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GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowhai.") VIOLETS. , For Bomo weeks now viqjot borders have had tho appearance o.f miniature hedges,'no thick and upright is the growth of leaves. For a month or six weeks tho plants should he left with this thick growth upon them, for the leaves are busy securing food for the now exhausted plants. Three-year-old borders should, bo lifted, and tho old plants done away with. If runners and cuttings have not already been taken and rooted, secure from the old plantß all the strong young growth possible. Tho old woody pieces are of no use. As soon as the old plants are lifted, trench tho ground to a depth of two feel. One. can easily manage this without disturbing tho rest of the gardenbed. Mark off a piece of the ground to bo trenched about two feet long and one foot wide. Lift the top soil and wheel it away to the other end of the border. Now break up the subsoil and mix with it plenty of well-rotted manure, or decayed vegetable rubbish, and a dressing of honedust. Now marlc oil the next strip one foot wide and two feet long. Lift the top soil and place it on the atrial you have just been manuring Then proceed to treat and manure the subsoil in the second strip. The tupsoil from tho third strip will go on to tho subsoil in tho second strip, and so on. The subsoil in tho last strip will bo covered with tho topsoil from the first ■strip. Trample tho soil well down, rake it tidy, and hoo it. If soot can be obtained blacken tho surface .soil with u-, and hoe it iu before planting the new Plants that are not to be dug out this year also need careful attention. As soon as tho leaves have stored up a supply ot food they should bo cut right ofl, and all suckers should be removed. Carefully pick out from among the roots any dead Ijet 'a, small tiu of concentrated lime sulphur Trom a seed merchant, and thoroughly syringe the roots. using a very weak solution. The directions on the tin recommend one gallon of lime sulphur in lM.to 130 gallons or water, lor ii small supply, measure some of. the lime sulphur into a small vessel, (a jeliyiar or small tin), and pour thisinto a bucket. Then add from 140 to 150 times the amount of water. . Ohurn up tho mixture with the sjringe before oising it. As soon as possible after syringing tho' plants, thoroughly stir the "oil about them with a haudfork. Work in a dressing of honedust, and if soot can bo obtained, sprinkle this round the plants and afterwards work it >n. keep the plants well watered and clean during the- summer montli6. Red 6nidcr is one of their worst enemies, and must bo kept away by frequent syringing. Plants that are well looked after all the summer are so vigorous and stroue, and so supplied with a story of necessary food, that they are only waiting for tho cool rains of late autumn to penetrate to their roots before bursting into bloom. ROUTINE WOBK. Anemones that have been flowering since tho beginning of tho winter deserve a rest jiow. Withhold all'stimulants from tho plants, and leave tho flowers unpicked. Water, should Btill be supplied, however, but in gradually smaller quantities, till tho foliage dies down naturally; A3 soon - as this happens the plants mar bo covered with a mulch of well-rowed vegetable rubbish or' very old aumtU manure. So treated, the plants will .lie quietly at rest, till autumn rains, soaking into the ground, call them to work again. The • garden at present is rich with flowers of glorious shades of blue. After tho delicate shades of the early spring flowers, they come aa a, delightful change. Foremost among theni is the Argentine pea, lathyrus pubescens, climbing up wirenetting fences, and round base tree trunks, to 0. height of ten or twclvo feet. The vines arc covered, from tho roots upwards, with their lovely bluo flowers. A tow of blue (lag irises is a glorious sight. Could any flowers be lovelier in form or richer in colour than these? Jim long stems rise straight up above cool blade-like leaves, and on every stem arc two or three flowers of tho richest blue imaginable. The three petals that turn up and meet in a bnncli in the middle ot tho Bower look as if they arc fashioned from line-spun glistening silk, which is in delightful- contrast to tho thick velvety' texturo ot the thrco alternate petals that, bend so gracefully down. The flowers, moreover, have tho same delicate fragrance that belongs to primroses, but it is a, fragranco that' is-strong enough to permeate tho wholo garden in the warm Euoßhinc. , , , _ _ Here and there hi the borders and on rook gardens arc low-lying, patches of vivid These aro clusters of wood hyacinths, every slender stem being laden