GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 76, 22 December 1917, Page 15

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowhai.")

CHRYSANTHEMUMS. Chrysanthemums have made good growth this year, and the foliago is looking Btrong and healthy. Plants Bhould now receive their nnal pinchiug. AU growths that are about a foot long may have tho tops pmcnea off. If there have been two previous pinohings the plants will ho line, bushy specimens by tjie autumn, bearing quite a _number of fane, long, flowering stalks. So far, wo havfebeen directing roost of our attention to the part of the plant that is above the ground, but from now on we must pay very special attention. to .the part that is below the ground —tno roots.' Ido not mean to say that the leaves and stems need no further attention at present. They do. There aro oaterpillarß to be watched for. Tho loaves should bo syringed with clear water in hot, dry weather, to keep them clean and free from disease, and there is always the tying of tho. plants to Btakes as they. grow. But tho roots are now doing very special work. They, are getting ready to support tho heautiful flowers that will como- later. During the nest few weeks quito a number of now roots will be formed, anil as they are very near tho surfnco of tho ground wo should giyo up forking' round the plants' and have recourse to mulching. After a good watering, a mulch Bhould bo spread all round each plant, and from time to time the mulch, should be added to as necessary. The new' roots will then bo protected, they will bo 1 kept moist, and they will bo ablo to creep out into the muloh and so get a larger,area in which to search for food. Thoroughly decayed manure, road scrapings,. or well-rotted vegetable rubbish aro all suitable for mulching chrysanthemums. STOCKS. Before planting stocks in their flowering quarters, cut oif the long tap root with a Bharp knife. Plant tho soedllngs very firmly in well-dug, well-enriched soiL Fork-a'little boncdust into the soil when planting out. Keep the soil about the plants well stirred all through the sum-, mer. and supply water to the plants if necessary; Plantß of tho "nice" family that are put out now should begin flowering in March, and should continue to do so through the winter. A further small sowing of stock seed may bo mado now for a succession of'flowering plants. Stocks in flower are a pleasure at any time, and with a littlo care one can have them all the year round. Beedlings of tenweek stocks should be put out now. Old plants that have finished floworing should be uprooted to make room for new plants. ROUTINE WORK. .

The-stormy weather 'in tho early part of the week was very hard on suoli plantß . as- cosmos, dahlias, . chrysanthemums, Miohaelmas daisies, Bcabious, etc. Careful'staking- and; tying of plants Is a great help to them during stormy wea. ther. The long stakes are rather an eyesore until the plants grow' sufficiently to hide them, but it is infinitely preferable to-'look.at. rows of stakes that tell of care for plants than at unstaked plants that''aro being smashed to pieces in a strong' wind. Tho stakes, moreover, can always be neat and tidy in appearance. The' Argentine pea-rLathyrnß pubescens— .should., now. be' cut back to within a foot or eighteen "inches of the ground./ Tho surface soil should bo loosened, and the ground thoroughly soaked with olear water. A mulch of cow manure should then be placed round eaoh plant. In preparing the (.mulch it Is best to soften the. clods of manure in a buoket of water, stirring them till a thiok mixture iB formed. If this is spread round the roots any liquid will at once soak Into tho wet soil, and tho Insoluble part 'Will form a nice muloh. If cow manure cannot bo had, work into the soil' a sprinkling of guano' (procurable at it seed merchants), and spread a mulch of decayed vegetable rubbish, eto. As soon as the new shoots' appear, they should be trained into plaoe up their supports.' As Boon as any plant has finished flowering it should be cut back, or, in the case of annuals, rooted up, and its place taken by something that will flower later on. Suoh things at French and African- marigolds, phlox drummondii, and annual gypsophila 'may be sown at intervals till the end of January. Mignonette may be Bown at any time. One cannot have too much of it in the garden. All of these will give a good display of flo,wers when tho springBown annuals are over. j : -Violets should be carefully watohed for red spider. During dry weather, if tho leaves are not kept clean and freo from dust, this pest soon attacks them, As a rule, . unless' watchcd for, it is not noticed. till it haß a good ■ hold of the plants. -Violet plants.should be kept well syringed with, clean water, car© being takefrto keepUhO'undersido of the leaves well washed. .. Not more than- threo ot four runners - should bo-'allowed to' each , plant. These should ho pegged down to mako roots for themselves. The soil about tho plants should bo kept well -stirred.'. To : securo early-flowering, it is necessary to see that our plants are mak- I big good growth now. ' . - Small green caterpillars, aro. already at work on many plants. They are easily "detected because they fold a leaf over where they are at work. 'Just squeeze the leaf -with the fingers quickly. Greenfly comes again and again. Tho trouble ,is that so many weeds and wild things are attacked by it, and tho insects are left thero unnoticed to multiply and spread into our gardens. Spraying with Sunlight soapwasn regularly will keep the plants clSan. Flowering shrubß such as lilac, early rhododendrons, azaleas, mock orange, etc., should, have shoots that, havo borno flowers cut back a little. In the case of rhododindronß dead flower-heads Bhould be gently screwed off.. Attending to tho cutting Sack' of these floworing shrubs helps to secure-a plentiful supply, of flowers next season. .' Daphnes growing in'hot-, dry situations should be well watered, and should -then havo a mulch of some old litter sproad round them. It is most important that daphnes should have a cool root run at all times. Rhododendrons and azaleas, should also receive thia attention. Rhododendrons arc splendid flowering shrubs to grow. One of their greatest charms- is that -they, aro evergreen, and so are 'always beautiful. There 'are such numbers of varisties, both early and late, that , one' can have rhododendrons in flower over quite an -extonded- period.

VEGETABLES, . Continue planting out, where necessary: Tomato Plants.—Plant firmly in well-dug, not over-rich,' ground. Cabbage and Cauliflowers—Plant in rioh, well-dug ground. Cut oft with a sharp knife the long tap-roots at the time of planting-out. Plant tho seedlings firmly, and keep them moist and shaded from hot sun til! growth begins. Pumpkin and Marrow.—Plant in thoroughly prepared rich ground. Celery—Plant in well-prepared trenches. Potatoes—An early variety of potato may be planted to provido "new" potatoes for the autumn. Broccoli.-Plaut in deeply-dug ground that was well enriched for early potatoes or peas. Keop tho plants well watered till growth begins, then hoe regularly. Sow, where necessary, the following . Scarlet Itunner Beans.-Sow in ground that has been trenched, and manured. Sow the seeds from six to oight inches apart, and about two inches deep, French Beans.—Sow in drills two feet apart, and have the seeds sis inches apart in tho rows. Dust bonedußt in the drills at the time of sowing the seed, and give a slight drossing of superphosphate as soon as the sotdlihgs are. a couple of incheß high. Carrot.—Sow thinly in drills 12 inches apart. Dust superphosphate' along the rows as soon as the seedlings appear, and begin thinning out as soon as' they are hip enough to handle. | Peas.—Bow in drills from 2 feet to 3 feet I apart. Ground should bo trenched and manured, and Bhould have wood-ashes mixed with it. Dust bonedust in tho drills when sowing. Beet.-Sow in drills 18 mohes apart m ground that was manured for a previous crop. The ground should bo deeply dug, and mado firm again before sowing tho seod. Dust bonedust in the drills when sowing. Lettuce-Sow thinly. in drills 15 inches apart, and thin out to 9 inches in the rows. The ground should he deeply dng and enriched with well-decayed manure. Dust bonedußt in tho drills when sowing the seed. "Garden Notes next week will contain seasonable notes about:—Lavatera, routine work, aud vegetables.