IN THE GARDEN.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20100, 2 December 1930, Page 6

IN THE GARDEN.

WORK FOR THE WEEK. (SPKCIAIX* WBITTZX »OB TBI' PaESB.) [By J. T. Sinclair.] ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. Ql v j a i wouM not recommend snlphato of ammonia for It would causo too mipvy ft Krowth for freo flowering. Use Boot-water and manure-water made from cow manure in r, weak 6tato once or twice a week when tho plants aro well rooted. If your chrysanthumums are growinff outside, remove tho tops to about one foot from the ground at the present time. If g-rown in pots for larjre flowers, they Bhonld have been stopped about tho middle of November, taking: up three shoots only. 3f not done, take the tops off at once. For bush plants pinch off the points of shoots as soon as they have made bix inches of growth, until February. Si'vor Bl'ffht —There i.s no sure cure for silver blight, so far as I am aware. Vou phould certainly cut out nil affected limbs, smoothing over with n sharp knife. Also cut out all dead wood. liv doinr this you may check it from spreading. G. Richards —Your apricot tree hufi the silver blight badly, also shot hole fun?:us. Tliere i« no retnedy to control tho former. I would ndvi.so f?rubb'npr out and ?>urnui?r before it vT>reads to healthy trees. Rep'ant in a different place, if possible. I think tho abnormally cold spring at time of flowering is tiie caußO of troublo with plum trees. Zinnia—Nitrate of soda is u qu:ok«aetinjr manure, prornotinc: the growth of planta to a remarkable dcree. Superphosphate is a general purpose manure, wh'eh can bo used separately or in conjunction with nitrate nf soda. Sulphate of ammonia acts similarly to nitrate of soda, but if. not po quick in action. Yon can use either as soon as plants are re-established after plantinr, nnd oren«'ona|ly up to time of flowering. One ounce to four gallons of water i* sufficient, using tVs when the rround is moist. You may sow heliotrope seed now. but. it H such a slo'v wav of incrensinfi: these that it is hardly worth while. T'-o div's ou of stron" plants is much the rpprker wnv. T don't rh : ok the insects had onvfh'ncr to do with the failure of zinnia seed to rerminatr*. Most proTiab'v the seed was at fnuH, as loenlly-f.aved rco<! last vnnr was not as pood as u*uM. Reader —The larcer of tho 'eavra is Olearia riansti'; the other, Pittasporum CraKsifolium. VEGETABLES. Keep tlip lioo poitv frequent ly nmoiipcst pntiitoos, niul lioforo earthing up, looson tlio t'round b tw.-«n the rows with a fork, if at nil hard. S'.ow turnips ns required, choosing tho coolest part of the pardon from now on until autumn, nnd thin those ot tho last howitig early. As soon ns mis lot of peas is through tho ground, ko«' ajxain. it is advisable from now <;» to miiUo a slight trcMK'h to receive the seeds. By doing this it is tnueu o.:si -r to water tiie rows if a dry time K.iould set in. Earth up tin so that ;:rc :i lew inches in height, and put stakes to them, usinK ones suitable to the height o! the variety, and make sure to leave the tops of stages fairly will© apart or the haulm will not yet the lull advan of the Support. The ground is in canital order for putting out plants, and any cabbace, cauliflower, lettuce, etc., i:ould l>o Kot O'.it while the ground is moist. It is mi advantage to cut the le'ves of cabbace and cauliflower in half at this da to when planting, as it m:\ke-; it easier for the plants to catch hold a?ain. The earliest plants of <o!ery should bo got out, an ' be that do not want for water at any time from now on, until they are finally earthed up in the autumn. Much ft tho trouble of celery running to seed prematurely, and also bavins soft nithv stalks, can be attributed to tha want of water at some <ta<_'e nf iti s'rowfli Ground f"r the winter sup v of r'rerns should !>o m<it ready to receive the plants. These will include cur'od f'l-eens or kale, reel cabbage, nnd the different varieties .»r Kroocoli, to nive a succession of heads tbrou'din.it tlio autumn, w'n + er. • " ' Tlio rround whore t)i<? l<itost )>roroon. is iust finished s'-ou'd be tn-nured nn \ du". It will then be readv to n'ant with leeks, celery, nnd french or runner I'^ans. FLOWERS. Tho settinf; out of the various summer bedding plants will be takiiic up a considerable amount of time, where a, lot of this work has to bo done; however. owing to the late rain, tho ground is in good order to receive tho plants, but it may he ndvisablo to water anv that have little or no ball of soil attached to their rootsit should l>e fairly safe now to get out all the tender plants, with the exception perhaps of begonias, zinnias, heliotropes, ageratums and iresines. These should l>e left until the very last A lot of atten.ion will be needea to keep tho different heibnccous plants staked and tied up, ns once they are allowed to get • down, it is no easy matter to get them, right again. Stakes should bo ,„7t to the dahlias that havo been ill the ground all winter, thinning out some of the shoots where there are too many. Annuals should be thinned well before the young plnnts pet spindly. These plants are mostlv sown far too thickly, and if not well thinned, they do not make much of a show, and wliat (towers there aro are quickly over. Thin out from throe to six mchos apart, according to tho size nnd habit •if the different varieties. Time should bo made to attend to tlio pruning of the different flowering shrubs as they go out of flower. Those that make plenty of new growths enn be cut well l-'nck, while others will only need n shoot cutting here and there to keep tho plant well bnlan-ed, and also to keep it from encroaching on its neighbours. The old flower heads of the lilacs should be cut off when past their best, nnd as the different varieties ol rhododendrons a:'d azaleas finish (lowering, take off the seed pods, as this relieves tho strain on tho plants, nnd enables them to make better nnd stronger growth which will form plenty of flower buds for next year. Attend to all climbing plants and regulate tho growths, and give ties wliero needed, as they quickly get into ft tangled mass at this season. GREENHOUSE. Amaryllus, as they pass out of flower, should be given a position in the warmest structure available, giving every attention ns to watering, and occasional doses of manure viator, to help to build up good nlants that will flower well novt sonsnn If more plants aro desired, seed can be sown ,n boni. now nnrl t.bn young pl.mts grown on rapidly in a good growing temperature, or the offsets can be taken off the old plants and grown in the same manner as seedlings. Callas, as they finish flowering, can bo placed outsido for a time, until it is convenient to plant them out for the summer, or they can bo left in tho pots if desired. and repotted about March. Celasius and coleus should be grown quickly, if good specimens aro reuuired. Plenty of heat is required at this time by both these plants. When they have made good growth a cooler lions'* will be more suitable. Coleus will need pots eutht or nine inches in diameter, when thov make beautiful specimen plants for the conservatory during the summer months. Snlvias, for flowering in the autumn and winter, should be potted a* required,, keeping in A cold frame

for tho present. "When all danger of frosts is past, tliey should be hardened off and placed outside, where the same conditions that suit th.j chrysanthemums will do for them. Salvias avo subject to attacks of red spider, but if the.v are syringed freely every a I tornoon tiiis should k:ep them clean Givo manure water when the pots are filled with roots. If desired they can bo planted outside in a spare corner, pinching occasionally to form bushy plants and potting early in the autumn to get well rooted before taking them inside.