GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2403, 8 March 1915, Page 9

GARDEN NOTES

-.(By "Kowhai.") ! These notes are -. written' solely for tlio amateur gardener', ■ for tho- busy' city man who liko3 to spend an hour or two in his garden after being shut np all day, for tho woman who derives gTeat pleasure from growing a few plants to brighten her home, Bnt to whom.it would.be a wearineis to stiidy garden books, and for all those who. are endeavouring to keep a' smalls garden/bright and attractive all the year. ..xoimd.. .To thee© X Bay do not attempt" to. grow too much.' Ohooee what plants for your garden and for supplying the house with cut flowers, and whatever you. decide upon gfrcw "the best of its kind that is to be obtained. Headers are in-vited-to ask-Questions.

Seeds. 'Autumn is the best, time for sowing perennials. Seeds sown this month develop into sturdy plants ready to bed out in the spring, and will flower in the summer, • < - - : Hollyhocks, delphiniums, coreopsis grandiflora ) ..gaillardias, verbenas, polyanthus, primroses, carnations, antirrhinums, scabious,. aquilegias may all be sown this week, arid also the' following hardy annuals: —Double. _ Shirley poppies,' ten-week stocks, mignonette, for-get-me-nots, sweet sultans, and annual, gypsophila (gypsophila. elegans). Au-tumn-sown annuals begin.. blooming about October, and keep the garden gay until the spring-sown annuals oome into flower. Seeds-feowii'in pans arei always more successful than those sown in ground:' "About' three pSrts fill the pans with earth.-'je'af mould, arid sand, or simply with-good earth and sand. . Mix the ingredients well _ together. At this time of the."year it is necessary to place your seed-pans somewhere in.the shade. Give the pans' a good watering about an' hour before sowing the -seed. Cover the seed by the merest sprinkling of,fine earth. If seeds are- very small-mix them in- a saucer with. a little sand, or very fine earth; .The seed's are then more evenly distributed over the seed-pan. Never sow seeds' thickly, or the- seedlings will come up crowded together'and run up into weak,' spindly plants. Those- that" are well distributed over the- feed-pan and thinly sown have a chance to grow into sturdy .plants that . wi11... make strQng growth right from'the start. If possible, never sow seed in dry weather. This applies especially to vegetable seeds.' If for instance' cabbage of. Cauliflower seed is sown in dry weather the plants will run to seed very, quickly. If ' sowing must be .'done in dry weather,.' place your • pans under the'shade of 'a. treo and thoroughly soak with water ai hour or/two -before' sowing the seed. Afterwards spread a little light litter over the seeds till they are well'up. -The dry haulm of peas make a, splendid .litter. Silver, sand may : be bought .from the ' seed " merchant. . Wallflowers and Stocks; Wallflowers and'stocks that were sown in the Spring are now ready to be planted ont. Have the soil ,not _ too rich. If possible add to' the soil a little old mortar (powdered) as these plants- are -very•'■ fond of it.. Cut '.the tap-roots off the .seedlings to enoourage them to : make fibrous, roots. ;• . Slants' thus treated make. bushyVgrowth instead of being' straggly.' When planting make the, ground quite firm round the roots, and water well after plantingout:' '-'I ... _v'

EulL up.-and .' .burn," -early . < flowering annuals-that are oyer.- ' Pork-aViittlef bonedust'.ifltg ;'the'spilj 'and 'prant-out: in .'these', ,'empty,,. spaces seedling ...Canf". terbury ibellsi waUflow4rs| stocks, street--williams;--forget-mfe-nots, or sow .w>ign<iy ne'%. «§ed .fp,r. winter' ? -06weriii'g. v'/ Mlgnonettei' ' :W j' :' Sow..mignonotte. where it is intonated' to grow..- Mix a' little leaf mould-'with the;':>s(>,il,' ..ernd', fori.];in, ajjont. 40z." ,t6 the square yard,- and a good supply-of road. grit. -'Soak' the •'•ground ! witn;wator''-a'teut;;iw.o.Kdurs ; . ./Just'.caver-oji'e .seed' with";.fine earthy an'd ; pfatect with: -litter suoh/'aff' pe^-haulm;, As i so'bn; as '';the t plapiJ«?aj| .t'fiem.,but'j'.'',Md' pinct ontrtlie- tops :of-those left in'.theground' to;, maka--- «

Autumh--Prunlng Rambler- Rose^ it v 'fi vgfy. necessary .to.' Cut :ouf: -Qje" old.- wood "and the .weak .myr shopts of. a. rambler. rose -as sooii ■ as' they finished '-'flowering. •;' This ■ ; givea» 1 'the strong .new. shoots .a chance to develop.' Tie tbem 'into.place as they-grow. Doro-thy-'Perkins' is a' free' grower, and; "is ;most grateful.'for ; su'oh ,treatment.

