GARDENING NOTES

New Zealand Tablet, 19 October 1916, Page 55

GARDENING NOTES

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

FLOWER GARDEN. Everyone who takes an interest in his garden will be very busy this month, as this is the time for making a summer display, and if the garden is neglected now the coming months will show that somebody was not wide awake when he should have been up and doing. Now is the time for the sowing of all kinds of flower seeds in the beds and borders, also for preparing to plant out the different bedding plants. All those plants which are in pots and boxes and are waiting to be planted out should be placed in a sunny position, to harden them off, so that they can be planted out with safety later on in the month or in the beginning of November, when all danger of severe frost is over. Bedding out plants go under the names of geraniums, calceolaria, verbena, petunia, phlox drummondi,. salvias, lobelia, dahlia, stocks, asters, etc. All these are tender plants and have to be raised in frames and greenhouses or other sheltered places, and must not be planted or bedded out (the term is generally used by gardeners) until all danger of frost is over. Very often late frosts occur and play sad havoc with all the tender bedding plants, throwing them back considerably: so that it is really better to be on the safe side by not planting out too early, If bedding out is finished by the second week in November it should be sufficient. After each planting they should get a good watering to give them a fair start, especially if the weather is dry. Afterwards, when the soil is getting hard and baked, access must be had to the Dutch hoe by stirring up the soil and letting in the sun and air, which will hasten their growth considerably. When planting dahlias, if old slocks they ought to be considerably reduced. They can be separated by carefully cutting through with a sharp spade or strong knife—from one to three shoots are quite sufficient. If dahlias are intended for show purposes, one good shoot is sufficient; and a good quantity of rotten "manure must be added to the soil at the time of planting, and a strong stake should be placed at the back of the plant. A "hollow round the plant will be an advantage, so as to retain the water, which they will need occasionally. The lawn mower must be used at least once a week--twice a week would be better still. If the lawn is well attended to by a constant use of the lawn mower and roller, the grass will be much finer : also by using the roller pretty often the lawn will look much better, showing a nice green sward. KITCHEN GARDEN. Most of the seeds in this department will have been already sown, so that there will be only some to put in for succession, such as peas, French" beans, a little lettuce, and radish, and the planting out' of cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. It must be understood that vegetables cannot be grown satisfactorily unless the ground is thoroughly worked and manured heavily. Vegetables should never get a check in their growing period: the quicker they are grown, the more tender —and therefore more relishable and healthy for use. The Dutch hoe must be kept constantly going among the young crops: it helps them on considerably by keeping down weeds, and the sun and air find access to the soil and make it sweet and porous for the roots. THE FRUIT GARDEN. I am afraid the continuous late frosts which we have been having lately here in Canterbury have played sad havoc with some of the early set fruit. ' In looking through my garden to-day I found all my peach trees minus a healthy leaf or flower. They are. completely destroyed for this season; and the only remedy is to saw them down to a certain height so they will throw out some young wood to form a new tree. And the plum trees, which were showing so well, are sadly depleted. So. I-must conclude that most of this class of tree in the district will have been similarly affected In

fact, my opinion regarding the growing of peaches here in Canterbury is that they are best left alone. I have had an eighth of an acre planted with a number of peach trees, and they have been all grubbed up this season. They have been planted about six years, and I have never got a peach—and such a beautiful bloom every season ! The late frosts always destroyed the majority of them about the time of setting, and the few I have left in sheltered positions have been treated this year the same as usual.