GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2576, 25 September 1915, Page 15

GARDEN NOTES

(Br "Koavkai.").

E.R.," Taranaki, writes:—"Will you kindly tell me through your notes in The Dominion tho reason of rhubarb constantly flowering, and of a cure lor the same? Have manured tho roots thoroughly, and am very disappointed tho stems are so thin. Also, should bulbs of narcissi, daffodils, etc., be lifted each season and stored? If so, at what time? Last year the bulbs were glorious, and this season have scarcely any blooms." You must not allow the rhubarb to flower. Twist out the flower buds as soon as .you seo them forming. If the rhubarb you grow is tho Crimson Winter variety, tho stems of that are always fairly thin. Rhubarb requires a rich, moist rooting ground, and during dry weather water. Narcissi bulbs should be lifted every second year. Do this as soon as the foliage has turned yellow. Flaco the bulbs m paper bags, and hang them up in u cool, dry place. Directions for replanting will be given during February, next.

, ■ MICHAELMAS DAISIES. _ Michaelmas daisies that vroro cut baok la the winter will now have thrown up a, mass of young shoots. It is better to. life tho old plants each spring and divide, them. In this way a better display of flowers is" obtained, and the growth of the plants is much finer. Pull off outside pieces of the old roots; leaving about two or three shoots to each piece, and plant these pieces in rich, deeplv-dug ground.

Michaelmas daisies - will grow well in any well-prepared garden soil, but, like so many other flowers, they repay ono for good treatment If the plants are put into well-prepared soil; and are attended to during tho summer, the flower stalks of the tailor varieties will reach to a height of fire, or six feet, and Will be literally a mass of beautiful flowers. If water cannot be supplied to the plants during the growing "season, they should be given at least one good watering about November, and .should then have a mulch of decayed vegetable matter, grass clippings, or well rott.eu animal manure placed round their roots. .New kinds may bo Obtained by buying a! packet of good seed and sowing it in spring. The plants will probably not flower till the second year. But in small gardens it is as well to buy plants of named varieties, and to increase the 6tock of plants from these.

GLADIOLI. The eariy flowering gladioli are already so far advanced that one must attend to the staking and tying in of the plants, liie earliest of the gladioli, Tristis, is already in flower. This'is a beautiful greeny cream variety, and is' intensely sweet scented at night. Lovers of sweet scents in the garden should not bo without the gladiolus tristis. ' Corma of tlie eummer and autumn flowering rarities should be planted now. The ground for gladioli should ba deeply dug and fairly rich. It should contain, if possible, 'well decayed manure, leaf soil, grit, and a sprinkling of bonedust Put a layer of silver or river sand beneath the corms, and place a little Tound them before covering with earth. In the clumps the corms should bo from six to nine inches a £ autl fo . ur in . oll6S deep- • The stake should be driven into place before placing the corms to avoid injury to them.

. ROUTINE WOKK. Tha early spring flowers, violets, and narcissi, are already over/but thev have given place to such a host of beautiful late spring flowers that one has onlv time to give them a fleeting thought of regret. Primroses and polyanthus primroses hivo taken the placo of tho borders of violets. Anemones, hyacinths, doronicuins, wallflowers, stoclcs, forget-mernots, mignonette, paiisies, lata narcissi, early tulips, iris reticulata, flag irises, freezias, antirrhinums, are all flowering gaily, and are filling the air jvith fragrance. The blue everlasting pea . is now a glorious sight, and the clumps of sweet peas are running up to such a height that one has visions of a display of these beautiful flowers before long, There is a..bowl of sweet peas and mignonette on. the writer's table at the present moment*. Late tulips aro sending up their long flowering stocks .very quickly now, Geum,

campanula, carnations, pinks, autumnsown poppies, larkspurs, godetias, clarkias, etc., are just bursting into flower.

