Gardening Notes

Hutt News, Volume 2, Issue 49, 15 May 1930, Page 9

Gardening Notes

SPRAYING.

A knowledge of the- material which you are :using is interesting, and of value, but it is not everytt&urg. The

man behind the spray rod is of as much, if not more, importance than the

spray,he is using;

We are always on the look out for simple, time-saving and labour-saving materials and methods; the trouble is that we want eveiyMiing to be too simple and easy. We search, the seedsman 's ' catalogues for something tihat w.'!l-ricl us of our'pests in. a moment, and it cannot be found. The efficacy or. all contact sprays depends, firstly, on your ability to roach the -insectsj if you cannot do that, your. efforts are wasted, and t>hc doing of it requires pv-icnee and skill, more than you will exhibit or acquire a,t the fixpt tug. To begin with, you must have good pumps; the pressure a-t the* irozzies"is important, ii" should force the'spray out in a fine .misit,/ and drive it amongst the ixiiugo. and, .fruit.

Tie nozzle itself counts for mu&h. Thjo with a .straight drive are not so g-'>i<\ •an' those set at right angle -with, tat: spray rod. With these latter you" can "timi t*he spray stream in any direction, m akin g it shoot upwards from the bottom of the tree-or downwards from the" top, from the centre of the tree outwards/, and from the outside inwards; it is thus possible, with care, •to reach every portion of the tree and every surface of the leaves. The tiniest pests, such, as the red spider, frequently hide in the shelter of the bud scales/and-as these frequently are set upwards it will be apparent that a spray stream driven in from the outside of" the tree would not reach them. Use, therefore, the nozzle which will enable you to get round the corners.

When, you -have finished spraying, make a careful examination of your' work, and if you are a beginner you will be surprised to find how badly you have done it; but do not despair, the first lesson has been learnt, that you must learn^to bo skilful.

The mixing of an oil spi^ay, even prepared oils, also requires attention to details. Follow the instructions carefully, they are all written for a purpose, and the .heeding of them will have a great deal of worry and com-

plaint. Naw, as ,to the time to spray, for there '.must be a time when the insects are "most easily reached of the plant most beneifttea. First let me give a general rule for oil spraying. Never spray evergreen trees and shrubs during the wi aster. Experience 'Sras shown that these plants take most kindly to applications of "oil during their growing period. It : will be qufte safe. to.jsay in this olinra'te that from Nbyember unlil ..May, both months inclusive, oil spraying Vill give good results? For hardy,; outdoor trees \ and ; plaSt^, paying Adurdngj KojtHy-eatilier is qi^te safe, but for i*en<t^iv;greeiihQuse plants, palms, eta}., the- tTeatment should be given when the hojt weather .hias p«issjed.: AinrongSit the■ hn'r^y; eyergieens are. inctoddr^ange hnfr ie^on ; $rees.; these; -ifrequnetly. grown even ki small. gaTderiSj.and| aro- very rsiibj(i©t to scale-

DeeiduohiS' trees, -s hat isj trees whreh steed their leaves during autumn, are usually spfayed when the trees are bare of foliage, but recent investigation has sfrown that the tree is invigorated much more by sprays applied during late au v tumn,;, when ..the leaves are falling, or during early spring, when tihe buds are swelling, than if the oil were sprayed, on during the winter. :•

I This is not the occasion to go into the the w&y and where-fore of this, it is even doubtful if a full explanation hias yet been given of the a^cition. of oil upon plant tissues. All that can be said <witih certainty is that mineral oils, when properly applied, invigorate plants, whilst there is some movement Of the sap, and -depress them when t»h<e plamt is dormant.

Beeidnious trees may be sprayed witih 1 eafe t ty until thg. t>udf» are bursting, many of them, even until after the opening of the blwesoms, but oil spraying should cease; except under expert guidance, when on«ce the young leavee er showing. - With woolly aphis, perhaps the most dreaded of orchard pests, spraying muat be done very thoroughly. These ineerate protect themselves so carefnfliy that.it is difficult to reach them ail. Tihe beat way is to spray the trees during the autumn, and then examine them, when the buds begin to

move, and if any insects can then be found, spray again.

Eed spider is one of the curses of the-suburban gardener/ it spreads so rapidly during the hot weather, that healthy plants are soon infested and destroyed. Moreover it has a liking for su&h a wide range of plants, and. the winter eggs are laid so promiscuously on living plant and dead wood and dry

earth, that it is difficult to know-where to reach them.

Where this peat is bad spray all the permanent shrubs in the garden, and fences and posfes which may have come into conitacit "wTibh them. Stakes used for the support of plants should either ijbe-. burnt: or treated with, oil spray. Rose aphis can also be kept in cheek, .but great oare is necessary, as Ordinary mi spray will injure the young growths upon whichT tliieinseot lives.

To render the oil spray safe, make the water .Very soapy before mixing the i'Oil./ Tihe emulsion should froth up easily when stirred.. These soapy emuli sions can be used on tender wthere the ordinary oil emiuteions are diaargeroug^r,.- •.. r -.;;-•• r-i r" Peaich trees should be. sprayed when the. biicis are swelling "in the spring; ■this will keep vboth the black and the green aphis in cieek by destroying the eggs- so cunningly hidden under the buds. : : . .: ...-.-■■.,. In conclusion, oil sprays will give you. splendid results and lasting satisfaojtion if you use them intelligently, and do jxot expcot them to do the im- ' possible. You niust not think that one appli'Cai;ion\will rid your gardens of pes<ts. You will need to keep the spraypump always handy, and to exercise unceasing vigilance, if you de&ire to keep your garden profitable and beaniitiful.