GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 294, 31 August 1918, Page 12

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowhai.")

KOUTINE WOItK. Now that the days oro lengthenins and tho weather is bo much liner, amateur gardeners arcagain busy in their flower borders. After tho os.ceptlona.lly heavy rains of July and the early nart of August the soil has become so beaten down that it is necessary to fork over all borders-even those that were thoroughly done early in winter. Any large clumps of perennials, 6uch as Michaelmas daisies, rudbeekias, phlox, etc.. may still be lifted and broken up, strong pieces from the outside of the clumps being plaiued back. Even montbrctiaa may still be lifted and thinned out. The flowers in summer will be all tho finer for this attention. Dig into any vacant spaces between plants, and into places from which perennials have just been lifted, n, good quantity of well-decayed manure. If this is not obtainable use well-decayed vegetable rubbish. Dig it in deep, and then before planting these spaces again work in a dressing; of bonedust. liy taking ndvantngo of every empty space, however small, to dip: in manure or vegetable rubbish wo heln to maintain tho fertility of a mixed llowcr border.

Narcissi.—Narcissi are flowering profusely now, and every day freshly-opening flower-buds are added to the charm of tho early spring border. Small twiggy stakes should be placed round the clumps to keep the llower-stems upright, for the least shower of rain quickly beats down into the mud the lovely heads of bloom.

Violets.—Violet plants have recovered from tho set-back they received during the severest part of the bad weather, and borders aro now purple with countless fragrant flowers. Water should be supplied freely to the plants during dry weather, and soot may be forked into the soil ahoiit the roots.

Hyacinths— Hyacinths are fast pushing up thick hendH that promise to be fine spikes of bloom. Sparrows are most trouble-some about picking the tops off the flower-buds, thus spoiling the -whole spike of bloom. Slugs, also, take their toll unless the budg ere carefully watched. A few sharp cinders placed round tho clumps will help to keep slugs away. Black threads stretched «I>ove. the hu'ds often frighten sparrows away. Another device is to push a stick, about two feet long, into the ground in a slanting positlou. From the top of the stick suspend a tin lid (the lid of a JH). cocoa tin would dol, and from a little further down tho stick suspend another tin lid, arranging them so that they knock together with the least puff of wind. Weak liquid manure made from cow manure and soot- Bhould bo given to hyacinths regularly now. Begin with very weal! manure, and gradually increase the strength. , Those who cannot get cow manure could purchase some guano from a seed shop, using it at tho rate of half an ounce to a gallon of water, and increasing gradually to loz. to lean, of water. Hyacinths, like liliums, must be well fed.

Hoses—Work into the soil about roses a good dressing of bonedust. Watch the young shoots for greenfly, aud at the first sign svringe the bußhes with soapy water. Perpetual-flowering carnations.—The plants are fast swelling their flowering buds. See that tho stoma are kept well tied to stakes. Starlings lovo to nip off the points of tho flowering stems, and must uo kopt in check by means of black threads strotohod across. Watch tho shoots for any trace ot greenfly and wash freely with soapy water. Work into the soil about tho plants a dressing of superphosphate. , Pansies—Seedling pansies may be planted out duriiiK the next few weeks. To have good results with, pansies the soil must be deeply worked and rich. Dig in. whero the plants are to go plenty of well-decayed manure, and when planting work a little bonedust into each hole. Pick off anv flowers or buds that may bo on the seedlings to encourage the immediate growth of fibrous roots. Plants that were put out in the autumn are now beginning to flower. Feed them regularly with weak liquid manure, aiuj pick off, every day if possible, all faded (lowers. Pansies have a long-flowering season it seed-pods arc not allowed to fovm ni"l if the plants arc kept supplied with sufficient water and liquid manure. Tf a good mulch is spread round tho plants and tucked well in under• tic shoots, constant watering will , not be necessary. A really good watering may Ihcn be given every few weeks, followed by Borne weak liquid manure. As soon as all the liquid has been absorbed, stir the mulch about to keep it loose and In Hardy Anmials.-Seeds of hardy annuals may be sown in the open ground at any time now. When preparing the sitoit is advis-iblc to dig in some soil fumigant such as va.porito to deslrov insect pests. Hit plenty of sand or rand-grit with til" soil in the sced-bed. Small seeds should be mixed with sand or fine earth .before being sown, and they 6hould bo barely eovorcd with soil afterwards. Iteniembrthai thin sowing is most important. Ti ' sced-bed should bo thoroughly watered somo hours before sowing. Afterwards. If a few pieces of manuka brush or somo twiggy branches can be spread over the seeds so that they shelter, hut do not rest on the bed, tho soil will be kept moist, and germination will be quicker and surer. Try to avoid tho necosaity\>f watering till the seodliugß are well up. Onco woll up, they may be allowed plenty of sunshine. Pansios, poppies, phlox: drummqndii, ncmeßia, antirrhinums, stocks, nicotians, larkspur, clarltia, godetia, linaria, candytuft, calliopsis, nnd mignonette may all be Bown now in the open. Seeds of asters, cosmos, salvia, petunins, salpiglossis, lobelia, schizantluiß. verhenas. and dahlias (cactus and collarette) should be sown in seed-pans.

