GARDENING NOTES

New Zealand Tablet, 19 November 1914, Page 43

GARDENING NOTES

(By Mr. J. Joyce, Gardener, Christchurch.).

Answers to Correspondent.

(1) A light open soil, sandy fibrous peat, about two parts; turfy loam, one part; well rotted leaf mould, one part; and a good mixture of clean sharp sand, with plenty of drainage in the bottom of the pots. (2) Shake gas lime about their haunts and it will soon clear them out. Another good remedy is to chop up some raw potatoes rather fine, place them about the house, and cover them up with old boards, leaving a space for them to crawl into to feed on the potatoes. Examine the boards every morning and pour some boiling water on them. If a piece of sacking were placed over the board it would be an advantage, as it would encourage them to settle there after the night. If this remedy is -persevered with, it will rid the house of the pest. (3) Slacked lime or whiting, mixed with sour milk and thinly put on with a hand-brush, as this is neater than syringing, which makes a mess. Do not put on too thickly, as it darkens the house too much. The milk makes the stuff adhere to the glass. HOW TO GROW MAIDEN HAIR FERNS (ADIANTUM) IN POTS. ■ To grow from spores (seed), procure a fair sized pot or good new deep cutting box, arid fill nip the bottom with a good layer of drainage, about three inches, of broken pots or bricks or rotten stone. Place the rough pieces in the bottom, finishing with the finer pieces. Next place a layer of moss over the drainage to prevent the soil from mixing up with it. If moss is not to be had, dry pieces of turf will answer the purpose. If the soil is allowed to mix up with the drainage this will get choked in time and a free percolation cannot take place, the consequence of which will be that the soil will become sour and sudden and the plants will not thrive; also moss will take possession and choke up the. young seedlings. Prepare the soil by mixing two parts of peat, one of fibrous loam, one of leaf mould, and a good mixture of clean sharp sand, from a river bed if possible, as it is usually free from the seed of weeds. Fill up the box to within about two inches of the top and then scatter over the soil some small pieces of rotten stone or bits of brick, mixing amongst it little bits of turf and pressing them down gently to keep them in their place. Then take the frond of the fern with the ripe spores or seed and rub it in your hands over the pot or box. Cover it up with a pane of glass and place it in a shady part of the greenhouse. The glaring,sun must be kept off, and the box must be always kept moist. I should have said the soil wants a good soaking before the seed is sown, and that it will last for a considerable time afterwards. The watering must be done very carefully with a very fine rose and put on gently so as not to wash the seed away or disturb it. When the seedlings are up and fit to handle they can be potted off ‘ in the same compost, using always plenty of drainage. When the small pots are full of roots they must be put into larger pots to grow on. As long as they do well they will* not need repotting, as the less disturbance given to the roots the better. They need to be. kept in a shady part of the house and require plenty soft water. Rain water standing in a tub in-the greenhouse answers best, but if rain water is not procurable keep a tub of soft water for the purpose. This applies to all pot plants. In the hot weather they will be benefited by a good syringing in the afternoon, In the winter they will not require so much water, as they need a rest; but on no account must they be left to get dry. When they are established in their permanent pots they will occasionally ’ need a stimulant in the form of liquid manure made weak with a little soot and guano placed in a can or tub in a convenient place and given clear about once a week during the season of growth. . If the plants are to be increased, they must be turned out of the pots and the balls of

roots, as many as are needed, cut through with" a sharp knife and immediately repotted and watered, placing them in a shady place away from the sun’s rays. When they need repotting they require a larger pot, ramming the soil firmly around the ball of the roots. If the soil x S not made firm the water is apt to run away from the Raid ball to the soft part, and the consequence is that the roo s get no water, and the plant will suffer. THE KITCHEN garden. During the month of November plant potatoes, cabbages, cauliflowers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Jerusalem artichokes, shallots, tomatoes, cucumbers, vegetable marrows, and pumpkins, and sow peas, broad °beans, kidney beans, turnips, carrots, spinach, lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbages, cucumber, marrows, pumpkins, radishes, mustard - and cress. r 1 WHAT TO PLANT IN THE FLOWER GARDEN. Now is the time to finish up the bedding out of pants such as geraniums, verbenas, petunias, phlox drummond!, dahlias marguerites, violets, salvias, and all other annuals which are necessary for making- a summer show m the garden. All the hardy and tender annuals and perennials may now be sown in well-pre-pared beds or borders. They will make a good show ate in summer and autumn, when the rarer plants will be past their best. With a little careful' watering occasionally in any weather they will make good head" way. It would take too much space lo name all the flowers which can be sown ; but anyone can consult a seedsman s catalogue and choose his selection.