GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 78, 27 December 1919, Page 12

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowliai.") OHJiYSANTIUiJIIJAIS. Ollrysanthemums should now receive their final pinching, all, growths that are about a foot lons having their tops nipped oil'. If thoro have been two previous piiichings tho plants will be fine bushy specimens by the autumn, bearing jiuitc a number of fine long flowering stalks. So far wo have been directing most cf our attention to the part of the plant that is above the ground, but from now on wo must pay very special attention to the part that is below the ground—tho roots. I do not mean to say that the leaves and stems need no further attention at present. 'l'hey do. There aro caterpillars to bo watched for. The leaves should be syringed with clear water in hot, dry weather to keep them clean and free from disease, and there is always tlio tying of tho plants to stakes as they grow, llut tho roots are now doing very special work, for they are getting rcjidy to sup- j port tlio beautiful flowers that will eome later. During the next few weeks quite a number of new roots will be farmed, and as they are very near tho surface of the | ground we should give up forking round the plants and have recourse to mulching. After a good watering, a, mulch should bo spread all round each plant, and from time to time this mulch should bo added to as it becomes necessary. Tho new roots will then be protected, tliey will bo kept moist, and they 'will bo ablo to ejeep out into the mulch and so get a larger area in which to search for food. Thoroughly decayed manure, - road-scrap-ings, or -well rotted vegetablo rubbish are all suitable for mulching chrysanthemums. FOBSYTHIA. Forsythia, especially Forsythia suspenßa, is one of tho treasures of the spring gardon, for then every baro branch, to the very tip, becomes covered with tiny goldenyellow bells. The appearance of a wellprunad and well-thinned treo is graceful in tlio extreme. Tho time to prune is directly tho flowering iB over, but in, case somo trees have still been left unpruned, I give this note and reminder. • The branches should be cut back, leaving only two or three eyes at tho baso : of each. In I a very short time tho plants make tre- ' meudous growth-the growth that is to i boar next year's flowers. At the present time those eyes have devebped into fine long shoots These must nit be touched. Pruning at this timo must consist in shortening tho old flowering branches. STOOKS. Before planting Etocks in their flowering quarters, cut oil the long tap root vith a sharp knife. Plant tho seedlings very firmly in well-dug, well-enriched soil, and fork a little bouedust in -while planting. Keep the soil about the plantß well stirred all through tho summer, and supply water to the plants' if necessary. Plants of the "Nice" family that are put out now should begin flowerinrr in March, and should continue to do so through tho winter. A further small sowing of stock seed may . be .made now for a succession of flowering plants. Stocks in flower give great pleasure at any time, and with a littlo care ono can have them all the year round. Seedlings of ten-week stocks should bo put out now. Old plants that have finished flowering or become shabby should bo uprooted to make room for new ones. . EOtrTIXE WOKK. Sweet I'eas—During dry weather water' must bo supplied 10 sweet peas. Give ono good watering, and then dlon't water again till it is necessary, for frequent insufficient waterings <lo more harm than good. Keep the soil about the plants well hoed, fiweet poas are flowering splendidly just now, ' and well-staked clumps, and hedges of them are most attractive. Their glorious scent is blown from end to end of the garden, and even out to the road, where it delights all who pass by. Flowers must bo picked before they fade, for once seed pods arc allowed to form the flowering is practically over. Side growths, too, should bo carefully rubbed out. Madonna Lilies—Fine clumps of theso have been particularly handsome dnriift the past few weeks. lVhen tho pliiuts a jo well grown the stems reach to a heigjt of about six feet, and aro crowned with numbers of largo, glistening, white intensely fragrant flowers. Liliums are greedy feeders, and appreciate a mulch of half-rotted cow manuro applied curly in the summer. As the flower stems, grow and tho buds aro formed, water and weak liquid manuro should be supplied. Each stem should bo carefully tied to a stake, for onco tho flowers expand, the weight at the top makes tho stem an easy victim for wind and heavy rain. Gladioli.—Brldo gladioli are over, but many of tho .coloured varieties of tlio early-flowering section are still in bloom. Givo them liberal doseß of weak soot water, or weak liquid manure, following a good watering with clear water. Tho later flowering gladioli aro fast pushing up their flowering stems, fieo that a mulch of well-rotted vegetablo rubbish Is tucked about their roots, and water liberally with weak soot water. Belladonna Lilies—Bulbs of belladonna lilies and norines may be planted during the next few weeks. Plant them in welldug soil, to which'a good supply of welldecayed vegetable rubbish has been added. Heliotrope.—Plants that were bedded out at the end of spring Bliould be given a mulch of well-decayed manure. Once tlio plants -begin to make good growth they may be hurried along with good feeding 'and watering. Cosmos.—Seedling plants aro miming up very fast. See that they aro secured to stakes as they grow. Keep the soil about them well hoed. Peg down the growths of phlox drummondii, flowering verbenas, and petuniaß as they spread over the ground. The Argentine Pea—Lathyrus pubescens. —Plants should now bo cut back to within a foot or eighteen incheß of tho ground. The surfuco soil should be loosened, and tlio ground -thoroughly soaked with clear water. A mulch of cow manuro then be placed round each plant. In preparing the mulch it is best to soften tho clods of manure in a bucket of water, stirring thorn till a thick mixture is formed. If this is spread round tho roots any liquid will at- onco soak into the wet soil, and the insoluble part will form ii. nico mulch. If cow manure cannot be had, work into the Boil a sprinkling of guano (procurable at a need and spread a mulch of decayed vegetable rubbish, etc. .As .soon as tho new shoots appear, they should bo trained into place up their supports. As soon as any plant has finished flowering it should be cut back, or, in the caEO of annuals, rooted up, and its place taken by something that will flower later on. Such things as French and African marigolds, phlox drummondii, and annual

gypsophiln. may bo sown at intervals till, the end of January. Mignonette may bo sown at any time, and one cannot nave too mucli of it in the garden. All of these wilt givo a good display of flowers when tho spring-sown annuals are over. Keep tho hoe at work among all plants. A few inchen of flue powdered soil at the surface helps to keop tho roots of plants cool and moist. VEGETABLES. Continue planting whero necessary:— Tomato Plants—Plnjit flrinly in well, dug, not over-rich ground. Cabbage nnd Cauliflower.—l'lant in rich, well-dug ground. Cut off with a sharp lmifo tlie long tap roots at tho time of planting out. Water tho plants well in and keep shaded from the hot sun till growth begins. Pumpkin and Marrow.—Plant in thoroughly prepared rich ground. Celery.—Plant in well-prepared trenches. Potatoes.—An early variety of potato may bo planted to provido "new" potatoes for tho autumn. Broccoli—Plant in deeply-dug ground that was well enriched for early potatoes or peas. Keep tho plants well watered till growth begins, and then hoe regularly. If possible, when planting out seedling cabbages, cauliflowers, broccoli, pumpkins, and marrows make a thick mixture of cow manure and water, IJip tho roots in this, and add a little of tho mixture to each hole as the plants aro put in: otherwise water should bo poured into the holes with tho plantß, and allow-, td to soak In before the soil is filled ip. llemember that cabbages, etc., that are allowed to become dry at the roots are liable "to bolt." Seeds that, may be sown this week are:Searlet rur.ner and French beans, carrots, peas, beet, lettuce, broccoli, und Brussels sprouts. , Garden Notes next week will contain seasonable notes about;— Asters, routino work, and vegetables.