GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 287, 30 August 1919, Page 12

GARDEN NOTES

' (By "Kowhai.") PLAMTIKO OOt sW'iiET PEAS. _ ( The most diuioiilt part oi tlio planting oui oi sweet pea« is.tue removal oi. tuo , planta ti'oui tuo seeu box, i«r, ol^ L uvoui any. check. a w accwMty uw no routs auuu'lu oe uioHen. uui a biiaip trowel m pusned well down ul " piuuu unui u toucnt.S 4 wo CJttoiii o toe uox. uiiu H it i« gently worheu uaUw.iras ana xorwaraa, and tumor uie liaill. it is. possible 10 Hit we plan. witno t anv broken roots ana wiui a huu oi son atuicned. nave van noies icauj 101 tne seedlings, ana piant mem. a 100* aiiari. Tina w«y twm an ■aJiiiecLSsuiy uistanco to some, but a sweet :i>ea, pnait iu reaiiy two or tVree plants in one, according to Hie nuinuer 01 mam stews tnat are leit. as a general ruie a is t>uie t.o aiiow four inches ior eacit mam stem, do aaat -a »lant with tine* mam stems wiouitt be a loot apart trom iu neighbours each way. uirciuny place tuoii Plant in the preparou noie, and taep iiii up tne iioletj witii water. W hen tins lias uramed away, tne sou may lie P 1117,0 the Holes and presseu nrniiy rouna the planta. supply tivium* sticks at once, and Keep tne giants suatieu from x.o. sun ior a lew uays MESEMBBYuVNTHEJITJIIS. Mesembryantheniums are. periect tar surea ior garueners who live in districts wnere tne soil u <ti*y slllu succuiems, tney do not neeu a great outi oi water, aiiu tneir giori(msiy-c*Hourt.u liowerfl miuco a ui'iiiiain snow in places where it would bo diincult to. get aiiytnmg else to grow: 'i'lie pianta luve to tree*) over. rocKwies ana neaps of stones, oi aown bare-looking banks. At Sumner,' meaemoryantlicmums Jia.ve been usea with great enect Dy gardeners in exposed positions, and the result is • absolutely eliarniiug. Their culture la ot tne Bimplest. Pieces slipped otl with a heel, root easily in boies oi sandy 601J, and* may -be planted out 111 their permauant'places in a few 'weeks. Their favourite soil is a light sandy loam, to which 0, good proportion ot! well-rotted manure unu some lime have been addpti. . PERENNIALS. »> . 2Tor summer flowering— Uianthuß: -/Thero are many charming varieties ol dianttyus or Indian . pink. The flowers are iragrant, and embrace tile richest and most brilliant and yet the daintießt of shades. Tho plants are splendid lor growing 111 light, sandy soils, into, wiich some wellrotted vegetable rubbish lias been dull. A dressing of bonedust may be .worked into the H--11 ■where eaoh plant is to go.Gaiilardias.—For hot, dry districts ami sandy «oils gaillardias are unequalled Their lovely llowerß lire produced in profusion ail through tliu summer and autumn. The soil should be deeply worked, and if some well-decayed vegetable matter can be dug in, so much the better. -A little bonedust should be added where eaclt plant is to go. ■ Gerbera, Jameßoiui— Gerbera, or African daisy, is one of the . most • gorgeous of our perennial garden planta, The dsußy. like flowers, are vivid scarlet in colour, and are borne on very long stcniß. Th« gerbera hybrids include ilowet'B of various shades of colour, such as white, yellow, orange, salmon, etc. The flowers of the hybridß are not quite so fine as tbo.'U of the parent plant, but the plants are said to be' more robust. Nurserymen supply, plants during tlie spring months. Gerbera is apt to be cut down by frost, and should therefore bo planted where it will bo least affected. The requirements of the plant -are a sunny position, and for soil a sandy loam. ,

