Practical Gardening

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 231, 29 September 1928, Page 6 (Supplement)

Practical Gardening

JDlAWtmus*

Correspondents will greatly oblige by observing the following rules In sending questions for publication in these columns:— I—Letters should be in not later than Tuesday to be answered the same weekaddressed to Garden Editor, "Star" Office, Auckland. 2—Write on one side of the paper, and make all communications as concise as possible. 3—Flowers, etc., sent for naming must be sent separately, and, If possible, packed in a tin or wooden box—cardboard boxes ar© very liable to be broken in transit and tbe contents damaged. 4—The full name and address of the sender must always be sent, but a nom de plume or initial may be given for publication.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

J.A/M.L. (Dargaville) asks for an article dealing with asters, dahlias, and chrysanthemums, and also one on the effect of artificial manures 011 flowers and vegetables?— Will deal with these subjects.— Ed.

T.P.L(Maekakariki) writes: I have some walnut trees and although they are twenty feet high they do not bear. Can you tell me the reason?— There is really no telling why the trees do not bear; they may be seedling?, and in any ease the walnut is a slow bearer, and it is not till the trees are a good age that they crop much. Some crop more quickly than others, but as a rule a tree is well on in years before they carry much of a crop.

AMATEUR (Mt. Albert) asks: (1) Is urine of any value to citrus *trees? (2) How frequently should it be applied? (3) Is it of any value to other fruit trees? (4) What flowers or vegetables would benefit from it? (5) Would it be of any use to passion vines?—(l) The chief value lies in 1 to 3 per cent of nitrogen it contains, hence it should only be used where that element is required. Dilute it with twice its bulk of water. (2) Apply it about once a month or so. (3) It could be used for most fruits provided it was not overdone. ' (4) It would suit green vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, but would have to be carefully used for flowers, etc. (5) One or two waterings during the season would do all right.

J.H. (Remuera) -writes: When hoeing ground with a "prong hoe," is it necessary, in order to keep the ground in good condition, to hoe deeper than the depth of the hoe, seven inches? Would it be better to go two spita deep? How often should the ground be worked?—A lot depends upon what Is being attempted. If the hoe is to take the place of fork or spade, the deeper it goes the better, but at the same time the hoe will never do the same work as the spade, any more than the harrow can take the place of the plough. If the hoe is to be used among crops it will only be necessary to go one spit deep. The prong hoe is a very good tool ior working the ground after it has been dug or trenched, and can be used to break up the soil into a perfect working condition. How often the ground should be worked depends also on weather, time, and circumstances, but the surface should be kept loose, and this would mean that after every period of rain it would have to be gone over.

ORIENTAL (Kaikohe) asks: fl) Does the poinsettia require a rich soil, and if so what is the best manure to use. Would it be better in a warm, sheltered position outside rather than in a tub on the verandah ? Can the Oriental poppies be grown in a box aud transplanted like_ the Iceland poppies, and does it do best in a cool, shady position?— The poinsettia require a soil rich in humus, that is a soil containing plenty of leaf mould or .well-rotted manure. Cow manure is very good for theui. So far as artificial manures are concerned, the best to use would be bonedust. They require perfect drainage. They could be grown in a tub, but I should say it would do better iu the open nrround in a well-sheltered position. It suffers chiefly from cold winds during autumn or early winter, when- the bracts are forming. The Oriental poppies can be raised in boxCs and transplanted. They do well in a semi-shady position, but are not particular to position so long as they have a good, rich, deep soil. E.M. (Papatoetoe) writes: (1) What Is with enclosed leaf of a cabbage Pjawl • The plants were put out about .£* weeks ago. When planting I put stable manure in trench, and covered over with a couple of inches of soil. 1 put blood ®°, d ., b °uc manure in the holes that I an>bled before I planted the cabbages, im .k .i cause ol tbe cabbages curling tb , e "PS and going yellow at the seJS »Ji „ l? ave Bome rhubarb going to ehoulci T rtn, *ll.wat I I .wa t it for seed what T-hull ripen It perfectly? Should pull the stalls now, or leave it Hit it ecomes dry J (3) I planted tome

DIFFICULTIES WITH CUTTINGS

One of the difficulties with cuttings, is to get roots to grow, but not the tops. When there are no roots to bring in food from the outside, growth can take place only by withdrawing material from some other part of the cutting, and if the tops are actively engaged in this task, little or nothing is left for the roots, the result being, that the cutting after making some growth, dies perhaps even without having got so far as to liuikc a callus. One way of evading the difficulty is to insert cuttings in a, hot bed. The soil being then warmer than the air, competition between the roots and the tops is reduced to a minimum, and the former have a good chance of getting ahead of the latter. Summer is not a favourable time for striking cuttings in the open ground. Apart from the fact that the temperature of the air is then often considerably higher than that of the soil, most of them are actually growing, and though their growth is stopped when they are cut off, they are in a condition to resume it at the first opportunity. Spring is a better time, but autumn is best of all, because the ground I is then warmer than the air above it. j

CULTIVATION BY HOEING.

