GARDENING NOTES

New Zealand Tablet, 11 May 1916, Page 47

GARDENING NOTES

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

May, the first month of winter, was preceded by some early frosts towards the end of the last month, which gave us notice that another flower season was drawing to a close. Therefore, the work of the gardener for some time will-be the cutting away of all the dead vegetation, and a general cleaning up of the refuse of-plants which have finished their season of growth. Leaves will now be falling in quantities from the trees and shrubs. These should be removed and, when a suitable time offers, they should be dug in to enrich the beds and borders, so as to prepare them for another season’s display. Nothing is more conducive to the growth of plants than to enrich the ground with the leaves which they shed. On that account leaves should be always carted away to the compost heap, and occasionally turned over to prevent them from fermenting and getting musty. The lawns must be kept constantly rolled, as this is the time the roller will have a chance of making an impression on the uneven patches, and of giving the grass an opportunity to make fresh roots after the drought of summer. If bare patches, through the ravages of the grub or other causes, appear, they ought to be sown with fresh seed, and top-dressed with nice fine soil and rolled. This work should be done at once, as it will give the seed a chance to germinate before the frosty weather sets in. All tender plants should be placed under cover at once —such as the old bedding geraniums. When taken "up they ought to have the leaves removed before re-planting, as, if left on, they only rot, and injure the plant. They may be planted under the shade of old trees, or a fence where the frost or too much wet cannot injure them. Now is a good time to propagate trees, shrubs, and roses, by cuttings. They require a nice cool shady aspect. The soil, if possible, should be of a sandy nature, and the cutting firmly inserted about from six to nine inches in the ground, leaving an inch or two above. The great mistake many amateurs make is that they do not put the cuttings in deep enough, and do not make them firm in the soil. It is generally the other way about. The cuttings are placed two inches in the soil and six inches or a foot above it, with the result that not one out of a hundred treated in this manner will succeed. Keep planting out bulbs; also cut up clumps of herbaceous plants so as to multiply the number, and plant them in nice fresh soil. Treated in this manner they give better results than if left to starve themselves out growing in the same spot year after year. Now is the time to consider about the planting of any new additions to the beds, borders, plantations, etc. The preparing of the ground for this work should be proceeded with at once; holes for the trees should be made, and the soil left to sweet *ll by being turned up to the action of the sun, frost, and air for some time before the plants are inserted. The sooner the planting is done the better, provided the weather is suitable for the operation. Every plant should have a good watering before the soil is filled in. This gives the plant every chance to succeed. 1 usually water every plant at the time of planting, and where water is convenient it will pay to water young trees-on the farm at the time of planting. Now is a good time to separate primroses, daisies, auriculas, and other plants of this nature. In fact preparations for all planting in the flower garden should commence at once.

THE KITCHEN GARDEN.

Everything is now preparing for a season of rest, and there will be very little growth for the next few months. The gardener, who has given a little forethought to planting during the past months, will now be sure of a good supply of vegetables during the dormant season of growth. If there is any spare ground it should be manured and dug up roughly to let the sun and air do their part. It can remain in this manner until the spring. A plot treated thus would be ideal ground for planting early potatoes in. The asparagus bed should have all the dead branches cut away, the surface of the bed forked over, and some of the loose soil raked into the furrows. Give the bed a good coating of rotten stable or, farmyard manure, whilst a sprinkling of agricultural salt over the manure Mill be beneficial. The rains will wash the fertilising constituents of the manure into the soil. Do not let any of the seed drop on the bed, as it grows up when it is not wanted to the detriment , of the permanent plants. The Dutch hoe should be kept going among the crops on all fine days; this will keep the weeds in check. Some cabbage and cauliflower seed may still be sown in a favored spot, where the young plants will not get too much rough weather. A garden frame would be a suitable place, if one is convenient. Leeks should be moulded up, also celery. Seakale and rhubarb may be planted in well-manured patches.

Old clumps of rhubarb can be cut up into parts, and transplanted. ■ They will renew themselves, and give good results. ‘ , -

THE FRUIT GARDEN;

There is little to be done' now except picking and storing away fruit. Towards the end of the month, pruning may commence. If any old trees have to come away and give place to others, this would be a good time for the work, so as to give the soil a chance to get a little frost, sun, and air, before they are replaced by young ones. Work that is needed to be done will suggest itself as required, such as cleaning up, clipping of fences, and lopping down branches, which are intruding in quarters where they should not be. The strawberry beds may have a good dressing of stable manure. Some people take up the old plants, and put them back again with good results. They make a fresh start with new root action, which revives them for another crop.