GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2717, 11 March 1916, Page 15

GARDEN NOTES

[By "Kowiiai."]

PLUMBAGO. Plumbago is generally considered a greenhouse plant, but it maj- bo grown quito easily out of doors if it can bo protected ironi frost. It is a beautiful plant, and its lovely pule blue flowers are iiorno in profusion twice a year. A nurthoast position against the side of a house Bints it well, especially if an overflow pipe from the roof empties itself not far off. It may be grown well in am- Rood garden soil, especially if a little sand' and decayed vegetation bo added. After the spring flowering, all branches that have borne flowers should be cut back to a strong bud. New flowering branches are ■soon produced, and by Pobruary the plant is again a mass of bloom. The pruning after the autumn flowering should be pretty severe. 'Plumbago likes to bo severely pruned, becauso it ■ bears its flowers on the new growth. At the first approach of winter, cover the roots of the plant with a good layer of wood ashes/ and on frosty nights throw a pieco of sacking, or sugar-bag, over tho Irtish. New plants of plujiibiigo may bo obtained by layering, now, branches that can bo pegged down. PANSIES. Clumps of pnnsics that were cut back will now have a quantity of now growth. It is from this now growth that wo tako bur cuttings to 'mako plants for tho com* ing season. Pull uway as many young growths as you think will bo needed, and plant, them in a shallow pan, containing a mixture of half soil and half sand. The soil in tho pan should, of course, be made thoroughly damp some hours before tho pansy cuttings are put in. Press the soil firm'.y round the cuttings, and keep them 'moist and Blinded from tho hot sun till they begin to grow. They will then be ready for planting out. To grow really good pansics tlio ground must be very thoroughly prepared. They are greedy feeders, and they 'require plenty of loot moisture. In order to make sure of the root moisture . the ground should have the top soil removed, and tho sub-soil should lie thoroughly broken tip, ai|d should have plenty of decayed stable manure; or decayed garden rubbish mixed'with it." Tho top-soil may.thou bo.returned to its place,'.land should have bonedust (about loz.toi square yard) and a little wood ash or rubbish fire ash added to it, and, if possible., some well-decayed, stable manure.- Before planting out. tho young pansy • plants, see that the soil in tho beds.has been made thoroughly moist cither by 'tain or by a previous watering. Besides taking cuttings of favourite pansies, seed may also bo sown now to provide a iiew stock of plants for 'spring flowering. Violas may be treated in tho same way as pansies. ' , ANTIRRHINUMS & 'PENTSTEMONS. , Plants of antirrhinums and pentstemons that have'borne the finest flowers should be marked before being cut back, as these are the ones to take cuttings from. After being cut back, strong young shoots will be thrown out from tho. base of the' stems, and they are the shoots we want for cuttings. Cut them just below a joint with a sharp knife, strip off the lower leaves, and insert them very firmly in damp sandy soil. Keep moist and shaded from the sun till they begin to grow. Cuttings of antirrhinums taken now/will make strong young plants that will begin flowering early in the spring. The pentstemons will flower a little later. Both the antirrhinums and the pentstemons will keep up a continuous supply of beautiful flowers throughout the whole summer and autumn, provided seed-pods are not allowed to form. VERBENAS. Verbenas are still flowering gaily., and those that were cut back a few weeks ago have'already begun to flower again. An occasional thorough watering, .followed by some lyeak liquid manure, is a great help to the plants. One notices the effect of this treatment on verbenas almost at once. As if by magic new shoots appear, and quantities of flower-buds begin . to open in the .warm sunshine. .Any trace of mildew on the foliage just now should' 1m promptly dealt with. A sprinkling of flowers of sulphur while the foliage 19 still damp early in the morning will generally prove effective. ' DELPHINIUMS. Delphiniums are just perfecting theii second crop of flowers, and should bo rewarded for their industry by being kept supplied regularly with water and weak liquid manure. Tio tho new growth securely to their stakes, and keep a watchful eye for caterpillars. SWEET .WILLIAM. ; Plants of Sweet William have now made a splendid lot of new growth, and arc just ready for providing us with a sup,ply of new plants. The new shoots may be pulled away with a few roots attached, and should be planted at once in well-dug soil, to which « little sand and bonedust have been added. Plants that have becomo too crowded should be lifted altogether, and strong young growths from them should be planted back again If new varieties are required, seed may he sown now in seed-pans. "Sutton's Pink Beauty" is a vnrioty that everyone should endeavour to grow. LAYERING. ' In obtaining new plants, layering is a much si/rer way than taking cuttings. Whcrevir it is possible to peg down branches, preference should be given to layering. It is not too late to layer many things. Besides roses and carnations, most of the'clematises can be increased by layering; also jasmine, plumbago, wcigelas, forsytliia, ctanothus, magnolia, meek orange, aucuba, laurtistinus, ohoisya ternata, and most evergreen shrubs. ' A small cut should be made,, in tho wood ai the point at which it is pegged to tho ground. Peg the branch down very firmly, and cover the part pegged with a mixture of good loam and sand. Keep the ground- moist round the layer. By next autumn there should be a good 6upply ol strong roots attached to tho layered branch, which may then bo separated from the parent, and planted out in its own place. [Bulb planting is coining into full swing, and,' judging by the trend of orders received,' the prime favourites for tho season-are Summerlin's new hybrid freesias, bearing up to fourteen individual flowers on 2ft. stems. Ranunculus asiaticus, acclimatised to New Zealand, and giving a wonderful variety of colours; these, with collections of 50 to 100 bulbs of 12 to 18 distinct varieties at ss. and 10s. respectively are in good demand, and our informant's (MessTS. H. C. Gibbons and Co., Ltd., Lambton Quay) are pleased to find tho war is not entirely distracting folks' attention from their flower gardens.] VEGETABLES. j LATE TURNIPS. A last sowing of turnips for winter uso may be made now. Ground that was richly manured for a previous crop of greens, such a? peas or .French, beans, is suitable for this late arop of turnips.

