The Home Garden

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 258, 1 November 1939, Page 2

The Home Garden

WORK IN THE FLOWER GARDEN

The flower garden is now beginning to look quite gay, and, if it is to be seen to advantage, tidiness and cleanliness arc very essential. Cutting the lawn, trimming edges, and hoeing and weeding are absolutely necessary. The planting of bedding plants is now in full swing and almost any and everything can be planted. Sowings of phlox, zinnias, asters and many such bedding plants can be made where they are to flower, and should make fine plants—much better than those transplanted. A very thin sowing and ample space for each plant must be allowed. Pansies and ranunculi are in full bloom and dead blooms must be kept picked off if the plants are to continue blooming. When polyanthus and primroses have been planted in a sunny position they should be lifted and transplanted to a shady one. Divisions may be made of these now’. Border carnations are now sending up their flowering heads and they will need staking. A useful stake can be made from a piece of thin wire about tw'o feet long. Leave about eight inches and twist the balance around a broom handle. Pull this out until it has a spiral effect and then carefully work the stem inside the spiral, leaving the flowering head about six inches above the wire. Vegetables To Sow Or Plant. Sowings may be made of peas, carrots, Brussels sprouts, broccoli lettuce, turnips, tomatoes, melons (rock and water), pumpkins, and vegetable marrow', beans and parsnips. Vegetables that can be planted, are potatoes, cabbage, broccoli, kumeras and tomatoes. The cabbage is the mainstay of the home garden, and although other vegetables are nice for a change, the cabbage is, or should be, always available when required. Of recent years the white butterfly has played havoc warn summer cabbage. However, where small quantities are grown protection can be given the plants by growing them in a frame covered with butter muslin. Time is important for cabbages, but where artificial manures are used they should be given at least three weeks before applying any artificial manure. Superphosphate at the time of planting is a splendid manure for cabbages. Pumpkins, marrows and melons may be planted between rows of early planted potatoes. Dual cropping is very useful where space is at a premium. Runner 1 .ans and tall peas should be staked as soon as possible. Even the dwarf varieties will do better if staked. It is important that when tomato plants arc fairly tall when purchased they should be laid down when planting, so that only about, three inches of the top is left above the soil. In this way the first bunch of flowers is usually formed about nine inches from the ground. Bearded Iris. During the last 10 or 12 years we have come to realise the great value of the iris for giving a show of colour in the garden. Most gardeners can boast at least a small collection of the richly coloured and easily grown bearded irises. The Japanese or Kaempferi section, as well as several isolated species of other sections, too, are fairly well known. One of the reasons why the iris has become so universally popular with the layman gardener is its ease of culture and its practical immunity from serious disease. Particularly is this so with the bearded flag iris. It is most pleasing to note that in more recent years this class of hardy iris is becoming increasingly popular. This is no doubt due to the wonderful improvements that have been achieved in the size of the bloom and new shades, and also in the increased flowering season that has been secured. The marvellous new' colourings that now exist and the richness and texture of the modern irises is indeed a revelation to those who are acquainted only with the older varieties. Bearded irises are extremely hardy and can be grown anywhere in the Dominion and can safely be moved at any time of the year; but it is obvious that if shifted near the flowering period poorer blooms will be the result. The correct time to plant, is any time from December to May—the earlier the better. By planting in early autumn the rhizomes become thoroughly established before the winter, and are thus able to support the blooms. They should be planted with the top part of the rhizome above the ground. The only essential points towards the cultivation of bearded irises arc good drainage, plenty of sun, and a yearly application of lime, if it should be lacking in the soil. Many people make the mistake of confusing these plants with the Japanese irises—which are water-loving—and give them the same conditions. Wet feet means death to the bearded irises, and shady places reduce the quantity of bloom and increases the chances of disease. It should be remembered that from after the flowering period until the winter rains the bearded iris enjoys the driest, conditions. Bearded irises are particularly suitable for massing, either by planting varieties with blending colours or with contrasting colours. A well branched head of iris in full bloom is a bouquet in itself, while