WORK FOR THE WEEK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 178, 31 July 1940, Page 10

WORK FOR THE WEEK

The Flower Garden’

Proceed with the pruning of roses and burn all clippings to destroy scab and fungi that may be upon them. Next thoroughly dress any of the bushes that are affected with the white scale of the rose, which invariably attacks the older plants and those belonging to the climbing section. This scale is easily distinguished by its white appearance. The best remedy is to spray the bushes with an oil spray immediately after pruning. Tar oil sprays are very good, as also is a 1-100 solution of a coal tar disinfectant. The latter is easily obtained, mixes readily with water, and is easily applied, cleaning up insects and mildew spores. Carefully remove any suckers or wildings that have grown up from the stem. When rearranging tse rose bed it is advisable to dig in a good supply of manure and later give a good dressing of lime. Ericas or heaths are exceedingly pretty shrubs and are very free flowering. With a small collection of heaths, flowers may be had almost throughout the season. Boweana, Wiimorana and Hysmalis flower for several weeks. Cavendishii is the best of all the yellow heaths. Ericas vary in height—some are dwarf, some of medium height, and others taller. They do not succeed when planted in ordinary borders where deep digging and manuring takes place; a seperate bed made up of sandy loam should be provided. They do admirably in volcanic soil when the soil is naturally heavy. A mixture of river sand should be incorporated in the beds. No manure whatever should be given except when the plants are thoroughly established and have been planted two years or more, when a slight mulch of thoroughly decomposed powdered cow manure may be applied as a surface mulch. The ground around the plants must not be deeply dug because the mass of fibrous roots that are produced near the surface must not be disturbed. All that is necessary is to keep the soil around the plants free from weeds iy an occasional shallow hoe. The stronger growing varieties succeed admirably when planted on grassy slopes and dry banks; they become naturalised and seedlings come up naturally. Boronias.—These may be associated with ericas as they require similar treatment in choice of soils and cultivation. They are very eligant and delightful little shrubs, but unfortunately they are not long lived in our climate. However, on account of their distinctive character and the show they make, they are well worth growing. The variety magastigma is the greatest favourite, the flowers being of a coppery yellow colour within and maroon-purple outside, and give out a powerful fragrance. The flowers are bell shaped and freely produced all along the branches. It- is largely grown and most highly prized as a pot plant. There is another form of this species, boronia elatoir, which is more bushy and a stronger grower with pretty green foliage, and produces a mass of rosecoloured blossoms. A little silver sand should be mixed with the soil where boronias are planted and also in potting soil. In the beds and borders it is advisable to lightly manure such plants as pansies, violas, daisies, violets, primroses and polyanthus. A slight forking of the soil will assist them wonderfully. nt rhodendrons, azaleas, chrysanthemums, all deciduous trees and roses. Sow seed of sweet William, Iceland poppy, stocks, sweet peas, larkspur, nemesia, pansies, violas, shizanthus, begonia, petunia and coleus.