Goraniums (Zonal Pelargoniums).—Gera. 1 niuxna oujoy well-earned popularity, .ind I it is hard to imagine a garden without one or more plants. They will grow iuv> wber<a and in any soil, and there i# scaroely a time, except when frost cuta them, that the plants do not display their beautiful 'flowers. The geranium is an unfailing friend to the gardener with ft I Btilt clay soil, and for seaside/gardens it is ideal. The soil for geraniums should ; not be too rich, and afthough it should ■ bo deeply dus, it should be made firm again before tho plants are .put in. I'rost is one 'of the geranium's worst enemicß, and many plants are lost during a severe winter. If cuttings are taken in the autumn, however, and are" winteced in a cold frame or on a. sunny verandah, there will be a supply of nice young plants ready for spring planting. Although oldfashioned -.varieties are still grown, and are Rtill worth growing, many, of tho netf named varieties are so lovely that one or more of them should be secured. Gypsophila Paniculata.—Who is Lot familiar with this most useful summer-flower-ing perennial? One can scarcely imagine a bowl of sweet peas Without a graceful Bpmy or two of sypsophila. The iplants lfke a well-drainert, deeply-worked, fairlyrich soil. Once planted they should not bo disturbed for many years,' as the roots resent interference. After the flowering season is over, plants should be given a mulch of well-decayed Mianurt. 'it ihis is not. obtainable, prick some bonedust into .the soil about the plants, and cover them with some well-rotted vegetable rubbish.. Gypsophila paniculata, may be had with single or double flowers, Montbretias.—Montbrclias like Bunny position, but a cool root run. Those two requisites .are difficult to obtain, naturally, unless one possesses a stream or ipoiidwith a sunny, bank. But.the sunny position can bo obtained by everyone without any trouble, and the cool rootim can. be had by taking tlie trouble to dig the ground deeply, and to bury a supply of green manure for the bulbs to root into. The. bulbs increase bo rapidly they should not be lull hi tho ground longer than two without" being lifted and divided. The o-rowth of moiltprotlas, as regards both flowers and loliage, is graceful in the extreme. The plants look beautiful in the garden when grown in clumps in a mixed border, or when planted on the edge of native bush, or along'the banks of a stream or p6ndl If left too long m one Rlace, the plants beoomo overcrowded and soon deteriorate. Instead, then, of tall spikes of brilliant flowers, and quantities 01 strong, healthycoloured leaves, one sees stunted, yellowflowers™ ve8 ' flud pool ' little spikes of Perennial Phlox.-Phloxes like a deeplyj. ran py Position, and they dislike being disturbed. Well-rotted'am-nial manure, or decayed vegetable rubsoil a wntn? nedU i St ' be a<ldcd to 1 hp ? au f' al) le mulches should be supplied during the summer months. VEGETABLES. All digging . and trenching should be completed its soon as possible now. A- few rows ot early potatoes may be planted. Hoe between the rows of growing crops, Attend to the staking of peas ana beans, heeds that may be sown tnis week are--ltadish.—i''reiich breakiast is the beßt. bow broadcast 111 rich, nrm ground and in. a sunny position. , Oarrot.-oow thinly ilt dl .m s t j inches apart.

Turnips—iiarly Snowball or Early White ,fatone. w bow 111 ground that was richly manured for. a previous crop of greens,, or in ground that was manured early in the autumn. Make the gi ound very ilrm bow thinly in dnls twelve inches anart! Peas-bow 111 drills from two to three feet apart. Ground should be trenched and manured, and should have wood ashes mixed with it. Dust bonedußt in the drills at the time of sowing. Soak neas in warm water for a few hours before sowing. . . l'arßnips.-Sow in ground that was well manured for a previous crop. Work the soil to a fine tilth for a depth of tit least, 18 inches. Any lumps may cause deformed and worthless roots. Work into the soil ashes from a rubbish fire, and bone, dust (4oz. to squaro yard). Onions.—Make tho soil very firm by treading on it before sowing. Do this only when the; soil is dry. Sow, the seed in drills 12 inches apart. Dust' bonedust in the drills when sowing. Brown Spanish and James Keeping are the best for keening. 1 Garden Notes next'week will contain soaslonablo notes .about Chrysanthemums, routine work, and vegetables.