PRACTICAL GARDENING

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20280, 14 April 1934, Page 23 (Supplement)

PRACTICAL GARDENING

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T. D. Lennie.

TIDYING UP. NOW TIME TO DO IT. Inexperienced gardeners are apt to regard the autumn as a resting time in the garden, and except for brushing the leaves from the paths they leave. Nature to take care of the garden. This is all wrong. Autumn is .the time to '•spring clean’’ the garden. If the plants are to weather the winter and the garden to be a mass of blossom next summer there is a tremendous amount of work to be put in before winter really comes. Certainly there are leaves to be dealt with. This is a job that must be tackled thoroughly—no half measures will do here. Many people sweep the lawn*> and the bits that show, but forget the corners. No spot in the garden must be overlooked when the leaves have falleu. It is those undisturbed little nests that harbour the insects, slugs and snails, and bring forth a healthy crop of them next year to eat tlxeir way merrily into choice plants. Rake carefully under bushes and amongst hedges. Where branches of trees extend over roofs, lift the branches gently and clear beneath. Prill out the masses of decaying leaves in ivies and creepers. This also allows more air to get at the roots. Do not overlook the small pockets in the rock garden either. Leaf-mould is expensive to buy. so save all the leaves collected. Put them in a pit or heap to rot down. If they are placed in a heap, wire round fairly high so as to prevent winter gales scattering them again. Next turn your attention to your herbaceous border. Cut away dead flowers, except those that need their decayed leaves for protection, such as one-day lilies and certain varieties of ferns. Divide and replant any clump that needs, this attention in autumn. Then if the situation is very cold cover with a litter of dry material. Always protect any delicate plants or shrube. Where single plants are concerned a good plan is to affix three sticks in triangular form round the plant and cover with sacking to form a miniature tent, the sticks taking the weight from the plant. If you have any delicate plants in your border place wire protectors over them before covering with litter.

THE GREENHOUSE. A FUMIGATION SCHEME. Those of you who intend to conduct fumigating operations during the winter will no doubt be interested in the following instructions for making a very simple and inexpensive fumigator for greenhouse use. The fumigators may be made now and used as required. Procure, in the first place, about a pound of ordinary paraffin wax. If this is unobtainable, ordinary candles will do quite as well. Melt the wax up in come convenient can over a slow fire. Add to the molten wax a handful of flowers of sulphur and loz of saltpetre. Stir the molten mixture very thoroughly. Pour the mixture into a number of small lids, such as those taken from old cocoa and coffee tins, r.nd in the centre of each lidful of the material place a small piece of tow. tour fumigators will now be ready for tise. For this purpose take one of the Skis containing the solidified mixture of wax, sulphur, and saltpetre, and float it in a saucer of water. Place the saucer on the greenhouse staging and light the tow. The fumigators will burn steadily and will give off sulphurous fumes for a period of about two or three hours. The fumigators are cleanly in use, they can be employed immediately they are required, and they cost icss than a halfpenny apiece to make. DON'T WASTE TREE LEAVES. When rotted, tree leaves make valuable manure. Xevcr burn them. Heap

N.D.H. (N.Z.)

them up in an out-of-the-way corner, tread them firm, water them if dry, ancl cover with soil to prevent scattering.

HOW TO GROW PLANTS FREE FROM CABBAGE FLY. A correspondent from Kailaia writes: To grow plants free from cabbage ilv and other vermin sow in boxes° and place on a lean-to platform at 1 oust seven feet from the ground. Water and treat in the usual way. INCREASE PHLOX BY CUTTINGS The herbaceous phlox, of which there are now so many beautiful varieties, is one of the loveliest of late summer and early autumn flowers. The plants arc perfectly hardy, require practically m>| support, as their stems arc stiff and flexible, and although they increase in size year by year they do not spread rapidly enough Jo become a nuisance. These plants can bo increased by seeds, cutting*, or by div # ion of the rootstocks. Seeds may be sown in heat in spring and later ’ transplanted out of doors to flower the following autumn. Division maj* be done between April and August, and cuttings may be taken now or early spring. Autumn-struck cuttings are best, however, as they develop a. vigorous root system before the following summer and consequently make a better display in the first season. Flowerless shoots should be selected for the purpose, but if they are not in sufficient quantity, the tops of those that have flowered may be utilised. Cuttings about Sin in length inserted round the edges of the pots of sandy soil will root quickly if they are kept in a cool frame for a few weeks. Then, if they arc potted tip separately into four-inch pots, they will make strong plants for putting out in spring

