GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 193, 10 May 1919, Page 12

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowliai.")

' ROUTINE WOHIC. Salvia bonfire- is still making a gorgeous display, especially where tho plants havo been massed in beds. In inland gardens frost has already cut the plants, but'thoso' gardeners who aro near tho boh may still havo their gardens filled with glorious colour if they have planted plenty of salvia bonfire. To make sure of a good supply of plants for. noxt year, seed should be saved as fast as it ripens, anil Bhpuld bo stored away in a dry placo till Bpring. A few small bushes should be lifted with a good ball of earth and potted up, They make a fine room decoration for a sunny window in winter. All perennial plants, such as pentslemons, antirrhinums, Bwcct scabiouß, montbretias, daisies, perennial 'sunflowers, etc., that have finished flowering, should be cut back to within a few inches of the ground. The soil should bo well loosened round them,' and a dressing of bonedust worked in Very large clumps 'should bo lifted, broken up, and healthy pieces from the outside of the clump planted back. Already the r earlier flowering Michaelmas daisies may be lifted, and the clumps broken iup and replanted. Heliotropes and. geraniumß should,have dead leaves and well-decayed manure or vogctablo rubbish heaped round thorn to protect them from frost. Don't delay, till frost comes, or it will bo too late.. Cuttings of heliotrope, geraniums, and tfolargoniums may be taken, and jf they are inserted firmly in sandy soil and placed in a cold frame they will root Quickly. Cuttings of roses, antirrhinums; pentstemons, flowering verbenas, petunias, daisies, and many other plants may be treated in tho siime way. - _' -• Narcissi are" now. well above ground, and should be kept well weeded. Clumps of liliums should be covered with' well-de-cayed cow manure, or a little bonedust may\ bo lightly pricked into tho soil abovo .the bulbs, and a. mulch of well-decayed vegetable rubbish Bpread over them. Madonna, lilies should be tied to stakes as they grow. A' light mulch of: wcll;decayed cow manure spread round the stalks and tucked well in among -them helps the bulbs to send up fine thick, stalks to:a- height of .five,feet or moro, and! to crown ,tliem' later with hugo heads of fragrant bloom. , Geums, aquilegias, doronicums,- wallflowers, forget-me-nots ■ and all early spring-flowering plants should .be in place now. Keep the soil woll stirred, about them. Whenever it is possiblo work soot into the soil about plants. It iB a fine ■fertiliser. Cuttings of pansies are now nicely rooted, and the little plants may be put out as borders or in beds. Seedling panßies and violas may also be planted out. Both like deeply, dug soil to which.'a good supply' of well-decayed manuro- or. vegetable rubbißh has been added. A further supply of cuttingß may still be taken 'from old 'plants that were cut £nck some time ' ago. Well-decayed manure, or well-decayed rubbish and sand may-be worked in round primrose and polyanthus . primrose roots, first pricking a. little bonedust' into the soil.' They are greedy feeders and • soon put forth new Toots into, so acceptable a, mulch; ' , Chrysanthemums are now at their beßt, and are absolutely lovely, Disbudding is a daily occupation, for the buds swell, so quickly. See that the plants are securely Btaked'without cramping their growth. Worw soot into tho soil about -violet plants. Already the garden ib filled with the glorious fragrance of their fast opening flowers. ' „ In districts subject to heavy frosts a few healthy plants of lobelia should bo lifted and replanted in a safe place for the winter. They may then bs used as stock plants for sunplyjne now borderß when all danger of frost iß.over. Hedges should bo trimmed and the clip--nings burnt. The ash may be put aside in tins in a dry place, or it may be scattered over the garden at once. • .Paths need constant.attention, for weeds 'soring up very quickly at this time of tho year. •The time for rose and Bhrub planting is upon us, and unless we make the most of every hour of fine weather we shall not, have our gardens trim, tidy, and well planted before winter sets in,

PREPARING THE GROUND FOB TREES • AND SHRUBS.