Among tlio shrubs tlie beautiful Forsylhia susnensa, is out in flower, every twig and branch covered wi'-li tiny golden bells. Lilac, pearl bush, guilder rose; and a number of other flowering shrubs are all busy hastening their flower buds to perfection. Work for tlie amateur frdm row until next winter is unceasing. Wants that are in flower must, bo constantly attended to. The soil must be kept stirred, anil it hardens .very quickly during this windy season.. Weeds aro ready to grow apace if not promptly checked. Dead flowers must, bo puked on' to prolong the flowering season. Liquid manure must bo given to plants coming to perfection. Tilings grow so quickly just now that ono seems to bo always tying up and staking, ill ohrysanthelrinm plants must ba got out. Greenfly must be kept in check. Anemone? must imo constant supplies of water, and so must pansies. Pansies need also liberal supplies of food in the shape of liquid manure. Paths must bo hoed to" keep the weeds down, and lawns- already need mowing. Tidy, weed-free natlis are much more important to the general appearance of the garden than many people seem to think. No matter how gay and how" tidy the flower border, tlio effect is quite spoilt if the pjth is ill-kept, and tlio lawn or surrounding grass not attended to. Fortunately the evenings are getting longor, and the enthusiastic amateur is not restricted bo the weekly half-holi-day, which so often turns out wet. !Early morning gardening, too,, is a great pleasure. and most beneficial to those who are obliged to spend al the working hours indoong. ' At the present time it is a good, plan to take the hoe with you whenever you .walk round your garden.

VEGETABLES. | Parsley makes a very nice border for a kitchen garden. Tlio seed is slow to germinate, and should therefore be soaked in warm water beforo being sown. The plants should be thinned out to about six inches apart as. soon as thoy are big enough. , As soon as the present sowing of radishes appears through tho ground, niako another sowing. Radishes, to be nico, ,must bo grown quickly on rich soil, and they- have an unfortunate habit of maturing all together.. Once they have matured they must bo used up quickly, as they are very soon past the stage when they are crisp, mild, and juicy! It is necessary, therefore, to sow radishes often, and to mako small sowings each time. 'If you follow tlio plan of making'a fresh sowing, as soon as the last one appears througn tho ground, you will always have radishes ready for tho salads that are so acceptable at this time of the year. In the samo way small sowings of lettuces should be made at frequent intervals, and once the plants'aro put out they should be hurried on by means of diligent hoeing, and by fortnightly doses, of liquid manure (loz. nitrate of soda in 1 gallon water), applied after a. good watering, or after a shower of rain. As soon as the soil is sufficiently dry again the hoe must at once be brought into use. I like to grow lettuces on deeply-dug, but firm, soil. Thoy heart more quickly 'if their roots are kept near tho surface.

TOMATOES IN BACK YARDS. No one, not even peoplo living in city streets, need bo without a few tomato plants. Provided thero is a small space of sunny yard, they may be grown, quite easily, and ■ they are well worth the trouble. There is a flavour and freshness about tho home-grown tomato that' is never to lie found in those bought in shops.- Many houses in the city-have only a tiny strip of back yard, but, provided it is sunny, even if it is a paved back yard, it . makes a good home for tomato plants. Some tins or boxes a foot in depth do splendidly togrow plants in. One plant should be allowed to each box. i r irst putsome pieces, of broken-up brick and somO cinders in the bottom of the box, then fill up with good earth enriched with a little well-rotted manure aud a little bonedust. If the boxes can be placed against a sunny wall oj fence, the plants cau be trained up that. Otherwise they must have a good'strong-'stake. Put in the plants awl make the soil very firm round tho roots. 'If the tins or boxes can be buried in a bed of ashes the earth in them will not dry up so quickly. Water must be supplied as often as necessary, and the lea.ve,s should be kept well syringed. Keep the plants to a single stem, pinching out side growths and 6hoots from the roots, Plants may be puf: chased and put out now, because plants growing against a wall or fence can so easily be protected from cold winds aad frosts.

Garden Notes next week will contain seasonable notea. about asters, cosmos, and .vegetables.