Planning for Next Spring in the Flower Garden

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 79, Issue 5, 15 November 1949, Page 495

Planning for Next Spring in the Flower Garden

THE successful gardener always JL plans his work well ahead, and to ensure that the flower garden will be well furnished with plants that will make seasonal displays preparations should be made fully 12 months in advance. Now that the summer- and autumn-flowering subjects have been planted out immediate thought should be given to the provision of plants required to furnish beds and borders with colour during next winter, spring, and early summer. That is the main theme of this month’s article for the flower gardener by M. J. Barnett, Director of Reserves to the Christchurch City Council.

IN addition to such bulbous plants as hyacinths, tulips, and narcissi, which are now resting, several of the biennials and plants treated as biennials are excellent for this purpose. Among the foremost of the biennials, the wallflower, which may be obtained in a variety of colour and form, is one of the best for most districts. Wallflowers, 7 Perfectly hardy and easily raised from seed, the wallflower, though one of the oldest plants in cultivation, is still popular, both for its colouring and for the fresh fragrance of its flowers. To obtain healthy, well-grown plants to be planted out in April and May and to flower profusely during September and October, the seed should be sown not later than the first week in December. The seed . germinates readily and no special precautions are necessary in its treatment. In districts not subject to long spells of dry weather the seed may be sown broadcast or in drills in a prepared bed in open ground.

To prevent the surface soil from drying out rapidly under the influence of wind and sun after the seed has been sown, light boughs of brushwood can be laid on the ground to prevent the evaporation of moisture and so assist germination. A simple contrivance which serves the same purpose is a framework of 6in. x lin. timber placed round the sides of the bed with light scrim stretched over it to provide shade; in dull or wet weather the scrim can be rolled up and removed. As soon as the young seedlings appear above the ground the covering should be removed—not competely at first but gradually, leaving it on during the hottest hours of sunshine for the first few days.

Where only a few hundred plants are required the seed may be sown in a drill in the same way as turnip seed. However, if it is sown too thickly, the young plants will become drawn and leggy, and such plants are more difficult to transplant than those of a sturdier habit. In districts where

days and even weeks may pass without rain and where the surface soil dries out rapidly, greater success is obtained by sowing the seed evenly and thinly in seed boxes in a frame where they can receive the necessary watering and shading. By early January the young plants will have grown sufficiently to warrant their being transplanted to open

ground in rows 12in. apart with 12in. between plants. If possible, a dull day should be chosen for the transplanting, and each plant should be given a good watering to settle the soil more firmly about the roots and to assist it to recover from the check it has received. However, the plants recover quickly, and in normal circumstances all that is necessary is to keep the hoe going sufficiently to keep down weeds and to prevent the surface soil from forming a hard crust. Like most plants, the wallflower has its natural enemies. Grubs of the white butterfly and the diamondbacked moth attack it, but these pests can be checked easily by spraying the plants once or twice with a solution of arsenate of lead. Mildew sometimes attacks the foliage, and the best preventive is spraying with lime sulphur.

'■ During February and March the plants will make rapid growth, particularly if rains are frequent, and sometimes they tend to , grow long and soft instead of forming sturdy, bushy specimens. Toward the end of March the plants should be wrenched in the following manner: A

few inches from the base of the plant a clean, sharp spade is driven into the ground with the blade at an angle of about 45 degrees. The operation is usually, and more effectively, carried out by two persons working in unison, one on either side of the row. The blades of the spades should meet between 6 and Bin. below the surface, thus completely severing the outwardand deep-growing roots. To complete the job, a downward cut is made with the spade between each plant and its neighbour. Wrenching not only induces the plants to develop a more fibrous root system, thus enabling them to be lifted later with a ball of earth attached, but also checks the growth, causing it to become more firm and compact. ' Wrenching usually is carried out after a good rain when the soil is moist, and in such circumstances the plants will recover quickly, but should conditions be less favourable, a dull day should be chosen for the operation, the soil heeled after the cuts have been made, and the plants given a good watering. Wrenching causes the plants to wilt, especially under the influence of bright sunlight, but usually they recover within a few days. The wallflower belongs to the same natural order as the cabbage family (Cruciferae) and, like the cabbage, it is subject to club root disease. To prevent the soil becoming infested with this fatal disease it should be treated with a dressing of lime before sewing and before planting. Pansies and Violas Many seedsmen now catalogue what are known as winter-flowering pansies and violas. In favourable . circumstances and if given the right treatment, most of them will flower throughout the winter, but all of them will flower profusely during spring. The seed of these kinds should be