with tiny bluo and very fragrant flowers. Wood' hvacinthß arc splendid for growing In shady borders, or in the dry, barren soil 'beneath plno trees., In- the- rock garden they aro at their best, for their glorious colour is thrown into such vivid relief by tho dull grey of the 6tonea. Further along, and sheltered from the twoiscaruhing' nor'-westers. arc groups ol brilliant blue anemones. There aro other lovely shades, too. but wo aro looking for bluo flowers only at preseut. From theso wo nass to tho clear pale bluo flowers of agathaea coclestis. Lvery bush at present is studded with tho Jcvely star-like littlo daisies: iWhilc nestling in every shady spot, forgol-me-not plants aro sheets of purest blue, which, so well match tho colour of tho eky that it would scorn as if bits of it had floated down to rest on tho cool damp, earth. I have heard it said that nature was bo prodigal with blue overhead that she rather stinted us with that glorious colour anions flowers. As I glauco round my garden at present, however, I am inclined, tc challenge that old saying. Plants of aquilegia aro now particularly attractive for the dainty fragile-lookins flowers are out in profusion. . Grcenfls quickly attacks the tender shoots of the (lowering stems, but, syringing with warm soapy water will keep tho plants cleau and healthy. ' .. Hose bushes need careful watching Greenfly, caterpillars, and mildew must all bo looked for. For tho first-mentioned, syringing with soap-Buds is necessary, tot tho second, hand-picking, and, for the third, dusting with flowers of sulphui while the foliage is still damp with dew Mildew should bo stamped out at its llrsl appearance, for the foliage, becomes so crippled by it that growth is neccssanlj badly checked. . Sowings of primroses, nolyanthus primroses, Sweet William, Canterbury hells - wallflowers, early Btompton slocks aquileeias, .frecaias, carnations, gjpso phila, antirrhinums, and penlstemons may be made now in seed-pans. Slugs havo already found tho jeuiu buds of pansy plants.. The surest way of getting rid of them is by catching them when they come out to feed, jnsE after dusk. VEGETABLES. The heaps or holes where marrows and pumpkins are to bo grown should be pre pared as soon aa possiblo now. Jn vers hot, dry districts holes aro tho best ioi growing marrows, etc. Theso should be dug out now to a depth of about .three fcot. The width, will depend upon the number of plants to.be put into eacli hdle. Begin filling in the holes witj well-rotted manure, and wcll-dccayet vegetable rubbish. A fair amount of sm should bo thoroughly mi-xod with this Fill in the holes to within two or It.rce inches of the top. Throw in washing water and household slops till the contents of tho hole arc well saturated Should any smell eomo from the hole sprinkle a little lime over the ;■ surface Seeds may be planted aB soon us tho con tents of the holes aro ready. Vegotablo seedlings that aro. in seed pans must bo constantly attended to Keep the soil moist, but not sodden Should the 6oil become caked, loosen n with a pointed stick. Tomates that were sown in pans nr< . now ready for planting out. This maj bo dono aa soon as all da-nscr of frosl is over. ' Keep lettuces and cabbages wet svringed to keep away greenfly. Bon I allow any of the cabbage or cauliflowei tribe to become dry at the roots at ans time. Tho plants very soon bolt if thej are allowed to suffer from dryness at tin roots. Keep the plants well earthed up. BbwThRS should be made this month ol savoy cabbage, Brussels sprouts, anei broccoli. Sow a pinch of lettuce seee every three weeks for succession. Mak< a new sowing of radishes as soon as the previous one appears through the ground Continue planting potatoes. Earth-ui early potatoes whilo tho soil is moist anc sun-warmed. Sprinkle a very littlo nitrate of sodi along the rows before doing so. Whoro uecjjsiary. the following secdi may he sown:—Beet, leeks, onions, car rots, parsnips, peaß, radishes, turnips - marrows, pumpkins, cabbages, cauliflowers savov cabbage, -.Brussels sprouts, broccoli parsley, and lettuce. Tomatoes and eclerj may still he sown in seed-pans. "Garden Notes" next week will coutair seasonable notes about:—Annuals foi shady gardens, routine work, and veget ables. _

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19171013.2.100

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 16, 13 October 1917, Page 13

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,550

GARDEN NOTES Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 16, 13 October 1917, Page 13

GARDEN NOTES Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 16, 13 October 1917, Page 13

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