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GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowhai.") . \ POPPIES. Poppies are lovely just now. Oriental . poppies,arc making a brilliant show, their : gay-colonred ealmon and scarlet Howera : Ailctiug just the neceseary touch 1o the ; border,' where already royal blue and ; cllow : iriEes, gay-coloured snapdragons, gol- : den-yellow violas, roses, aquilegias, sweet j peas/and sweet williama have so blended , as to form a.glqrious flowing .-mass ol colour. ■"•.■. | Shirley poppies that were, planted out | in tho autumn have grown into huge ( bushes that-arc now covered with innum- , orable dainty tlowers. Shirley poPipies. , both double and 'single, are charming. ; Every morning, at the first touch of the . t Eua's ra>B,; fresh supplies of jllowcrs un- j fold.their silken crinliled petiFls, so that, , ; although the'floiycrs arc short Jived, the , bushes are always gay. When they aro. ( to be brought into the house, the flowers. , . should, be; cut early in the morning just . : before they open, and, if the erida of,the . stems are then charred in a candle -flame, ', they will.last for' a '.lay or two in water. \ ' Seeds of, Shirley poppies may still he , sown in the open' ground for a late dis- | play of .flowers. Seeds of Oriental poppies ( should bo sown now for next summer's ( display. ] Oriental poppies dislike root interference, ; therefore when the bushes become too big it is bettor to raise a- fresh supply of : plants from seed then to lift and divide : old roots. ' j ' Tho seedlingß should be put out into , deeply-dug, well-enriched ground as soon .' as they can be handled. , PLANTING OTFT. i At this time of the vcar "planting out" is almost a daily, occupation. As the ' spring flowers fade and die, their places are filled, with plants that are to llowor during summer and autumn. Amateur pardeners are always sidvised to "water ' in" their plants; also to plant out if ,pos- ' sible during showery weather. Home gar- , deners think that this last instruction means that if they plant out during Bhowtry weather they are saved, the labour , of watering in. But this is not so. No matter what the weather, "watering in" is : of vital importftnee. By "watering in'" we mean pouring water into , tho hole with the plant so that the roots become embedded in thick mud. This should bo done with the" utmost cave, especially where a, ball of soil Is , already attached to the roots. If the plant is held firmly in place with one hand, water may be so poured from a can without a rose aa to wash more earth gently on to the roots. As soon as the water has drained away, the top soil may he ■ firmly pressed into,, place. Plants stand far leas chance of when they aro planted out in this way. Even though'the earth be damp, and even though it it be • pressed ever so Srinly- about the roots, plants are apt. to flag uulc-eb "watered in." ■■'.'.. ■ . ■ %■ . • . '' , . ' . MULCHING. ... • '. .A .mulch :is a, layer of?some material , • placed .above the soil ,over the roots of plants to protect the soil from.the evaporation which takes place in summer. If 'horse manure is used it must be well rotted, because the idea of a mulch is to

keep the roots moist <ind cool. Freeh manure would ferment and make the roots warm. Care should be taken. also in using freshly-cut erase. <is it becomes heated -when damp. Well-decayed vegetable rubbish that has been rotted down with washing water, household slops, etc., makes an excellent mulch, especially if wood ashen and occasional dressings of lime have btcii added during the process. For certain plants a summer mulch is absolutely necessary, for many others it is advisable. lioses, dahlias, chrysanthemums, liliums, azaleas, rhododendrons, newly-planted.shrubs,'{i.ud fruit trees will all be benefited by a light mulch. » If only gardeners -would iwy more nttentioji to the roots of their plants! AH their thonghls'.ind attention seem to be centred on the visible part of plants, and it is really the roots that are doing the main part of tho vrorfc. They ore such sensitive, delicate little things, some of theso roots. They creep-along through the soil searching for food and moisture for the plants; always working so willingly, but so Often, receiving .little encouragement. One of the.worst things that can happen to them is a careless, insufficient watering, when merely the surface of the soil is moistened, The tiny roots go up in search of this moisture, and are then exposed io the heat that follows the insufficient wittering. 'I'lie sensitive little things are. burnt and very often \ntber, and the plants receive a check. Sometimes they die outright, and at others are obliged 'to expend, in jnakinG new fibrous roots, energy that might be diverted.into producing perha.us loaves und llowers. A mulch properly applied is a. wonderful protection for plants. It keeps the ground cool andmoiat, keeps out hot, drying winds and burning sunshine, admits moisture, but ■refuse to allow it to evaporate. Before a mulch fa applied the ground should bo thoroughly saturated. It ia wonderful how quickly plants respond once they begin to feel the effects rf the mulch.

