WORK IN THE GARDEN

Southland Times, Issue 24233, 17 September 1940, Page 10

WORK IN THE GARDEN

SUMMARY OF WORK FOR SEPTEMBER By RIWHI During such a busy month as September a second. brief summary oi work may be helpful to readers. In the flower garden all beds and borders of spring subjects should be given surface cultivation after every fall of rain. In order to make the best of the display lawns should be mowed and edgings trimmed. Should edges have become ragged the line should be run along and a fresh edge cut. This is the. time for renovating the lawn; carry this work out with the greatest care, returfing, resowing and topdressmg wherever necessary. The sowing of hardy annuals such as poppy, calendula, mignonette, clarkia, godetia, dimorphotheca, linum and viscaria may be begun. Main sowings should be delayed until early October. Half-hardy annuals may still be'sown in boxes for pricking out later, but it is rather late now for antirrhinum or lobelia. Young carnations should be in their flowering quarters; hasten the work if it has not already been done. Plant gladioli from now on till early October. Go carefully over the herbacious border, especially where much transplanting has been done. Tie up autumnsown sweet peas so that there is no check to their growth. Thin out the shoots of clematis (jackmanni type) where necessary. This clematis is apt to send up too many shoots even when properly pruned during the winter. The shoots should be so spaced and tied that each has its specific area of wall to cover. Spring flowering shrubs should be pruned as they complete flowering. Pussy willows should be cut hard back to induce strong growth for next winter’s catkin display. Violets, and polyanthus are in their prime; both should be picked over for this will prolong their flowering.

THE VEGETABLE GARDEN It is still on the early side for the sowing of main crops except in favoured situations. Parsnips, however, should be sown as soon as possible. All varieties of vegetables may be sown with the exception of "runner beans and butter beans, which are better left till mid-October, Be sure to sow small successions of lettuce, spinach, beetroot, white turnips, cabbage and cauliflower. Some of the most important rules for your guidance are: Never sow seed of any kind in poorly cultivated soil. Topdress with lime every winter or spring —no seedlings will prosper in sour soil. The instructions on seed packets are for you to follow. Do no crowd your rows too closely and always sow seed thinly. Continue surface cultivation from time of sowing until crops meet in the rows. Now that the soil is warming up the asparagus bed should be mulched with compost or old manure. This is the best month for the planting of new asparagus beds. THE FRUIT GARDEN Newly-planted raspberry canes should be cut down to within a few inches of the ground to encourage the growth from the base of strong young canes which will bear fruit next season. As with other young fruit trees a mulch of well-decayed manure is most beneficial not only because of its stimulation of growth but also because it helps to prevent loss of moisture from the soil with the consequent possibility of roots drying out. Strawberries are now beginning to grow freely and frequent hoeing will aerate the soil and encourage root action. The soil may be pushed up to the plants. EDGING PLANTS In spring time what a useful plant forget-me-not is. It is nearly always used as a carpet or edging to tulip beds and is a wonderful plant with its multitude of tiny sky-blue flowers for toning down and softening the more vivid colours of the garden. Its demands are so simple and its vigour and dependability are unquestioned, yet strangely enough no one ever seems to give it the credit it deserves for the important place it fills in relation to the spring display. Catmint is another edging plant that is indispensable in a garden of any size. It should not be used as an edging around small plots, but has its place in the shrubbery and the herbacious border; its grey-green foliage and its soft mist of lavender blue always give a distinctive setting whatever other colour it is associated with. Lobelia need not be mentioned—it is deservedly popular and at its best in formal bedding schemes. Ageratum and Alyssum could be used more frequently as they are most effective. The former is best treated as a half-hardy annual. Virginian stock is often used, but its period of flowering is rather limited to make it an ideal edging plant. Tagetis is most useful, but its orange flowers will not tone in with all colour schemes. Further useful edging plants among the perennials are the clove scented pinks and violas. These latter are most satisfactory if given proper treatment; fresh plants should be raised from cuttings every season. POLYANTHUS

Polyanthus is every year gaining in popularity and rightly so, for the hybridist’s art has produced a glorious flower far in advance of either of its parents—the English cowslip and the English primrose. A massed bed or border of polyanthus presents a glorious sight with its exquisite shades of red, crimson, flame, orange, yellow, gold and pure white. Polyanthus begin blooming in late autumn, and though there may be but a few blooms throughout the winter, the spring display lasts over a period of two months; further, polyanthus is a shade tolerating plant and may even be grown in complete shade provided that light is not shut out by overhanging trees Seed should be carefully saved from any plant carrying, flowers of outstanding quality. At a . later date the raising of polyanthus from seed will be dealt with in detail.