GARDEN NOTES

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19639, 27 July 1935, Page 18 (Supplement)

GARDEN NOTES

(By “Nlkau.")

SEASONABLE WORK

SPECIALLY WRITTEN AND COMPILED TO SUIT IKAIKATO CLIMATE

VEGETABLES AND FRUIT SVMIe the ground Is wet, little can be done by way of planting and sowing. Much, however, can be done with pruning trees and shrubs, putting in cuttings, sharpening tools, tidying up stakes and Sticks, making a garden plan and entering up the gardener’s ■“•jog”—accompanied by a plan of last year’s crops and notes on the varieties, success or failure, etc. ;When the ground is workable, continue turning in greed manure, plant some Cabbage and sow some Dwarf Peas and Broad Beans. JJse Artichokes, Beetroot, Marrows, Celery, and Carrots while are still in good condition. Parsnips and Leeks will stand for nearly three months more. Plant, spray, and prune fruit trees, but chose a fine day for the spraying. FLOWERS Prune Roses, taking sheltered climbers first. Plant Ornamental Trees and Shrubs when the ground is dry enough. Weed amongst bedding plants.

Prunus Mosoril. This is the double pink plum whloh has Just begun to flower. In a week or so, trees of this species will b.e a ■wonderful sight. Pr.unus Mperll has also beautiful reddish foliage from spring until late autumn, so It has much to commend it. In one respect Is It inferior to the over-planted Prunus Pissardii; the latter (white-flow-ered, single) bears large crops of red plums when frost has not harmed the flowers or young fruit. The time of flowering this year is almost normal, if we may judge by a few dates readily accessible and kept by tlie write/*: 1930, first bloom on July 27; 1931, first on July 20; 1933, first on July 26; 1935, first on July 19.

Varieties especially recommended for this system of growing are: Avoca, .Frau DruschJd, Gross an Teplitz, Hugh Dickson, Lady Waterlow, McGredy’s Pillar, W. C. Clark.

Newly Planted Roses. With the exception of climbing roses, ramblers and dwarf polyanthas, the first pruning should be ,severe. This will help to strike a balance between top and roots; the latter will be able to start quickly, so that strong growths will be made. These will form the ribs of the tree for a number of years probably.

Dwarf Polyantha Roses. These have a dwarf bushy habit of growth, quite unlike those of most roses. All the pruning necessary is to cut away the old flower-heads, and thin out some of the old wood. The ■stems will then break again from the top eyes and from:the base. If allowed to grow at will, some varieties will ■make high bushes and will be a toeautiful> sight throughout the 1 summer. When used for bedding, they should be cut back fairly hard, and a number of the little rods thinned out.

Rose Pruning. The last week in July and the first week or two in August are a suitable time for pruning roses in this district. The methods of pruning vary according to the class of roses (hybrid tea, tea, climber, standard, etc), and the purpose for which they are grown (for decoration of house and garden, or ■for exhibition). It is obvious that rules cannot be given for all roses, hut a few principles apply to most roses. (1) Dead or diseased wood is to be cut out. (2) Growths crowding the centre, whether twigs or strong rods, are to be cut out. (3) The centre ts to be fairly open, but need not be ouplike. (4) Unripe, pithy .shoots are to be cut back hard, or else removed ■entirely; such growths, have generally been made after midsummer, and have not had time to become Arm and ■woody. (5) v To direct the growth ■outwards (to avoid crowding), prune just above a bud pointing outwards; oil the other hand, if the habit of growth is spreading or drooping, prune Just above an inside bud. (0) Severe pruning generally results in the growth of strong new shoots and perhaps only a few flowers. It Is practised especially with roses grown for exhibition. (7) Do not leave stubs, as 'these die back to the nearest bud, and are entry-points for disease. Tho first step is to cut out all dead , or dlseased'wo'od, and to'shorten long streamers (unless these are to be pegged down, as explained later). Having thus cleared the way, we come to the pruning proper. We shall consider chiefly the roses grown for home iurposes—exhibitors probably have their own ways.

Standard .Roses.

Several kinds of roses are 'grown as standards, but most belong to the Hybrid Perpetuals and Hybrid Teas. These may'be pruned in accordance with the, instructions given for dwarf plants (dead or diseased wood, twiggy growths, outward-pointing buds, eto.), but even more importance must b& attached to the formation of a shapely head and to keeping the centre open. Fresh shoots from the point of union of the rose with the stock are not so frequently made as in dwarf plants, so the pruning will mean cutting back the shoots made the previous season nearly to last year’s point of pruning. If tho growths are left long, the head will soon become unshapely. • The weaker growing teas will require . severe pruning, and with this class no harm is done in cutting back almost to the union of the rose with the stock. (So says the National Rose Society’s handbook, but in New Zealand the pruning is. rarely as severe as .lliat recommended.) : 4Vny growths coming from the stem or base of tho standard should be cut out ruthlessly, as they belong to tlie stock, and will soon outgrow the rose if left alone. '