Lose no opportunity of hoeing between growing crops. The advantages gained are:—Weeds kept down; air allowed access to the roots; evaporation reduced, drainage assisted, and the warmth of the soil increased; plant food released.

PLASTS IN WRONG PLACE.

In most gardens there are some plants in the wrong place. Very frequently they are trees or shrubs. It may be that they are incongruous with their surroundings, or it may be that they shut out or spoil the view, but whatever the cause, the fact that they should not be where they are is fairly obvious. The conifers, for instance, are most difficult trees to find a suitable position for, yet they can be seen in a tiny garden almost touching a window of the house. In such case the tree is planted while it is quite small, without any thought of what will happen when it is bigger. Or its owner may say he can take it out later. But he never does take it out. This is sometimes due to indolence on his part, but more often the passage of time merely increases his reluctance to make the sacrifice. For this reason, when trees or shrubs are to be pla.nted, it is generally advisable to choose positions where they may remain permanently. One rule should always be observed—to keep the centre of the grounds open, and never to plant in such a way as to shut in the view.

onions About a month ago, but they have a yellowish tinge at the tips. I put blood and bone with them. What should I do to push them along?—(1) The trouble with the cabbage is that the blood and bone manure put in the boles have poisoned the roots. It is quite a mistake to try and grow any plant in manure. You made a mistake in putting the manure in a trench and planting the cabbage in.the two Inches of soil on top, and a further mistake in putting blood and bone in the dibble hole. All manure should be well mixed with the soil; the better it is mixed the more advantage It is. It is also better to either apply the manures three weeks or so before planting or leave concentrated manures such as blood and bone till a week after planting, and, then scatter on the surface, hoeing or forking it in. This applies to most manures except nitrate of soda, which should always be applied as a topdressing after the plants have commenced to grow. xu your case I think you would be well advised' to lift the cabbage plants, fork or spade the soil lightly, and then replant. Plants when first put in the ground after being lifted have no roots to absora manurlal substances; they have first to heal, and send out new fibres, and rich manures are of no use, but are actually detrimental to the plant at this period. Too much manure, especially concentrated or artificial manures, can do more harm than good if applied in larger quantities than the plants can absorb. (2) Leave the seed stalk until the seeds begin to turn brown, then cut the stalk and 1 hang it up to dry. If left too long the seeds will fall and be lost; but it must not be cut till the seed Is perfectly formed, which can be seen by them beginning to turn brown. (3) Xou can do nothing to the onions except working between them and keeping the soil loose. It may be due to too much manure, as in the case of potatoes. The bad weather will not have helped them, but until they have rooted well you have no means of forcing the plants. Once they commence to grow give them a little nitrate of soda. Dissolve one ounce in a gallon of water and apply it to the plants.

PLANTS AND A RESTING PERIOD.

411 plants have a regular resting period, even evergreens, though in thencase, the rest is not complete, their functions being still carried on in winter, but much less actively than in summer. The universality of the resting period suggests that it is necessary to continued vitality, but exactly in what way it operates is not known, One of its effects, which is probably important ie the withdrawal of moisture from the tissues and the consequent thickening of the sap. Under natural conditions this can be brought about by cold or drought. One of the most remarkable features of an alpine district is the rapidity with which the plants rush into flower a3 soon as the snow melts. If a shrub such! as Lilac is subjected to ether fumes, it will grow and flower much more quickly' than it otherwise would do. Plants can also be made to start growing by heat. If a Lilac is immersed in hot water for a few minutes it very soon flowers, and the same thins: happens when only a single branch is immersed, but in this case it is only one branch that flowers early. When some shoots of a climbing rose growing outside a conservatory are brought into the house they will flower so much sooner than those outside, that

the rose might be supposed to consist of two distinct plants. Though warmth and cold may produce similar results, the cause is different. Warmth promotes functional activity, and in the case of immersion in hot water, hastens growth by softening the tissues. When plants, growing under glass, are kept at an unnaturally • high temperature they become weak although there is "no certain evidence that this weakly condition is due to being deprived of their regular rest. For healthy growth certain rays of light are necessary and these are much more numerous, and of larger duration in summer than in winter, and in consequence, if plants are compelled to grow too fast during winter then they are sure to be either more or less weak.

RHODODENDRONS, AZALEAS

.■Rhododendrons will not thrive if the soil is impregnated with lime. The best soil is a light, sandy peat, resting on a well-drained sub-soil. They will, however, succeed quite well in sandy loam or even a fairly heavy loam if it is free from lime or chalk and is well drained, for although a moisture loving plant, aud needing copious supplies of water, good drainage is necessary. The plants naturally prefer a rather moist position, in partial shade and shelter from high winds. They are hardy enough to grow and flower in full sun and exposed positions, but the benefit of the shelter aud shade is seen when the blooms are expanding. Be careful not to plant too deeply; just cover the balls with soil, making it firm around each when filling in. They must not suffer from the want of water. Therefore it is as well to mulch with cow manure in September. Weak liquid manure applied when the soil is moist is very beneficial. As soon as the flowers fade remove the seed pods, so as not to exhaust the plants. September is a good month for transplanting, providing there are means of giving the plants two or three good soakings of water. The above remarks apply equally in every respect to azaleas.

