Gardening Notes

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 7, 10 July 1930, Page 9

Gardening Notes

"PEE POPULAR GLADIOLUS.

To grow Gladioli to perfection, J.he aspiring exhibitor must first get his soil in the best possible condition. It is recognised that the Gladiolus? can be grown iii most soils quite good enough ; for ordinary purposes, but in the case of the exhibitor, it is not sufficient to rest content. He must remember that a grower somowherc who may be a competitor has an ideal soil for the pur-pose, and that many others have converted positions "into ideal ones. Almost any soid can be made sxiitaible: £he position should be an open one, as Glads, arc lovers of light,arr, and sunshine. Heavy soils should be well .broken up and left as roughly as iKJSsible, or thrown up in ridges. My ideal soil is a good medium loam, deep and well •Trained. ' Light dry sandy soil must ,be enriched aiul huTswis increased by green, mannving or- by using cow manure if it can be procured. Some time before manuring a dressing "of dime is benefipal. This should be broadcast over the soil either before or immediately after digging. Conns must be of first class quiility as, "well as of ; ..variety; small immature or badly shaped samples are unlikely to produce blooms equally strong and perfect as those that are w.ell developedand perfect. It is not imperative that all should be large ,for some-varieties never make large eormsj and very often the extra large ones throw two or three spikes instead of one strong one. This of course, has it&~advantage, in that you get an increase of stock rapidly.

For planting time it is necessary that some thdught must be. given to elates upon which/it is intended to exhibit, i'and one cannot go so far as to say a certain number of weeks must elapse between planting and euttings> for botft seaeons and variety varies,'and their . influence acts upon the pace of develop: -ment. Broadly speakingj the best time to plant is from the middle of August to tie middle of September. There are more growing Grlads. for love of them than there axe competitors at flower shows. The beat blooms open during cool dull weather. ' , . : , You will also find it necessary to give plants more attention in the hot weather especially, in keeping them well watered. ■Should they at; any-time suffer seriously, for want of moisture, it is difficult to recover them again during the season. A good straw manure mulch placed ai'ound the plants gives t&em splendid protection from the heat of the sun> and by watering through this they are atxle to get food and drink at the one operation. Occasionally, .the digging fork can ibe used around, tSe plants by digging it in aid loosening the soil without turning it oyer orjwithout burying the niuleh.-This enable the water to penetrate freely and get clown to the roots'. Be certain that when watering to give enough to reach the roots. Surface and overhead sprinkdiiig are helpful after a warm day, but a thorough soaking is required oceesionally to-keep them growing. j Heavy winds -are detrimental to. Glads.; in fact, they are to all.flowers (excepting Cauliflowers), so if you are exposed to t«i.e wind> a break of some I kind is n«eessary, a-1"! an: artificial one built of manuka is exceptionally good, and Roses, Sweet Peas, or other light elimibing plants'"can be^trained on them. This is muchf bietter than planting Jiedges in or around the" garden, as the hedges are rdb-b^rs of t'lie soil for a great distance. : ■ .:. ' If your flower spikes are exposed to winds when coming into bloom, you* "will find that, they will blow against one^ another and knock themselves and show ill effects. . ju you cannot erect a breakwind, then put in stakes and tie your floiwer spikes .seairrely to them. Do not tie them: loosely, after the flower buds are developed, but keep them hard up against the stakes, with one tie just under tfie bottom buds, and other ties canthen be placed up among, the buds, working the ties under the buds, making sure that the ties do not overlap the buds, or they will not ibe aiblerto develop, and your flowers will become deformed. .When the flower spike is -w-ell advanced,; you will notice tihe top of the spike will bend j dyer. This is a f &vcty correct indication tliat the blooms are going to open that i^iay, and in this you wj|L find wM«t

side of the spike to place against £he stake. Blooms intended for. exhibition can be protected, but wo will deal witih that lateT. My object now is to try and encourage young flower lovers to grow Gladioli. The more you grow, the more you will want to grow. You will) gain inspiration from fchem and admiration. If you do not want to go to all the 'trouble that the competitors adopt, try them as you do other flowers; they will repay you, and you will enjoy the blooms both in the garden and in the •home. The exhibitor must go to a lot of trouble if he wants to succeed, and all flotwer lovers are better pleased when they are able to cut blooms that call, forth the admiration of their visitors. It is, and ihas been, a great pleasure to me to receive letters and compliments t»hat my Gladiolus blooms were beautiful and greatly admired, and these are the main reasons why any message is to try and create a greater gladness in the garden of. your hearts and homes. .If you have not tried Gladioli, now ,is the time to make a "start: there is no need to go to great expense, as tin^y can be obtained at prices from sixpence veae'h up,wards; they are, Hike most articles, whether they be for ladies or .gentlemeii.-^-t-he better: the quality, the 'biggeT the pricej. an'scjl they -also, lilce ? many of the articles we purchase, some ,-of the cheaper ones turn out very satisfactorily.