THE GARDEN

Evening Star, Issue 23686, 20 September 1940, Page 11

THE GARDEN

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENT “ North End.”—Spray the plants mentioned with pinepestol liquid or Bordeaux mixture, or, if you have not got a liquid sprayer, just the plants affected, with pinepesto powder. The tubers of your Arum lily are affected with eelworm. Lift the tubers and dust them with pinepesto powder, lleplant them in another position. VEGETABLES NOT USUALLY GROWN KINDS RECOMMENDED There are vegetables well worth a place in any garden that will make a great change from the ordinary vegetables, These varieties can be sown now into prepared beds. One is salsify, known as the vegetable oyster. The seed should be sown in drills and cultivated in the same manner as the parsnip. The drills should be. taken put about lin in depth and the rows should be about 12in apart. When large enough, the plants should be thinned out not less than Gin apart. When matured, the roots may be lifted and stored like carrots, or allowed to remain in the ground and be lifted as required. How to use salsify: The roots should be cleaned and cut in slices. A small piece of codfish should be boiled with the roots, but should be discarded as soon as the salsify is cooked. The fish will intensify the oyster flavour, and it can be served with cream or butter, pepper, and salt. When cold it can be mashed and fried like patties or fritters. For salads, if sliced raw with vinegar it adds flavour which is very appetising. Another vegetable which is well worth growing is scorzonera. This can be cultivated under the same conditions as salsify. The roots have black sldns, but the flesh is white and very tender. Analysis, shows the roots to be the most nutritious of the vegetables grown.

Kohl rabi, the turnip-rooted cabbage, is becoming very popular, and no garden should neglect to have a bed of this ■ vegetable, especially if the summer is a dry one, as the roots never suffer from drought as turnips do. The roots combine the flavour of the cabbage and turnip. Success in growing good roots of kohlrabi is, obtained by keeping the plants growing quickly, as with the turnip. The bulbs grow above the ground and throw leaves from the sides. The seed should be sown in drills, and the rows should be at least Ift apart. When large enough, the plants should be thinned out about 4in to Gin apart. They can be transplanted when they are. very small. There are two varieties^—purple and green. The green is .much earlier than the purple. . interesting vegetable is the egg plant. Slices of this fried in batter are a rare delicacy. The plants can be raised from seed, and in a warm position, sheltered from the wind, they may be grown outside successfully. But the best method is to grow them in a cold glasshouse as one would tomatoes, under the same cultivation as advised for tomatoes. New York spineless produces large purple fruit at least Gin in length. The plants when bearing fruit make a splendid decorative plant,, and are very useful for the conservatory. '

How to Cook Egg Plant.—Cut the fruit into' slices about Jin thick, and then soak them in salted water overnight. Then dip them into batter and fry in hot fat until brown. One of the best salad plants is endive. It ‘bears crisp, refreshing leaves which are delicious when making up a salad. The seed should be sown in a good rich soil in the same manner as lettuce and cultivated in the same way, but when the plants are nearly matured they should be covered with a.pot or tin to blanch the leaves. About a fortnight is sufficient for blanching purposes, when the endive should be ready for the salad bowl. Served with French dressing it is delicious. Sweet corn is one of the most appetising vegetables in cultivation. Many people have "an idea that this, plant cannot be grown in these districts. They can be cultivated well if a warm position is prepared for them. There are several varieties on the market, but Golden Sunshine and Dwarf Champion are the most suitable for these districts, owing to their sturdy habit. The seed should be sown in drills in well-drained soil which should be fairly rich in plant food. The drills should be about lin in depth and the rows about 3ft apart. When sowing the seed it should be placed about Sin apart for the dwarf varieties, but a foot apart when sowing the taller or strong-grow-ing kinds. How to Cook Sweet Corn.—The cobs should be cooked while iu their green stato. They are ready for use as soon as the tassels show signs of being withered. To cook, plunge the cobs into boiling water for 20 to 30 minutes, or they may be treated as follows: —Place them into cold water and gradually bring them to boiling point. This method retains the tenderness and also the flavour. Serve with buffer and pepper. This makes a delightful change for the table. Corn should be planted as soon as possible to be a success. NEW FRUITS Several new fruits are still'coming to light from the late Luther Burbank’s undeveloped plant secrets. One of these is a birdproof cherry. The fruit is a golden yellow and very sweet, but apparently the birds do not think it is as juiev and attractive as the* red variety. Another discovery is a dwarf peach,' which grows no larger than the average geranium plant and can bo kept in any sun room. Yet it bears fruit of the usual size and flavour. From the Minnesota fruit breeding station a new plum has been raised which will not fall off the tree even when fully ripe, also an apple which will keep for a considerable period without cold storage. The Dalmatian pumpkin is a new variety introduced by a North Dakota horticulturist (Mr A. F. Yeager). This pumpkin is not only good for pies, but the seeds when roasted in, butter and salt rival uuts as an after-dinner titbit. F.S.P.

