GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 62, 6 December 1919, Page 18

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowhai.")

CARNATIONS. f-'ccdling carnations and rooted cuttings should have the tops nipped iff them 1o make them branch out irom the base. If this is neglected the tiny plants v. ill often run up into long, thin-flowering stem, and will .".) exhaust, themselves in the effort that tliey will be a long time recovering, if they ever do. Old soot that lias been well exposed to the air should be dusted over all carnation .an.-?, an-:: soot water should he given lo those that arc already flowering, or arn going to flower. They should be watered also, occasionally, will very weak salt water. Carnations are well known to like salt and .-not. . Their liking for salt makes them ideal plants for seasido guldens, where they positively revel in the salt sea breezes, and seem to keep health). Well-grown plants that are about to flower need a little special attention just now. In the first place they should be well staked, as otherwise the flowering ftalks -will lie about on the ground. One stako is not sufficient: three or four neat ones should bo inserted round each plant. If hoops of wire are twisted round the stakes at short intervals above- one another, the flowers will be confined within these, and -will have a- better chance to display their exq'.iisito beauty than if they are tied in a tight bunch to ono unhappy stake. The ground round the plants should be kept in a state of fine powder to protect the roots- from drought. Soot water should bo given -at regular intervals. A. little judicious disbudding ehould bo practised, as all tho buds cannot possibly oiftnl. By removing these superfluous buds tho flowers that develop will ho much finer.

Carnations am most successful plants to grow from seed, for. iho seed germinates /reoly, and the seedlings come along quickly. From a packet of good seed . :-.v„i"H?d from u rolialjio seed merchant, ono stands a chance of securing many beautiful double-flowering varieties. Every garden should boast at least a few carnations for two or three plants in (lower will fill the garden with perfume on a •warm sunny day, besides making a very attractive display. Carnations, moreover, are most useful for bringing into tho. ric-'ifa. for ihcy keep fresh in.water for a long time, and the colours and rcrfunic arc ail that can be desired.

ROUTINE. WORK. Cuftingß of pentstemons, gerauiums, regal pelargoniums, antirrhinums, verbenas, lavender, etc., that were, taken in »ne autumn should- bo well rooted by now, and may be planted out into their permanent quarters. Spread tho roots mit evenly, cover.them with fine soil, press this down firmly, and shade, the plants from hot sun for a day or two. If it is possible to move the plants just More a shower of rain, they won't realise that they have ever been movjd. but will at onco take hold of the soil (provided it has been made quite firm about nicely spreadout roots) and contiu-ic growing. There «ammf. bo too mauy of the abovementioned flowers in a garden, jif a bright display is -wanted over a long period. Pansies have been flowering well .for some time now, and will continue to do so provided the dead flowers are picked off every day, and that the roots ;-ro kept moist, ttivo the plants a thorough soaking with water, and then spread a, mulch of grass clippings, decayed leaves, etc., round llio plants. It is surprising what a difference this treatment makes to them. Tn v- week or two they will have spread right over the mulch, and 'he whole border will bo a. mass of long-stemmed flowers. Weak liquid manure aud plenty of soapsuds should' be supplied to tho plants. Should slugs make for this nice »hc]f.er t| visits should bo made to the pansies' after dark with a Jantern. If you take a pair of scissors with you, and eiinply cut in half every slug you see, you will soon bo rid of them.

Seeds of -wallflowers, primrosoß, and polyanthus primroses ihould be iowii now to provide flowering plants for next spring. Tho primroses and polyanthus primroses may be sown in a shady tpot in tho garden, and tho seedliuga left where they aro until the end of the autumn, provided the seed has been well scattered.

Wallflowers Jmd better ■>:u conn in a Boodpau, and the seedlings planted out into a spare part cf the garden as soon as. they aro big enough to handle. If tho tap-root is snipped off at the linio of transplanting, tho seedlings will develop a nice bunch of fibrous roots before lliey are moved into tho bods in autumn. Seeds sown in the open garden should ho shaded from the sun by being lightly covered with some dry grass, ir dead pea haulm. Don't put a heavy covering over the seeds, thus shutting out the air. Just a sprinkling of litter will aiimver the purpose of keeping the =oil uniformly moist. Anemone sosd may be sown in the open uroimd in a shady spot. First mix with tho soil some river-sand and a little leafsoil, and give the ground a thorough soaking with water a. few hours before sowing the seed. Sow the need very thinly, and then the seedlings may l:c left where they aro. until they are transplanted into their permanent quartara in the autumn.

; Anemones should uot be allowed to suffer from want of moisture at wiy period of

; -riv pfi-j-.vth. Dryness at the roots is uencrally the cause of all the failures in trowing anemones. Tho bed where they uro to srow eventually should be very thoroughly dug, and should have a good supply of vegetation buried about a foot below the surface of the, soil. "River-sand, also, should bo added to the soil Anemones, iu common with most plants, aro very foiifl of washing-day soap-suds. If they receive a few buckets every wash-ing-day they keep remarkably rtrong and healthy. People don't know ivhat they aro throwing away rhen they pull out the plug and allow the soap-suds to run down tho dram.

- veo:ta3Us. As 6oon as 'he first crop oS peas or broad beans is finished the haulm should be cut down and burnt, but the roots should be left in the soil as they provide a valuable manure. The sishes from tha haulm may bo raked over the surface soil and then hoed iu. and Ihe ground is then ready for a further sowing of turnips, carrots, onions, or even a late jlanting of potatoes.

It is a good plan to leave one lettuce out of oach batch to go to Eced. The seed will bo scattered about- the garden by tho wind, and the strong : oung feedlings will at all times be available frouv all parts of tho garden for lifting and using to fill up empty spaces. Ju this way a- continuous supply of lettuces for salads will be obtained with very little trouble, and the seedlings that are not wanted can be hoed in as a small contribution towards humus.

Shallots are comiiiK on very fast now, Pick off the flower stems as soon ;:s they appear, aud keep the bed quite free ol T/ceds.

Savoys may be planted on the ground from which early potatoes have been taken. Tho ground should be faked level and then be well trampled over, for savoys need a firm bed. There is sometimes a tendency to neglect the plants during the summer and early aut\mn, lmi this is when they really need a'great deal of attention. To jrrow sa-vjys successfully, they should not be allowed to suffer from drought at any time. When only a few aro being grown it is a good plan to give the ground a eoo'd watering, and then spread a mulch round the plants. But where this cannot be done, water should be supplied and the hoe kept going constantly. ■

"Garden Notes' next week will contain seasonable uotcs about:—Rosea, routiuc work, and vegetables.