THIS WEEK’S GUIDE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 246, 16 October 1937, Page 13

THIS WEEK’S GUIDE

THE FLOWER GARDEN Among the flower seeds that can be sown now are Amaranth us, Aster, Balsams, Calliopsis, Dahlia, Phlox Marigold Zinnia. The planting of many of the hardy summer bedding plants can be done. Phlox Schizanthus, Lobelia, Carnations, Pansies, Antirrhinums can be planted. Prepare the beds for Dahlia and Chrysanthemum planting. Chrysanthemum cuttings can be taken. These will take readily in sandy soil. The old stools can be broken up and the suckers planted if a large number of plants is not required. Dahlia stools can be divided and planted. Cuttings taken now will root fairly easily. The advantage of late cuttings is that the resulting plants bloom late. This is a good time for planting Ericas, Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Bougainville i, Lucullias aml any shrubs of questionable hardiness. Spray Roses with nicotine to control green fly or aphis. It is also iuU visable to dust with sulphur to control mildew. THE GREENHOUSE. Ventilama muu shading must be applied so as to keep an even buoyant atmosphere. Begonias ai l Gloxinias will now be growing freely; watch for any insect pests. Potting will be necessary as the plants grow. Herbaceous Calceolarias must be kept cool and free of insects; fumigation is the only method of control. Myny of th 1 . greenhouse bulbous plants, such as Gloriosas, Caladiums, can be repotted. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. Work the soil between the rows of Potatoes. A dressing of sulphate of ammonia in the drills is an advantage. Any plants of Potatoes which have leaves mottled with yellow or very curly, and plants with obviously thin, spindly growths, should be lifted and burnt. These are signs of virus disease, which is incurable and is spread by insects, such as thrips, etc. Sow Peas for a succession. Stake any that are already up. It is an advantage to draw some soil up to the plants before staking them. Dwarf Beans can be sown for succession. Sow thinly; allow the plants room to grow; six inches between each seed is not too far. Turnip, Radish ,Spinach all need to be sown at frequent intervals to suit requirements. Pumpkins, Marrows, Cucumbers can be sown on raised mounds; some protection from cold winds shculd also be ready at hand. Sow both Shorthorn imd main crop Carrots. If aphis has been present with previous sowings, sterilise the soil before mwiiwr. THE FRUIT GARDEN. Newly-planted trees should be pruned back so as to give .he trees a good foundation. The majority of young trees are spoilt for the want of severe pruning the first year. Bush fruits, such as Currants, Gooseberries, also Loganberries and Raspberries, should be cut back almost to the last two or three buds. Grafting over of oltl trees should be done now. Those grafted earlier should be watched and any robber shoots rubbed off at once.

ATTENTION TO LAWNS

MAINTENANCE AND RENOVATION. There is room for much improvement in the majority of lawns, and there is no doubt that we in New Zealand have lagged behind the rest of the world in this branch of grassland management. In the realm of sports intensive training and better accessories will do a great deal to improve one's game, but much of their value is lost without a corresponding improvement in the quality of the turf. For example, of what use are the improvements in the modern tennis ball, or the greater accuracy of a well-made golf club, if nullified by a bad court or a bad course? The next consideration is, what constitutes an ideal ornamental lawn? First, it should possess freedom from weeds, then uniformity of colour and trueness of surface; the latter, not so much because it may be used for putting, but because a true lawn will mow well and the grass therefore becomes uniform in density, texture and colour. In an ideal lawn the grasses should be intimately mixed, and the surface should be kept worm-free. Of course the setting of the lawn should be in keening with the rest of the garden. If possible, it should be resilient, and give when walked upon, indicating a dense sward. Just as on a golf course, all the year round excellence is the desired aim, and it is most difficult to attain. Make a Good Beginning. In dealing with detailed work on lawns, it is difficult to find a suitable starting point because the steps that, have to be taken are so much determined by the nature and condition of the grass, and the facilities available. It cannot be stressed too strongly,; however, that the troubles of the lawn owner are nearly always traceable to a bad start, to early neglect, or to failure to realise that lawn upkeep in- ' volves more than a regular mowing. Nowadays, far too much attention is concentrated on the use of fertilisers, and not enough paid to routine mechanical operations, which are often of greater importance in renovating and maintaining turf. Under this heading there may be included systematic raking, or brushing, for the purpose of tearing out mat and preventing a nap forming. Slitting of the turf by means of patent ma- I chines, which is of course equivalent; in effect to harrowing in arable cul- i tivation is also good practice. A' simple mechanical operation which isl often neglected or ornamental lawns, I is to work in the top. dressing by | means of a mat made of metal links or coir matting. Drag brushing is also! a great help on lawns in pulling up runners of surface weeds. It is not often realised that there are a number of other operations which can be usefully carried out during the winter and spring months, such as occasional sweepings to remove leaves, twigs and worm casts. A light sanding can also be done with advantage. Most neglected lawns can be readily improved provided there is a foundation of suitable grasses among the weeds and moss. The Mixture. I If it is considered that things are not beyond improvement, the best line of treatment is to give several applications of a mixture of three parts, by weight, of sulphate of ammonia, and one part of sulphate of iron, with a carrier of 20 parts of sand. It should be applied at four ounces per square yard, preferably under dewy conditions in dry weather, but not during very droughty conditions.

