GARDEN NOTES

Chronicle (Levin), 2 November 1946, Page 2

GARDEN NOTES

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If youv violets need replantiug this is the time to do it, and it is a job which should be done before any hot weather sets in, so that plants get established well and do not liave to struggJe through the summer with imperfectly developed roots. When old violet plants arb lii'ted from their bed they present a tangled mass which is rather dismaying. For replantiug clioose new young growths with a few roots and diseard all large, woodv pieces. The pieces to be put in need not have many leaves developed, in i'act, better not, but the ceutre from which new leaves will come should be strong looking. Usually the same ground is used perpetuallv for a violet bed, as a site. in semi-sliade is the best, and in many gardens of small size there is only a limited ainount of space a'vailable in such a position. Therefore, it is very necessarv to thoroughly prepare the bed before replantiug so that the plants, will liave ample food supply for the next three seasons. l)ig the ground well, working in any old manure available, or using plenty of good compost. Fowl manure is good if it has been kept dry under cover for some months and is tlien crumbled up ftnelv and well mixed with the soil. If the soil is wet and stii'ky it will be better to "prepare your t'resh supply of plants and lieel them ih and delav pla-nting uiiHl conditions dre suitable. It will soon be time to replant polyantlius priinroses if these need redoing. The best results are obtained from sow-" iug some seed each season and having a constant supply of fresh plants coming aloug, but this takesjime and most gardeners divide their plants after they have bloomed for three seasons, (fo over your stock now while there is still some colour among the blooms and ruthlessly diseard any you may have • which do not measure up to a higli standard for size, colour, etc., You do not want to waste time and energy propagating plants which are not first quality. It is interesting to work up a strain of one 's own by fertilising t.be flowers by haud." Transferring the pollen from oue good plant to another and tlien. inarking the stems so treated and har-

vestingjhe seed^when ripe. Sometimes polyanthus do not get many seeds, and in case they liave" to- be carefully watehed soathat the capsules -'do notj burst open and the seed become' lost— , often it is'nearly ChriStmas time beforej the seed is sufllciently ripe to gather. j Kanunculus plants are very easily , raised from seed and a very fme collec-i tion can be buil-.t up in( a year or rtwo. | Go over the plants now*. and puti a tag' on those producing the most attraetive| blooms, niarking the best ones only om each plant. In a few weeks time when| you want to lift them in order to re-| plant the bed, lieel the ranunculi in inj I a row somewhere in an odd eorner until | the foliage dies otf. Then gather the seed and lift the. eorrns which can be dried off and used again next season. Ranunculus seed is considered to have better germinating powers when it is not too fresh and can quite safely be kept for a year before sowing.