Gardening Notes

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 153, 30 June 1934, Page 13

Gardening Notes

(BY ALKANET).

WORK FOR THE WEEK

THE FLOWER GARDEN. Plant Roses. Ged rid. of useless and worn-out oßse bushesPlant deciduous trees and shrubs. Evergreen shrubs can be planted when soil is not too wet. Avoid planting small tender plants for the next week or so. Herbaceous plants, such as Delphiniums, Phlox, etx., can be lifted, divided and replanted. Climbing and rambling Boses should be pruned and trained. Wichuriana Roses, such as Dorothy Perkins, need a good clearing out every alternate year or so. Clean, manure and fork over herbaceous borders. If the border has run wild and overgrown, this is a good time to clean it up. Overhaul the Rockery, topdrese, remould, and plant new pockets. Commence to take cuttings of Chrysanthemums. THE GREENHOUSE Lobelia, Mimulus, Antirrhinums, Pentstemons, Petunias and other halfready annuals. Water plants only when essential. Avoid any surplus moisture. Insert cuttings of Perpetual-flowering Carnations. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. Trench the ground for the root crop. When not too wet get ground ready for planting a few Potatoes. The Onion bed should be prepared by trenching. Hand weed seedling Onions. Plant Shallots, Potato Onions.. A firm bed is required. Collect all spent crops. If disease Is present, burn them; if clean tney can be buried. Collect, clean, resharpen Tomoato stakes. Plantings of Cabbage .and Cauliflower can be made as required. THE FRUIT GARDEN. Pruning should be completed as soon as possible. Apply a winter dressing as soon as possible. There are plenty of good varieties of fruit suitable for tbo homo gurdon without bothering with second-rate kinds. If a tree Is old and decrepit dig it out and replace by a young oneNow is the time to plant fruit trees such as Apples, Pears, Peaches and Plums. Loganberries should receive more attention as a home garden crop. Cultivate and apply a topdressing of blood and bone manure to the Strawberry bed.

TREES AND SHRUBS

MANY NATIVE SPECIES. With the advent of the planting season, the selection of representatives of the fast disappearing native flora for planting in the home garden should not be overlooked. The complaint is often made that the native trees and shrubs are slow in growth, but. given suitable conditions they will compare favourably with many of the exotics. .Practicality all native trees and shrubs tare evergreen, and like all evergreens, ithe bark is very susceptible to sun fccald. Growing as they do in a natural Btatc of dense shade, this trouble does >ot occur, but one has only to observe jfehe trees on the sunny fringe of a patch of bush, to find this sun-burned, >ark constricted condition. ■ With other trees and shrubs which jfrow naturally in an open position, such as the pohutukawa, nature has provided a dense fringe of branches, which arise from the base to protect the bark of the main stem until it has attained size. The difference in the suppleness of the bark of a well protected tree, and one that has had the protective branches removed to restrict the tree to a single stem, needs only to be seen to be believed. The hardness of the bark constricts the flow of Fap, and growth is naturally slowed down. Give the native plants their natural protection from drying influences. and good results will be obtained. Medicinal Qualities. It is remarkable that the medicinal virtues of many native plants have not been exploited. The active principle of many of the herbal remedies of the Maoris, may yield drugs which would be of value, and lead to jpore extensive plantings of the varieties concerned. The healing properties of the gum of harakeke arc well known. Not so well known, perhaps, is the fact that odl of titoki and of kohia were used for much the same purpose* the bark of kohekohe has also medicinal properties, the young bark containing a bitter principle akin to quinine. Many of the remedies may seem absurd. but the Maoris found relief from their wounds and ailments, before medical advice was available to them. That is one aspect of the planting of natives. The other will perhaps appeal to a wider circle of the general public; that of beautifying their own gardens. What imported exotic will give a liner effect than a well-grown kowhai tree in full bloom, especially when that (melodious songster the tui is frequenting the tree, for the purpose of if easting on the honey contained in the flowers? This tree should be in every garden. The pohutukawa is perhaps best seen in the mass to be thoroughly appreciated, as it is seen round the Auckland beaches during summer. The titoki makes a graceful tree and when in fruit, provides an added attraction with the shiny black seeds, set on a scarlet cup. The puriri makes an ideal street planting tree, and it will survive heavy cutting and trimming into shape. The hoherias are beautiful in flower especially the variety known as Osborneii, and are worthy of planting in any garden. Efficient Hedge Plants. Native plants are adaptable for utility as well, as some make quite efficient hedge plants. Pittosporum crassifolim is especially good in this respect. Coprosma Baueri (taupata) is also a splendid plant for hedges. Among the Veronicas are legions of lovely plants which will provide large specimens for the shrubbery borders or 'dainty little alpine plants for the rock rarden. There is indeed such a wide fange of native plants, that subjects :an be found for almost every position, ind will be of interest throughout the year. A COMPLETE MANURE. complete artificial manure must Bain the three elements, nitrogen, Bphoric acid and potash. The effect <.<Ahe first is to increase leaf production and growth, but retarding the 'ripening of wood; phosphates, on the other hand, hasten the ripening of the wood and the production of flower buds and tubers, and so restrict the production of foliage; potash is said to give “quality” to the flowers and fruit, in so much that it intensifies the colour-

