HOME GARDENS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 26, 29 November 1948, Page 7

HOME GARDENS

(By J. W. Goodwin, N.D.H. (N.Z.), F.R.H.S., Massey Agricultural College.) CULT OF THE ANNUAL Annuals have a definite place in the balance of nature. They have been evolved under the varying climatic conditions and plant competition found in their native homes. In the colder regions they grow and blossom during the short summer, whilst in arid regions they flower following' the rainy season. In the garden and under less severe conditions they grow quickly and flower longer. Many of them are seldom raised by nursery men, for some become drawn and spindly in boxes, whilst • others may be difficult to transplant. Those which are suitable for box-growing inde many of our best-known bed-' ding plants. " • The most suitable method of raising these subjects is by sowing the seed where the plants are intended to bloom. I well remember my mother raising many showy varieties which, though still catalogued by seedsmen, are seldom seen in New Zealand gardens. ' Slow-grow-ing varieties are not suitable for this purpose, as they are almost invariably choked out by weeds. Some subjects such as . allysum '"nnual), nemophila and others may be sown at almost any time, but the best month is November. The early rampant weeds such as chickweed and fumitory have germinated and been checked by this time. The soils and weather conditions are warmer and conducive to rapid establishment, particularly of those subjects from warmer climates. Very weedy ground and stiff soils are rather unsuitable, but will produce . results if given a little extra preparation. Weedy ground should be cultivated early in the season and the first one or two crops can then be hoe'd, when small, and destroyed before sowing. It is not wise to dig this ground 4 over again, else a new crop of weed-seeds will be brought nearer the surface and will commence to germinate with the flower seeds. Thorough preparation in the first place, followed by surface cultivation will be effective in most cases. Another Control Measure Another method which assists in the control of weeds is to'prepare the ground and mark out the desired spacing, say, 12 inches apart for small, subjects and 15 or even 18 inches for larger A few seeds sown at each mark will make weeding easier and may later . -be thinned to • one plant. With stiff soils, thorough cultivation is necessary, and even then there is a tendency for the soil tp “set” and inhibit the germination of the seed. A surface dressing of prepared seed compost or old boxing soil will give a free-working surface suitable to the establishment of the seedling. Watering is necessary in some seasons, for the surface must not be allowed to dry-out before- the 1 seedling is well established. Do not make the mistake of leaving the seed bed loose; must be well firmed, otherwise it will not hold sufficient moisture, and again, fine seeds may be washed too deeply into the soil by the heavy watering which would then be necessary. Another point of considerable importance is that when the seedling becomes established in loose soils there is a tendency to make unduly soft growth, which is easily damaged, and the plant does not develop a stocky, free-fiowering habit. In some gardens whole borders are planned for sowing “in situ,” whilst in others bays or edging are sown in mixed shrubberies or perennial borders. In America mixed packets of wild-flower seeds are supplied by seedsmen for broadcasting in the borders or woodland. This is quite a fascinating experiment, for who knows what flowers to expect? The usual method, however, is to prepare a good seed-bed and to plan “drifts” of your own favourite flowers which are most suitable to the position. These “drifts” should vary in size from 2g to 3 or even 5 feet across, according to the size of the area and the long or short flowering period of. the plants. Plants with flowering periods of short duration will' leave a rather bare effect if sown in large bays. They are much better in smaller pockets, wedged in between those which flower over a long period. Care of the Young Weeding and thinning is important when the seedlings are young. They must be given light and air if they are to develop fully and give of their best. Taller subjects must be staked, if they tend to topple over, and this must be carried out at the first signs. Curled and twisted stems cannot be staked without damage, and they fail to show their flowers to full effect when lying down. ,