GARDENING NOTES

Shannon News, 12 November 1928, Page 4

GARDENING NOTES

Seasonable Routine Work.

Plant out clahliaa in rich positions, sheltered if possible from rough winds. Wet stakes to them immediately if no shelter is available. Lift unwanted bulbs from the .flower borders and ,plant them in the wild garden. Sow seeds of . auriculas * and polyanthuses for blooming next spring.

Lift and divide polyanthuses after they have finished flowering, for blooming next spring. . Keep the hoe going frequently whenever the soil is in a suitable condition.

Plant out all kinds of half-hardy, general and carpet-bedding plants after well hardening them off. Plants bought .out of seed boxes are , seldom 'sufficiently hardened Off and should be protected for a while by placing a few twiggy sticks around them.

Remove seed heads from rhododendrons and other choice flowering shrubs as soon as the flowers fade. , Train rose shoots over pergolas and' arches, tying them in early to prevent damage. Weed lawns and give a weekly mowing. Weed the rock garden, ..cut dead flowers off plants, and where there arc bare spaces sow -seeds or refill with plants. Prune those plants which are making too rampart a growth. Propagate violets, and keep the runners cut off the permanent plots. Sow wallflowers, forget-me-nots, Iceland poppies, violas ,and anything required for winter blooming. If these are placed out into a i reserve bed in the vegetable garden, good bushy plants will be available for refilling the beds in the late autumn. Make a final sowing of any kinds of annuals wanted. Abo make a sowing of sweet peas for late display. Continue planting gladiolus, allowing each corm a handful of superphosphate. j.U-. The Vegetable Garden. Thin out sowings of vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, etc., as early as possible. Sow maize and sweet-corn.-Give asparagus beds a good coating of manure when cutting is discontinued to help them build up good crowns. Bust onions intended for large bulbs very freely with soot to keep mildew in check. Give the early rows a light dressing of nitrate of soda while the weather is showery. Plant out cucumbers, vegetable marrows, and tomatoes. Plant or sow at regular intervals anything needed for salads.- Thero is often room between other slower growing things for a catch crop of; these. Sow runner or dwarf beans. '■ Make fortnightly sowings of peas, and prepare all spare ground for potatoes. Earlier, crops will benefit from a good moulding up. After this operation, where space is limited, tomatoes, cabbagos, or cauliflowers,' may be planted. Tftese got well rooted and comO <fh quickly as soon as the potatoes are dug. If the tops of the latter grow too luxuriantly they must be tied in f t-o give the in-between plants sufficient light and air. An extra quantity of manure must be added when growing catch crops. After hoeing and top-dressing the strawberry bod put down straw to keep the fruit clean. Pinch the shoots off any trained wall trees such as apples, pears, etc., leaving the main leaders for the present. Remove all suckers from the base of fruit trees. Stakes and Staking. It is probable that no one who sets out to tend a garden gives a thought to the part stakes and staking will play in its future successful conduct. The primary thought of all garden enthusiasts is the soil, but soon there comes a time when, plants having made their appearance, it is seen that some support must be given them if they are to develop to their best and withstand the weather. ,

The subject of staking is most nat* urally associated with flowering plants and it is with this end in view that these notes arc given. Incidentally, staking is also necessary in both the fruit and vegetable garden. The secret of proper staking is to preserve the natural. symmetry of the plants. This is an art requiring considerable practice for much of the staking done has the very opposite effect to 1 that of preserving the beauty of the plant. Generally it is much too tightly done- ,giving the subject a “bunched” appearance which at once destroys tho inborn natural grace of the plant. Some families -of plants can be dwarfed by being pinched in early growth, thus ajmost obviating the need for staking; and rendering a shorter /form of support quite efficient. Examples of plants which answer to this treatment aro border chrysanthemums, michaelmas daisies, heleniums, and others. Many annuals, where !hej r are grown in exposed positions, are all the bettor for a pinching back in their growth,. amdng these being marigolds, godetias. elarkias, antirrhinums, etc. It is better to stake thoroughly than to do the work -by halves.. Flimsy stakingrtis all too frequently seen. Plants might just as well be left to fall abent on the ground as to 101 l about between two wobbly stakes, of be tied round the waist to ono stake.

