GARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 311, 25 September 1920, Page 12

GARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowhal.") (

, . GLADIOLI. As many gardeners will bo planting gladioli rorras at the present time, I should liko'-to remind them that to get tall, beautiful spikes of Wonm they inns, treat'the plants well. 'The coil should be (deeply-?.<lnc; and well enriched with decayed .manure. . Grit or coarse wnd■ V™ a' dressiiiK of bonedußt should alfo nb added.. Those who nrc unable to cet amin a l manure imisi 'lo the best they ctfn with' well-decayed vegetable nibbieh s«■ bonednst. -Huch of the success •of the plants depcndß upon the deep and thorough digging of the soil, and upon regular ihoeine and attention from the lime the first shoots appear, until ■ flowering 'timo. ; As soon as the weather becomes warmer,, and hot, dry f winds r'™ through the garden, a mulch of_ woll-dc-cnyed manure or vegetable rubbish bJiouki he spread round and amons the'plants. Occasional good watennes should be given whnn 'riecessar'y.. As, anon as the flower-, buds appear becin feeding the plants u u weak liquid manure. Plant the cormp four inches , deep. Neat, fairly tall stakes should 1 be driven into p'».ce as soon as the. corjhs "re plantedlately varieties of clndiolf on tho. market, and nurserymen simply catalogues containing full descriptions and prices. EOUTINB WORK. ' Liliums.—Liliums are. already sending up their flowering stems. See that strong, neat stakes are already in position, for the stems must bo kept- upright from the start. A mulch of well-decayed manure should be Bpread over the bulus, fo> -tnej are weedy feeders. • The shoots wilf.nus;, upithrough-thin mulch, and the quick .v • fprminE roots will appreciate the moist coolnesß that it provides. . VLathyrus Pubescens.-The Argentine pea, (latliyrnS pubeßceris) is fast, becoming. • niass 'of glorious blue, for the flower buds ire forminc and openinir .ln .amcK suecession. The supports against which the plants aror ere,vine should' be examined ■to boo if they are-strong enough to vritnstand heavy gales. Water should be supplied to-the.. plants if ."ecespap*. .«nd where possible a, mulch of vell-t manure shrjld be spread round .Soot -water is. a splendid manuro for.; the Argentine , nea. and ereatl.v,. untiroiM tne ■colour of/,the-flowers. >fVip •;\"Wftllflowere;—Wallflowers 'are Altar »• .'gulden. with fragrance just now. and tno, rich colours-of the flowers. wnedalb , , "blood red" shades. are. ft' contamsl. «e light to the eye. Stout- stakes should do provided, for thn plants, for ■ top-heavy-at flowering time. Seeds ehpuld be Bo'Wn now in seed-pans, for next 3 ■ ■ display.'. Rom" nennle root out their Pl._ - as soon as the flowering season is over, but if thQy are cut well back ..and ft mulch of well-decayed manuro-is spread round them, they soon, put forth new growth, - ar,.d devolon. by the sprine, into large and handsome bushes. ■ \Vlolets.-TUe flowering reason of uoieih is nearly over. Already the stems a e not jo thick, while the .flowers are smaller and paler in colour. Strong young suckers are ■ shootinir out from beneath tho crowns of the plants. Pec down as many as are'needed for n ® w the soil about uolet- plapw. and work lji a little bonedust and soot alternately. .During. the nex. few week?plants will oe stonne un food for . tno . followine se.ißon. Keep a- strict watch for , i- anemones. :hyacintlis, ; and ■ pansiea. are rU' flowering ".veil now, and all love a eocd drink of clear v.'Rtei. followed by-one of soot, water. Seeds of freeeias.' nannies. and anemones may Be sown now in seed-pans in tandy soil. Keep faded floweri picked off pansy plants. , ' Begonias.-' : iror flllinar p. shady border in ■Bummer wliat could be more chnrming.than', a mais of begonias?. ,Tubers should be started i:ito srowtli now. and may then be planted out amone tho aauilesia ■ plants to bj in readiness to follow them. . Begonias dt splendidly out of dooi'B in well-preparel beds, and keep a shady bor- : dor ..very -attractive thrauehout the summer and aitumn with their dainty saycoloured flqverß. If the soil was prepared with well-rotted manure, leaf soil, and sharp sand- no furthjr nrenaration. is needed for '.he beuonia tubers. ' Japanese Anemones.