Work for December

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 101, Issue 5, 15 November 1960, Page 533

Work for December

By

JOY WATKINS,

Horticultural Advisory Officer, Department of Agriculture, Auckland

Holiday Preparation Hedges will be tidy for the holidays if they are clipped early in December. The base should be wider than the top to let in light to maintain life and growth. If the weather is hot and dry, lawns should not be cut very short and the mowings should be left on to form a light mulch, but if the grass is still

growing vigorously, it should be cut short and the mowings used with untreated sawdust or other waste material to make compost.

In the North Island when paspalum appears in lawns of fine-leaved grasses or of Mercury Bay weed it can be killed by spiking the centre of each clump and pouring kerosene into it. Weed Control in Rose Beds Rose beds and shrub borders should be given a final weeding, but care should be taken that the many surface roots are not damaged. Roses and other shrubs which were planted last winter may require a good watering. They should be mulched with untreated sawdust and blood and bone or a thin layer of grass mowings free of Poa annua seed or other seed before the soil becomes dry. If mulches are not applied, weed seeds are likely to germinate on the newly cultivated soil. One method of preventing this among established plants is to spray the ground immediately after weeding with monuron, diuron, or simazine. These will kill

germinating weed seeds for four to six months, when a further application can be made. The chemicals are mixed with water and applied with a watering can or sprayer so that the surface of the soil is thoroughly wetted. The amount of water and material can be calculated after a trial using only water. These materials must be applied at no more than 1 oz to 150 sq. yds., and the amount of water used to spread it will depend on the sprayer and operator. Keep the spray mixture well agitated. Care should be taken to prevent the material from falling on the leaves of roses and other shrubs. Paths If weeds are allowed to grow in gravel or tar-sealed paths, they will disturb the surface when removed. Various weedkillers are available .which can be dissolved in water and

applied with a watering can. Avoid run-off of weedkiller into garden beds or lawns. Dalapon-amitrol mixtures are probably the safest and easiest to use. House Plants During the holidays house plants are growing rapidly and need frequent watering. As far as possible they should be left where they are normally kept, as they are accustomed to the temperature and light there.

Plants with firm leaves, for example, African violets, can be watered, put in a large plastic bag, and sealed, wire or stakes being so placed in the pot that leaves do not touch the plastic. Ventilation holes are not necessary. Very soft-leaved plants such as maidenhair fern are likely to rot if put in plastic bags. Pots should be placed on bricks or pebbles in a large trough or basin of water so that about i in. of the pot is in water. This will keep the soil and roots moist. Autumn-flowering Bulbs Plant bulbs of autumn crocus, sternbergia, belladonna, nerines, and anemones between December and March to flower in autumn. In preparing the ground remove weeds, cultivate deeply, and work in bone meal. Belladonna and nerine bulbs should be planted with the neck above ground in a warm, sunny, well drained position. They do well on banks or beside a north wall. Small corms of anemones planted 6 in. apart now will form large plants for flowering in autumn. Plant 2 in. deep, with the flat part-of the coneshaped corm uppermost. To hasten growth the corms can be placed in damp moss, peat, or perlite in a plastic bag until they begin to grow. Unless the soil is very fertile, compost or rotted turf should be dug in and a little blood and bone meal and superphosphate worked into the topsoil. Anemones will not grow well on acid soils, and these should be given a dressing of lime immediately the ground is dug, allowing as long as possible between liming and manuring. Seed Sowing Seeds of Iceland poppy sown now on a carefully prepared seedbed or in a frame will provide plants for flowering at the beginning of winter. The seed is very fine, so it must be only thinly covered with finely sifted soil. Water in and shade with scrim if possible. Pansy, cineraria, Primula malacoides, and nemesia can also be sown for winter flowering. Seeds of some perennials, biennials, and shrubs which can be sown now are very slow to germinate, and it is advisable to sow in a frame or in pots or boxes so

that , they can be more readily observed. The use of sterilised soil is an advantage as it eliminates weeds. Many weed seeds germinate rapidly and may smother the slow-growing seedlings, which it is often difficult to distinguish from weeds in the early stages, particularly if one is not familiar with the sown plant as a seedling. Bearded Iris Bearded iris should be lifted and divided as soon as they have finished flowering, a s that is when new root growth takes place. Divide up

the clumps so that each division has at least one fan of leaves and portion of rhizome. Trim back the leaves and replant so that the rhizome is half out of the soil, lying horizontally. A sunny position and well drained soil are desirable. Most varieties grow well in the South Island. In Auckland and Northland where the winters are too mild for many bearded irises to flower well the following may be tried: Vanity and any others which tend to flower twice in the year, in spring and autumn; also Helen McGregor, Golden Majesty, Hairbell, Lady Boscawen, Snow Flurry, and Fairy Love. Roses Complete the pruning of shrubs and rambler roses, cutting out all shoots which have flowered and any very weak or crowded new growth. Remove dead heads from bush and floribunda roses, cutting back to strong buds which will grow out and produce flowers later in the summer. Do not prune hard at this stage. Water and spray as necessary. If mildew .is a problem, spray with 1J oz of karathane or lime sulphur at 3 oz plus colloidal sulphur at J oz in 4 gallons of water. Shrubs Check shrubs and citrus for borer, cutting out and burning any small branches which are dying because of borer attack. If sawdust or pieces of bark and webbing are noticed at holes in larger branches or the main trunk, clear the hole with a piece of wire before injecting petrol with a small oil can and seal the hole with petroleum jelly, putty, or similar material. Some trees and shrubs are particu-

larly susceptible to attack by borers and they should be examined regularly. They are citrus, cytisus and genista, hoheria, albizzia, and puriri. Sometimes a branch may be completely ring-barked and this causes it to die. ' Floral Decorations Though flowers are plentiful now, housewives may feel less inclined to arrange them in bowls and vases, as they last for such a short time in a warm atmosphere, particularly when doors and windows are left open to produce a current of air through a room. For this reason extra care should be taken in preparing the flowers and foliage before arranging them, and the finished design should be placed out of draughts and direct sunlight. Long-lasting foliage can be cut from cabbage tree, flax, sanseviera, and many silver-leaved and succulent plants. Dried material such as pressed silver fern may also be useful. Simple line arrangements in Japanese style are most suitable for hot summer days. Cool and serene in character, they require a minimum of flowers and a large shallow dish. Any flowers can be used but those naturally associated with water are the most effective. Water lilies are very beautiful, but close up at night unless molten wax is dropped on to the base of the inner ring of petals to keep them open. As with tulips the petals of mature flowers can be gently recurved so that they are convex instead of concave. They will stay in this position without the aid of wax.