HOME GARDENS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 71, 2 December 1949, Page 7

HOME GARDENS

(By J. S. Yeates, Massey AgricuP tural College)

Irises are in full bloom now and therefore the time is most appropriate to give some hints on planting and growing them. The commonest iris is the bearded iris of which there are hundreds of different varieties.

Many gardeners have not kept up with the breeders’ improvements in bearded irises during the last 10 or 12 years. To such people I would say go at once to an iris nursery and see for yourselves what a wide range of colours can now be bought, and what greatly improved form and size of bloom can be obtained. Planting time is just after flowering (plant in December) so any sorts you choose can be planted in the next few weeks, while you still remember the flowers. The situation for bearded irises should be in full exposure to sun—unless they get an abundance of sun at the roots, they will not flower well.

The soil for irises can be briefly described thus—good drainage, some organic matter, lime, phosphate, and potash. Note “some organic matter.” I do not mean working in organic manures like cow dung, sheep manure or old ensilage. The amount of organic matter irises need is about that found in a good average vegetable garden. One iris specialist says a good potato growing soil is ideal for bearded irises. That is incorrect in one respect for potatoes do best in an acid soil, irises in a limey soil. If you give a good supply of nitrogen to your irises—whether as stock manure of an . artificial or blood and bone, they will certainly be likely to grow well—at first. Later on—maybe the next year—you are very likely to find your irises suffering from fungus diseases as a result of the soft growth caused by the excess nitrogen. There are bound to be some soils which need nitrogen added before growing even irises, but great care should be taken in applying it. For moist conditions grow the Japanese irises with their flat wideopen blooms- in bright colours during November-December. They are quite unlike all the above irises in likes and dislikes.. They like an abundance of water in their growing season—roughly the summer months—but must have drier conditions during the rest of the year. The ideal situation for them is by water of some kind, where the roots can find their own level, or where the water level can be controlled. These irises revel in rich organic soil but hate lime and inorganic fertilisers like superphosphate. Blood and bone suits them. The new “Higo” strain of these irises is, outstanding in quality and size of bloom—some being claimed to reach a diameter of 12 inches. They form clumps and are increased by breaking up the old clumps in autumn or winter.

Fruit And Vegetables Keep going with the lead arsenate and the lime sulphur on the apples and pears. I have suggested earlier that the simplist way in the home garden is to spray with lead arsenate one week-end and with lime sulphur the next. The lead arsenate is used at one ounce per three gallons, and the lime sulphur at four fluid ounces per three gallons. You cannot mix these two sprays without using lime too. In the vegetable garden there is no busier month. Apart from hoeing weeds, there are peas to be staked, (I use the twiggy tops of bamboo for this) and lettuces and cabbages to be pushed along with a pinch of nitrate or ammonium sulphate. Tomato plants can well be set out now in inland cool districts. Where they are already growing, keep the soil stirred round them and pinch out any young branches, keeping the plant to one stem. This or course does not apply to the dwarf or bush tomatoes which can be allowed to develop most or all of their branches. Sow parsnip, carrot, beetroot, silver beet for winter greens, Brussells sprout seeds, Savoy cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, dwarf beans, peas, and the routine pinch of lettuce seed.