GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 84, 3 January 1920, Page 12

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowhai.") I ASTEUS. When well grown, asters aro almost as handsome ae chrysanthemums, &o:muoh so that, it is often difficult to distinguish, between the two flowers'. Being one of i tho moat popular, well tin 0110 of thp most useful, of our summer and autumn-, flowering annualß, the aster is represented c in nearly every -gaiden, but so many gar- n doners ' are, alas, satisfied to havo ono fair-sized Bower to eac.h plant, with a t number of email and insignificant llowors , growing up the central Stem. A "well- ( grown plant should havo about ljalf a dozen pood blooms on lone, strong litems. ( Ono of the main essentials towards suo- ] ee'ssful growth is, aa usual, food, • With- ( out. Byfficiont food, tile plants Oannot bo i expccted" to produce good blooms. Thon , too- there is tho all important question of 1 cultivation. Tho soil must bo well pre- i parod before the plants are put out, and 1 ■well enriched. This gives them a good j start, and from then until flowering time j they rouet be kept growing vigorously. By pinching out the central bud ono, throws all tho strength into the laterals,' ' .and if those are restricted in number ono i gets several good blooms, instead of ono ; gobd and a number o£ insignificant ones. j Just now tho plants need all the attention they can get, for tho roots, which are always very near, the surface of the soil, must bo kept moist. To" do this it is advisable to spread a mulch of welldecayed manure about the plants, and j water should be supplied freely. But - where manure cannot bo used, prick ,in a dressing" of . superphosphate,, and use a mulch of. well-decayed vegetable rubbish, grasß clippings, or anything that Is nvail- -1 able. ' ' : Liauid manure'ihonld bo'given regularly once the buds are formed. Caro should • be token not to fork or hoo deeply near , ÜBter plants jußt now, or many .valuable, , roots will bo destroyed.' and the moreplentiful, and vigorous tho roots, tho .let- ■' ter the -.flowers will bq. ... J ; By paying . strict attention during the' 1 noxt few weeks ,to mulching, -watering, i and feeding, gardeners plioiild greatly improvo tho sizo and substance of their - ( aster blooms. ■" - .- >"• 1 Where it is difficult to get liquid manure, guano maybo. used at the rate.of tne - ounce in every-, gallon of water, fioot ( wo,ter. too,- is. a splendid fertiliser, .and- i greatly improves tho colour *of the ] -flowers. ... ROUTINE WORK. ■■ Violets-Watch violet borders for any f .trace of rod-spider. An, examination of the backs of the ie-aves will soon show you whether tho tiny things havo taken up their abode there. Unfortunately it is not until red. spider has. a good hold, that the plants„'themßelves-begin to ihow the effects, therefore frequent 1 examination of the backs of the leaves its uecesEar}'. 1 All plants should be thoroughly, syringed with cloar water regularly, special attention being- paid to tho undersides of the., leaves. The soil about the plants should - be kept' woll : stirred and free from weeds. All surplus runners should be removed, leaving, where new plants are wanted for 1 autumn planting:, not more than two runners to each plant. -- These 1 - should be pegged-down ;till they. root, ■ when they may be Beparited from the parent plant. Dahlias.— the soil loose abont dahlia plants. They are moisture-loving plants, and should ie kept well supplied with water. Where \liter is scarce they should bo given one thorough soaking, and then.a. inulch of half-rotted manure. I? animal manure canuet bo had, almost any other material will .servo the pvrpoßO, provided that liquid manure is given regularly to the plants. ..Dahlias, when well grown, mako tremendous growth, and it becomes necessary to thin out somo of the stoma. - All, laterals should he thinned . out, and some' of the buds removed. Bushes so treated will produce line, .wellformed, long-stemmed flowers. Constant picking of tho flowers "will keep tlie' plants blooming over a longer period, arid help to keep up tho quality of the blooms. Hollyhocks-Hollyhocks require regular supplies of liquid manure.- They are greedy feeder's, and by keeping them growing vigorously, one helps to ward off the hollyhock disease. Syringe tho. leaves during dry weather to keep away red Bpidcr. Liliums and gladioli that, have not yet flowered should bo given a mulch of welldecayed vegstablo rubbish or manure. Guano at the rate of loz. to 1 gallon of "water may he given- once a week. .' Flowering fihruhs.