PLANT SHORTAGE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 125, 27 May 1944, Page 7

PLANT SHORTAGE

DEMAND ON SUPPLIES IN WANGANUI GARDENING MORE POPULAR Gardeners who have overlooked the repeated warnings to look ahead to : their requirements are now' finding many desired plants, seeds and tools to be in short supply. Wanganui nurserymen of long experience say that the heavily increased but un- ( satisfied demands of gardeners to-day are not entirely the result of labour shortages and wartime problems. Ten years ago, people were not interested in gardens to the extent they are now. The revival may be due, in part, to the restricted use of motorears or other bans o*ll travel, while gardening campaigns for war production and an increase in State homes have provided additional zest. Whatever the cause, it is agreed that the demands on nurseries have increased tremendously during a time ' when the supply has suffered from difficulties created by the war. The bulb-planting season, which is drawing to a close, has been marked by a shortage of higher-grade bulbs, particularly in anemones, ranunculi and hyacinths. New Zealand-grown bulbs are still available, but their numbers suffered a severe reduction when a New Zealand nurseryman, the largest grower in Australia and New' Zealand, who formerly produced 7,000,000 each season, gave up that work to turn his attention to vegetable growing. Early comers secured the pick of these lines by booking before the season started, and the best grades were quickly sold out. So far as the scarcity of tulips and hyacinths is concerned, this is likely to continue and become more severe as long as the war lasts. The manager of a leading Wanganui seed firm said yesterday that hyacinths could not be rised in New Zealand, while only a limited number of tulips could be raised. The occupation of Holland had cut off the supply of bulbs from that source. The only way stocks can be built up in the Dominion is by importing and the acclimatising of bulbs. Under present conditions that cannot be done. With the planting season almost at hand, present interest is directed to the general nursery situation. Citrus trees are entirely unobtainable in Wanganui. This, it was stated yesterday, was due to labour shortage. All types of fruit trees are well booked up. Since the rise in the price of fruit, many gardeners have decided to grow their own citrus fruit, and nurserymen have noticed that most orders include a request for lemon or grapefruit trees, but they have had to be refused because stocks are exhausted. In spite of the increase that has taken place in the home-growing of flowers and vegetables, there have been large sales of lawn grass seed this season. The prospect for vegetable seeds is reported to be good, and in the coming spring people should have no difficulty in looking after their supply of vegetables on that score. “So far as we know,” stated a seedsman yesterday, “there will be seed potatoes for everybody without panicking, but some of the early lines, especially Epicure, are in short supply. One or two of the favourite liries of peas, such as ‘W. F. Massey,’ will also be short, due to the January drought in the South Island.” Hedge and shelter trees also have been in heavy demand, and quotations have been withdrawn for a number of lines, particularly in the heavy sfielter types. Ornamental shrubs are more readily available.