GARDENING NOTES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 1 April 1925, Page 6

GARDENING NOTES.

Double Petunias. Single-flowered plants are easily raised from seed sown early in the year, but for the double varieties recourse m usually had to cuttings. These should consist r£ young shoots from the old wood, and should be about two inches in length. Trim them and insert them at once in a compost of equal parts of loam leaf mould 'and sand. The cuttings soon flag if kept out of. the soil, and failure is then likely. It is a good plan to surface the soil with sand. The cuttings, when all are inserted, should ibe kept close and moist in a propagating case, or box. They will not be long in forming roots, and can then be removed, hardened off, potted on separately and given further shifts as they require it. While the plants are small thev should have the tops pinched out to make them of bushy habit. If this is neglected they never look neat. A Thin stake should be used to support the main steam. Double petunias are best grown as pot plants throughout, for the blooms are large and a heavy shower will soon spoil their beauty. 'They can be raised from seed, but only a small percentage conies true. • • • •

Propagating Pinks. The fragrant and free-flowering pink is a great favourite with all gardeners, and is used largely for beds and edgings. Bv the end of the season, however. it becomes very straggling and nntidv, and requires attention, and unless this is given it deteriorates quickly. Choice varieties are generally reriewed by means of pipings or cuttings under hand lights, but at the present -time propagation is easily effected vith icss trouble. If the plants are to be used as an edging, first take up the old; strong clumps carefully, and lay them on one side. Then dig over the ground, s-nd work in some thoroughly decayed manure, road sweepings, or leaf mould. Together with some old mortar rubble if the soil is heavy. Now pull the old apart or cut them into modei-ately-sized pieces, and insert them Amity into the soil, and about six inches apart. If there is a long row to be ■dealt with, the best plan is to cut out a. drill or “nick” some three or four inches deep, and to sprinkle a little sandy soil on the bottom. Then plant the cuttings at regular intervals apart, fill up the drill with soil, and tread it firmly. •By spring most of the pieces will have ■“■taken,” especially if they are pulled off with a few roots attached.

School Gardens. With the re-opening of schools there will come again the opportunity of school gardening. In some cases it will see thg commencement of new gardens, in others the clearing up and continuance of the work, while in others there will be nothing attempted. In the case of established gardens the signs of holiday, otherwise neglect, will be everywhere, and the first work of dealing up and getting things tidy will be lather irksome. It is a pity the interest is not sufficient to keep the gardens Tidy during the holidays. The school garden should be a very important part of the education, seeing what an .important part agricultural and hortieulitural pursuits are to the country "in general. Do we realise that our town is uo more beautiful than the poorest street in them? And if we arc to encourage the planting of trees and shrubs and the love of flowers, it is in the school garden where the education should be couipienced. As a rule school gardens are largely, a conglomeration of common, weedy, uninteresting items, chiefly because they can be obtained practically for nothing. Only the best, most interesting plants should be put in the school gardens. Plants or trees that are aesthetically or commercially useful should be used. Every tree and shrub, even down to the smallest plant, be correctly named. How many Bhkt scholars know the correct names or ti-tree, the natthe interesting This coml) fe sc ho! - plant, of . Mhi. Plani-"■‘.'‘■'i-BfcyLa iio ' '*■ . r '-Better " - • A-''*’ . '

Fruit, Flowers and Vegetables,

ed for at least a fortnight, after which admit air freely. Seed may also be sown now in boxes or a cold ■ frame. Both methods will produce plants that will flower earlier than those raised in heat in spring.