sown in boxes or trays as described for wallflower seed. When the seedlings are large enough to be handled they should be pricked out into boxes containing a richer compost and grown on without a check until April, when they will be ready for transplanting to the beds or borders where they are, to flower. . ~ Both pansies and violas prefer cool conditions, and during summer they should be grown in a position where they are partially shaded from sunshine. On the other hand, to induce them to flower during winter they should be transferred to a warm sunny position. Daisies The common lawn daisythe “wee, modest, crimson-tipped flower” immortalised by the poet Burns and the “cursed weed” of the groundsman—like many another lowly plant has received the attention of plant breeders. By selection and breeding they have evolved a type much in advance of its progenitor. The double or monstrosa varieties of Bellis perennis are procurable in white, red, pink, and salmon. . For edgings, for small beds, and for grouping in front of flower borders they are most useful and are among the hardiest of spring-flowering plants. They should be given the same cultural treatment as that recommended for pansies. They have one disadvantage; however: If planted alongside a lawn, seed from them invariably grows among the grass, where in ■ the struggle for existence they quickly revert to type and become the “cursed weed” once more.

Forget-me-nots Seed of forget-me-nots, or myosotis, should also be sown toward the end of December. The - seed is sown in boxes, and when the seedlings are large enough to be handled comfortably they are pricked out or transplanted into other boxes or “flats.” The plants make rapid growth and, if left in the boxes,' would soon crowd each other. To overcome this difficulty the young plants are put out 6in. apart

in rows 12in. apart in open ground. About the end 'of April they will be ready for transplanting to their flowering quarters. Unlike the wallflower, the myosotis does not require wrenching. A well-grown bed of tulips is a lovely sight, but tulips rising above a groundwork of blue myosotis are even lovelier. Foxgloves and Canterbury Bells The foxglove (Digitalis) is a noxious weed in the fields, but when given the right situation in a flower garden it' is a stately flower. In a large hall a bowl of the flowers is most effective. Such varieties as the Shirley hybrids, Giant Primrose, Apricot, and Giant Spotted certainly are worth growing and appear to advantage when planted in groups at the back of a spacious flower border, in open spaces among the taller shrubs in a shrubbery, or in the wild garden— the gardener is fortunate enough to possess such a place. Canterbury bells (Campanula medium) are old favourites and may be obtained in single, cup-and-saucer, and double varieties, and in white, mauve, blue, and pink shades. Foxgloves flower during December and Canterbury bells toward the end of the monthwhen they are most useful for Christmas decorations. The seed of both should be sown during December and grown on in boxes in readiness for planting in autumn in the positions in which they will flower. Both foxgloves and Canterbury bells are true biennials, • and to make sure that they will produce good blooms the plants should be well grown and transplanted to their flowering quarters during April so that they will have every chance to recover and establish themselves before the cold of winter sets in.

Stocks Seed of early-flowering stocks such as the Beauty of Nice varieties should be sown now. Results will be better if the seed is sown where the plants are to flower, but a vacant piece of ground in the flower garden is not always available at this time of the year, in which case the seed may be sown in boxes and the plants put out where required later in the season, when some of the summer-flowering

subjects have had their day and can be removed. For winter and earlyspring . flowering, stocks should be. given a warm, sheltered, well-drained situation. In Britain, where winters are more severe, stocks are frequently grown on in pots and flowered in a greenhouse during winter. None of the species mentioned requires artificial heat to assist the seed to germinate. Despite what has been said to the contrary, all of them may be raised successfully in open ground if reasonable care is taken with watering and shading. However, frequently it is more convenient and results are better if they are raised, in the initial stages at least, in seed trays in a cold frame where they can receive more regular attention.