— Japanese anemones are aitumn-flow!rint» plants, and eo auited' to a 'shady border that one can hardly imaeiie one without a few of thp plants, Tho 'colours of tho flowers are , white,, pink; and rose,. and the ■ flower Btcms erow to .a' height of f v,-o or three .feet. Jabane"e anemones are splendid for aßsociatine 'vith liliums. ; Both _ like . the same soil -oieparation. both, dialike beuip disturbed, the foliage; of the'anemones protects - the bulbs of the liliumo, helping-then to secure the cool, shady rorJng.-placi that t]ie.v bo lovo. ■ Lily of' th'i Valley.—Lily, of the valley : are,,pushing ihrourri the mulfh of decayed loavl'i and impure that was soread over -them after fte-leaves ~d(ed down. Already thick - ehoots are appearing, and soon the delicate green leaves will unfold- to shelter 'the. r.'.ender stalks of dainty fragrait white flowers.- Water should be eivin freely to' the bed now,, -always• I giving l onc thorough soaking, and then no ■ morf. until nnothor 'thorough soaking is neiessary. Weak linuid' manure should be eiven once a. week after'a watering or a'ter rain. - .Guano, at the : rate of Joz. tc 1 gallon of itater. . may.be • : ÜBed . where animal manure is unobtainable. Doinot- attempt to fork over, the bed-at all: Simply pull out weeds s"d work in a-little sifted leaf Boil or sifted decayed vegetable rubbish among the plants. / ■ VE'CHTABLES. MAItItOWS, PUJIPKINS, AND MELONS. ' Seeds of marro/s, pumrkins.' aiid melons may be 'sovh ;now- either in seed4ians. or in the/open ground; It is a,, "good plan to - siake . a lowinir in both' trays, as. one/la suro then 'of having plenty of plapl Those that aro Bown in pans mo.r-bo planted out later on ■between the jows of maincroo potatoes. Those that ajo to be sown in the open now should ,'je sown in' prepared heaps or holes. She soil must have a good quantity' of well-decaycd manure, veget-able-rubbish. or "stack bottom" mixed with it.. A3 soon as tho secdliiisrs appear through-tiie eround they Bhould be covered, at rieht till-all danger of frost is over, Piimpkins, marrows, and melons all lo've to send their vines -climbing .up a igrassv bank, or a fence, or in and ont anwne rowß of maize or earthed-np Some_ gardeners always sow a few seeds of maize, among their pumpkins, etc. , ..' MAIN-CROP POTATOES. ..' Main-cronpotatoes may be.- planted at any; time now. provided • they, are well sprouted. It nayß-to wait till they aro norouted.' Two of the stronecst sprouts fhould then be ■ left, while . the ' others should be. well rubbed out. The sprouts at the too of the potato are the -best. Open out the. tranches on a warm, sunny morning, and as soon as the soil in them is thoroughly, sun-warmed riant the seed tubers. 'If aome thoroughly decayed manure, or ; some good soil from a compost -heap can be laid in the bottom of the trenches, so much the better. , A'sprinkling of wood ashes should also be nddpd. Where wlreworms are troublesome, fork some soil fumigant into the bqttom' of the.'trenches'inrt before nlantiog the' potatoes. 'Have the tubers., ivhcn planted, .iust below the surface' of the Boll; and one foot apart ip the. trenches. The rows should be at least eighteen inches -apart. '..'LETTUCES. Small sowings of . lettuces should be made at-freqnent intervals.'-At this time 'of the year it is better to bow tho ajed thinly in drills, afterwards thiniv'ig the' plants to one foot apart. - As soon , the Boedlings jxro ; lip they Bhould. be h,urried on by means of diligent hoeing, arid by fortnightly doses of lio.uid manlire (loz. of nitrate of soda in 1' gallon water), applied after a good ivateriniT or after-a shower <f rain. Lettuces r,hop.'d bo grown °n deeply dug. but firm, soil. They heart- more quickly if their roots are kept near the surface. . PAKSLEY. Parsley seed is slow to germinate aod should therefore be soaked in warm water before being sown. The plants should be thinned out to about six inches apart as soon aB they-arc big enough. " SEEDS TO BE SOWN.In seed-pans—Tomato, celery, cucumber, Capo gooseberries, melon/ pumpkin, and marrow. ... .In 'tlio open ground—Beet,.. onion, radish, carrot, • turnip, pens, broad beans, 'parsnip, lettucc. cabbage, lind cauliflower. ,-.ln ,seed .beds-Brussol6 sprouts and early broccoli. The;,hos must be In constant use at- the present ■ time. It is 'a snfe practice to take it without- you every time you go round the garden. Remember that hoeing makes the crops grow. Garden Notes next week will contain seasonable notes about antirrhinums, dahlias, and vegetables. ■ ,