Gardening Notes

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 71, Issue 237, 6 October 1928, Page 22 (Supplement)

Gardening Notes

(BY ALKANET).

FLOWER GARDEN In the ornamental garden the time is lure for planting hardy annuals. It is later than usual this year owing to the w eat her. Chrysanthemums should be transplanted now. if the dahlias have been housed dur i>' the winter they should be brought This is the time to weed lhe newly -own lawns. I’he carnation- -hoiild be staked now. The violas should be given a I <»pdressing. Keep the rake and hoe busy so that the weeds do not get too large. This is tin- best time to divide ami replant gerberas. Seeds of free/ias uifly be sown now. ILurdv annuals such as cosmos, marigolds. Virginian stork, wallflower etc., should be sown now. Gladiolus that have been housed during the winter should In* planted now. Double flowering peaches should be pruned as soon as they have dropped their ilovvers. This i< ’h< best t.ime to plant taxonia-. Ir.iu- iivillias. frost tender terom:«s an i p-dlagonians. as w»-ll as tin* tender hibiscus. ORNAMENTAL GARDEN Acer Pollymorthum (the .lapane.-e itiapie). These trees are some of the most conspicuous ornamental trees grown. They are ornamental in the summer find they <-olour very vividly’ in tin* autumn. Some varieties are very hardy ami others less so. Th<-y all de- | light in plenty of moisture (but nor -tagnant moisture The -iiciiler varieties do best locally in half shad'-. If shaded too much, however, th'-y lose a 10l of their colour. It i> reniy be.-t to plant them so that the sun is kept oil’ them after 1" or II o'clock. Th dwarf varieties must not be .-übject to too lilU<’h coinpcti lion with larger trees or they will not do really well. Thev will do ijuite we|| in ordinary garden soil. I’rom now until the ( nd of Deeembci- they' are at their best loi-aHy and are really a beautiful sight, especially the pink and led -hades. The while and yellow one< .are not to be compared with these. They are well worth growing in a collection but the brighter ones are undoubtedly the best. »>f the coloured ones, aecr rubrum and a'-.T -eo|< pedendri I oliuni rubrum tlo* hurdi'-'I. Tlie-c will grow almost anywhere. The shape of lhe foliage and the colouring varies, but their ■ growth i- about equal in hardiness and l-trength. The real g'-m of the red i varietic- however. arer at ropurpurium j alieeetum. This ti'«-. with its v cry finely-cut foliage looks just like lace. ' it has a p<-ndula (weeping) habit mak'if very unconiinon. h is unusual to I see high >p<*cimens, they are nearlv ali I dwarf, but they are very lim-nev <-r t heI h 's. This variety is rather tender 1o | the wind- as its line foliage is easily • iamagctl. i Acer Sanguinea Seigen is probably {'.he ;no-t conspicuous in the pink varieI’ics but it is also the liio-t 'litTirult to I grow and rarely does well unless it is |

grown under ideal conditions. of the varigated forms Acer Verse-I dour is good, also Acer Rosea, Acer j Dictatum Varigata, Acer Aureau Varigata. I he.-r have a tendency to grow out of t’m-ir v arigatuni and revci t to th*- original form. As soon as this is noticed all the growth showing no varigatiori ,'hould be pruned off. The hnrdie.-t oi all lhe Japancs'j n : |.i* - i- Acer Palmatum. It i- .-up-p-'-'cd to 1..- the parent plant of the 'iifiiiin-r. but turn- to very brilliant, 'had**- m the autumn. It will grow to • - "V I-' f'-' t high, but like all maples, it t-ikkindly to pruning. AnoThc! o| tin- green varieties is Acer Osakazuka. This has larger f<diag.- i han in..'? of thc Jap maple.s and .•..lour- .-’v i.■ i: i i iul I v in the iiutumn. >ccd> arc of a bright red colour and at. a .oiispieiioii- Icature. It ls as hardy a.- I’almatuin but is of considerably .'mailer growth. There are quite a number of varieties oi the-e tree.', but the ones mentioned are the ino-t conspicuous ami ih<- ones u.'ii’ily grown for ornament a I purpo.'e-. Nearly all of these a re better ii pruned back regularly each winter. The green varieties will give much belter toliagc in the autumn than if left to th.-mxdvrs. All the varieties iii.-nt iom-d u i| -tand several degrees of tio-t, in fa<q they -oimtimes do better inland than along the coast, where a prolonged dry sped in the summer may ■ aiise them to drop their foliage early. Th.y usually pick up again by lhe following spring, however. Inland where the nights are colder, they keep their loliage longer. Altogether they are very desirable plant.'.

