GARDENING NOTES.

Waipawa Mail, Volume LXVI, Issue 10, 6 October 1937, Page 4

GARDENING NOTES.

• WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO DO IT. * * *

THE GARDEN IN OCTOBER. AMONG THE FLOWERS. The ground is warming up with the lengthening sunshine, and growth at this season should be robust. One of the most important works at the present time is to keep weeds in cheek. If allowed, they soon take possession and smother young growths, besides harboring all sorts of insect pests. It is useless to attempt to deal with weeds by hoeing unless the surface is dry and the atmosphere also, as during damp, muggy weather the weeds are merely transplanted, and come away again as strongly as ever. Where space allows they should be turned under between the plants, but where the plants are too close together to allow of the use of the spade handweeding must be resorted to. Planting and sowing of all varieties of annuals may now be done. Half-hardy and tender subjects are best raised in boxes under cover. | Watering must be attended to as required. j Loosening up the surface soil round growing plants, especially after heavy rains, is very beneficial. Dahlias and chrysanthemums may be planted out where they are to grow. See that the ground is well dug and manured before planting, and do not overcrowd the plants. Both these grow into quite large plants, especially dahlias. Thin out seedlings while quite small to give those which remain the best possible chance of developing into good plants. Aphis generally puts in an appearance at this season. Watch the young growths on the roses, and at the first sign spray the bushes with “Black Leaf 40,” repeating the treatment once a fortnight or so. To keep lawns at their best mowing should be done at frequent intervals. THE VEGETABLE PLOT. A busy time faces the gardener during October if satisfactory crops of vegetables are to be had. All the main crops should be sown or planted in sufficient quantities to supply the needs of the household. Lettuces, radishes, and peas are best sown in small quantities at fairly frequent intervals to ensure young, succulent crops throughout the season. Seedling crops must be attended to, thinning them out as soon as they require it, keeping them free from weeds, and the soil between the rows frequently loosened. Towards the end of the month, or early in November, is early enough to put out tomatoes, and even then a warm, sheltered position should lie chosen and some protection afforded to the young plants for the first week or so. French and butter beans, being tender, should not he sown too early, they will survive frosts, and cold, cutting winds are almost as destructive. Pumpkins and marrows may be planted out, but should be given some protection at first. A box or benzine tin with the top and bottom knocked out forms a good shelter. NEWLY-PLANTED TREES. Recently-planted trees should be examined frequently to make sure they are firm in the soil, for if allowed to sway with the wind serious damage may result. Fork the surface soil lightly about them and make it firm by treading when dry. „ See that the stakes or other supports are firmly fixed and that the trees are not too tight or chafing the hark. If the ties are too tight the flow’ of sap is retarded and growth above that point will he correspondingly weak and may, in extreme cases, be killed altogether. Any growths which are out of proportion or which are spoiling the symmetry of the trees may be cut back now. PLANTING OUT SEEDLINGS. A few hints on planting out seedlings may be of use to those laying 1 out new gardens. For bedding purposes most annuals may he set one foot apart, hut where used for edging six inches will he sufficient. The ultimate size of the plant is, however, the determining factor, and due allowance must he made for its future growth. Except w’hen planting in groups, it is always advisable to use A line. Plant to the depth the plant was in the seed box or bed, or a little deeper, hut do not bury any of the foliage, and press the soil firmly round the roots. Whether the plants should be watered depends largely upon soil conditions at the time and the weather, but as a rule it is a good plan to give a good watering when planting as this washes the fine particles of soil w’ell in among the roots. In dry weather later in the season it is best to puddle the plants*in. After placing the plant in the hole, before filling on the soil, the hole is filled wtih water and after the water has drained away the hole is filled up with the dry earth. The arrangement of colors must be a matter for individual taste, but colors which clash should be avoided. As a general rule better results are obtained by planting in hold groups rather than mixing several different plants in one bed indiscriminately.