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

KNOWLEDGE (Cashmere) writes: “ I have followed your valuable notes in the “Star” with reference to spraying-, pruning and manuring fruit trees, with the result that I have a bumper crop of apples, principally the following: Sturmers, Delicious and Lord Wolseley. My quandary now is what time to harvest same and how to store them. I would be pleased if you could answer this.—lt is pleasing to find that timely action such as we have advised and you have followed has borne such “good fruit." Your query came too late for this column, but will be dealt with in a special note on the women’s page of the same issue. It will answer others also. CHESTER (Little River) writes: I have a long established plot of raspberry canes, healthy and prolific and early. They have been thinned yearly, but are now very thick and woody in the root base. As they have been probably thirty years in their present position. I thought of establishing a fresh plot, a little lower on the same •warm slope. Being' entirely ignorant of the way to proceed, I am seeking your excellent advice on the following: (1) Could the present roots be divided, and the young canes replanted singly? (2) If not. do£s one cut off young canes and insert, as with gooseberries? (3) When is a suitable time? I may mention that T have not begun to cut out the old canes for this year.— (1) To get, plants for a new bed. lift the old crowns and divide up or dig out the best of the young, strong canes. These will have several roots attached, and for choice should be 4ft high and Imlf an inch or more through. (2) No. (3) .Tune to August, when growth is dormant. Co over the bed now. cutting out all the older canes that have fruited, and the short, puny growths. OLD SUBSCRIBER (Riecarton) writes: Being an old subscriber, and very interested in your garden notes In Saturday night’s “ Star.” would you please tell me the latest time T could put down a lawn. I am busy getting it ready.—Any time during April will he quite satisfactory, but the sooner the better, of course. B.Q ( Rapahoe) writes: (1) Would vou please tel! me what is the trouble with the enclosed Burbank plum leaf. \Ve have two trees, and the one from which this leaf was taken lias all red leaves just now, whilst the other one seems quite normal. (2) Will you also advise if it is necessary to have two Winter Cole pear trees' in order to get fruit. We have one which is four years old. and, though it flowers extent * 110 fruit develops.— (1) I think the difference arises from soil and aspect, meaning that one tree, owing to dryness, ripens off oel’ore y}* ot,ler * Or they may be on two different stocks. There is no indication of a disease. (2) You are njtuVally impatient. - but a pear tree does not bear until about six years old. Jt. is always an advantage to have more than one tree flowering at the same

POTATO TRAPS FOR WIRE WORMS. Where wire worms arc verv prevalent, the trap* illustrated are most useful. Place them here and there alone - the rows of carrots, etc., leaving ; o mo portion of the pegs above the soil, and

examine every week, burning the traps if badly infested. lien [is of clover on boards here and there in the beds will also trap the wircworm beetles.

HINTS TO FRUIT GROWERS. Treat the old stems of loganberries precisely us those for raspberries, cutting them out at the base soon as the fruit has all been cleared away. There is no exception to this rule. The old stems are of no further value; indeed, are really in the way and detrimental to the new canes which now should he making rapid growth. Tie up these la*t to keep them from damage. Later on, if they are too numerous, cut «way the weakest. Loganberries fruit next season on the new growths made this season, but as their growths are so lengthy and pliable, but may be trained in various directions, over “trellises, up poles, on wires and pergolas, and even over outhouses and summerhouse roofs.