KITCHEN GARDEN The weather at present seems Io have taken a turn for the better. Ft is to be hoped that it keeps up as we need it very much indeed. All planting ami sowing has been delaved ami some seeds that have been sown may med Io be sown again as the season has been most unsatisfactorv as far as vegetables are concerned. The main crop of potatoes should be planted without delay as soon as the soil is in a suitable condition. It is better to wait a little later than to plant them when the soil is too wet. The main lots of cabbage ami cauliflower should planted now. Late cabbage ami late cauliflower o r <‘arl\brocoli are most suitable for planting n o w . ■\Vher<- onions arc up they should be weeded as soon as possible to get them into growth quickly. Even if they are not weedy a turn with thc hoe will help the young plants a lot. Pea* should be sown at regular intervals. Use main crop varieties and do not sow them too thickly. Peas well on the way to flowering -hould bo given as much cultivation as possible to get them into their proper .-t riile. A snial application of 4 ‘super ’’ will help them. Space should now be prepared for the main lot of tomatoes. These should go in as soon as the soil is suitable and ih<- weather is considered safe. This will vary according to locality. If the wi'athi-r is anything to /pi<lg'‘ by at present they will be late this year, but one can never toll. The lirst early beans may be planted now. Either butter or French beans may be used. They must both be given a warm spot and must be protected if a late frost comes along. Carrots may be sown now. but only if the soil is suitable. Parsnips may be sown, but only in warm localities. Beetroot may be -own if the soil is suitable and not too wet. Parsley may be sown, also radishes. Lettuce should be planted at regular intervals. This is tin* best possible lime to grow lettuces. Seeds should i>e sown at intervals to have a sucees- ; sion of plants ready for transplanting. Rhubarb may now be sown in warm Seeds should be sown Io get plants lor a late planting of tomatoes. Turnips should be sown at intervals. Leeks should be sown during this month, also swedes. Green kale, red cabbage, savoy and brocoli seeds should be sown now for later tram-planting. If dryer conditions set in the rhubarb may need top-dressing. The planting of rhubarb, asparagras, etc., will m-ed to cease m>w unless special preparation is made for them. Except in very late localities’ the planting of fruit trees and fruit bushes will now be over for this season. Asparagras beds will now begin to make growth for cropping . T'hey should therefore Im kept quite free from weeds. It is <1 good plan to cover th© whole bed wi’h som<* old well-rutted THE ORCHARD i

In the orchard the spring am] suin-im-r routine work will begin this month. The weeds will grow qui'-klv and will nee.l attention to keep them under. This is the time to graft apples and plums if the original varieties have proved unsatisfactory. This is a qui' ker way than iligging out the trees and planting small ones in their places. It is not possible to graft |>ca<’hes and nectarines in this way. If these are not satisfactory they will have to The spraying of apple and pear trees against tin- black spot may be done either just before () r just after the blossoms have appear'd. In badlv af oi.har.ls „n<- spraying befora 1 he.v flower and one alter would be adLime sulphur is to be rerontiiieudf’d for this and is usually effective. Bordeau mixture also may In* used, but the mixture must be carefully prepared as too strong a mixture wil burn thc foliage ami discolour some of the apples, as too strong a mixture will burn tinunsatisfactory for spraying.