GARDEN NOTES

Waikato Times, Volume 92, Issue 14364, 15 May 1920, Page 7

GARDEN NOTES

(13y "N'lkau.'*7 r J'h" varying year with blade and sheaf Ulollics and rc-elolhes the happy, plains: Here nads Ihe s;ip williin the leaf, Here stays Ihe blood along the veins —A. Tcnni'son. SEASONABLE WORK.

Vegetables and Fruit — Weed and thin Ihe young crops; lino wherever possible to loosen Ihe ground

afler tlie heavy rains. Sow lettuce and silver beet. Transplant lettuee, silver beet, cabbage and cauliflower; cut off lops of asparagus and artichokes, leave the tubers of the latter in the ground. Store pumpkins and marrows In a dry place; use the unripe ones first. karl.li up celery and leeks Unit have made almost full growth. Plant out strawberries. Pick fruit on a line day and store away in a cool, airy place. Prepare ground for new orchard. Flov/crs —

Plant out hardy annua!.-;, biennials and perennials. Stake and train sweet p.ms; Make all necesary alterations, as all kinds ni' plants may now be lifled and replanted. Put in late bulbs, freisias anemones, ranunculi. Pkfit out carnations. Make and plant cuttings of roses, shrubs, conifers, etc. Prepare ground for new hedge, rose border, shrubs. SPECIAL MOTES.

Frost— Since last week's notes were written we have had some severe frosts, which have cut down most of the tender plants in vegetable and flower garden alike. The greal number of these plan!-; may be pulled up and thrown on the rubbish heap, but a few, such as dahlias, should be left a little while to protect' the roots and tubers. In a week or two, when the stems hate ripened oh', they may be cut down to within nine inches of Ihe ground. If it is thought advisable, the tubers may be taken up and stored away in dry aslms or sand for the rest of the winter. In order to benefit by the sweetening influence of frost, the ground should be dug and turned over roughly, so as to leave ihe maximum amount of surface exposed. Planning the Garden— This is the iproper time for making plans for next year's crops; we can then follow a definite scheme of rotalion, and moreover, suitable manures for each kind of crop may be dug in without delay. If will be a great aid if we draw to scale a plan of the garden as if is at present, and as il is inlended In be nexl season, ''"here are many rotations possible but the general, principles of all of theiii may be brl" 'vstated as follows: Each family f plants is peculiarly susceptible to some special pest or disease which lives in the soil; if we can, by means of a rotation, cut off their food supply we can kill them or render tlfcm negligible. Again, eacli family of plants has special food requirements, so that successive crops of tlie same plant, tend to exhaust I lie soil. This difficulty can be partly overcome by manuring, but Ihe lies' way is |o follow a rotation. The following is given as a typical rotation:— Firs) year, peas and beans; second year. cabbage family; third year, celery, onions , beef, carrots, oolatoes., In passing, we should notice that leguminous plants, such as peas and beans possess the property of Mixing' nitrogen— that is. collecting if from flic air and leaving il in the soil in the form of nitrates. Plants such as cabbage, which nerd large quantities of nitrated, will therefore do well when following a crop of peas and beans. Potatoes may follow or be followed by almost any crop except Pert, carrots or parsnips. Unions do not need a rotation, unless the union bed is infested witn mildew. Asparagus— All stems that are not being saved for seed should be cut down to Ihe. ground and thrown on the rubbish heap. Xo seeds should be allowed !o fall on the asparagus bed. as the resulting seedhags would soon crowd the proper plants. To make quite snr<\ it is a good plan to fork out every little plan! that comes up in springtime. The bed should be weeded now and the surface stirred with a fork, but ear" must be taken to avoid cutting the 'crown' an.l the roots. Later on in the winter a lop-dressing of well-roltcd manure may be given. Chives, Garlic and Shallots— A small planting of each of these may be made now to provide flavourings in early spring. Chives, which used to be seen in every cottage garden, but which are rather rare nowadays, make a good edging plant for paths" in the vegetable garden: they will stand weekly cutting, and r,ee,| no! be taken up more than mice iii iiuve or lour years. Garlic may nol be much in favour, but if wanted il ran easily be grown. It resembles nrtichnkes, mint and horse radish in one res p. rl —i[ spreads so quickly as to become a., nuisance unless it is wad! looked afti r. Shallots should be planted in rows so as to leave at. least nine inches each way; ;f [hey are pushed slightly into the soil they will anchor Ihemselves in a few days.' The main planting of shallots should he made soon after Ihe middle of June, so that they may have almost finished growing !>y the time the hot weather comes. The largest bulbs should ,v be sel aside, as 'seed' for Ihe next crop. Figs— Although figs may grow very well in this district, there arc surprisingly few to be seen. Demand is much greater than supply, so [here is no reason why many more trees should nol be planted lie.ro. Thuy are very fr''i' from pests and diseases, if we except birds. Tig trees may he propagated from y-cril, layers, cuttings, suckers and grafts; . indeed, it will usually be found that each tree sends up a number of suckers which sunn attain Hid dimensions of well-grown trees. They need a fairly sheltered position, hut they are very easily suited in the matte" of soil, provided if is not water-logged. Fig trees will do well in shallow soil, even when their roots are compelled to work amongst stones and gravel: they an found in England and on the Continent to live for several centuries under such . conditions. As most of the fruit grows near the ends of Ihe branches, very little pruning should be done: in most cases thinning oul the centre of Ihe tree is all thai is required. Anemones and Ranunculi— , 11 is still lime to make a planting of these universal favourites, without which every garden must be considered incomplete. If a whole bed can be given up hi Ihem, we shall he rewarded by a wealth of bloom lasting for many weeks. Amongst the anemone; we iniisl nofe the SI. Bridgid strain, with starry semi-double (lowers: they are Ihe besl of all, hut a place should be found for the more usual kind, anemone roronaria. This isa single kind of huge si.:e. and excels ill warm, rich colours. There are oilier species, including A. fulgens single scarlet), from the Pyrenees. The ranueuli also provide a number of types—double, single and 'turban.' The colours, 100, arc varied, and include soma shades of red and yellow thai are almosl unique. Vnonxmrs and ranunculi are excellent for culling and for garden decorations. They will thrive in any well-drained soil, bul ranunculi prefer a cool position to a hoi one; well-rolled manure from a rubbish bean will be apprei ialed hy Ihem. They should he" grown in clumps or masses, lim plants In ing allowed from six to nine inches in every dii lion. In planting ranunculi and ■ 'anemone., we should 1 a refill to keep Ihe crown or disc uppermost and the prongs or 'claws! downwards. Children's Gardens— There is now a good deal of work to i

be done as soon as the ground is dry enough. Hazelnuts, walnuts, filberts, Spanish and horse chestnuts should be planted at once in sandy soil, so that the young seedlings may come up in early spring. Some of the stones of peaches, nectarines and plums may soon be sending up young plants, though it is rather early yet. Strawberry beds may be made now from young runners thrown out by the old plants thai fruited last year. The present is also a good [imc for plan!ing rose-cuttings; these should be of healthy young wood with a little 'heel' at the bottom. The cuttings should be from six to nine inches long, and in planting they should be covered up more than half-way in sandy soil.