SEASONABLE REMINDERS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 193, 15 August 1931, Page 27

SEASONABLE REMINDERS.

URGENT WORK. CLIMBING PLANTS. The turn of the weather seems to have synchronised with the change in the months, but we cannot rely upon it that spring is here yet, at least for the city and suburbs. Our willows are only just moving, the flowering plums are not yet out, pussy willow is appearing, as also some fine examples of Garrya elliptica with its long catkins. Readers will be well advised to defer their seed sowing another fortnight, however tempted they may be to put things in. It is also remarkable to look round and see the damage the frosts have done among some of our native and it is feared also among many of“ the rock and herbaceous plants. This can be explained partly by the very dry autumn, since plants were under-nourished and could not, therefore, stand the sudden and very severe conditions imposed upon them during July. Many losses in our gardens can be directly attributable to quite natural causes, could the conditions existing at certain periods in the life of- the plant be faithfully recalled. Much could be said on this point and many interesting examples brought up, but it is not needed beyond stating that if during next summer some looked for flowering plant does not show up, it must be remembered that autumn’s dry conditions followed by July’s severe weather, has been the cause of the plant succumbing. Urgent Work. The most pressing work this week will be the spraying of all fruit trees the pip fruits with red oil at the rate of one part to ten parts water and the stone fruits with Bordeaux mixture. It cannot be too clearly stressed that for the control of fungus diseases Bordeaux is the best winter spraying compound. Small users can obtain the mixture in one-pound tins ready mixed in the dry state, but larger users are well advised if they prepare their own mixture at the strength of 6-4-40, that is, 61b bluestone, 41b lime, 40 gallons of water, or any less quantity in the same ratio. For example, should only five gallons be needed, the operator will need 12oz bluestone, Boz lime and five gallons water. The quantity of water in this case being only one-eighth of the formula, every other ingredient is divided by eight to make the ratio correct. The bluestone is suspended : in a bag in half the quantity of water , in a wooden vessel, while the lime is slaked in a little water and strained so as to remove any “core” or waste material, and put into the other half of the water. The two impregnated waters are then poured simultaneously ■ into a third vessel, the streams of liquid being blended as they are poured. The , resultant mixture should be a clear sky-line. If incorrect proportions are used the mixture may look a muddy brown, when it is dangerous to use, since it will burn, especially if the buds are unfolding. The mixture as offered, however, in dry form only needs carefully mixing with cold water, and the one-pound tins make six gallons of good spray material that are quite efficient when thoroughly applied. The purpose for which the spray is put on is to combat black spot, leaf curl, powdery mildew, die back and brown rot. These attack variously both stone and pip fruits, which will shortly be pushing out their buds. Sowings of peas, broad-beans, lettuce, spinach and turnip can be made on most favourable spots, but where ground is heavy a full month should be allowed before such work is undertaken. Digging in plots of Cape barley and turning over all vacant ground as soon as possible must be done before the more pressing work of seed-sowing and its attendant duties comes on us. Roses. August is the month for rose pruning, both dwarf and standards. It is not wise to do the work too early because of the danger of frosts damaging the buds that have been counted upon for the season’s growth. The middle or end of the month is usually better. 1 All that need be added to our remarks upon rose pruning of a few weeks ago is to advise to prune out all dead and broken wood, any growths showing discolouration through the effect of leaf spot, and all weak spindly growth, especially on the inside of the plant. The main growths are to be shortened back to a bud pointing outwards, and that bud selected rather low down than higher up the piece being pruned. Hard pruning does not do most roses any harm. As evidence of that, witness the show in our local Botanic Gardens from year to year. No doubt readers will notice the advice in the papers when pruning is to be done there, and will be able to avail themselves of the information obtainable through a practical demonstration. In standard roses it is advisable to prune hard, especialy if the roses are fresh from the nursery, since the plants must make good root action before top growth is made. A further necessary job is the staking of the standards, since if left until the growth and foliage is on the winds shift the roots and it is too late to remedy the damage done. Climbing Plants. What shall we cover that bare fence with? This is almost an annual question, and if, soon after its discussion, a three or four-year-old plant of American Pillar rose is seen somewhere, the problem is apparently settled; but then it is opened up again by the disadvantages attendant upon roses and the accompanying blight. For most fences the selection is limited, since some plants have no flower, others must have a south aspect, and others need a warm position. On fences where the posts and rails have to be covered there is little difficulty in training fence plants, since they can be run inside wires strained from post to post. On the other side of the section, however, the palings need covering with wire netting to act as a means of support. The following gives a brief list with accompanying recommendations:—

