GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2884, 23 September 1916, Page 15

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowhai.")

TO CORRESPONDENTS. , "Amateur," Martinborough, : writes ■ ■Woh''" VOI 7 '"torcsted in your Garden M>Uld you tell me how to trent kelionope, and what, situation to give it? -Mso, whether I should feed mr anemones Anth liquid manure? They have been flowering, Bm ce the middle of May, and the flowers are retting smaller, though they are still plentiful.. My doublo narcissi this year are disappointing, as they are not nearly so double as previous!}'. Do you think they would improve if I rested them? Although I have, dug and re-planted them, 1 have always left them in the ground all the year." »-' A . I J* rni .i sunny' position, There protection. from frost can bo given, is suitable lor heliotrope. It grows easily in any good eoil. Pmch back young- plants to induce bushy growth. A slight mulch of well-decayed manure may be spread round tho wots-when.the hot weather sets in. Before applying the mulch give the plants a good watering. 'The anemones have been flowering over a long period and tho flowers now will necessarily Jo small. Prick a litlb bonedust into ,tae soil about the plants, keep them well supplied with water, and give tnejin weak liquid manure once a week. B't careful.to pick off all dead flowers, as tie formation of seed pods greatly esflansts the plants. The soil for double taarcissi needs to bo deeply worked, cool, and rioh. The bulbs should be lifted' about the last week 'in January. The soil should then be deeply dug, but should have no animal manure mixed with it. A little sifted leaf-mould and Bomo bonedust thould bo added. The bulbs should be spread out in the' sun to. become thoroughly warmed while you attend to the soil. Try to re-plant them towards the end of the same day. Spread a layer ci sand in the holes for the bulbs to rest «on, and give the bulbs plenty of room. Early in winter spread a -layer cf well -decayed manure over tho. ground whare the bulbs are. . "Wyrus," Masterto'n, writes:—"Some years ago I was able to grow most beautiful asters, but of late years my attempts have been absolute failures." Some of the plants quite die off; others survive till the flowering stage, but all, without exception, wither up and die off: -I' ascribe tho trouble to a wilting of the roots, but so far have been unable jo discover'the cause, or any remedy which does not entail daily supervision. Oh tho last occasion on which I bad a comparative measure of success I daily removed air such leaves as turned over and were affected with little' brown splotches. I also, gave them constant dressings of soap emulsion, but' the' re-, suit did not; justify the ■labour.-. Whatever the trouble, it appears to be in the ground. As thoro are many people- in the dis'trict who have, for the' same reason, given up - the culturo. of asters, foal- ideas on the matter would, I think, fefc of great assistance." ' ' .-'•Asters 'aVe-rery subject to a fungoid ' disease, for -which, there appears to be no remedy. One can only endeavour to prevent the disease. Once it gets into : "tho 6oil.it Is hopeless to.attempt to grow asters in- the'same place, unless tho top 'soil is removed;'and'new soil put into ' its place. • Knowing what a disappointment these, beautiful' flowers often are,'l warned intending growers in my notes of May 13 to prepare their aster beds early in the winter. Asters must have root moisture,"and in preparing the ground, plenty of decayed rubbish should bo buried. But aßtors must not bo planted in ground that has hold stagnant water during the winter.' To do so, evon though at the timo of planting the ground is apparently in nice condition, is to court an attack of the much-dreaded- disease. 'Henco ray warning; -Unless ground is naturally well drained it is necessary to trench it early in the winter. The sub- * soil should be broken up to a depth of ono foot/ and Toad grit, cinders, and "well"'decayed manure or vegetable rubbish ' should be mixed with it. Early in spring give a good dressing of ground lime to the soil. When planting out the aster seedlings- work a little bonedust into the soil about the plants. COLLARETTE DAHLIAS. ■Single dahlias have always been favflowers, both for garden and house decoration, but «the collarette dahlia is fiven more desirable for both purposes. The flowers' are very much like tbose of the old single dahlia, but tufts of' tiny florets, generally of a different colour, stand up all round the central disc. The plants are easily raised from seed and flower tho same year. If the seeds are sown iiow in seed-pans, the seedlings will be ready for planting out as soon as alt-danger of frost is over.- The plants fihould be put out into deeply-worked, well-enriched soil. If animal manure cannot bo had, add plenty of welldecayed rubbish to tlie soil, which should' bo worked to a depth of about two feet. Add a handful of bonedust to the top soil where each plant is being put in. Later on a mulch. should be spread round the plants, and, if plenty of water and occasional doses of liquid manure are .supplied all through the hot weather, beautiful flowers on long stems will bo produced in profusion till frost cuts down the plants. Anemones are now at their best. . Day after day the buds come crowding up, the newly-formed flowers jostling thenolder sisters as they reach up and open out in. tho sunshine. Tho beautiful flowers are boruo on long stems, and their brilliancy and diversity of colouring make tliem most desirable plants for every garden. Many people are undor the impression that they aro difficult to ■ grow. This is quite a mistake. To grpw them successfully one must tako it little trouble. But that is necessary for all plants. Anyone who has a light rich soil can grow anemones to perfection, provided that the plants are never allowed to suffer from root moisture. Heavy soils should be deeply dug. If cow manure is obtainable dig a, good quantity of wbil-i-ottcd stuff into tho bottom spit. To tho top soil add road scrapings, coarse river sand, and' a dressing of bonedust. . Seeds should be sown now in seed-pans. To separate the seeds rub them welt in coarse sand. Then so\v the seed in pans three-parts filled with good soil anil sand mixed. Water the soil 'in the pans' thoroughly with tepid water some hours before sowing tie- seed. Just cover tho seed with fine earth and uand mixed, and shade the pans from the hot'sun till the seedlings are well through'. As soon us tlio ucedlings are big enough, plant them out in well-prepared soil. When they begin to make new growth spread a light mulch of well-decayed manure round the plants, and keep them well watered till the foliage dies down at the end of the autumn. Then carefully remove any weeds and spread another thin mulch of well-decayed manure over the ground. Plants that are flowering now must be kept well watered. Prick a little bonedust into the soil ' round the plants, and water it in. Pick ■ off all dead loaves, and pick, also, the more matured flowers to givo a chance i to others coming on. They como soquickly that one can afford to keep item picked. ..'VEGETABLES. Main-crop potatoes may be planted at any time now provided they are well sprouted. • It pays to wait till they are sprouted. Two of tho strongest sprouts should then be left, while the others should be well rubbed out. The sprouts at tho top of the potato are ths best. Open out tho trenches on a warm sunny morning, and as soon as tho soil in them is thoroughly sun-warmed plant the potato seed. If some thoroughly decayed manure, or some good soil from a compost heap can be laid in the bottom of the trenches so much the better.. A sprinkling of wood-ashes should also be added. Whore wireworms are troublesome fork some vaporite well into tho bottom of the tronchos just before planting the tubers. Have tlio tubers, when planted, just below the surface of the soil, and one foot apart in the trenches. Tho rows should be at least eighteen inches apart. Sow in seed-pans, seeds of:—Tomato, cclei-y, cucumber. Cape gooseberries, cabbage, and cauliflower. Sow in the open ground-.—Bent, onion, radish, carrot, turnip, peas, broad beans, parsnips, and lettuce. Plant potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, and lettuce. v . "Garden Notes" next weok will contain seasonable notes about:—Polyanthus, primroses, gladioli, and vegetables.