SGARDEN NOTES

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 6, 2 October 1920, Page 12

SGARDEN NOTES

(By "Kowhai 1 .")

4

ANTIRBHINUMS. • I am always clad when antirrhinums becin to open their beautiful flowers, for I know that for months to come thero will be cay satcheß of fxquieite colour iii. my. garden, regardless of weather. Where plants ot Buiiuty of Nice stock have been mingled with the antirrhinums there will bo fragrance too. The an* tirrhinum of to-day Is a flower of such beauty as our grand parents never dreamed of. In their day .bnapdracons were chiefly aueer shades ,bf red, ana although the plants were largely grown In cottage gardens, T think it miißt have been more 'for their 'extreme hardiness than for tho beauty of their flowers. Even to-day one scos In somo gardens these old-fashioned varieties with "washed-out red-looking flowers, and when one thinks of the exquisite colours that are to l>o had, one marvels the lack of priso in soma gardenem, As I said before, antirrhinums are to-day flowers 01 great beauty. Oho has only to see the exquisite colouring in- the newer varieties to realise this. In" tho pink shades alone one can have them from nale shell-pinK through' all the shades of deeper pink and salmon to pure rose. Thero are Powers of vivid scarlet, orange scarlet, orange overlaid - with salmon, dark velvety red. and clear yellow: flowers that are beautifully strincd or splashed with ft number of different shades, "he plants, too. are of three different classes, dwarf, intermediate, and tall; Of the three the intermediate variety is the most useful. When massed in beds or in bold groups, snapdragons are glorious. _ llie plants revel in Bunshine, and are invaluable for districts subloot to summer droughts, for they do well in hot, dry gardens. At present plants that were nut out early In the autumn.are already In flower, and the dainty shades of "riinlt, ■and the more vivid shades of scarlet nna orango-6carlet look charming .imonr* tno white q,nd ■ yellow flowers of late narcissi. From'now until well into next winter the bußheß will flower continuously, provided faded blooms are at once removed, as the 1 flowering season advances, doses or weak liquid' manure or soot-water should be given to the plants, and the soil about them should be Jiopt well Btirred. Seed may be sown now in Bead-pan#, and the seedlings planted out as soon as they are big enough. .The plants should be put into fairly rich soil, though they will do well even in poor soil that haß been yjill dug, and thould be planted very firmly. Shading from hot sun is necessary for a few days, but once the plants are established they sivo little further trouble.. DAIOitAS. ■ The spropting of our dahlia- tubers is one of our most pressing dutleß in' the garden at present. The soil, where they 'are .to be grown, must be very thoroughly. due to a.good depth, and well enriched! with cow manure or well-decayed vegetable matter and bonediist. After preparing the ground for dahlias, do not, as ib.- ,i.eeessary. for. other plants, make the soil Arm, for dahlias like to he planted in loose, rich, deeply-worked Boil, l'ubers that : wore lifted and stored away alionia be brought out and sprouted. To do this plant them in a spare sunny part of the garden,, so that they are just covered with earth, and keep t.he soil moist all tho time, ijhoots will soon**anpear. and pieces of tuber havinjr one or two strong ones may be cut away from the clump and planted in the prepared bed. , Keep them, well watered- till the shoots appear above the ground, and then onply ft 'mulch of well-rotted manure. Dahlias are. difficult to grow well in' very dry, hot districts, .benauso they aro • Bueh thir'tsy plants; but by preparing the ground as directed above, and by attending to mulching, dahlias may be grown almost anywhere with only an occasional good . watering. ■ The flowers, especially of cactus dahlias, are so , exquisite' in form and colouring that they , are worth the necessary trouble in their cultivation,. For. waterlnc them the washing day soap-1 suds cannot •be beaten. Single dahlias have always b'een (favourite ilolvcrs both for garden and - house decoration, but tho collarottp dahlia is even more desirable for both purposes. t The flowers are very much like those of .'the old single dahlia, | W. tufts of tiny florets, generally of n. different colour, stand up, all round the central disc. .The plants are easily raised from seed, and ' flower tho same year. >' If 'seeds are sown now": fn seedpain, the.'seedlings will be roady for niantlng out as soon as all 'dancer .of.late fronts, is over. Tho plants nhould be.nut out into deeply-wo.rked, well-enriched soil. If anfjin I manure cannot he add p!enty of well-decayed rubbish to the soil, which should be worked to a denth of about two feet. Add a handful of bonedust to. the: top soil, where each plant is being put in. Later on a. mulch should be spread roiin'd the plants, and, if plenty of water and occasional doses of liquid niftnure are supplied all. through hot . weather, beautiful flowers on long stems will be produced till frost cuts down the plants. OfTRYSANTfIEMTOS. . Cuttings of chrysanthemums 'that have already made roots should be planted out .without' delay. .In districts that ' are subject, to summer droughts it- is important to have young chrysanthemum piantr, well established' before dry weather set 3 in. They then ha-ve ft ■chance to make Rood growth and a good supply of foliage early in the season, . '■■ VEGETABLES, Early, potatoes , are' already pushing their way through the soil, and growers must bo on the look out for frosts'. Fortunately frosts are tho exception instead of the rul<f just now. A little light litter scattered over the rows of potatoes will help to protect Jhem. As soon as they are far enough through they, should he earthed up. If the soil is at all dry, a good watering should bo givon beforo eartliing-iip. .As soon as the soil Is dry enough again sprinkle a very little nitrate of soda along tho rows, loosen tho surface soil with the hoe, and then draw the earth up about tho plants. Earthlng-up should never be done in cold weather, as it shuts in cold earth around the plants. It is best to do it during Bunshine, and while the soil is still sufficiently damp from a watering or from rain.

Parsnips are already above the ground and may be carefully weeded. Keep trie soil loose about the seedlings, and hoe frequently between the rows.

Keen cauliflowers well watered should the weather become dry. Once the roots get dry, the plants very quickly bolt. Cabbages, cauliflowers, and _ lettuces must be frequently syringed with clean water. to keep them free Irom aphlß. Keep the undersides of the leaves special. ),v clean. Cut off and burn any leaves that are turning yellow. ,

Plants of cauliflower and all the cabbage tribe may'- bo planted out now. Have the ground well dug. but niade firm again before planting'the seedlings. Cauliflowers planted in very loose soil are more liable to bolt than those:planted in Arm noil

Carrots should bo gradually thinned out. The thinnings are most useful for flavouring boups mid stews. A sowing of Intermpdiate carrot may be made now. Bow a pinch of seed of Brussels sprouts, red cabbage, and savoy. Before plantine out'the seedlings cut off the long taproots, to encourage the growth of.fibrous roots. They slioiM {re"gfocn on deeplydug, well-enriched cround. Before planting out, hoe into' the soil a dustiirc "f Boot, and water frequently -afterward* with Bcot water.

Garden peas from the earliest Bowing are already in flower, and need constant attention. If they ara kept well trained up their supports they are much easier to pick later on, and it makes hoeing eo nvuch easier at present, Dti.'t lime along the ,rowa regularly, afterwards lightly hooine it in. Keep tho hoo constantly coins, and you oan manage with very little water." Insufficient watering doen more harm than good, for it draws the fine roots near to the surface, and the hot Bun afterwards burnß them. If you water at all, -water thorouihly, and afterwards, as soon as the soil b dry enough, brine out your hoe, and looson the surface soil. airain. A Rood soil mulch, that is an. inch or two of finely, powdered dry earth, is a good protection for the roots of plants.

"Garden Notes" next week will contain seasonable notes yibout:—Roses, violets, routinte vork, and vegetables.