Ampelopsis hederacea and A. veitchii. —The former is the genuine Virginian creeper, and is very well known as a vigorous climber, with bold green ivyshaped leaves which turn a good colour in the autumn. The latter, however, is much smaller in foliage, and it clings to woodwork or brickwork, and is exceedingly dainty both in summer and

autumn. There are one or two varieties of A. veitchii noted for their difference of habit or colour of autumn tintting, but for the fence A. hederacea is the best, and A. veitchii and its varieties are more suitable for brick walls and chimneys. Bignonia grandiflora and B. longiflora are the best of this family. They are hardy, vigorous climbers, which flower freely in midsummer. The flowers are trumpet-shaped and borne in clusters of three and four. They are red, which makes them most attractive.

Clematis.—These climbing plants are most useful, and contain a fairly wide selection of various types that give continuity of bloom over a long period. The best-known variety is undoubtedly C. jackmanii, a rich violet purple, but this is not by any means the only good one. Clematis have been so freely hybridised by the nurserymen that some. very fine varieties have eventuated. Jackmanii forms a type of its own known as jackmanii type. One or two varieties in it are worthy of being planted, as Gipsy Queen, a purple; Madame E. Andre, velvety-red, a magnificent reddish purple. The hanuginosa type are well represented in Nellie Moser, a white tinted pink; Fairy Queen, pale flesh with pink bars; Henryi, a creamy white. The Fammula type is not so large a flower, but is well represented in C. montana grandiflora, a pure white. The Patens type is seen to advantage in the variety Miss Bateman, a white with red anthers. Added to this, we have our native clematis, C. indivisa, worthy of a place in every garden that has enough shrubs planted to afford shelter to its root and lower stem. .Cobaea scandens is a purple, bell-shaped climber that may be grown from seed, but it needs warmth and shelter. It will do well on the hills and at Sumner. Eccremocarpus scaber is another plant with orange-coloured narrow tubular flowers borne in clusters. Once established it stands a good deal of severe weather. It is evergreen.

Hedera: This is the ivy family and contains some very pretty members, which need the setting of an old garden to show them to advantage. Jas-

“Gardener” (fourteen-year-old), New Brighton, writes:—(l) Would you kindly tell me the name of the best early tomato to be planted in light soil? (2) The names of these beans enclosed in a tin? (1) Your soil is very sandy, I know, and you should get the best results from the variety “ Best of All.” Seeds or plants can be purchased from any of the reliable seedsmen. The tomato comes from a warm climate and will thrive in your district provided it is protected from cold east winds and is given ample water during the time the flowers are set until all' the fruit is ripened. A mulch of rotted lupins, grass clippings, stable manure with straw, placed round the stem during summer, known among gardeners as “ mulching,” -will work wonders. If you grow your own plants, and it is worth some trying to gain experience, do not sow until the middle of September. (2) The large bean is a variety of broad bean, probably “ Early Longpod.” The small bean is a French bean and may be a runner, semi-climber or a dwarf. Since the last war many and . varied have been the sorts of beans passed round, as in Europe beans are a staple diet and export of them is prohibited. They are not rare, but commercially they are not named or offered. Incidentally the writer is very glad to find that so young a reader is making use of the page Keep on with your gardening F you have many happy hours and much to interest you as season follows season. “ L.G.H.,” Kittle River, writes:—Would you please tell me the correct way to prune a grape vine about five or more years of age, which has never been pruned? Also when it should be done? The work should be done at once and will cause some perplexity owing to long neglect. You do not state whether the vine is growing on a fence, verandah, pergola, porch, or in a greenhouse. I suggest cutting it right back to within two or three feet of the ground. If at or about that height there are two or more stout arms or branches like a letter “Y,” or perhaps like the letter “ K ” laid on its back, you could cut back just above this branch of the main stem and allow new growths, or rods as they are called, to be produced this season. These are tied in or on to the structure prepared for the vine, and from them next season the grapes are produced. You will be surprised at the vigour of these rods, so that you need not fear to cut back now while the sap is down. If too many shoots start up in the spring some may easily be rubbed out, to the improvement of those that are left. All that is necessary is to have strong new rods to tie in next winter in a systematic order, whether fan-shape, horizontally in tiers, or horizontally first and then allow next season perpendicular rods to be trained from these foundation rods. I notice the Agricultural Department, Wellington, issues a bulletin on the matter. It is well illustrated and will be forwarded for the asking, plus postage. It is entitled “The Cultivation of the Vine.” My copy has been lent or I could give the correct bulletin number.