RHUBARB | Now is a good time to prepare the ground for new plantations of rhubarb. It was introduced into England somewhere about 1570, cultivated as a pot herb and considered superior to spinach. The use of the tender leaf stalks as a substitute for fruit in pies and tarts was not in vogue before the early years of 1800. The pleasant, refreshing acidity of rhubarb is caused by the presence in quantity of oxalic acid. It is said that the large globular pouch of unopened flowers, when treated in a similar manner to the stalks, is of a more delicate and mild ; flavour, and forms a pleasing dish. . Trench the ground, which must be I well drained if the crop is to be good. I The plant forms thick, firm roots, which go down to a great depth, and if the plant is to do what it should it must have a good depth of soil; if the soil is at all shallow or heavy, it will be necessary to trench 3ft deep. When ternching or preparing the ground, add plenty of good, well-rotted manure with it as the work proceeds. Leave the bed to settle for a month, if possible. The best stock for planting is single crowns; the method of splitting up a root with a spade and planting the lump is not recommended. Cut out the crown, choosing good plump ones, with a knife, just leaving a very small piece of solid root. Plant these from 2ft to 3ft apart, covering the crowns with 2in or 3in of soil. It will be found that single crowns make much ‘finer plants and last longer without, going to seed than large divisions. .If the plants are bought in, cut out all bruised or decayed portions. After planting, a light dressing of long stable manure should be put on the bed. and if dry weather intervenes water should be given. No leaves can be picked the first season after planting; encourage a strong, sturdy growth, so as to develop a strong, vigorous crown. The cause of many rhubarb plants giving thin leaf stalks and continually sending up flower stalks is that the plants have been raised from seed. Rhubarb, to be true to type, should be propagated by division of the roots. GOOSEBERRY PRUNING Gooseberry bushes should be kept open in the centre. It is a mistake to think that the more branches there are, the more fruit there, will be—the result may be quite the opposite, for when the branches arc crowded many of the buds remain dormant, while others bear only poor fruit. Thin the branches well and grow more fruit. A bush should be in such a state as to make it easy to pick the fruit without tearing the hands. The shoots on the lower and inner parts of the bush should be spurred back, but those on the outer and higher parts can be left longer; use judgment and shorten according to strength. Strong shoots do not need much cutting back; shorten weak ones more, at the same time keeping in view the habit of growth. Drooping varieties should be lifted by cutting off the bent portions of drooping twigs, cutting to an upward pointing bud. Those that are inclined to grow inwards can be corrected by cutting to outside buds. In every case much can be done to get a good bush by cutting out awkwardly placed shoots and branches, remembering always that a bush with well-placed branches is the one that will be a profitable pleasure. CONSTITUENTS OF WOOD ASHES. Fifty pounds of wood ashes will contain approximately 4.61 b of potash. 1.47ib of phosphoric acid, 21.771 b of lime, and 1.211 b of oxide of iron, all valuable plant manures, generally necessary to apply artificially. Other constituents not so valuable are magnesia and manganese, usually plentiful in all good soils. YELLOW TURNIPS. Although most persons without even a square foot of kitchen garden are aware of the existence of the redtopped, purple and white varieties of turnips, very few kitchen gardeners ever entertain the thought of striking awav from the beaten track by sowing om of the several very reliable yellow fleshed varieties. If these kinds were given the treatment accorded to the others, they would become established favourite!.