted so as to come through the soil covering. • In the case of heavy rain it is advisable to cover this with a board or something similar. Root crops that are still in the ground can be taken up and stored in this way, and the ground is and can be prepared for spring crops.