minimum revolutum and J. officinale, the yellow and white jasmine, are well known, and make a fine show. The former is evergreen; the latter loses its leaves in winter but compensates by being sweetly scented when in bloom. Lonicera is the honeysuckle. L. caprifolium is the true English yellow honeysuckle and is deciduous. L. japonica aurea reticulata has variegated evergreen foliage, and chinensis is a variety with brown foliage. The L. sempervirens is the orange-scarlet trumpet honeysuckle; in fact, any of them are ideal for covering an unsightly object. Passiflora is the passion flower. P. caerulea is the well-known blue variety and covers a fence very well. P. edulis is most useful on the hills and in favoured spots; there are one or two very fine specimens in Christchurch bearing quite good crops. Hoses, of course, must be mentioned, but* for old stumps, unsightly banks or a summer house, the wichuriana varieties are the best, since they are more prostrate in habit and they give a profusion of flower. Tacsonia quitensis is the so-called scarlet passion flower. This must, however, have a warm aspect and be well protected in Christchurch. It will thrive on the hills and at Sumner. Tropacolum speciosum, Scotch flame flower, is admired every summer when seen flowering, but it must be in a shady place; in fact, it thrives best in a south border, and makes a bright show in what is otherwise a bare, uninviting spot. Vitis coignetiaea: This is known as the crimson glory vine, and is much admired in the autumn for its scarlet foliage. It will do splendidly on the trellis, pillar or pergola. It is deciduous.

Wistaria: This is a very well known climber and it will grow in any kind of soil almost. Undoubtedly W. sinesis multijuga is the best variety, but few can wait for it to bloom. It takes from ten to twelve years to flower, but once let it throw its trusses and nothing finer could be desired. W. sinensis, however, is a very serviceable variety and flowers within two ,or three 1 years of planting.

“ Shelter,” Papanui, writes: I would be grateful if you would advise me of the method of propagating Cupres- • sus macracarpa and Pinus insignia from seed. Prepare a stretch of ground as you would for sowing cabbage or lettuce seed, only prepare it in the shade of a fence or belt of trees. If the land is very wet or swampy raise the bed a few inches. Avoid stiff clay and do not have the seed bed rich, or the seedlings will be soft and take poorly to new quarters. Deep cultivation is essential to success preferably double trenching in the autumn. A month before sowing dig over and pulverise the soil well and make perfectly level. Sow after the middle of September, while the soil is on the dry side. Do not sow thickly, and cover the seed with its own depth of soil in which is a liberal admixture of sand.. Protect from birds with fine wire netting, and where shade cannot be provided by a fence or shelter belt, protect with scrim from the rays of the sun. The seeds germinate better on a firm bed, and it is well to run a light roller over the bed first, sow the seed, roll it in and cover with the fine sandy soil. Sow also in narrow strips so that wrenching can be done next autumn, a process that assists the plants to make a ball of fibrous roots, which spells success in transplanting the following season. Small batches may be sown in boxes, but open ground work is more satisfactory. “ Darfield, writes: Plehse find enclosed sketch of grape vines which I have partially pruned. Would you show me by diagram in your notes in Saturday’s “Star” how many of the spurs to remove? The six growths marked C are good fruiting rods and are very well placed for making permanent fbuit bearing rods. C2 could be cut right out after next year if the growth from the cut at A 1 produces a good rod to take its placs. Letters A and B represent places to cut back to. A2 should be encouraged to produce a good fruiting rod in place of all the little stuff it has round it. If the vine is a young one, and your diagram suggests it, do not let it bear many bunches. You must get your rods well seasoned and strengthened first or you will ruin the vine from its beginning. Further, if it is a young vine the rods could be cut back to E> instead of B, allowing them to extend a reasonable distance before pinching in the summer. As it is not. possible to reproduce your sketch in the paper. I have posted it back duly marked and wish you every success. The recommendation to “ L.G.H.” to write to the Department of Agriculture, Wellington, may also be of help to you.