= Work for the Week SSSZ

AERATE THE SDIL AN IMPORTANT SPRING TASK The recent weeks of heavy rain, followed by high winds, have had a bad effect on most garden soils, compacting, or “ caking ” them till they form solid crusts, which exclude air from the soil. One of the most important garden tasks at the moment is, therefore, to break up this crust and thus aerate the soil (says the ‘ Dominion’s ’ gardening contributor). This necessity for aerating the soil is frequently stressed by horticulturists, but the reason why it is so essential is not generally understood. Nitrogenfixing bacteria and many other soil micro-organisms can only do their essential work of preparing and conditioning plant food in the presence of air. At this season of rapid growth, it will therefore bo appreciated that if these unseen workers go on strike plants must suffer. And suffer they do in numerous ways. Bulbs and roots rot or become subject to attacks by the destructive microbial forces of the soil which quickly get busy when conditions send the beneficial organisms into letirement. , To explain the amazing manner in which soil organisms work, and the way in which different groups become dominant in their battle for life w'ould take much more space than I have at my disposal, but you can rest assured that by keeping the top few inches of soil in a friable condition you are greatly helping to provide the right environment for the bacteria that help to promote healthy plant life. The question might be asked: That’s all very well, but why is it that plants growing in their natural state get along all right without this soil treatment by man? The answer is that in a state of nature the percentage of humus is much higher than in the average cultivated soil. Humus does not cake, and apart from its many other beneficial qualities, maintains an excellent “ moisture balance ” and ensures almost perfect aeration. Therefore, the sooner you get busy manufacturing humus by means of compost heaps and incorporating it with your soil, the sooner you’ll save yourself a deal of work and incidentally greatly add to your garden’s stock of soluble plant foods. NEW ESCHSCHOITZIAS EASY ANNUALS TO GROW The new varieties and colours in eschscholtzias make them well worth growing. Some of the double and semidouble forms which are now offered are charming and unusual, and the colour range varies from deep maroons to rose pinks, yellows, and gold or buff. Some new forms in the singles are fluted, and the flowers open wide out. Seed may be grown now where they are required to bloom, as they do not transplant successfully. Eschscholtzias bloom over a long, k peripd, and if given a bed to themselves they will seed freely. All they require is a well-drained good loamy soil in. a sunny position. They are good subjects for growing on a sunny bank or terrace, and need little attention. SOW PARSLEY NOW As an edging plant parsley is ideal, especially if a compact, dwarf-growing variety like Green Gem is chosen. Myatt’s Garnishing is an excellent variety to use as a groundwork for groups of plants exhibited at shows because it has long leaf stalks and is a heavy cropper. Some gardeners prefer Champion Moss Curled because of its tightly curled dark green leaves. Both these varieties are suitable for culinary purposes, the Champion being the better for garnishing To keep up a supply three sowings should be made throughout the season, the first now under glass, the second in November, and the third in January. Any plant that seeds or becomes coarse should bo removed immediately it is seen. , When picking parsley no more than two or three leaves should be taken from any one plant. It is when a whole plant is stripped that it suffers. OUTSTANDING NATIVES TWO SMALL SHRUBS FOR EVERY GARDEN Though public interest in onr native trees and shrubs has greatly increased in recent years, it is a matter for surprise that some of the really outstanding shrubs are hardly ever seen, and, indeed, are actually in danger of becoming lost (writes the gardening contributor of the ‘ Dominion ’). Two really outstanding examples of New Zealand flora that F have in mind are clianthus, puniceus roseus, and hebe (veronica) hulkeana, sometimes known as the New Zealand lilac. The former is the rosepink form of the scarlet parrot’s beak, and is a great improvement on the type. The individual flowers arc larger and better forward, and are usually arranged in very large clusters. For vivid, striking, arrogant splendour there is no flower outside the tropics that can match this pink clianthus. As an American friend bis written: “It certainly hits one in the eye and overshadows every other flower when it is in bloom.” Yet this colourful native is so rare in cultivation that when it is seen it is regarded as a curiosity. Plants are inexpensive and easy to grow, but they do not usually live more than six or seven years, as they are subject to attack by one of our native pith-eating grubs. But surely half a crown is not too much to pay for seven years of such gay colour I This plant is now in bud, and will be in flower toward the middle of next month. Flower lovers should ask to see it in nurseries and botanical gardens. But don’t bo put off with the definitely inferior red parrot’s beak. Insist on seeing the pink variety. Hebe hulkeana (nearly all veronicas are now classed as hebes by our investigating botanists) is a plant in quite a different category to the pink clianthus. It is as dainty and dignified as the latter is bold and bizarre. Aptly named the New Zealand lilac, it bears long, graceful sprays of pale lilac flowers which have a ricli satin sheen. It is a true pastel shade, and must be seen to be really appreciated. It is extremely easy to grow, and is very floriferous. Its - attractive, glossy, evergreen foliage is always attractive, and as it stands

severe pruning it makes an attractive dwarf bodge. H. hnlkeana is due to flower in a few weeks’ time. If you make up your mind to see it. you will almost certainly bo the owner of at least one plant next year.