HOME GARDENS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 72, 1 April 1949, Page 6

HOME GARDENS

(By J. W. Goodwin, N.B.H. (N.Z;), F.R.H.S., Massey Agricultural College.) \ MARCH-APRIL MISCELLANY Planting bulbs in grass, woodland or borders; sowing sweet peas and saving many other seeds; planting out biennials and perennials from boxes or pots. These few items, along *with the previously-mention-ed routine maintenance and work in lawns, all serve to show the great variety of March and early April work in the flower garden. Seed-saving is quite frequently a very casual affair. Sometimes it is left too late to select the best types or colours, and all and sundry find their way into the packet. In other gardens the seed may be picked before it is ripe and germination may be affected.

Where seed-saving is the major object, beds are planted up and all poor plants or colours are pulled' out as they show their weakness. This rogueing would spoil a bed for ornamental effect so we take a chance and risk these poor forms crossing with our good ones. However, if we go over the bed and select plants of good, habit, constitution and colour, the seed should be much better than that selected at random. Selection of Plants I believe in marking these beds with a small stake when the bed is in full bloom. The plant of sturdy compact-habit should be selected in. preference to that with a loose sprawling or leggy form. Where these are surrounded by plants of a similar type the offspring are more likely to be of the same uniform habit. The same applies to colour, though one can never be sure just what recessive characters (unseen) in this generation may show up next year.

Seeds of bedding plants are the easiest to save successfully, though unexpected colours may show up, particularly with antirrhinums. The best seed is produced on the earlier flower-spikes whilst the plant is most vigorous. In the case of antirrhinum, dahlias, zinnias and others, where it is customary to remove the spent seed-heads, seedspikes should be marked for saving. With antirrhinums the tip of the spike may be pinched out and the food diverted to the development of from 4 to 8 capsules at the base.' These few will give a surprising amount of first class seed and the remainder of the plant will continue flowering.

Planting of Bulbs

This operation should be completed in March, if possible, particularly with narcissi and hyacinths. The colchicuims or autumn crocuses should be transplanted, if necessary, as soon as the flowers die down and before the foliage appears. We discussed the planting in beds and borders last January, when I suggested buying and planting early. Many of the- hardiest bulbs may be planted underneath or in, between deciduous trees' and shrubs. The common grape hyacinth (mus-. cari) is very effective when carpeting the ground beneath the pinkflowered prunuses bleiriona or moseri, as they all flower at the same time. The wood hyancinths in shades of pink, mauve, white and blue brighten up the deciduous woodland where the trees are rather open;- that is, some sunlight penetrates during the summer months and full light during the winter. Snowdrops, dogstooth violets, and cyclamen neapolitanium are rather smaller of size but naturalise beautifully where the root competition is not too strong nor the soil too light.

Chionadoxa (Glory of the Snow) and Eranthis (winter aconite) are small subjects, and some lilies and the fritillarias are taler ones which may also be planted in open woodland. Snowflakes and narcissi may be planted on the borders of woodland and shrubbery or naturalised ir. grass, where the flowers contrast with the green of the grass. Planting should be at a depth similar to that recommended for beds, as too-shallow planting causes breaking up and the bulbs soon become overcrowded. Bulbs should not be planted in lines but broadcast in irregular drifts. Plant with a bulb-planter or remove an 8-inch square of turf, with the spade, place the four nearest bulbs one in each corner and - replace soil and turf Mow the grass just before the tips of the leaves show up and then leave until the leaves turn yellow before sc.yth’ng.