-Flowering 'lirubß, Buoh as- lilac, early-flowering. rhododendrons,. , azaleas, mock orange, cto., should, havo shoots that.have horns flowers cut back a little/ In the case of rhododendrons tho dead should, bo gently scrowed off. Attending car).y to tho cutting back of theso flowering sbrubH helps to< Becurc • a plentiful supply of flowers for next aeason. Daphnes growing in hot. dry situations should bo wnirwatered, and should then havo a" mulch of- some old litter spread round' them. It is mont important that daphnes flhould. havo a. cool root run at all times. , . .. , Ithododondrons- and azaleas should wso reoeivc this retention. Ithodod'endronfi are splendid flowering, ehrubu to grow, one of'their greatest charms being that they aro overgreen, and' so always beautiful. Thero aro such numbers of varieties, both early and Into, that ono van havo rhododendrons in flower over .quito- a.*,,lM>£ period. : ' lIEMEKOCALIJIS. Tho beautiful coppery-yellow flowers t of hemerocailis . fulva (day. lily) , lire showing colour.- Each flower lasts but. a day, but there aro always other buds ' ready to open and take the place of 11 the faded flower. • A good watering with soot-water ' given once a week helps the plants considerably during tho next few weeks. '' SEED-PANS. . . Most gardeners will have finished planting -out seedlings' now, and niitny' teedpans will''.le 'empty.' These. should Us cleaned aim stored away In-a dry-placo' and not left lying about. Very often ther6 aro etill souio seedlings left. ovor alter tho livrl-Thave been filled. It- treinil a pity to waste these, for if a. spare corner can 'bo fon'nl'for thorn somewhere, they' will provide mi extra Bupiily i>l cut lli'wcwi Failing evorv other plnco thoy can often be planted: Jff rows in the vegetable garden. ■ • :r. '' vecetabi.es. . , OELEBY. - ' -- - ■!; To get long, thick stems of celery the plants should be fed liberally right from the start. Ab soon as the plants begin to mako now leaves, spread a thin mulch of half-rotted manure or well-decayed vegetable rubbish round them. Tread it firmly down, and feed tho plants through it regularly with weak liquid mannro. and. soot-water' alternately. In three or four weeks-tho roots wili'havo worked well into this mulch, and the plants will be ready for a freuh one. Always tread-tho freshly applied mulch firmly round the plants, pushing it,-with tho-foot,, firmly towards tho base of tho stems. By feeding liberally and securing .vigorous ■ even growth, one helps to keep away celery rust-. Do not bo in too much- haoto to earth up. Secure good growth lrst. ". Remove split or damaged leaves at once, .as they harbour slugs. Itomofe also any side shoots that aro formed. I 'When oarthing up it. is an advantage if dry sifted ashes and Hand (mixed) aro placed • round, tho stemß to keep tho earth from . coming into contact with them'.'-- Begin storing -woodashes and collecting sand now. Keep both dry in a shod. When earthing up held the stems tight with one. hand, ami with tho other place somo ashes -and sand mixed round tho stems, packing the earth round them to keep them in'place. 1 The dry n sites and sand aro a littlo difficult, to n.nige, but liy doing a little at a timo the difficulty iB soon overcome. In this wav slugs arc kept away- from tho stemß during the blanching process. SHALLOTS. Lift, shallots as noon as tho leaves begin to turn yellow, and use tho ground for a further sowing of carrots or French beaiiß.' .' PEAS. • : ' As soon as one crop of peas is over, cut down the vines and gather thorn into a •heap for - burning. If tho ashes '- arc 1 spread over the ground, and the soil ifl lightly forked ever, another crop may be put in without delay. •Orops that aro coming on should be well staked. Unless a - mulch, can bo provided, tho soil should be kept-thorough- . ly hoed to provide .two or three inches of fine powdery soil ba the sui'facd. Where a further Eowing of peas Is to be made, plenty of dwayed vegetable rubbish should he dug into tho bottom spit. In very dry climatcß it is an: advantage ■ to thoroughly soak this with'water beforo. returning tho soil of the spit. t'Gardon Notes" next week will contain sonsonablo notes about- r-illmvlicrries, routine wprk, au<i_jegetab)es. .