Gardeners’ Queries

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31118, 22 July 1966, Page 6

Gardeners’ Queries

Could you suggest a suit, able shrub (preferably ever, green or coloured) that could be grown in a domestic copper? Also what is the correct winter treatment for potted fuchsias and Kurume azaleas and when should they be repotted? Is it possible to graft a Granny Smith apple on to a dwarf Cox's Orange Pippin? M.R. (Ham).

Any apple variety can be grafted on to another apple variety. There are many trees and shrubs which may be grown in a copper or tub including Fatsia japonlca, Aucuba japonica variegata, Nandina domestlca, camellias, oleanders, ligustrum ovalifolium and others. Do not forget to put in drain, age holes in the base, and fill it with coarse material. It Is advisable to keep the copper off the ground. Potted azaleas should be kept in a lighted position in a frost-free room. They should be watered at the first sign of dryness. Maintain a temperature of about 60 degrees until they start to bloom. During this time it pays to spray the foliage dally. Treatment of fuchsias is fairly similar, al. though a slightly lower tern, perature could be given. As the buds begin to swell trim to shape; avoid over-watering: spray the foliage at least once a day. The repotting should be done in both cases when the plants have outgrown the pots. When and what fertilisers. If any, could bo given to camellias and should they be mulched —R.P. Camellias will respond to fertilisers and mulching. Late winter and early spring are the best times to apply the fertiliser. The following mixture could be given: one part sulphate of ammonia, three parts superphosphate, one part sul. phate of potash, two parts blood and bone. Sawdust, leaf mould, peat, compost, and rotted pea straw are suggested as some suitable mulching materials ap. pllcable to moist ground tn late spring.

For soma years past I have experienced poor results from my green pea crop. Wilt has tended to set in just as pods are forming, killing off a sizeable portion of the crop. Please advise whether there Is any dressing that could be applied to my seed peas to prevent this undesirable effect, and whether any particular type of pea is less susceptible to

th* disease. Any suggestion that you could make would ba graatly appreciated.— R.G. (Christchurch). At a guess the disease affecting your pea crops is pea wilt. This can be a persistent soilinhabiting disease and can be spread by implements, etc. The most important thing Is a long rotation once the disease has become established, as we may presume it has in your case Second, use resistant pea varieties such as Luxton's Pro. gress. Epicure. Strategem. Kelvedon Triumph and Senator. Commonly grown varieties such as Greenfeast, Onward and Wil. Ham Massey are all susceptible. Third, use a seed dust such as Spergon or the tetra-methyl-thiuram-blsulphide mixtures. If using the former, inoculation with nitrifying bacteria Im. mediately before sowing is re. commended. Burn all pea-vines after the crop has been stripped.

Will you please give advice on the pruning of dwarf

apple trees. Enclosed are drawings of throe to four-year-old trees, Cox's Orange Pippin, Golden Oe. licious and Granny Smith. There were only two or three apples on the delicious trees last year.—ln-

terested (Christchurch). Space does not permit reproduction of your drawings or to illustrate how they could be pruned. The trees could be reshaped but this may present too much of a problem to you. The main thing is to strengthen the leaders, or the strong upright growths, of which five to six are recommended, all well spaced out. Where they are too close, spread by forcing out with a stick inserted between them: if too far apart they could be contained with a wire or wooden loop. Reduce the leaders by about one third, maintaining equal height if of similar vigour but leaving the weaker ones correspondingly larger. Lack of twigs in your sketches suggests that these have been removed—only the very lowest growths on the trunks should now be removed. Remember that weak shoots If hand pruned will develop one I or two good fruit buds; more vigorous growth if lightly pruned will produce weaker terminal and side shoots with a quantity of fruit buds and if left unpruned strong terminal growth can be expected with ample fruit buds. However, should you cut the latter growth hard, strong growth is likely as a result. Buds in unwanted post, tions can be rubbed out. Those which are required to grow strongly should be nicked just above but can be suppressed by doing likewise below the bud. Also do not forget that the more horizontal the growth the greater is the tendency for fruit bud formation instead of wood buds on that limb.

Could you please toll me whether it Is correct to apply lime to an asparagus bed? It has had a good dressing of an all purpose manure this season, also sheep manure and fowl Utter. The bed is about ten years old and has never produced as much as we think It should.—K.F. (Oamaru).

Asparagus responds to ample organic and inorganic manuring and it would seem from what you have written that the plants are being well fed. This vegetable prefers a soil tending to neutral rather than acid and liming may sometimes be necessary, but whether it is I could not say. A soil test could deter, mine any deficiency. Although the same asparagus beds have been kept in production for at least twenty years there is most usually a decline in yield after about 12 years of cropping. However soil, weather conditions or more likely a poor strain of plants could be responsible for the reduced yields.

I am one who buy* “The Preu" In Wellington. An article appeared on the garden page some time ago on the different species of eucalypts, which was very Informative. An article on native trees, giving such In. formation as size, growth, shape of feaves and whtra to plant, and soma Illustra-

tions would be most helpful.

It Is helpful to receive comments such as yours, as they give an Idea of what is of interest to readers. Articles along the lines you suggest have appeared in the past, but your views will be kept in mind for the future.