Five or six dressings should be given at monthly intervals. Some of the most resistant weeds, such as buttercup and plantain, may require a stronger treatment, using a mixture of sulphate of ammonia three parts, sulphate of iron two parts, and sand five parts, applied either broadcast or on the crowns of the individual plants. The monthly dressings should start at the end of September. On very light land damage can easily be done by over-treatment, especially if the soil is deficient in lime, with the result that bare areas appear.

LEEK CULTIVATION

The leek is very closely allied to the onion, so much so that in a wild state and, when grown, in dry poor soil, the leek produces a bulb, and it is only when well cultivated that we get what may be termed a good sample of leek. The leek is said to be found wild on a small island in the Bristol Channel, which is also the home of the scarlet peony; it also grows in Malta. It is said to have been adopted as the emblem of Wales about the sixth century, probably for the reason that the only British location was in Wales. The leek, as a vegetable is most popular in Wales, North of England, and Scotland, and those who have seen the superb specimens and keen competition at some of the flower shows will realise the interest taken. It is a fine vegetable where it is understood and well grown, and there is nothing of its class that can surpass it in flavour and wholesomeness. One reason for its fame is its exceeding hardiness. The severest winters do not harm the plant, and it may remain in the open ground until wanted, occasioning no trouble for storage. There may be three sowings of leek made in the open ground in August, September and October, to ensure a succession and also to make good any failures. But for most gardens one sowing about the middle of September will be sufficient. From this sowing it will be an easy matter to secure an early supply, a main crop, and a late crop, for they may be transplanted from the seed bed to mature, so as to give a proper succession. The leek will grow in any soil, and even if it is no thicker than the linger, it is useful; indeed, in many places where the soil is poor and the climate cold it rarely grows larger, but is, nevertheless, greatly valued. A rich dry soil suits the plant well, and when liberally grown it attains a great size, and is very attractive, while its silvery root and brilliant green top. The economical course of management consists in thinning and planting as opportunities occur, beginning as soon as the plants are six inches high, and putting them in well prepared ground, which should be thoroughly watered previously, unless already softened by rain. The distance must depend on the nature of the ground and the wants of the cultivator.

To grow larger leeks in strong ground they must oe quite a foot apart, but the crop of small useful roots six inches will suflice. In planting, first shorten the leaves a little (and very little), then drive down the dibber, and put in the plant as deep as .the base of the leaves, and close in carefully without pressure. Water liberally, occasionally stir the ground between plants, and again cut off the tops of the leaves, when the root will grow to a largo size. If the ground is dangerously damp or pasty, make a bed for the crop with light rich soil, plant on the level and mould up as the growth advances. On light land, however, it is advisable to grow them in trenches, prepared as for celery, but the leeks need not be earthed up. The largest and whitest should not be left to battle with storms, but those left in the seed-bed will take no harm from winter weather, and will be useful when the large ones are eaten. The finest roots that remain when winter sets in may be taken up in good time and stored in dry sand; they will keep for at least a month. Any that remain over in spring can be turned to account to supply a delicate and comparatively unknown vegetable. As the flower stems rise nip them out; not one should be left. The result of this practice will be the formation on the roots of small roundish white bulbs, which make an excellent dish when stewed in gravy, and may be used for any purpose in cookery for which onions or shallots are employed. They are called leek bulbs, and are obtainable only in early summer.