GARDEN NOTES

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 64, 18 March 1944, Page 8

GARDEN NOTES

(By “Ngaio.") Autumn flowers are coming Into their own now. Michaelmas daisies, heleniums and dahlias are providing us with plenty of colour at the back of the bordei-s and zinnias and marigolds are gay towards the front. Michaelmas daisies are constantly being improved; is your collection a good one? Try to fit in a visit to your nurseryman as soon as possible and see what he has to offer you; bright rose pinks and deep blues and mauves can be exchanged for the old-fashioned pale types which are rather insignificant and could well be discarded. The fine feathery ones are a good contrast to the large flowered ones and should bo in everyone’s collection. Heleniums, both the tall and the dwarf being a very rich note of colour with the autumn garden; combine them' with miniature sunflowers, gaillardias and' marigolds and you will have a gorgeous display over a long period, i When chrysanthemums begin to bloom, I we feel rather that it is the beginning of, j the end of the garden year. It has been a season of such extremes that we can hardly blame autumn flowering plants if they are not as good as usual this year. The chrysanthemum, however, being very shallow rooted responds very quickly to any assistance given in the way of food and drink, and some attention from now on may easily .retrieve a not too promising looking plot. Caterpillars seem very prevalent this season, so go oyer your plants often and do some squashing, or if this worsts you, use a spray of arsenate of lead. Collect the richest soil you can 1 from your compost heap, plus some wood ashes and cow manure if possiblo; remove the soil from the surface round the plants, taking care not to injure the roots. Water well and apply the compost and water again. In no time the plants will start to feed on this fresh material and note an improvement in their appearance; liquid manure can be given when the buds are forming but should cease when they are showing colour. If early sweet peas are desired the ground should be prepared for them now. Deep digging and good manuring are essential to get results; good drainage is another necessity for autumn sown sweet peas. Wet feet in the winter will not suit them at all. Those whoso gardens get hot and dry in the summer should make a point of growing the so-called winter flowering sweet peas; they do not bloom in the actual winter months, but the strain has been developed to flower a woek or two earlier than the usual varieties. , , , If your soil is really very light, sandy and porous you can try this method of conserving food and moisture which ordinarily go through a light soil beyond the reach of the plants very quickly. Dig a trench for whatever you are going to plant, either vegetables or sweet peas, and line it with several thicknesses of newspaper, then put in your manure, compost, or whatever you are using, and then your top soil. It is surprising lioiv long layers of paper take to decompose, rn d in the meantime the goodness of vour manure is kept nearer the roots of vour plants. Eventually the paper rots, of course, and adds its quota to tho good ; of tho ground.