Bulbs. '' . Bulb?, that have been. in . the ground fir some years should now be lifted and spread out in the-hot. sun for-a day. Protect them at night,. and plant back again as soon as possible. ' This treatment, ensures better flowering in the following Spring. . Dig . the ground where the bulbs have been, and ..fork into it some leaf-mould or decayed garden refuse, together with 4bz. of bonedust and loz. of sulphate of potash to. the square yard. . When, planting the bulbs spread some sand or fine road grit in the bottom of the;hole' for'the' bulbs to rest on._ : This is' a great help to them' in starting growth, and'keeps the •• .bulbs in a healthy condition. Bulbs to plant this>week are: Snowflakes; snowdrops, and grape,hyacinths.. The blue" grape hyacinth (musca,ri conicum) is more effective when planted in clumps.. among • forget-me-not. ' It is splendid for cutting, and lasts a, long time in "water.

Keep,'the of the soil -..well: stirred. ..] In. a.welkfilled. flower-bed-, it. is: sometimes. use a- hoe;: but • use. thel-small weeding-fork to. Seepythe Eoil well stirred round' the roots: '.of. plant?.' OPlahts so treated need very little ..water. Water thoroughly or not at all. ■ ■ Keep cutting ■ off all: dead seed-pods, arid. yellow , leaves, ,'and the plants' will have a longer flowering sea•son. ... v . . VEGETABLES. . . Use the hoe freely between growing' vegetables. ; The more- the surface' -of the-soil is'stirred the': less :vthe'evaporation ■ of' moisture. - possible.' everj day, especially between the rows of French beans and' late ]peas. , Late Turnips. • Where early peas or broad beans have been cleared away make a sowing of the yellow-fieshed variety of turnips. Don't dig the plot. Simply rake over the surface, and draw ■ out shallow drills. When grown in firm soil, turnips have only one tap root, and theybegin to bulb early. . . The seedlings .piust be thinned out when quite young.. Even if these late-sown turnips, are not 6. great success' as a root vegetable, the tops. make . excellent .greens in the Spring, just before they run to seed.

Spring, Cabbages. . " . Where early potatoes have been lifted plant out young cabbages and cauliflower plants. . Don't manure the ground, or you will get soft growth instead of plants forming' hearts. There will bo n teridency,' too, for the plants to run quickly to seed. Plants put_ out on firm, not over-rich, ground will make sturdy gritrth; and'later on good' hearts. Sprinkle soot that has been exposed, to the air on the surface of the soil after planting, to'help keep'away caterpillars. ... ■ ■ _ Make'small sowings'of cabbage, cauliflower, carrot (short horn), and winter .■spinach. ' ' •' 1 | ■ V Winter spinach needs deep rooting it- soon runs to seed. ' '.'Tomato**. ; ■ Hos roiirid the roots of tomatoesfrequently:: . Give .liquid- .manure (Joz.--of guano'- r in' every- gallon -of '-water.'usedfor ■ {watering)'\t)vice".,"a week.y .Giv& 'the platfts'a good , :kiaking each time: KWk Jjajo look-out for a bi r \sroca

caterpillar , that attacks the . fruit' just as it is turning colour. Hand-picking is the bost moaais of getting nd of the pest. Guano can be bought at "all seed shops.

- Cardan Refuse. r At this timo of the year there is a largo quantity of garden, refuse. —Pea, bean, and potato balm, carrot and bean tops, weeds, etc. Do not waste any of tliis' refuse, as it makes a most valuable manure. In a secluded part of the' garden dig a bole and put all the garden refuse into it, also, all the .house slops, wash-up water, dead flowers, weeds (except those bearing ripening seed), and any vegetation that will rot down, wood ashes, and soot. About July the whole will be ready to be got out of [ the hole. Then sprinkle superphosphates oyer the mass. Fork it. over . several times, each time sprinkling it with superphosphates, .and it is then ready to be deeply dug into your vegetable-garden. I have for several years- used this as a substitute for animal manure in the vegetable garden, and in renovating flower-beds, and, with the. help of a.few. chemicals, have found it most effective. Burn cabbage and cauliflower leaves and stumps,.docks, and-dandelion root's,' and carefully save the ashes for adding to the onion bed in the spring. Keep the hoe going.