It is in preparing the cround and planting, more tliau in anything else, that tlie secret of successful shrub growing- lies. Before planting a shrub one Biiould consider, how long it iB going ,to be in the same "place. Some shrubs, go on growing, in the same spot for very inauy years. How necessary, then, to* prepare the 'ground well beforehand I It is the one golden opportunity of really attending, to the soil that is to nourish for an indefinite - time the future plant. It only, too, more people would realise how intensely grateful for good treatment plants are I A well-planted, well-treated flowering shrub repays uk with a wealth of beautiful blossoms saaßon. arter Beason. The plant ia healthy, too; and a real pleasure to its owner. A shrub. etuclt carelessly into unprepared ground .is han» dicapped for life. The roots at the very outset,have a.-terrible strugglo to supply nutriment to the plant.' »»hat wonder, then, that the shrub is poor, stunted, a prey t4 ill-health, and a producer oJ in.significant blooms? . , » ! ' In preparing the ground for shrubs it is always advisable to trench from 14 to 2 feet deep. Even shallow rooters ap--, prcciate deeply dug ground. In heavy soils this is especially necessary, for •shrubs dislike being in grouud that, holds cold, stagnaut water in winter, ihe ad*, dition of manure to the soil for shrubs is, as a rule, unnecessary.' Deep digging, necessary drainage, and the addition* in Bome cases, of good leaf-mould, or peat and sand, are the. general needs of flowering shfubs .in the garden. If manure ia needed it should be well rotted, and should bo kept in the bottom" spit,. Finely-, worked sweet Boil is what the roots require in the top spit. • . . In digging keep tne top soil to the top. If the subsoil is brought up on top, it is not so acceptable to the, new y nla.nted roots; and often gives them a bad start-. In planting, /'sweet, fine soil shoii d be pressed round the roots. Ilie depth at which to plant is a question that often worries amateur 3, and in their zeal they make the mistake of planting too deep. Experts advise as a rule shallow plants ing. The feeding roots are then near the surface, and so have plenty of air and the sweetest soil.' After shrubs have been planted, the soil about theiu should be kept well cultivated. t Weeds, should be removed and. the soil i\oed frequently. Water and mulches should be supplied as necessary, and (pruning ,and thinning reeularlv attended to. On the whole, flowering Biirubs give very little trouble, especially when well Btarted, and there is such a variety now o£ beautiful liaidy flowering shrubs that we can have a constant succession of them in bloom.

VEGETABLES. Seeds'.that may be sown at present are: Broad-Heauß.—Sow in deeply dug toil, to .whioh a good dressing .ot lime, has been added and worked in. ' .- Carrotß.-Sow thinly in well-worked ground in drills 12 inches. apart. Work some soot and a sprinkling of bonedust into the soil before sowing* the aced. • Onions.—Work into the soil plenty of soot, some rubbish fire ash, and a dressing of bonedust Make the soil very firm by treading on it, but take care not to tread when ifc is very wot. Bow the seed in drills 12 inches apart. ; . Lettuce-Sow thinly in drills 15 inches apart in a sunny part of the garden. ■ Cabbage and Oanlillowef.-fjame treatment as for lettuces. SEEDLINGS. Plant out Beedline cabbage, cauliflower, and lettuce. Keep the ground about Uicm well stirred, and •weeds pulled out. When planting-inaHo the soil .very hrm about the roots, and'work in a little bonedust with each plant, ROUTINE WORK. Dust soot along the rows, of vegetable seedlineß at every opportunity., ~ Doe on warm sunny days. Bend a leaf over broccoli that are maturing. Dig up carrots, beet; parsnips,- etc;, and store them in dry sand.. Alake the earth firm round cabbage, cauliflower, etc., plants after a heavy wind. Keep hoe ng between the plants and earthing tlicni up. Garden Notes next week will contain seasonable notes about: Popular flowering shrubs, routine work, and vegetables. .