The ground should be not only rich, but also firm. ■ Therefore do not dig tho ground, but simply rake it level. When grown in lirm soil, turnips havo only one tap root, nnd they begin to bulb early. Make tho drills for turnips about 15 inches apart. This leaves plenty of room for hoeing comfortably between the rows. As poor us the seedlings have their first pair of i«ngh leaves thin them out to abont eight or nine inches npnrt. Varieties that may be sown now are: Snowball, Golden Ball, and garden swede. Where necessary, make small sowings of cabbage,, cauiillowor, silver beet, carrot (Early Horn), lottuce, and spinach. A continuous supply of yonng carrots is very acceptable during the winter months. Keep liaeing botweon and around all plants. It in their only chance of being kept going during dry hot weather. . GARDEN RUBBISH. _ At this tini9 of tho year there is a largo quantity of garden nibbisli, such as pea, bean, and potato haulm, carrot and bean tops, weeds, ctc. Do not wnsto anj cf this rubbish, as it makes a-most, valuablo manure. In a secluded part of the garden dig a hole, and put all the garden rubbish into it; also all tho 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 tho .whole' will be ready to bo taken out of the hole.. Then sprinkle superphosphate over the mass. I'ork it over several times, each, time sprinkling it with superphosphate, and it is then ready to be deeply dug into your garden. I havo for soyeral 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, havo found it most effective. Burn, cabbage and cauliflower leaves and stumps, docks, and dandelion ropts, and save the ashes for top-dressing. Should any unpleasant smell come from tho hole at any t,i 1110 while tho rubbish is being rotted down, a good sprinkling of lime over tho contents will,soon lake it away. "Garden Notes" next week will contain seasonable notes about sweet peas, coreopsis, and vegetables.