DAHLIAS.

The time for starting the tubers and overhauling the varieties is now at hand. Like every other flower varieties are superseded by better and consequently every year should see some sorts thrown out and a few new ones added. Some varieties seem to last much longer than others and will be standard varieties for years. The modern trend, however, to produce varieties that carry their flowers well above the foliage and on stiff stems has resulted in many of the older eorts falling out of favour. There are various sections, and every year there are new introductions in each section, with the consequence that taken as a whole the varieties of dahlias at present in commerce can truthfully be said to be legion. It is impossible in the small garden to grow many varieties and consequently only the best and most suitable sorts should be planted. The following list of 12 cactus varieties ean be recommended, they are not the cheapest probably, but they are really good. G. H. Barlow, Mrs. Annie Clegg, Mary Segar, Trophy, Mary Murray, Octopus, Harry Strutt, Silverhill Park, Mrs. Walter Jackson, Ring Auzol, John J. Thorpe, Exhibitor.

SEEDS AND REQUIREMENTS.

If seeds are placed under suitable conditions of heat, air, and moisture, germination takes place. The amount of heat, however, varies according to the kind, the minimum being something above 32, and the maximum below 115 degrees. The majority, however, germinate best in a temperature from 60 to 90 degrees. Air is required because it contains oxygen, which all plants need to perform the function of respiration. Moisture is indispensable to the growth of all seeds. In conjunction with heat and air it brings about changes, chemical and otherwise, in the reserve food locked within the seed coat. Some seeds germinate very quickly, those of the willow being known to germinate 12 hours after falling from the tree, whilst species of ash, beech, maple, and many others do not germinate till after one or two years. Thin skinned seeds as a rule germinate the quickest, whilst those having horny structure are often buried in the ground for a year. If preserved from the action of moisture seeds will remain capable of germination for long periods. Much of the quality and keeping properties of seeds depend

upon their having been fully ripened before gathering. New seeds are preferable to old in every case. Large seeds should be placed deep enough so as to allow sufficient soil to be placed over, so as to thoroughly cover them. Very small seed must not be covered at all with soil, and the means of preserving moisture is by covering the pot with glass. Shade is beneficial, or at least assists germination, because the nfoistwe is kept more constant, and drying doeß not take place so quickly. Seeds can be sown deeper in sandy than in clayey soils; this is one reason why sandy soil is recommended for covering. The most natural period for sowing seeds is directly they are ripened.. This is not always practicable, but the shorter periods seeds are kept the better; the soil is the natural place for seeds*

TO UTILISE SPACE.

Parsley is a good edging plant where there are grass paths. Winter greens, broccoli, etc., may find a place between the rows of late potatoes, being planted in the furrows after the potatoes have been earthed up. The green crop is earthed up when the potatoes are lifted. In dealing with such crops as celery, peas, etc.. "it is necessary to allow a distance of six feet between the rows, and the intervening spaces offer suitable sites for spinach, lettuce, radish, etc. It will be found that spinach, lettuce and turnips are best grown between taller crops which offer a certain amount of shade; they are much happier in such positions. Prickly or winter spinach may be sown at the proper time between the rows of winter greens.

HUMVLUS JAPONICUS.

Those who are looking for a quick I climber of annual duration for covering some temporary structure cannot do better than try this. The variegated form is particularly decorative. It makes vigorous growth, and will reach a height 12 feet in a season. The seeds may be sown at the present time outside where it is required to bloom. It likes a sunnv j open position. " 1

POTATO BLIGHT.

LATHY RU S spixitdens.

In the "way of prevention the following precautions should be observed: None but sound seed tubers should be used. Where tubers are taken from a diseased crop, even though these tubers show no sign of disease, the disease is almost certain to occur in the resulting crop. Choose a soil that is suitable for the crop. A dry locality is most important, and the land should be well drained. So far as practicable avoid growing potatoes year after year in the same ground. Spray the whole of the foliage of the potatoes every ten or twelve days from the time the "foliage appears above the ground. Should rain occur within a few hours of spraying the operation must be repeated.

This scarlet pea. popularly known as the Pride of California, is one of the handsomest of all elimbing plants, but is seldom seen, the reason probably being the difficulty of obtaining plants. The seed as a rule is of a very low germination, the result being that few plants are raised. It should have a warm sheltered position, and a well drained soiL The seed should be sown as soon as procured, whenever that is, and the best method is to sow them singly in small pots, as the plants do not like disturbance of their roots.