Pansies love a uiulch q£ well-rotted manure, and, in return for.it produce quantities of long-stemmed (lowers of good colour and substance. ■ Another great advantage of a mulch is that we can syringe the leaves of"plants on the evening of a hot, dusty day, comfortable in the knowledge that- it. -will not be ncceeMry to rush out with the hoe early next morning to loosen the foil le;t it cakes. Occasional showers, too, cease to become a nuisance. They are, instead a blessing, because they ivash and rnfresh the leaves without being able to oake the soil.

'Tho63 gardanei-s who go oway for a fewweeks' holiday, leaving their plants jto care for ffiDinselveß, will find the mulch, well applied, a great boon. In districts subject to drought' it isi a good plan to mulch vegetable marrows, pumpkins, cucumbers, French beans, peas, and winter greens.

Host gardeners can produce a mulch of some Eort. In town it is not possible to store animal manure until it is fit for use as a mulch, but there are always grass clippings, ivesds, veeotablc rubbish, etc. In gardening not a thing need lie wasted. ! Even. in the smallest garden weeds and vegetable rubbish can be rotted down in a- hole in ' some corner. A littles fence covered with a! creeper will always hide ■the hole. Wesds tlrat have not gone to seed can be nulkd un. and nlaced round plants as a. , mulch. Where decayed vegetable rubbish, or grass clippings are being used a little bonedust or iruano may firai of all be lightly' pricked in about the plants; The-best mulch for liliiiins is decayed cow manure. ; Dahlias like a, mulch of half-rotted cow or pig manure. For .chrysanthemums' I like a mulch of thoroughly decayed . vegetable rubbish mixnd with wood ashes- w\ n. little coarse sand or road grit. A little bonedust. and .superphoßphate may first (if all be pricked, "in/round about the plants. Rhododendrons and aKleaa like, a mulch of hnlf-rotted stable manure, bit a little .bonedust pricked into the soil and a mulch of decayed-vegetable rubbish and leaves form a. good substitute. ■Roses are not very particular abotlt the form .their mulch takes, ne long as their' roots arc-kept"cool and fairly moist. ■■Mulches should be applied to ground that, is always damp and warm. Tlu-y should Tiever be top heavy. From one to two inches is thick enough for a mulch. . vecetabi.es. PLANTING OUT CELBttT. ■ ■ The trenches should be dug out to a depth of oiw foot. ; Some ivell-rottod manure should, be dug into the bottom of the trench. About six inches of earth should then be returned, and somo boncduet (about toz. to the running yard) should be thoroughly mixed with il, . If tho t.renehe.l arc. made only a Aort time before transplanting, takes .place, the soil should be made firm by being trampled upon. Celery does bettor when planted in firm soil. Before transplanting the seedlings add to the trench two inches of 'very fine soil. A slight dressing of ?oot, may also he added. Plant tho seudlingß about six or eight, inches apart. Shade from hot sun for a few days, and sprinkle the plants with water morning and evening. As soon as growth has well started, liquid manure should be supplied. fiarden Notes next week will' contain Reasonable notes about pentstemons, violets, and vegetables.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19181130.2.121

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 56, 30 November 1918, Page 12

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,397

GARDEN NOTES Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 56, 30 November 1918, Page 12

GARDEN NOTES Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 56, 30 November 1918, Page 12

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