THE VIOLET IN WINTER

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 35, 25 February 1937, Page 12

THE VIOLET IN WINTER

There can be no good vioiets in winter. and spring nnless the plants are prpperly cared for in'thg gummgi'. T'lu plants should now be growing away "in stout clumps planted frqm g to .i inches apart, aeeording to the size of the v&riety, Th© 4ret neceisity with them is to remove all runners as fast as they appear. This is a very easy business, for it is accomplished by merely grasping the runners, oue pr two at a time, and pulling them from the plants. No attempt should be made, however, to pull away a handful at once or the plants may ba injured or even pulled up, [With any choice or scarce variety it wpuld be good policy to dibble these runners into the ground in a shady corner tp make stock plants, but in thq ordinary way sufdcient runers are produced in spring time to maintain the supply of plants, It is well to emphasise the fact that if good, large vioiets are expeeted from bor'der plants they must have their summer runners removed. In cemmon with the rest o£ the viola family, the vioiets like a eool, deep and rieh soil. If they have this, all will be well; if not, they must have extra attention now or the plants will be ruined. Copions waterings should be given at leSst once a week in d?y weather. Thq plants are heiped greatly by mild doses of liqnid manure py a dugting of oue of the artifieial fertilisers. A sprinkling of soot, applied when the foliage is qnitp dry, is also very heipfui, for it fe§ds the plants and also keeps at bay several pests that. prey on the leaves. The soil between the plants shonld be hoed frequently, so dofng helps to keep it more moist and cooler. The chief enemy of. the violet !n summer is red spider and watch should be kept for it that it may be checked before the plants are utterly wrecked. When any part of the leaves begin to assume a pale green appearance, it is a sign that the red spider is multiplying upon them. The steam rising from moist earth is agalnst the pest, hence there is a double value to the watering; an'd even syringing regularly with

pure Water keeps the pest down. Tberp are several good speeifics sold, especial" ly for the destrnetion of the red spider, or a bi-weekly spraying with the euL phide of potassium as frequently nientioned will be ejfectivo.