time, but another variety is oft 3P better. As the tree gets older it will bear fruit. Of course, you are pruning each winter. Cut out much of the centre wood. ** PINK POCKET ” writes: Could you assist me in a reply through the “ Star ” column as to how I may possibly force my “ show ” chrysanthemums into bloom? I have some excellent buds, but they are only just showing colour and I can see little hope of getting them out in time for our local show (May 3). I am at present trying soot water, warm water and sulphate of ammonia in two-daily intervals. Is it advisable to give them so much moisture, or should the ground be kept dry? Is there any other means of forcing them? If so, I would be obliged if you could tell me. All my blooms are grown outside.—As your plants are outdoor grown, they are not so easily forced along, being retarded by cold nights. I presume you have a canvas covering ovfer them. This is necessary to protect the buds from wet. Watering twice a day is too often if you have cow manure around the roots, or the plants may get too soft. Sunlight and heat are what they want. Try this prescription: Two parts sulplate of ammonia, one part sulphate of pota»h, six parts supei'phosphate. Dissolve in water, "half-ounce of the mixture per gallon of water, and watei*. Apply daily in moderate quantity or according to the dryness of the soil. NOVICE (Belfast) writes: I would be much obliged if you would advise me on the following: (1) Could I transplant some eight-year-old roses? »2) When could it be done? (3) I have a strip of ground 6ft x 30ft. How should I plant it for a showy and lasting display for the spring? (4) What flowers to plant? Thanking you I for the help I have derived from your notes in the past.— (1) Yes, but there is an clement of danger in the process. After the first good rain work round each plant in a circle 2ift from the stem with the spade, pushing it straight down to cut long, straggling roots and cause formation of new roots closer in. This may cause the plants to flag a bit. (2) In July dig up the plants from about the same circle, and transplant with as much earth attached as possible, using a sack to hold it together. Give a good watering after replanting, and stake. (3) and (4) Around the outer edge and 6in in, plant Auriculas and Polyanthus 12 to 1 Sin apart. Nine to twelve inches in plant Ranunculus and Anemones in dumps of three, alternating with Narcissus. Sclllas, Txias, etc., or clumps of London Pride, Forgetmenot, Wallflower or dwarf Antirrhinum. This will leave a central strip 3ft wide. In this plant Iceland Poppies, Columbines or Canterbury Bells interspersed with Tulips or Narcissi. Or you could sow hardy annuals such as Candytuft, larkspur, Calendula, Olarkia, Godetia and Viscaria. These will make a display untH it is time for summer bedding

VIOLETS. Violets should now be making plenty of growth, and in many gardens the usual plan is to lot them run wild. Now violets, although thev bloom even if left entirely to themselves, will do ever so much better if given a little* attention. The bed* should receive a good hoeing and clearing and 'the runners cut oIT, so that all the strength is thrown into the central crown. The beds should lie given a dose of manure, and 4oz superphosphate per square yard. Scatter the manure between but not on the plants, as it is liable to burn the foliage. If there i.s auv sign of red spider or tbrips, the sign being a yellowing of the foliage, the plants' should be sprayed with lime-sulphur solution 1-12.1. Violets like lime, and a dusting of lime will help the plants wonderfully. UNBEATABLE CORNFLOWER. In spite of the many new blueflowered annuals which have been introduced in recent years, the blue cornflower is still hard to beat for colour, and is as popular as ever both for cutting and for garden decoration. Jt has been cultivated for hundreds of years, and modern strains with their perfectly formed and fully double blossoms are naturally a great improvement on the old wild type. The cornflower is perfectly hardy, and seed may be sown now in the open ground where the plants are required to bloom. Autumnsown specimens will be more robust and will flower earlier and more freely than those town in the spring. There is also the pretty rose pink flowered type, as well as dwarf growing strains in both blue and pink for use in small bed* and use as an edging.

