THE GARDEN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 180, 1 July 1937, Page 15

THE GARDEN

NotPfl are published under this heading, and readers t^^smasasasss will be published with the week y no t

THE FLOWER GARDEN. AVo have just been having a look at the bulb bed and we hud tiiat (|uite a number of varieties are beginning to break through the soil. W hen the bulbs arc doing this it is a good time to fork the soil between the rows to aerate the soil and so kill all those small seedling weeds that are showing up. The soil between anemones and ranunculus can also be forked at the same time to keep it open and allow the air to get into it. ’.I his is important with these plants. AN henever the weather is line enough and the soil dry enough to work push on with the work of planting roses and shrubs, and when this has been done dig up and prepare all beds for planting with annuals later on. If manure is to be dug into the ground it can be wheeled about in any part of the garden with the help of a few boards. When such work as this is done in readiness for digging it docs not take very long to spread the manure as the work proceeds. In the ease of gardens where animal manure cannot be got in sufficient quantities to do any good, green crops and the compost heap have to be relied upon for the humus and artificial manures can be used to supply the essential salts, but artificial manures do not supply that very necessary article, humus. One lady writing to us the other day said that she found animal manure brought such a quantity ol weeds into her soil that she was afraid to use it. Tliis may he the case but, alter all, good gardening depends on the use of the hoc as often as possible in the growing season and seedling weeds are easily kept at hay. Shcalso complained that Californian thistle was bad after it had been used. However, wo do not think it was the animal manure that brought it. but that it was there before and the manure only increased its growth. If this thistle is cut as soon as it comes through the soil it will ho cjuite three weeks before it is showing again, and ill that period the soil should have been hoed over at least on two other occasions which will keep the weeo down, hi weed-growing time the hoe is the most useful tool you have got. It keeps the soil clean and keeps the young weeds down, so from a good gardening point of view it is better flint weeds should he chocked before they get large. All alterations and renovations should be taken in hand as soon ns possible and all shrubs and trees moved.

“Carnation” says: “I am getting some carnation plants very soon and J would like to know the best way to treat them for my heavy soil. The bed will only he a small one to begin with, but if they are successful I shall put in more later on. The bed has a slope towards the east and has been dug. and the turf has been well buried. I was wondering if I could use some manure in it or something that will make the soil lighter. A neighbour lias been very successful with these plants.” When growing carnations of any kind in heavy soils the most essential thing is to drain the land well. In your case we would advise you to make use of the slope and drain the water away with field tiles placed about two feet below the surface. If you are going to use manure it must he old, well rotted stuff that has lost its fire. This could be spread on the surface and worked into the soil with a fork. Carnations of all kind 3 like plenty of lime in the sod and this can be given either ns mortar rubbish or ground limestone. A good dressing of coarse sand on the surface will help to keep the soil open and free. If the plants come to hand before the bed is ready, pot them into four or five-inch pots and keep them in a frame until you are ready to plant, and when planting put them in firmly, but not too deep. QUESTION.

“N.G.” says: “AVould you please tell me what to do with iny climbing roses? I have had them about live years and the growth is all at the tops. I want to bring the flowers down if it is possible, as they are so high we cannot enjoy them. Should I prune them hard back; on climbing Golden Emblem there arc only about three shoots, and some of the others have more. One is growing on the verandah and all the blooms are above the roof.” The trouble with your climbing roses is a common one where the plants have been allowed to grow straight up. This happens in many cases and when the plants begin to lean over the top the eyes break into growth. Do not cut them hard hack unless you cannot get them down. Tf you can got the shoots down bend them horizontally and they will break all along the branch. It will do no harm if you have to cut the top away. Nearly all the climbing sorts are offenders in this way and unless the branches are trained horizontally at the start they will flower at the top. AVhen they are trained properly the spurs that form on the main stems are shortened back each season. The main stem of a tree climber will go on bearing blooms for a long time when treated in this way, and the nodes from which the growths come will get bigger and bigger each year. GROAVING SEEDLINGS.

A correspondent says: “Last season 1 noticed in your garden column that you recommended sterilised soil lor seed growing, and so I thought I would like to try some. My methods were rather primitive, hut I got enough soil to fill lour boxes and was able to try it out to my own satisfaction. 1 am giving you my experience so that some ot your gardening friends can do the same. In the first place, the soil I used was sifted and then placed in an old oil drum and wetted, and then a fire was built round it and the drum was covered with a wet sack. After one jiour I tried the heat, which was 145 degrees. I then spread the soil oil a concrete floor and heated more up in the same way to about the same degree. This was mixed with the first and a third lot treated in the same way. and all were mixed together and allowed to <lrv out. Four boxes were filled with this and a fifth had ordinary soil in the ’bottom and sterilised soil on top. In No. 1 nemesia and antirrhinums were sown, about half a box of each, and in the ’ other boxes I sowed sweet peas and tomato seed. At the same time T sowed some seed m a box filled with ordinary soil as a check The first to crane up were those in tiie ordinary soil, hut when the plants in the sterilised soil came up three or four days later they soon he,ran to catch up to the first lot and were a strong, sturdy lot, and theie were no weeds to contend with As soon as they were large enough to handle I had prepared some more sterilised soil to prick out into, and again checked them with a box of ordinary soil r must say that the young seedlings came away quicker in the ordinary soil, hut after a time those m the sterilised soil began to catch up and were quite as good as the firht lot when the time came to harden oft. When the young seedlings were planted out those in treated soil did the best