* First come those requiring hard pruning. (A long list of these is given below). We cannot do better than quote from .the handbook of the National Rose Society: “Where the plants are grown chiefly' for the ornamentation of the garden .find high quality of individual blooms is not re-quired,-the method 'of pruning to be employed will be as follows: Cut away to the toaso all .dead, weak and unripe shoots. AH shoots which have a tendenoy to cross one another must , be cut out bo that the plant may not become too crowded, a point which has special Importance in dealing with tlie centre ef the plant. The pruner will now have only the .stronger and well-ripened .shoots 'of the previous year’s growth to deal with, and the so should be cut back .so as to leave from six to eight 'eyes’ on each shoot. In pruning roses for garden purposes greater attention should toe given to the ■symmetrical formation of the plant, and more shoots (according to the Vigour of the variety) from the base should toe allowed to remain than when pruning for exhibition purposes." An established bush of a rose belonging to this division will have from three to eight strong stems, and perhaps a few side growths from two to Mix lliches long. The height of the plant when pruned may be from one to three feet high. Those requiring light'pruning will be loft a little taller than those in the first division, and they will ho allowed more laterals —In fact, they will be more of a bush. Those requiring very light pruning will be allowed more laterals, and will bo still more definitely bushshApcd, The pruning will consist almost wholly in removing dead or diseased wood, and little twigs and shortening last year’s growths. Lists arc - given below.

Hard Pruning. The following need 'hard, or fairly hard pruning; Admiration, Angelo Perne-t, Antoine Rivoire, A Hartmann, Borbara Richards, Betty Uprichard, Candeur Lyonnaise, Capt. Kllbeestuarir, 'Charles P. Kilham, Cherry, Col. 0. Fitzgerald, €. ■de Castilleja, 'Coronation, Dainty Bess, Dorina Neave,. Dame Edith Helen, Dorothy Page-Roberts,. Earl Ilaig, E. G. Hill, Emma Wright, Ethel Somerset,'Empress, Etoile de Hollande, Golden Dawn, Golden Emblem, Golden Ophelia, Ilawlmark Crimson, Independence Day, James Rea (or very hard), J. G. Glassford, Jullen Potln, Julia, Innocence, Lady Fonteviot, Lady Inohlqiiin, Lady Helen Maglona, Lady Hillingdon, Lady Pirrie, Lilian, Mabel Morse, Margaret McGredy, McGredy’a Ivpry, McGredy’s Scarlet, Miss Wlllmott, Wine Butterfly, Mrs Beatty, Mrs A. R., Barraclough, Mi’s 0. Lamplough, Mrs G. A. Van Rossem, Mrs H. Bowles, Mrs H. Mor§d, Mrs H. Winnett, Mrs 11. Stevens, Mrs John ‘Lalng, Mrs S. McGredy, Mrs W. Quinn,.Norman Lam* bert, Orphella, Portadown Fragrance, Richmond, Sir M. Segrave, W. E. Chaplin, Trlgo, lllrlck Brunner, Viotor Hugo, Ville do Paris. Light Pruning, The following need light pruning: Caroline Toslout, Cupid, Dazla, Frau Karl Druschld, George Dickson, Gruss an Teplitz, Hugh Dickson, Irish Flreflame, Irish Elegance, Isobel, K. of K„ Lady Waterlow, La France, La Tosca, Muni an Coohet, Mine, E. Herriot, Pax, Penelope, Red Letter Day, tho Queen Alexander Rose, W. F. Drcer, White Mnman Co’chot.

Tho following should havo very light priming: Chastity, Cupid, Ard’s Rover and most climbers, such ns Climbing Richmond, Climbing Mrs Stevens, etc.

Climbers.

The pruning of these was described a while ago. Nearly all the strong young rods coming from the base or at least fairly low in the 'bush arc to he kept, ■but all twiggy growths must lie cut

Rose Outtings.

out. A few old rods should also ibe cut from the base, and thus 'the bush \ or treo is renewed. If the plant becomes bare at the base, one or two of the young rods should be cut oil’ a. foot or so from the ground. Another way to furnish a plant bare at the base Is to bend a young rod down and around. The bending down inclines It to send up a number of growths. Another point Is to shorten iho long rods; usually the top six Inches should be removed, but some-

During,the pruning of the roses, advantage should bo taken of the chance to make some cuttings of the best varleiies. For example, enough cuttings of the dwarf polyantha typo of rose may lie taken to make a low hedge for division ‘purposes. Tho most suitable wood for cuttings Is that mado the previous summer. It should be out into lengths of eight, to 12 inches, severed just below a bud. These cuttings should too planted at once in little trenches with a depth of four inches. A lining of sand and firm planting aro two aids to success.

■times more than that must too removed before firmer wood is met- The following climbers are particularly good: Paul’s Scarlet Climber, Albertine (rambler), Chaplin's Pink Climber, Paul’s Loinbn Pillar, and climbing forms of Caroline Tcstout, Mine Butterfly, Lady Hillingdon, Ophelia, Ards

■Rover, Mrs H. Stovons, Daily Mail, General McArthur, Golden Emblem, and Sunstar.

Roses For Pegging Down. There aro certain roses which make long growths and hear few flowers in the ordinary way, hut bear plenty when pegged down. In. the latter case, flowering -shoots arise from a great many eyes along each rod. lOne or two of tho old rods should toe cut out after flowering, so that young rods will come up from the base. Three Ho live jods are enough for one season.