THE GARDEN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 222, 19 August 1937, Page 15

THE GARDEN

Notes are published under this heading', and readers interested in gardening are invited to send in questions relating to matters upon which they wish expert advice; answers will be published with the weekly notes.

THE LATE MR AV. V. KINGSBEER

It is with very great regret that we chronicle the death of the late Mr "VV. V. Ivingsbeer. He had been long known as a lover of choice plants and it was his joy and pleasure to find something new and good which was worthy of a place in his collection of rate plants. He was also well known as a grower and raiser of seedling rhododendrons and azaleas. There are many of his creations in gardens around this district, and many of them are worthy of a place in any collection of named plants. He was of a rather retiring nature, but to those who had the privilege of knowing him intimately he would show and discuss his treasures at any time. For the last year or two he did not enjoy good health, but this did not make any difference to the pleasure he got out of plant life. He was a first-class propagator and cotdd handle the most difficult subjects as easily as most men do the commoner ones. His advice was eagerly sought by those who were making a collection of plants, and will be sadly missed by a very wide circle of gardening friends. To his widow and | family we extend our deepest sympathy! in their irreparable loss, and we are sure that all who knew him will joinj with us in this.

THE FLOATER GARDEN. Push on with rose planting. When new roses are being planted at this lime of the year they can be pruned before they are put in. Pruning of all kinds should be done as soon as possible now. Plant out shrubs; the weather lately has been very propitious for this kind of work. Finish replanting the herbaceous border as soon as you can. If the plants have not already been taken up and divided this should be done now before growth begins again. Perennial phloxes, Michaelmas daisies, licleniums and so on can be planted. Delphiniums are beginning to make plenty of growth now, and old plants can be divided up and planted out. When delphiniums have been in the ground for two or three years the old clumps begin to get hollow in the middle and these can bo taken up and cleaned and planted in such a way that each piece has some roots and an eye. Do not allow any fresh manure to come in contact with these new roots, or they will rot. Seedling plants that were raised in the autumn and kept in boxes during the winter can bo planted out in rows in the vegetable garden to flower. While they are in bloom select the best that you have got and mark them. It is not worth while to keep anything except the very best, as they are easily raised from seed. When plants are first set out dust them with lime in the evening for a week or two to keep slugs away; they are very fond of the voung shoots and will soon destroy'a bed of plants. Pyrethrums are another set of plants which must be protected from slugs. They can bo planted now. A bed of these is worth a place in any garden, because they are the best cut flowers wo have for keeping. Plant out sweet peas that have been raised in pots and

boxes. They are beginning to make plenty of growth now and will require almost daily attention in train; ing and keeping the soil worked. We have been asked if sweet pea seed sown now will bloom this summer. They may begin to bloom about the end of January if the soil is not too dry. They are great plants to exhaust the moisture in the soil. Cuttings ol chrysanthemums can still be taken, but the plants from these cuttings will be more suitable for raising garden plants than for show purposes. When a stool is lifted, the cuttings lor garden purposes can be taken with some roots, and these should be planted up in nuisery beds, where they can make fresh growths before being planted out in the open borders. The ground has been so dry lately that it has been quite possible to clean up the soil between anemones and ranunculus, and also daffodils. It is better to hand weed these plants and to carry the weeds away to the compost heap than to hoe them and leave the weeds on the soil to die. In fact, it is hardly possible to kill any except the small seedling ones now, but for all that hoeing will do good by allowing the air to get into the soil. Continue to sow seeds of hardy plants in boxes for pricking out later on when they are large enough. The main thing is to sow the seeds thinly so that they will not be overcrowded when they come up. There is nothing that spoils seedlings quicker than having them too close together in the early stages. A number of novelties are offered ill seedsmen’s catalogues, and a few of these that take your fancy should be tried out. One never knows when he is going to find something that suits his soil, or something that is better than the same kind of thing lias been in the past. Some of tho newer calendulas were very fine last season, and these things make a good show at any time, and we would advise a good sowing and planting, especially in dry places. CARNATION GROWING. (Continued.)

As soon as the flower stems are long enough they should ho tied up to stakes. Anything that will make a fairly neat stake will do. I often use bracken, which lasts well and is not at all unsightly. Most carnations produce too many flower stems in the spring, and too many flower buds on' a stem. It would be unwise to Jay down any definite rule for remedying this, because so much depends on the purpose for which the flowers are growm. An exhibitor will cut back all but the strongest stems, and reserve the centre bud on each. When heavily thinned in this way it is often necessary to put a rubber band as soon as they are large enough to prevent bursting. For garden decoration less drastic methods are allowable, but in any case it is as well to impose some restriction on those varieties which are liable to bloom too freely and thus weaken themselves for future blooming; in these cases we always restrict tho number of buds on a shoot, and even some of the flower stems as well. For exhibition purposes it may be necessary to shade the blooms, but the grower will have to arrange about this for himself. We use cartridge paper cones on sticks, which not only keep the flower dry, but keep the sun off as well.

