GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2890, 30 September 1916, Page 18

GARDEN NOTES

, (By "Koivhai.") POLYANTHUS PRIMROSES. Where polyanthus primroses are much grown the borders are now -wonderfully attractive. Great bunches of flowers are borno on long stiff stems, rising straight from a mass of beautiful green leaves. Tno white, cream, and yellow shades are generally considere<l most showy, but for • those who prefer darker colours there are rich Shades of red and crimson. Tho flowers of the polyanthus primrose are fortunate in being not only beautiful but also intensely fragrant. llow one misses fragrance in many rarely • beautiful flowers! During dry weather polyanthus! primrose plants must be given plenty of water. They are thirsty subjects, hut given all the water they need,and an occasional dose of soot water, they repay one by producing great bunches of bloom on good strong stems.' Polyanthus, primroses aro easily Taised from seed. It should bo sown now in seed pans. The seed is slow to germinate; and tho soil in the_' pans'must bo keptmoist and shaded, till the seedlings ap;pcar. The (seedlings will bo ready for planting out in the autumn, and will bo good-sized flower-bearing ' plants . by' the following spring. Old plants, may }>e broken up and replanted as soon as tho flowering season is over. Mix plenty of leaf soil and somo well-rotted manure with the soil. After planting, water the plants very thoroughly, and spread a light mulch, all about them. The hest position for .polyanthus primroses is one facing the south, or ono where they will bo shaded during the middle of the day. GLADIOLI. . The first of tho gladioli, Gladiolus .Tristis, is already in flower.- Tho long spikes of greeny-cream flowers are beauti.ftil by day, and very fragrant by Jiight. Tho flowers should be loosely enclosed in a circle of wire fastened to inconspicuous stakes. Plants should never bo forced to suffer the indignity of having their beauty spoilt by their being hastily tied in a tight, bunch to : a rough and ugly-looking stake. ..Left to themselves plants are naturally .graceful, but the nigli winds which are all too frequent in New Zealand make it accessary for us to stake and tie up plants, to. prevent their being smashed to the ground. But at least let us so tio up our plants as to have them as natural-looking as possible. The early-flowering gladiolus, The Bride, is showing signs of buds heing formed. Both The Bride and Tristis should bs kept supplied with water from now onwards. A little bonedust may with' advantage bo ipriclced in round about the roots of The Bride, and also the next gladioli to flower, the Blushing Bride, all the beautiful salmon crimson, and scarlet varieties of early-flowering gMioll. Corm|s of summer-flowering kinds should "be planted now with as little delay as possible. Planted in groups of from six to 'ei.ght corms all along the flower borders, gladioli make a most gorgeous display during the summer. One can get now such beautiful colours, and such enormous spikes' of bloom. The best varieties are a little expensive to buy, but money spent on gladioli corms is really money well, invested, for the corms increase so rapidly. If one corm.is bought and planted carefully now, in a. few years' time it will have increased to quito a nice clmnp. In preparing the ground it should bo very deeply dug, preferably in. the autumn or early winter. Rome well-rottod manure should be mixed with the soil. When planting the corms mix with the soil a- handful of 'bonedust, rind' plnco a layer of river or .silver sand'for the ..corms to rest on. Plant tho corms about, six inches below the surface of the soil. As soon as the. first Wades of leaves ap-. poar above ground, thoroughly water the soil, and; then place a thin mulch of well-rotted manure above cach clump.

. ROUTINE. WORK. ..I'reesias, that flowering must not . bo , neglected. ■ Continue to supply water to tlie bulbs, but'in smaller quantities till tho foliage dies down. 'The pots may then be stored ttway in a dry place, with tho bulbs still in them, or the bulbs may be lifted and stored in paper bags. .Greenfly is .already at work on the buds and young'shoots, of roses, on the points of 'carnations, aiid on aquilegias. Regular, spraying'with weak quassia or sunlight soapsuds must now begin. Keep a sharp lookout for any trace'of tho aphides on other nlauts. If promptly checked at the first appearance the plants are more easily kept free from the pest. . 'Sparaxis are making a brilliant display at present. The 'bulbs need plenty of water while they are flowering. Promptly remove all faded flowers to allow tho succeeding flowers to develop, and be as fine as the first lot.

Hyacinths aro -now almost a thing of tho past, but they have been very beautiful during tho last few weeks. Remove all flower stalks as soon as they aro post their best. Tulips are now claiming attention from the ' gardener. Stake and tie in the flower stalks where necessary. Give tho plants a good watering, following it up witli a sood dose of weak soot water. Many liliums are now ready for a light mulch of well-rotted cow manure. Should the soil be dry, give a good watering before applying tho mulch: Prick. a- little bonedust into the soil about- roses. Disbud where necessary. Dorothy Perkins and Dorothy Dennison may be given a good watering, followed by weaksliquid manure.

Plants of Michaelmas daisies that have, not yet been lifted and l>ro];cn un should he attended to now. _ Plant hack strong pieces from the outsido of the clumps. . Attend to the staking and ticing up of*; all plants. Keep anemones well supplied with water. Sow anemono eeed now for next year's nlants. Chrysanthemum cuttings should be well rooted by this time. Plant tliem out into well-dug soil to which well-decayed vegetable rubbish has been liberally added. Turn over rubbish heaps at intervals. Sprinkle lime over Uieni. Tf a little vaporito is sprinkled on the ground where "the heap is to bo "turn&l to, anil the bean well -damped with water, . a gas will work its way up throughtti e" head and kill all worms, etc. Constantly stir the"soil in' the pardon. ' Young pansy-piants need to be _ well watered, and snnnlied M'itli occasional doses of vcrv weak"liqiiid manure. .Keen the soil about' them well stirred, 'anil pick oIY any premature blooms. k VEGETABLES. Tii sow.ing seeds of all varieties of cabbage, cauliflower, and lettuce, great cave must he taken to keen the soil moist: till tlic seedlings are well up. Kvcn them the seedlings must not be allowed to suffer from dryness at th" ronls at all, and when put out into 'he gavdon the plants must bo kept v.'ef-"-d Ml t.iov are established, and nun 1 ' ''";n be hoed incessantly.. Should the 'igs 1>? allowed to suiter from <lry<>~>- roots nt am- time, the plant l - liable to lxilt instead of forming *. ' Cabbage, lettuce, etc.. if- ' in the garden now, should be sy n^wli. lv with clear water as r.ften •v'ssililn to keen away anhis. Hoe ■ -roir'd constantly. and feed with a "•e:>k solution'of nitrate of soda when the ground is thoroughly saturated with water. Pick <>1T end burn all deeaved leaves. Attendta the prompt' .thinning out of fcdling carrots, narsnips, turnips. etc. Dust so»t along (he rows and hoe frequently. Earlv- Potatoes arc {trowing very quickly now.' Earth them up as they grow. Before earthing up sprinkle a very littlo nitrate of «xla round the plant?; limn thoroughly water them. As soon as tho soil is dry enough hoc it. and tl'»n earth no. Trv always to do the earthing tin when the soil is thoroughly warmed wil the su". It should-be rather, moist, hut not sufficiently so as to.stick to the hoe. and quite warm. Never .eart 1 ' up when the soil 'is very damp and cold. Continue planting mm'ncrop potntoos. ICee.p "the hoe constantly at work. .Garden Notes next week wilt eontain notes about violets, dahlias, and vegetables. For Chronic Chest Complaints, Woods' Great Peppermint Cure.*