LIMNANTHES DOUGLASII. A FRAGRANT ANNUAL. This fragrant annual, a native of California, is not common, although it certainly deserves to be grown much more than it is. It has yellow and white flowers, and grows about eight inches high. Sow in a well-drained or rather dry sunny position. SOW SWEET PEAS NOW. Those desirous of having first-class sweet peas should be making arrangements with regard to plants to stand the winter. The earlier the seed is sown in March the better the results will be for early flowers. Seeds can bd sown in boxes or pots, stood in the open, using a compost of three parts loam and the remainder leaf-mould or short manure and sand. As soon as the plants are large enough to handle, they should be potted up in the same kind of compost, either one or two in a 3in pot, according to the convenience for wintering. If plenty of cold frames are available, pot singly, especially when sown in March, as they become very full of roots before planting out time; but good results can be obtained with two in a pot. The difference is made in planting. If two in a pot, they must be trained outwards to the sticks as they grow. If in single pots, they may be planted in t.wo single rows towards the end of the trench or row. After potting, they should be stood in a cold frame until planting time. During the dull winter months they should be kept rather on the dry side, as damp is the greatest enemy to sweet peas in winter. Air should be given on every possible occasion, and if the weather is at all open, without rain, the lights are best taken off altogether. Never coddle them, as this is often the cause of failures. Always remember that sweet peas are hardy subjects, and must be sreated as such, to ensure success. Should

Sowing Sweet Peas in Pots. no cold frames or greenhouse be available, they may be sown in the open. In doing this, they must be sown thickly enough to allow for losses from birds and slugs. This is always worth a trial; and should they stand, good results are certain to be obtained. When sowing outside to, stand the winter, a well-drained position should be selected, protected from cold winds as much as possible. It is a good plan to put a few branches of evergreen on each side of the plants. This acts as a protection from high winds and frosts. The whole secret of success in growing really first-class sweet peas, such as are shown at our leading exhibitions to-day, lies in the preparation of the soil, the selection of varieties and the strict attention to details during the growing season. The ground should lie trenched to a depth of at least two feet. In the first place, dig a trench about 2ft wide. Next take the top spit and lay it on one side of the trench, and then take out the chunks with a shovel and put on top. The next spit serve in the same way. This gives a trench of about 2ft deep. Dig a good layer of manure into the clay subsoil, to act both as a drainage and a feed. Then refill the trench with the two spits taken out, mixing it with good rotten manure bonedust, wood ashes, and burnt refuse. The latter is the finest thing sweet peas can have. If the plants grown in pots are kept hardy they may be planted out in August provided the weather is fit. When once they have taken root, frost will not hurt them at all. Kven though the leader gets a check, the basal shoots will break and 20 away strongly, and they are all the better for getting a good start. BULBS. TIME TO POT AND PLANT. For winter decoration in greenhouse or conservatory, or even in dwelling rooms, there is nothing better than early-flowering bulbs such as tulips, hyacinths, and narcissi, and few things give less trouble. Under cool treatment they flower from Julv onwards; but if a little heat can be given, a nice display can bo had from June. For the earliest flowers, however, early potting is absolutely necessary; therefore the bulbs should be procured and started as soon as possible. For indoor decoration pots are usually employed, but wl;ere a quantity of cut flowers arc required, the bulbs may be placed rather closely in boxes 4in or sin deep. A light open compost suits most bulbs, so that when potting the soil should not be made too linn. All pots and boxes must bo plunged in a bed of fibre or ashes in a cold frame until they are full of roots and top growth is advanced an inch or so. Remove them then from the plunging lied, and after a few days place them in a greenhouse. Some varieties do not root as quickly ns others, and it is only by examination from time to time that one can ascertain when the bulbs are sufficiently advanced in growth for forcing, which at all times, however, should only be gentle. Any great licat is undesirable. The successful batches of bulbs will not require so much forcing, provided they have greenhouse accommodation before frost sets in. To avoid a glut of flowers at one time and a shortage before those in the open are in bloom, leave the latest kinds in the frames until well into the winter. But a great deal depends upon the late varieties selected. For late work the double and Darwin tulips are excellent, as the less heat they have the better. Although not rtrictly forcing bulbs, irises and earlyflowering gladioli should have a [dace. Given greenhouse conditions in pots or boxes, their charming flowers may be considerably in advance of those outside. Freesias cannot by any moans be. omitted. These, however, must not be hurried, but have cool, airy surroundings in a greenhouse, where on a sunny day tlieir scent is delightful.