a large clump in flower is a magnificent sight. A carefully planned iris garden in full bloom, arranged for colour effects, and with due consideration given to heights and times of flowering, is one of the finest sights one could wish to see; indeed, there is nothing so impressive or so calculated to arouse sustained enthusiasm. Repairing Broken Flower Pots. Flower pots, especially the large sizes, arc somewhat expensive, and it is a mistake to throw them away when broken. Generally a pot into two pieces and. by the use ot sodium silicate, or the water-glass sold in syrup form for preserving eggs, it is possible to make good the damage. The broken edges of a pot to be repaired must be made quite clean and dry. Then the water-glass is smeared very thinly on both sides of the fracture. Press the two parts together and tie with string. ft is most important that the edges should be kept firmly pressed against one another lor a few days. Al. the end of this time the waterglass will have set into a hard, Hint-like substance, which is quite impervious to water. Flow To Increase Clematis. The easiest way to obtain young clematis plants is to layer the shoots. Select a shoot which is firm, well developed, and halt-ripened. Bend it over until it touches the soil, and then incorporate a compost ot equal parts of leaf mould and sand with the surface soil. Select two or three of the plumpest buds near the base of the shoot, and make a slit through the nodes, just below their. Use a sharp knife to avoid bruising the stem, and make a slanting cut towards the apext of the stem. The cuts should be in the underside of the shoots. To keep the cuts open insert a piece of match stick or a small stone. Peg the shoots ,! rmly into the soil and cover with a few inches of compost. To ensure speedy and free .noting, moisten the sol. every evening on dry Poots will be produced at each node where a slit is made. When these are sufficiently developed each section can be potted up, and when well rooted planted out in c garden. A Spray for Chewing Insects.—The outstanding ’cmedy for chewing insects such as caterpillars, slaters slugs, snails, codlin moth, and grasshoppers is of lead. It may be dusted on the plants or sprayed on in liquid form. Four ounce.' will make :12J gallons of spray It can also be mixed with contact sprays and fumigated to form an all-purpose spray (that is a mixture of various ingredients to combat the three main pests—chewing insects, sap-sucking insects and fungicide. Arsenate of lead being a poisonous spray, care must be exercised in its use. Fruit sprayed with aresnate of lead mSst be done at a young stage. Cabbages and cauliflowers attacked, by chewing insects should be dusted with a non-poisonous powder, of which there are man. first-class brands. Cuttings and How to Take Them.—There are various kinds of cuttings —shoot cuttings, root cuttings and leaf cuttings. The shoot cutting may be divided into two classes, viz., soft and hard. Soft cuttings include such subjects as geraniums, and hard cuttings such as are found on shrubs. Shoot cuttings of the harder sorts should be taken off with a heel or cut at the base of a joint, the two bottom leaves being removed, and should be inserted as soon as possible. Soft sappy cuttings, such as geranium, strike more readily if they are left to wither for a few hours/ The receptacles to receive the cuttings should contain fine soil, on which is placed about two inches of sand. The cuttings should be inserted with a dibber and the bottom must touch ti e soil at the base ot the holes; press the soil firmly round them, and. remove fo a propagator. Root cuttings and leaf-cuttings are propagated the same way as stem cuttings, except that the stem of the leaf is inserted into the soil, or the leaf is pegged down to the soil. Propagating Perpet..al Flowering Carnations.—Unlike the ordinary carnations, which are prooagated by means of layers or cuttings in January, perpetual flowering carnations are increased by pipings. The young growths put out al the sides of the main stem supply the material out ot which the cuttings are made. Now is a suitable time to take such cuttings. Those found midway between the top and bottom of the stem arc the most suitable; usually they are about two inches in length. They should be firmly planted in a compost of light sandy soil, preferably in 4-lnch pots, placing the cuttings round the edge of the pots. Give a good watering and shade for a few days. They take about five to seven weeks to root and for a few days will have quite a dead appearance. Codlin Moth. A good trap to catch moths of the codlin moth is to tie to trees cans containing a mixture of vinegar and. sugar. ’ Mixed Summer Squashes. When planting for 'irly crops of all v.ne seeds such as pumpkins, melons, squash, etc., experienced growers always plant the seed with the point downwards. Doing this tend«s to stop the seed rotting through moisture gaining entrance, and moreover, the shell of the seed remains longer on tKe first two leaves and so helps to protect them from adverse conditions.