GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 205, 18 May 1918, Page 13

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowhai.") ANSWERS TO COItIiESPONDENTS. "C.5.W.," Waikanac—Cut back your an-lii-rliimima now to within about six inches of tin; foil. To have a constant, supply of long-stcmmi'd flowers for cut (iowtrs, it id necessary to have young plants ovcry year for they bear the beat flowers. A pinch of seed sown now \vi:t givo you plants that will Dower early in the summer. Your old plants should yield suitable' shoots for cutanea eoon after tlicy are cut back. Collect and burn all the leaves of --our guelder roi.'o as they fall. Then spray the bush with Bordeaux mixture. Attend, to tho thinning out of the branches with a view to keeping the middle of the bush open to the air, and keep the soil about the bush well cultivated.

ASTERS. Asters aro scarcely over, yet already we must think about preparing the ground for thoso that aro to flower next autumn. Preparing tho ground early in the winter, especial in heavy soils, makes all the difference to the health and vigour of the future plants, and as they open their lovely flowers at a time when other flowers are rather scarce, it bi'hoves us to do the best wo can lor them. This autumn, in spite of a bad start in the spring, tho plants did exceptionally well, ami lor weeks aster beds were simply gorgeous. Among single ones, Sutton's Southcote Beauty mado a great show. Tho flowers are large, and the colours clear and brilliant, the pale pink, lavender, and bright red shades being exceptionally flue. Among other varieties purple ones seem to be the most popular, aud they are indeed lovely, but .13 al6o aro 6omo of the paler shades of pink and blue. Now that good seed seems to be increasingly difficult to get, amateur gardeners should save, their owii whenever can. Aster seeds may. be freed from their flufly parachutes lj- rubbing them through a colander, when most of tho flurfiness stays behind. Tho vexing thing about asters, is that ono never knows when they will be attacked by .tho muchdreaded "aster disease," and the fact that there is no known sure gives one a very hopeless feeling, Tho plants are apparently licaltjiy, when quite suddonly they begin to die oil rapidly, perhaps just .when they are Hearing perfection. Asters, then, appear to bo a clcar case of that well-known old saying; "Prevention is better than cure." Aud as in this case we knijw of mi cure, all we can do is to endeavour to prevent. It is well (known that asters must have root moisture,. and til prepaying the ground plenty of decayed rubbish should be buried. But it is not B ? .known that they, must not be Planted in ground that has held, .stagnant water ■ during winter. To do so, even though at tho time of planting the ground is apparently in nice condition, j?. to court an attack of the dreaded disease. Asters must bo grown on well-drained ground. Ground that is not naturally well drained should be prepared now. The top soil should be removed. The subsoil should be broken up to a depth of at least a foot, and road grit, cinders, and stablo manure Bhould bo mixed with it, as well as some decayed vegetation. The top soil may then be returned. -

There ib no necessity for leaving the ground vacant until the time for planting asters arrives. It may bo filled fti wttli early spring-llowering crops, such «s wallflowers, forget-me-nots, crocuses, wood or grapo hyacinths, 'or early-llowcrini; narcissi. As soon as the bulbs have finished flowering they could be lifted and replanted at once in somo spare corner to complcto tlieir growth, and the bed could then be forked over, working in a dressing of bonedust, in readiness for tho aster seedlings. ROSES. __If tho roots of roses are very dry when they arrivo from tho nursory 'stale them for an hour or two in water before plant- ? E ',/?' root ' 3 "'at ar " bruised or torn should bo out off clean with a sharp knife, when planting, look for tho old soil-mark on tno_ rose, and then' plant so that this mark is only just below tho surl'aco of tho soil. \