and had a much better system of roots then those in the ordinary soil. Ihe tomatoes in the treated soil made the best plants up to the second bunch of fruit, then 1 was unlucky enough to get blight, which attacked both lots and spoilt them. 1 must say that my experienec with sterilised soil lias shown me that it is well worth while and I am trying it again this season on a slightly larger scale, and have got a tar drum which has been cut down so that it will hold a harrowful at a time. I have made a hole in a hank and I think I can heat the soil enough with hedge clippings and other rubbish which is hard to get rid of. At least, this is what I am going to try to do. I thank you for bringing this treatment to rnv notice.”

TREATMENT FOR SEEDLING TREES. “A Farmer’s "fife” says: “I wish you would tell us how to treat seedling trees. Several hoys and girls in this district have raised quite a number of different kinds of trees from seed, including macrocarpas, pines, and oaks, and 1 think they should know how to treat them in the luturc. My husband says that lie has not had any luck when planting them out and that they always die. Sonic have been grown in boxes and some in the open ground. Those trees that are being grown from seed in the garden should be “wrenched” at ofice. The illustration given here will show bow this is done. 'lbis operation should be done with a clean sharp spade and should ho about four inches deep in the case of seedling trees. They are then left in the rows for about a month, when they can he taken out anil graded, and either heeled in or planted out in rows where they can he looked after until next season, when they are wrenched again, and after a while tlierv can be lilted with a ball of earth, in the case of macrocarpas. and planted up in their permanent places. It is necessary to “wrench”

them before trying to move them and to give them time for the roots to callous over after being cut. In the case of those, growing in boxes take the plants out of the soil and remove all long roots with a sharp knife. an:l heel the young plants into fresh soil, where they can send out fresh roots before being planted up into nursery rows to. grow for another year. You will find that all that are going to die will die in the boxes and that those nlanted out will soon take root again. Oaks arc very easv to manage as long as the tap root is cut some time in advance of lifting. Lawsoniana will thrive hettei in a deep light soil ol a sandv nature than they will in a heavy clay soil. In heavy clay soils macrocarpas are the best, tree to use and tliov will often he found growing where there is very little soil on the surfece. The best time to plant out seedling gums is when growth begins in the spring. Tf they are planted earlier some of them will die from cold or too much moisture. Do not plant sums near n dam or .thev will help tc. drain the water away. They are most useful if they can be used to dry up a wet plaee. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. From enquir.-ei that have come to hand lately it seems that a great deal more interest is being taken in vegetable culture this season than has been the ease for some years past. Several readers have asked about the prepara tion of the soil for vegetable culture, and the only thing we have said is to advise double digging and draining where it needs doing. Heavy land is useless when trenched without sonic means of getting the surplus water away. An outlet must be found to drain into, and this will be either an open drain, a watercourse, or a hole dug into the ground until gravel is reached, where the water can get away low down. Field tiles are the best to make the drains with, and they will carry the surplus water away quickly. These drains must he below the greatest depth to winch the digging is done. When trenching the soil keep the darktop soil to the top and break up the clay below as finely as possible. One of the best things to work into this clay is straw or chaff. It keeps -the clay open and free until it rots, and when it has rotted down the clay is full of small drainage holes. For the first season it is not necessary to use animal manure, but for a vegetable garden lime is an essential, and this can be spread over the surface at the rate of one pound to the square yard and mixed up with the top soil when it is being prepared for sowing. Some vegetable seeds can be sown now. Broad beans should he planted in drills that are made four feet apart arid four inches deep. Sow the seed in the drills about six inches apart and dust them with lime before covering them up. Reas can also he sown now, choosing one of the dwarf growing varieties for sowing, and as soon as they come up they must have some protection from birds and slugs. If you have no wire netting protectors use black cotton strung along the rows. I.imn and soot mixed in equal proportions are also a help when scattered along the rows. Cabbages and cauliflowers planted out now on ridges will come into use lief ore the various moths get busy. When planting put a handful of basic slag in each hole. It does no harm to their roots, even if it should come in contact with them. Turnip seed can also he ■sown, but only in small quantities, as it is hotter to make successive sowings every three weeks or so. Lettuce plants can ho put out now on well manured and slightly raised land. They like moisture, but it must be moving all the time.