If liquid manure is necessary, use soot, cow manure, or a mixing of both, and never use them strong. About the colour of weak tea is the right strength. Sulphate of ammonia at the rate of one teaspoonful to two gallons of water, giving each plant about a quart, is used by some growers, but we, always advise care when using artificial manures of any kind. Never give liquid manure until the plants are in full growth and when the soil is moist. Keep the surface well hoed in the hot -weather. After the spring flowering cut back all old flower stems. Those plants that are not allowed to bloom in the spring will produce the best autumn blooms. The most successful keep a stock of young plants coming on every season, and they generally keep the old plants for two years, when they are discarded and replaced. The autumn is the best time of the year to strike cuttings of the perpetuals, and if one has the advantage of a glasshouse some six-inch pots, and clean, sharp sand there should bo no difficulty about the work at all. The main thing is to pidl the

cutting off tho stem with a downward motion and then to trim any strips off the heel with a -sharp knife. Remove the loiter leaves and then insert the cuttings firmly round the edge of tho pot. They will root in a surprisingly short time and can then bo potted up into a good soil compost and threeinch pots. One of the worst troubles the carnation grower has to guard against is rust. This generally appears as a swelling on the leaves, and then bursts to let loose a brown powder, which is the spores of the fungus.' The best plan is to remove any leaves as soon as the swelling is seen and to burn them. Dusting frequently with slaked lime is one of tho best ways to combat this disease and it will often be found to be a preventative. If you want to grow winter blooms you must be prepared to start your plants in six-inch pots and to look after them during the dry summer weather. When they begin to show good strong flower shoots remove the plants inside where they can get plenty of light. Flowers can also bo obtained in the open ground by attending to drainage and putting a cover over them when the cold weather comes on. It does not matter whether the sides are covered or not. The top covering is most important, and to prick the young plants out as soon as they are large enough to handle. A little time can be gained by putting some plants into five or six-inch pots and when established harden them off outside in a cold frame. When the time comes for planting out you will have good strong plants with a good ball of earth to put into the ground. The best way to grow tomatoes is on the single stem system, and ’when plants are being prepared in pots they can be .trained in the way they should go. Cape gooseberry seed can be sown now, and the earlier these plants can be got in when the weather is warmer the better it will be for them and the more chance there will he of getting ripe fruit before the cold weather comes on.

Leek seed can be sown now in well manured soil. With a supply of plants coming on right through tho season this vegetable can be kept in use most of the year round. If plants are wanted for show purposes tho Laird should be chosen. It is a long clean root.

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. Fork over and prepare all available ground now for vegetables. The vegetable garden is the most' important part of the home at this time of the year, and when one has plenty of fresh vegetables at one’s disposal 'it makes a wonderful difference to the outgoings. Cabbage and cauliflower plants can be put in. Put a handful of basic slag in the bole with the roots of these plants. Even if the roots come in contact with this manure it does them no harm and will help to keep club root at bay. AVhen they begin to grow dust a little nitrate of soda along the rows and hoe it into the soil. A 1 wilt one ounce to a row four yards long is heavy enough. Continue to plant out autumn-sown onion plants. The main thing is to have the soil in good tilth and as firm as possible.

Sow dwarf peas a.nd place sticks in position for those sown earlier in the season. It never pays to allow any peas to lie about on the ground, and you will find that the crop from a row that is kept up with sticks is almost twice that from a row that lies about on the ground. Make another sowing of turnips. A short row is all that is wanted, because they must be U6ed while young. AVhen they become old they will be left. Keep on planting lettuces for succession. One can never have enough of these when the days begin to lengthen. Make another planting of potatoes for early use. Some of those planted earlier in the season may be ready for hoeing and drawing the earth up to them. Asparagus plants can be put in now when the soil is suitable. Spread their roots out well and cover the crowns with about two inches of soil. They must he allowed to grow for the first year without having anything taken from them. The second year a little may be cut, but it is more profitable to allow the plants to get well established before cutting very much. Plant up rhubarb in well manured ground, but do not let the roots come in contact with any fresh manure, or they will rot. Old beds will he all the - better for a good dressing of manure, which can he put on the surface and lightly forked in or covered over with soil taken from the paths at the side of the beds. All small fruits can be given a dressing of farmyard manure now, and if they have not yet been pruned this should he done at once.

Sowings of tomato seed can be made in boxes under glass, if required for early planting. Next month will be early enough to sow the main crop. The main thing is to sow the seed thinly.