Other Work for December

As the longest day • approaches and warmer and more settled weather may be expected the more tender annuals, such as zinnias and celosias, can be planted out safely. Both grow best in a rich, warm soil, well sheltered from cold winds.

Cannas are always admired, both for their bold, handsome foliage and for the beauty of their flowers. In the warmer parts of the Dominion no difficulty is experienced in growing them to perfection; in the cooler districts more care is required. The plants should be given protection during the early stages of their growth and transferred to the open at this time of year, when the - temperature of both ground, and atmosphere is warmer. Where hard frosts are experienced, the crowns should be lifted in autumn and stored for the winter in a frost-proof shelter. Cannas will not tolerate dry conditions at the roots and grow best in a rich loam.

Most gardeners are familiar with the fibrous-rooted begonias for bedding purposes, but • the tuberous-rooted varieties are much more handsome and more effective. Though the better and more expensive varieties are grown in pots for greenhouse decoration, many of those of less importanceparticularly the ones with upright flowering stems and short jointsare suitable for growing in the open in favourable situations during summer. When well grown and in full bloom they make an arresting display. The plants are grown under glass during spring, and early summer, gradually hardened off, and transferred to the open during December. The soil can hardly be too rich for them, but they must have shelter from cold and parching winds. Strong sunlight sometimes has a slight burning effect on blooms and foliage; to overcome this an

old practice, but still a good one, was to plant, the begonias underneath standard fuchsias,; which gave protection from both wind and sun.. Such annuals as Phlox drummondi an( j verbenas will be making rapid growth and for best results from them the long growths should be pegged down to the surface of the soil. This not only prevents them from becoming leggy or spindly and likely to be damaged by wind and storm, but . induces them to develop more lateral growths, thus prolonging the flowering period. Pegs can be made of thin galvanised wire. j Hants under tJiass At this time of year glasshouses require some form of shading to keep down the day temperature and to give

some protection from the burning rays of the sun. Frequent syringing with water is necessary to moisten the atmosphere and to assist in combating attacks of thrips and red spiders, both of which seem to revel in a dry atmosphere. Plants attacked by these pests soon become disfigured and debilitated. One of the most colourful of greenhouse flowering plants is the calceoiia. To provide plants that will flower during September, October, and November of next year seed should be sown now. Calceolarias are not difficult to grow, but they must not be neglected at any period of their growth. From the time of sowing the seed up to and including the flowering period they must be given an even temperature and careful attention to maintain them in a flourishing condi-

tion. To prepare for the sowing of the seed a pot or pan should be filled with a moderately -rich and porous compost, made firm but not hard, and the surface finished off perfectly even and level. Over, the surface a little sharp sand is sprinkled and the seed —which is very fine —sown and covered with the merest dusting of fine compost; before the seed is sown it is a good plan to steep the pot containing the compost in water until moisture begins to show on the surface. The pot is : then stood in a shady part . of the glasshouse away from draughts and covered with a piece of glass to prevent rapid evaporation of moisture. The glass should be removed each day, all moisture wiped off, and the glass replaced. The seed should germinate within a fortnight when the glass is removed, but the immature plants must not be exposed to strong light or to sudden changes :of :. temperature. When the young seedlings are large* enough to be handled with care they are transplanted to seed trays, from which, when large enough, they are potted singly, into 4in. pots and finally into 6in. ones. Throughout their cultivation ■ calceolarias •- grow best in a cool, even temperature, and they -must not be allowed to become dry at the roots. They are very susceptible to attacks of greenfly and every precaution should be taken to prevent these pests appearing in the house.

. It is not too late to sow a second batch of cinerarias for flowering in the greenhouse during next spring. Plants from the first sowing required for winter flowering should be sufficiently advanced to be pricked off into trays. Those that are large enough can be potted up into 4in. pots.