potato. The parsnip is a cultivated form of the wild parsnip, a native of Great Britain, chiefly found on chalky soils. Provided the soil is deeply cultivated and well drained, the parsnip can be grown on soil of almost any texture. A fine deep tilth lessens the risk of curving or forking of the root, and where the aim is exhibition specimens the soil must he deeply trenched. But for general purposes the chief bulk of the root is in the first 12 inches, and if the soil is well worked for this deptli it will give a good crop of roots, everything else being' in order. Sow parsnips early, so as to givi them a long growing season, and avoid fresh stable manure. Ground that was manured the previous season for potatoes, celery, or some similar crop will suit well without any further manuring'. Artificial manure can be applied. Use a mixture of superphosphate four parts, sulphate ammonia two parts, sulphate potash one part, allowing about loz. to each yard of row. Apply it a few days before sowing', either forking or hoeing it in. Later, when the plants have made the first rough leaf, they should he thinned to stand about 6in. apart. Sulphate of ammonia, at the rate of loz. to the yard of row, should he applied and worked into the soil. Parsnip seed will not keep its germinating' power for much more than a year, so do not waste time sowing' old parsnip seed left over from the previous season. Cultivate throughout the season, but avoid damaging or cutting the crown or shoulders of the roots, as this is the cause of scabby and cracked l'oots. QUICK MATURER. VALUE OF SPINACH. More attention should he paid to this crop than it is usually given. Many people are not aware that it is one of the quickest maturing vegetables we have. True spinach has no connection with the so-called spinach beet, perpetual spinach or New Zealand spinach. These are substitutes and, though valuable in their way, are not the equal of the genuine article. Sown on good, well-manured ground, it should be ready for picking in about six weeks or even less. The method is to sow the seed, not too thickly, between rows of peas, celery trenches or some other slow-growing- crop. As soon as the plants have made leaves a few inches long the row is thinned out for the plants to stand six or eight inches apart, but these thinnings are used as a vegetable. Spinach, being a quick maturing crop, will not last long before running to flower; therefore it needs to be sown as often as lettuce, radish and such-like crops. Although a crop that generally does best in an open position, partial shade suits it well during the hot days of summer. A shading of scrim or’ light covering of macrocarpa branches will give some beautiful succulent leaves in the hottest weather. As a stimulant there is nothing to equal a little nitrate of soda, applied either dry or as a liquid manure, when the plants are making their first rough leaf. BEGONIAS, FOR BLOOM AND LEAF. Begonias are very popular, especially with those lucky gardeners who possess a glasshouse. Probably no other plant gives such satisfaction, with so little trouble, for such a long period. The blooms are gorgeous, and the foliage, with its,almost velvet appearance, is quite charming. This, perhaps, applies to some varieties more than others, but if kept fiee of insects all begonias have a pleasing foliage. The tubers may be started now. The best way is to. shake all the soil from them, if this has not already been done, and to place the tubers in a shallow box on a compost of equal parts of loam leaf soil and sand. Do not cover the tubers, and water them very sparingly; in fact, no water at all will he needed if the compost is moist and the tubers shaded. When the shoots are above half an inch long the tubers can be potted into four or five-inch pots. The size of pot varies according to the size of tuber, but avoid too large a pot, for it is better to repot than to give too large a pot for a start. A light compost, consisting of three parts loam, two parts leaf soil and one part coarse sand, is suitable. A most important point is to provide ampll drainage in the pot. The begonia needs a fair supply of water, but at the same time needs free drainage. As soon as the roots reach the side of the pots, and before they get potbound, give them their final shift, using- pots of six, seven, eight, or nineinch diameter, according' to the vigoi of the plants, hut he careful not to overpot, and pot moderately firm. The soil for this final shift should consist of two parts fibrous loam, one part leaf mould, and sufficient sand to keep it open; and to this may be added some well-rotted manure, about one-sixth, or hone dust; a five-inch potful of the latter to a wheelbarrow load of compost will be ample. To obtain the best results, all buds should he picked off as they until the plants are well established in the pots in which they are intended to flower, men this stage is reached, weak liquid manure should be given twice a week. Be careful to shade the plants from hot suns, but only sufficient to prevent the leaves