THE GARDEN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 248, 31 July 1937, Page 3

THE GARDEN

GENERAL ROUTINE WORK. (Written for the “Guardian’' by J. A. McPherson, N.D.H., N.Z.) THE GREENHOUSE. Any time during this month a start can be made with the furnishing of hanging baskets. Do not use Aeiy small baskets, usually a 12-inch diameter is found to be the best size. See that the lining of moss, which prevents the soil from falling out, is firmly and evenly placed in position a 3 the work of filling with soil proceeds. Another point to bear in mind is that the moss lining should be brought right to the top edge of the basket, but the soil only to within an inch of the top in order to permit of watering thoroughly. Whether it be asparagus, coleus, or tradescantia, all should be as firmly potted as if thej were in ordinary pots. The cheapest display and a delightful one, too, can be obtained by sowing some Golden Gleam. Nasturtiums, say eight seeds in a 12-inch basket. They last throughout the whole of summer and give a wealth of bloom. Commence in earnest with' the sowing of annuals for bedding plants and start tubers of gloxinias and begonias. LAWNS. Take the first opportunity during the month and give lawns a very light rolling. Feeding with artificial manures both as a stimulant and to kill moss and weeds can be undertaken. _ Worn patches that were overlooked in the autumn should be either re-turfed or pointed up with a fork and! some fresh seed sown. Grass grub, despite the wet winter, is to he met with in most lawns at the present time. There is on the market a grass-grub exterminator and if used strictly as directed is most effective. CLIMBERS. It is a pity that greater use is not made of climbing plants for furnishing the garden. There are many types to choose from and there are many uses to which they can be placed. Firstly, there is that ugly fence to cover, secondly, there are pergolas and porches requiring furnishing, and thirdly, there are a few specimen trees through which clematis can ramble without either detriment to the tree or itself. Climbers add a softening effect to any garden and the majority of them are. easily kept within due hounds. I hesitate to recommend rambling roses for the small garden on account of their rampant growth and the difficulty in keeping them free from fly and mildew. If they are to he used at all for covering and screen work, then use a variety such as Alberic Bar bier with its shiny mildewproof evergreen foliage. Personally, I like the ornamental vines, especially V. coignettae, V. purpurea, and V. Thunbergi, the last-named having leaves as big as a dinner plate. Just a word regarding clematis: Do not prune C. montana until it has finished its flowering and then prune immediately. Clematis of the Jackmani group and .which flower in summer can he pruned in the autumn or in early spring. With this group it is advisable to encourage as much young and fresh wood as possible. The Chinese gooseberry, actinidia. chinensis, is a perfectly hardy and vigorous climber and has the added advantage of its fruits being used as dessert. With this plant, male and female flowers are borne on separate plants, so it is essential to have both sexes growing side by side. NEWLY-PLANTED ROSES. Newly-planted roses should not be pruned till about the end of August and then the work must he done thoroughly by cutting hack each shoot to within two to three eyes from the base. For the first season think mainly about building up a good robust bush, rather than the production of blooms in quantity. Many varieties of roses are der finitely in short supply this season. PRUNING ROSES. With all rose bushes there are. a few main points to remember in pruning. In the first place, strong and vigorous varieties such as Gipsy Lass and Margaret McGredy require only a light cutting back, for if heavily pruned they will immediately shoot into soft rank growth at the expense of blooms. In the second place, all weak growing varieties, especially the Teas, require to he cut hard hack in order to force away good strong wood. With both strong and weak growing varieties it must he borne in mind that any old and useless Avood must he cut right out from the bottom. The true gardener when commencing to prune starts and cuts out this old wood before commencing the actual pruning, also cutting out at the same time any usejess cross branches which have a tendency to rub against good healthy ones. Shapely hushes are never aimed at in rose pruning in the same manner as if we were pruning gooseberry hushes. Once the above useless wood has been removed it now only remains to shorten back the healthy shoots, always being careful to make a clean cut just above an eye that is pointing outwards. A beginner is a hit anxious at pruning time and in most cases it will he found that he has not cut back sufficiently far enough. _ The Pernetiana group, represented hv such varieties as Madame Edouard Herriott and Golden Emblem, require a very light pruning indeed. In cold districts it will he noticedi that if these are cut hack severely and a late frost occurs, the remaining branches have a very nasty habit of dying back. Such being the case, it is only necessary to remove dead wood and weak twiggy growth aitcl to shorten back very jittle the strong shoots.. Single and semi-double roses represented by such varieties as Red Letter Day and Dainty Bess, require only old wood cut out and the new wood shortened hack a little. If cut too severely, rank soft growth springs away and the plants are very late in flowering. Climbing roses require the laterals cut hack to three good eyes and any old stems cut right out from the base. Climbing hybrid teas should not he pruned severely the first season after planting, otherwise they have a tendency to remain dwarf. Polyanthus roses require the old wood cut right out from the base and new growths pruned hack to six inches from the ground. It would not he out of place to conclude by remarking that all tools used in pruning should be as sharp as pos-

sible, thereby leaving no ragged wounds for tba entry of fungoid diseases and insect pests. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. Turning now to the vegetable garden we should he in a position to say that all heavy work is finished and a start made for forking in all top soil, working in artificials and lime where necessary. This forking not only distributes the manures through'the soil but helps to open up the soil and make it several degrees warmer. It also permits the myriads of beneficial bacteria to commence work in breaking down the various chemical compounds and make them fit for consumption by the plants. Ground for peas must have a dressing of lime and be deeply dug. Wellgrown peas havei a deep rooting system and good cultivation pays handsomely. Keep check of last year’s crops and do not plant the same vegetables on any piece of ground twice in succession. The exceptions to this rule are onions, and on very rich hut rough ground, potatoes. Follow stem and green crops by root crops, and do not use fresh manure on land to be planted with root crops otherwise they will fork badly and possibly run to seed. The heavy manuring for the previous green crop, should, with the addition of a little artificials (say super and blood and hone meal), suit any type of root crop. Thoroughly work a piece of light land sloping well to the sun and make a sowing of Snowball or Early Milan turnips. Radishes may he sown in a similar position. Keep planting out cabbage and make a further sowing of small-hearted varieties such as Flower of Spring or Enfield Market. Supplies of seed potatoes should he almost ready for planting if care has been taken to thoroughly green and sprout .them. Sow mustard and cress under glass. Early varieties of peas and broad beans may he sown, hut it is far too early for tender beans.