. Some;:gardeners maintain that staking should not be-,done until it is really necessary. This sounds feasible*** it would be eminently practical if it were possible to. forecast the weather, but sudden gales are all too. common

and plants hitherto in the finest condition are soon laid flat in all directions if not staked. It is better to secure all plants that .are expected to need support in an early stage of growth so as to prevent disaster and save many a disappointment. Annuals become straggly in appearance when. left unstaked too long, and never wholly regain that first healthy erectness of form. Climbers, when staking and training are neglected, become an entertwlnedmass, and are so easily snapped; or broken at .the base that no farther emphasis should be wanted to show the folly of delaying early support. How to‘Stake. Closely associated with the question of when-to stake a plant is that of how it should be done. Briefly, the work shoud so be carried out that when plants reach; perfection the stakes appear an essential part of them and look as unobtrusive as jt is possible for artificial assistance to look. Also, stakes should so be placed in position that their tops lean slightly outwafds, thus allowing space for the increased growth of the stem and foliage that is natural to all plants when nearing full growth. Avoid driving the support too near the roots or crowns of the plants, es ( - pceially those of the choice species. There are two kinds of stakes to uso and each has its value and place — the trimmed and untrimmed stakes. The latter type is practically unknown in many gardens but such gardens are the losers. Branched stakes are often the only kind which permit many plants to maintain a free and normal appearance. To be convinced of the increase in beauty that- occurs where branched stakes are used, readers - should experiment with two separato borders, having one bod staked with ordinary straight sticks, and the other with branched or twiggy sticks. Carnations and pinks look well when treated •with twiggy sticks, whereas much of their beauty is lost when they are not staked owing to the drooping teni dency of tho flower heads. Dahlias and paeonies need several stakes to each ..plant, and present a • truly imposing appearance when the work is well done. Four states are needed round an ordinary bushy plant, and-enough should be used to keep the shape of the plants. Where goo cl stakes' are purchased it is a wise plan to paint them a dark green, which besides helping to preserve them, aids in making them less conspicuous. Ornamental Vegetables.

In the remarks will be enumerated the names of a few spocies and varieties of vegetables noted for their decorative value iu addition to their culinary worth. Many owners of small plots are forced to grow a few vegetables around their houses, and they rightly prefer something ornamental wherever possible. These plants also thave their value in large flower beds where they are used as a break between various massed effects of colour.

For a touch of green, asparagus i 9 greatly prized. Five or six mouths of the year its feathery sprays wa-ve to and fro in tho breeze-—first green and then yellow, with its seeds of scarlet berries.

The globe artichoke is a handsome plant'with gTeyish-toned, divided foliage, and ,like asparagus, can be planted to remain in the one spot a number of years if tho position chosen be warm and sheltered. Its edible portion of scaly globe heads is both interesting and attractive.

There are several kinds of beetroot which are well worth including in the flower beds where reddish warm tints are desired, the black leaved variety being especially striking. Then there are tomatoes, the blossoms of which are insignificant, but which produce bunches of fruit that even iu the green state are an agreeable .sight. , It is no exaggeration to call their later scarlet colourings beautiful. Lastly, mention must be made of tho humble vegetable marrow, which makes a gratifying picture if trained up rough trellis work or allowed to ramble its own way over mounds of rubbish. It will cover many au unsightly spot with its vgrdant foliage, lit up by dazzling golcten yellow flowers, with here and there a huge dark green or yellow fruit. This crop should be more largely grown by the gardener who wishes to combine utility With beauty. Cucumbers and otuers of the melon family may be made to climb and eover any bare spaces available. Violets for Market. The planting of violets for market purposes should not be delayed longeT. The plants have all too little time to get nicely rooted before having to contend with the driest months of the year. The ground should be well manured, as from five weeks to six weeks the plants will be growing freely and the roots searching for nourishment. If the spil is poor and starved they will search in vain. Natural animal manure serves many purposes, mechanical and chemical ,and besides enriching tho soil it conserves the moisture for the use of the plants, so that evon in tho driest weather they will continue to grow with the aid of an occasional watering.

Liquid manure is a great help when given every ten days or so and will be greedily taken up by the roots. As the plants progress, runners will be formed, and those must be removed so as to preserve all the vigour in the crowns, with the object of securing the finest and most perfect flowers. H increased stock is wanted these runners should be planted in the shade. These, when rooted, not having flowered, will produce finer .blooms than can be obtained ..from the . division of old stools that have become partly exhausted. Although the violet loves moisture,

this can easily be misapplied. The. plants will not tolerate being planted in soil that is wet and stagnant. Dur* ing the summer months the 1 hoe should be kept going among the plants regularly and where possible tho plants should be supplied with as much moisture as is possible. The violet is a shallow rooting plant and as soon as it feels tho loss of moisture, stops growing. Violets bloom . earlier if well cared for during the summer months. When planting, care should bo taken to plant very firmly, and whenever liquid manure is applied, see that the soil is well moistened first with water.