ANNUALS FOit SPKINU I'LOWKKING. Cortain hardy annuals may bo sown now,- and the plant* will flower towards the end of tho-sprini;. 1 flnd thai, autumnsown annuals arotiio best as a rule. The liLtlo plants have .1 Iou]; time in cool (?iUnp earth before they begin,to flower, and tiiiu Sives tJioni a ciiuucu to mako aU'one room and develop into Hue plants. Tlio.sprineeown oiich have to contend against lioi nor'-westcrs, and very often drought,, wito tho result that they flower prematurely and tfio floweriug is soon over. Tho seeds may bo sown in patches,in the garden wliero tflby arc to flower, or in seed-pan*, for transplanting, llako tho soil very tinn and mix with it some sand, a little bont--dust, arid a sprinkling ol' ground iinio. Most annuals apprcciaio tbo presonco ot limofin-tho soil.

it Ja a, good plfin. to mark'off* part of tho back garden wfterefn to how animals that may bo allowed to go to seed. Jjik tho ground very thoroughly, and prenaro it in the saiiio way as in tho bods. 'J lieu take a stick and inarli it ofl into irregular patches. Fill in cach patch with Ketrds oi different annuals When the seedling* are far enough advanced thin them out, and grow them as carefully as tho ones in. tne garden. This out-uf-thc-way plot will provide a flno supply of cut flowers, and certain of tho plants may bo left to go to Bccd. In this way a constant supply,of seedlings will be ready whenever they aro wanted for filling; in bare spaces in tho beds.

• The following annuals may bo sown now: -Annual gypsophfia, candytuft, 'arkspur, Rodetia,, clarkia, mignonette, sweet scabious, poppy (Shirley and Iceland), neiue--Bia, etock (ten-week), ageratum, phlox drummondii, sweet. sultan, and liuaria.

VEGETABLES. Preparations for early spring should be going ou apace in every vegetable garden. Tho soil is in Hue condition for working, and trenching should bo pushed on with before winter sets in. Well-de-cayed vegetablo rubbish should ho worked luto tho second spit. Vegetables love to Bend their roots down into decayed vegetable matter. Those who can get an old '''utack bottom" have fine Rtiifl for burying in the vegetablo garden. Where the ground is not wauted for some time, the surface soil may bo left rough for the weather to sweeten.

I'eas. broad beans, carrots, turnips, and onions may all be sown. Early varieties of cabbage and cauliflower may bo sown if plants are not available. Tho seeds may be sown straight into the drills to avoid tho check that plants aro subject to when transplanted. j 4 f the seeds of cabbage and caulillower are to be sown in the drills; the soil should be made very firm, and two seeds should be sown at intervals of one foot. Later, surplus seedlings may be pulled up and transplanted. Cabbages, etc., that are being sown or planted out now Bhould be in drills three feet apart. For the next two months the ground between tho drills should be turned over, and over, time after time, ami plenty of manure and decayed vegetable rubbish should be dug deeply in. Cart; must be taken, however, not to dig too near the cabbago plants, lest the roots be damaged. After a time, as the cabbage Hants aro earthed up with this enriched soil, a shallow treucli will be formed between the rows. Go on working into this trench decayed -vegetable rubbish and manure, and thoji about the middle of •July, or earlier in mild districts, plant your early potatoes there. flow they will love tho thoroughly-worked and manured ground between the rows of cabbages! The cabbages, too, will keep theni warm and sheltered from frost. Early in spring, as the cabbages, etc., aro cut for use, the sweet, rich soil that was earthing them up will be turned back to earth up the potatoes. Need I add that you will get a crop of early potatoes worth having? Slugs aro always after young greens and tender pea shoots, and unless the gardener is continually on the warpath seedllnKS disappear in an alarming manner. Tho slugs may be picked up and dropped into a pail of salt water, or they may Bimply be cut in halves with a sharp pair of scissors. "Both methods are effective. Weeds grow very rpiieklv. Dig in thos* that are still young; pull up and burn thoso that are forming seed. Collect and rot. down rubbish, leaves, and weeds for digging into the soil, or for mulching. Hum such things as docks, hedge trimmings, or weeds that are in seed, and scatter the ash ovei' the vegetable garden; wasto nothing. Garden Notes next week will contain seasonable notes about Flowering peaches, scabious, and vegetables.