GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2468, 22 May 1915, Page 15

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowhai."). These notca are written solely for the amateur gardener for tho busy city man who likes to spend an hour or two in tlio pardon after being shut up all day. for tho worn ail who dorives great pleasure from growing a few plants to brighten her .home, but to whom it would bo a weariness to study garden books, and for all thoco who are endeavouring to keep a small garden bright and attractive all tho year round. To these I say do not attempt to grow too much. Choose what plant6.you want for your garden and for supplying tho house with cut llowers, and whatever you decide upon grow tho best of its kind that is to bo obtained. Readers are invited to ask questions. Continue planting delphiniums, gypsophila, paniculata, oriental poppies, coreopsis, grandiflora, gaillardias, pentsteinons, pyrothrums, antirrhinums, carnations and daisied. Delphiniums ar& glorious garden plants when they are well treated. They may be had in every shade of blue, and when ihey arc massed together they make,- with their different shades and varying heights, a most satisfying and charming picture. They are exquisite, too, for putting in bowls or jars in the houso. Thb ground for delphiniums should be deeply dug and well manured. As soon as the foliage dies down the plants should be covered with farmyard manure. They soon grow into splendid clumps, which need breaking up only every four or five years. Water must be given during dry weather or the flowers will be stunted. A whole bed of delphiniums is well worth growing, but where there is not room for this, they should bo planted in groups at the back of a long border or in the centre of a email bed. GLADIOLUS CORMS. Gladiolus corns may be lifted, tied in bunches, • and hung to a roof of a shed to dry. Be careful to label each kind, as it is hung up. CHRYSANTHEMUMS. Save all the dead flowers, leaves, stoms, and old roots of chrysanthemums.- As soon as they are dry enough burn them, and save, the ash for mixing with the soil when putting out Ithe new plants in the spring. _It is a good plan to put the ash in a tin with a lid, and label it "chrysanthemum ash." Keep one compost heap specially for th« chrysanthemums. They must have a good mulch of decayed vegetation placed round their roots towards the end of December. This must bo added to as often as it is necessary. Tho ground round chrysanthemums should not be forked over after December, because the plants then begin to make new roots judt under the surface. It is most important not to injure these roots or the flowers will suffer. MAKING A GARDEN. In making a garden for flowers or shrubs the soil should be thoroughly worked at least a month before anything iB planted. It is usual to work the ground three feet deep, keeping the top soil on top, as the subsoil is generally sour. Only when the soil has been deeply worked for a good many years is it sale to bring the subsoil to tho top. It is of the utmost.importance to do tho work of preparing the ground thoroughly in the first nstanice, especially where shrubs aro to bo planted, because these remain in the same place for many years. A flower garden that has' beon well , made may also be left for a good many years before it is necessary to lift everything, and again thoroughly dig the ground. .Therefore, in .making a new garden it is always safest to remove the top soil, and trench and manure the subsoil. The method of doing this has bean mentioned several times in previous notes. Heavy clay soils should bo lightened by-having and, road-grit, and horeo manure worked into the subsoil. Vegetable rubbish or any decayed vegetation, may also be used. Afiter the top soil has been replaced, work into it basic slag (doz. U th-) square yard). ■ -Light soils may also have decayed vegotation worked into the subsoil, but instead of horse manure, cow or pig manure should be used, and also plenty of dead leaves, soot, and wood ashes. Into tho top soil work -ioz. of bonedusit and loz. of sulphate of potash to the square yard. Top dress the gardens with ground lime in the spring. By breaking up and tilling the subsoil a greater mass of good containing- plant food is obtained. Tho moro the food, the better the plants. Once a garden is permanently planted with shrubs or herbaceous plants it should not be dug with a spade or deeply forked. This breaks or' bruises the tender roots which are just below the surface of tho soil, and spoils 'them for flowering. If a garden has been well trenched and manured at first, all that is necessary for a good many years is weeding, loosening of the surface 6oil by shallow hoeing, or by the use of the hand fork, mulching, and stimulating with artificial manuros. RENOVATING' AN OLD GARDEN. There comes a time, fortunately not often, when it is necessary to remake one's garden. Then all the plants must bo lifted, and the ground trenched and manured as advised for making a new garden. While this work is being dono the plants may be stacked under a tree, and have earth spread over their roots to keep them from becoming dry. Should tho gardener wish to alter tho plan of his garden, ho should seize this chance of doing so, as once the plants are put back they will probably remain for years. Nothing is worse for plants than for them to be continually moved about while their owner is trying to make up his mind how he best likes them. Any previous faults in laying out may now be corrected. As soon as the beds gx? Teady the plants should be caicfully replaced. Pay particular attention to spreading out roots, cutting off any bruised ones with a shaTp knife, and pruning long taproots to encourage more fibrils growth. Large clumps of herbaceous plants should bo broken up, and the outside pieces roplanted. Take your time when settling . your plants in their new homes, and see that each one has what it likes best, and is thoroughly comfortable before you pass on to the nest. VEGETABLES. Sowings of broad beans and pew may still be made. Where cabbages and carrots are lil®ly to run out, a small sowing of each may be made now, but not later than the end of this month. PEAS. Peas must be protected from small birds as soon as they appear aboTe tho ground. The be3t means of protection is with small sticks and blaok cotton stretched along the rows just above the ground. - Powdered ■ lime should be sprinkled along the rows as a protection against slugs, which are very plentiful just now. The lime will serve a double purposo, because it is a good manure for peas. RHUBARB. New Toots of rhubarb may now be planted. The ground should first be well dug and richly manured. Remove decayed leaves from old roots, fork round them, and cover them with a mixture of decayed leaves and manure. If stable manure cannot be procured, work into the soil round tho plants some bone-dust, and then cover with decayed leaves. Tho best rhubarb for owners of small gardens to grow is Topp's Winter. This bears during the whole winter at a time when fruit for pies, etc., is scarce. It. is quite hardy, and the flavour is excellent. Plants that aro coming on now will be benefited by an application of the following liquid manure:—Three oz. of soot, and six ounces of guano, placed in a piece of coarse tagging or scrim, and then allowed to stand in 10 gallons of wator. Give each plant a good soaking. Guano, basic slag, bone-dust, sulpha to of potash, and limo may be procured from , all seed merchants. Gather stakes together, grade them, and sloro them out of sight under trees or in a shed. | Uno whenever the ground is dry enough. "Garden Notes" "est week will contain seasonable notes about Flowers for the whole year, daisies, sweet peas, plants for exposed positions, and vegetables.