CHRYSANTHEMUMS. All cuttings should .be secured now. and planted out in a spare part of tlio garden. Chrysanthemums strike very easily and very quickly, and the cuttings, it put out now in a sunny part of the garden, will he ready lor transplanting in a very Bhort lime.

In taking the cuttings, choose strong young shoots from the outside of tho plants. Make tho cut just below a joint with a sharp knife. Ineert firmly in sandy soil, and shade from hot Bun for a. few days. Got the chrysanthemum bctt prepared as soon as possible now. Chrysanthemums will grow well in quite ordinary garden soil, but it must bo well dug and sweetened before the plants are put out. Turn the soil over now, and leave tho surface rough for a week or two for the Bun, wind, rain, etc., to work on. Directly the old plants aro lifted it is a good .plan to sow a crop of oats in the crysanthemum border. If these are turned in early in the spring, the chrysanthemum plants need only a little bonedust added at planting time to ensure their good growth. One of the most important operations in tho growing of chrysanthemums is the application of a good mulch during December. It is as well to begin preparing the material for tho mulch now. Begin storing, either in a heap or in a hole, weeds, grasß cuttings, dead flowers, and wood ashes, and rot down those materials with wasbiug-water, household slopb, etc. Where animal manure can be procured a splendid mulch can bo made. Put a layer of freshly-gathered manure, about a foot in depth, in a secluded spot, and then spread wood ashes or a little earth on top. Then add more manure, and moro earth or wood ashes, and so on. Do not have the hoap too high; have it rather flat and spread out. Pour over it wator, soap-suds, etc., from time to time. It is as well to make a little gutter round tho heap, Into this the surplus liauid' will run, and it can bo scooped up and returned to the heap. Irimc should be sprinkled over tho heap from time to time. As soon as the heaps, both vegetable rubbish and manure, are well rotted, they should be turned over once or twice, and watered if necessary. They are then ready for use.

VECETABLES. Broccoli aro "coiniug in" very fast now. Where too many are maturing together, bond leaves over some to retard them. September is a busy month in tho vegetable garden, for, in addition to potatoplanting, very many seeds are sown. Early potatoes should be got in as Boon as possible now. Keep the soil loose between the rows of all vegetables that are coming on. -Constant hoeing is better Vban all tho artificial watering, and is much less trouble. Seeds of the following vegetables may bo sown this wcek:-«o.diflhes. carrots, turnips, peas, parsnips, broad beans, onions, and red beet. Tho following may be sown in seedpans :—Celery, leeks, tomatoes, lettuces, cabbages, and cauliflowers. "Garden Notes" next week will contain seasonable notes about:—Sweet peas, routine work, and vegetables.