THE GARDEN

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 478, 6 October 1928, Page 28

THE GARDEN

BY

LEONARD A. GRIFFITHS,

F.R.H.S., F.N.Z. Inst.

NATURE HAS OPENED THE GATES OF SPRING

SO GARDENERS, GET BUSY "The year’s at the spring. The day’s at the morn; Morning’s at seven, The Hill-side’s dew-pearled; The Lark’s on the wing; The snail’s on the thorn; God’s in His Heaven All’s right with the world!’’ Browning

SPRING IS HERE At last the enthusiastic gardener will have cause to rejoice; spring is here with its feast of good things. Week-ends will find the business-man hurrying home with bundles of plants and seeds with which to perform the noble work of improving his hoijje surroundings. With a warm climate like ours, there is no excuse if garden culture is a neglected hobby. The poorest can cultivate and surround themselves with colour and beauty even if they have to resort to growing geraniums and nasturtiums in benzine tins, and these are by no means to be despised. Ever since the world began a garden has been considered necessary to our happiness, and mean and starved is the soul of one who ridicules the idea. He surely is missing some of the best things life offers. in gardening many a business man finds both a physical and mental relaxation which but few recreations combine and give. This hobby proves the metal of the man and rewards him fairly, according to his work, and those who attend it wholeheartedly will realise the words writ-

ten by that great poet, Rudyard Kipling:— “Gardens are not made By singing, ‘Oh, how beautiful,’ and sitting in the shade.”

SWEET MIGNONETTE SPRING SOWING Do you ever remember having enough mignonette? Do you ever remember growing tired of mignonette? “No,” is the only answer to the

above questions. Flower lovers never | see enough of this old-timer. We ! doubt if they ever will see enough I mignonette. j One thing you might try to do this I year is to grow a bed or a border of | the sweetly-scented plant to see if the ! old love still has any power over you. | Begin by making the land both friable ! and rich. Good stem and leaf growth comes from good soil. The perfume content, we believe, is higher in our country. However, the main thing just now is to prepare the land and ;to get the seed sown. We can have . a chat another day about scent values. A sunny spot is necessary. Mignonette will not flower too well in the semi-shade. Level the surface of the bed or border first, and then broadcast the seed. Top up with old manure or anything that will not cake on the surface. Don’t try transplanting. Mignonette is one of the plants that do not like handling. Thin out where the seedlings come too close together. FORCING OF SPRING CROPS CORRECT USE OF MANURES At this period the application of certain artificial manures is extremely useful as an aid to better crops. Many gardeners are under the impression that potatoes should receive a little help from artificial manures at earthing-up. Experiments in recent years have shown that if potatoes are to have the full benefit from tbis class of manure the manure should be applied as early as possible. Where a moderate dressing of farmyard manure was given, the crop should be assisted with a good complete artificial manure applied according to the maker’s directions. If it is desired to make up a mixture at home it is a good plan to obtain 71b of sulphate of ammonia, 71b of sulphate of potash, and 281 b of superphosphate. These ingredients skould be mixed together and applied at the rate of 2oz a square yard, and lightly forked in. Any crop which is backward can be helped to make up for lost time by the application of a little nitrate of soda applied as a top-dressing and hoed in. A very light dressing does this; a heavier dose is waste of good manure. Little and often is a good rule with quick-acting manures. If for any reason a heavy dose of nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia has been given and the balanced

growth of the crop is upset, a dressing of superphosphate and sulphate of potash will help to put. matters right. So soon as such crops as carrots and beets are well up in line their growth is helped by applying a dressing of loz of superphosphate per square yard. Such a dressing en-

courages root action and puts the plants in good order to make the full use of a dressing of a complete artificial manure 14 days later. SPRING ATTENTION TO STRAWBERRIES The fruit trees finished, the strawberry’ bed should next come in for attention. It should be cleaned of weeds and the oldest and brownest of the lower leaves cut off and burned. Then the ground between the rows should be forked lightly or hoed to loosen the top soil. This done, a layer of good long strawy manure should be placed round the plants. This manure has a two-fold purpose; not only will it provide valuable nourishment, but by the time the fruits ripen, the straw will have been washed clean and will make a useful bedding to keep the berries off the soil. A good dressing to apply to plants that cropped heavily the previous season, or to rather worn-out plants, is 21b of superphosphate and Jib of sulphate of ammonia to every 10 square yards of bed. Spread between the rows and forked lightly in, it will prove an excellent stimulant. Superphosphate is an artificial manure that may safely be applied to most fruits in early spring, particularly to the heavy cropping trees and bushes. The usual dressing is about lib to each medium-sized bush or tree and half that amount for smalier ones. It should be spread on the soil and forked in.

GROW NATIVE FERNS COLLECT THEM. NOW It is now a good time to visit the bush and the mountains for a supply of seedling ferns for the glasshouse. That is, of course, for those who are able to go to such places. Ferns must not be removed from recognised fern gullies or tourist resorts. But there are many places where seedlings can be removed without doing any damage or loss to the scenery. Young ferns are easily grown, and more quickly grow into strong plants if potted up, or planted in the ground into a good, rich loamy soil, having crusted charcoal mixed with it. All ferns love charcoal. Bonedust is an excellent stimulant for ferns, and they respond with a very fine growth. Fern growing from spores is quite easy, and it is a wonder that more amateurs do not practise it. Spores are often abundant on the old fronds. The fronds should be gathered and dried, when the spores shake off like fine brown dust. This should be scattered on to a “soil,” composed of fine crushed old brickdust, to which a little sand and a very small supply of leaf mould has been added. It is advisable to stand the pot inside a

second pot, keeping these on a saucer, which is always supplied with water, and covering it with a piece of glass. The pot should he kept in a warm place. Green, slimy, mossy growths will soon appear—this is the first stage. Then quickly small fronds come, and very soon there is an abundance of young seedling ferns, which may; be pricked off into boxes, and later into pots. SPRING BEDDING As the years go by the love of gardening always grows. Latterly the growth has been in a much-needed direction, namely, that of a wiser discrimination in the use of material. With the better knowledge of plants, owners of gardens are concerning themselves with learning which are the best varieties to grow and, further, with their better use by means of good arrangement and careful

grouping and bedding for colour effects. The following varieties are hardy and well worthy of cultivation in any garden plot:— BALSAM.—Hardy annual. If superior seed is purchased, balsams will give a really good account of themselves and flower for months. Light, rich soil and good waterings at the roots are necessary’. Suitable for the second front row of the mixed border: Sow in spring and until November. Plant 8 inches apart. Height, 1 foot. Colours, crimson, rose, bright and pale pink, cream and white. BEGONIA (BORDERING). —Hardy, herbaceous perennial. This plant is becoming a little “everyday” to be used much in the artistic garden, and restraint in its employment is •advised. A clump or drift here and there in the mixed border may be ef fective. Plant at any time six inches apart. Height, 6-10 inches. Colours, red, pink and white. BELLI S PERENNIS (ENGLISH DOUBLE DAISIES). —For coastal climate this fine little border plant must, be treated as an annual. Light, rich soil and a morning sun situation will suit to perfection. Sow in March and transplant in April, six inches apart. Height, six inches; colours, deep aud pale pink and white. CALENDULA (ENGLISH MARIGOLD). —This splendid annual should be more extensively used, as it cannot be surpassed for brilliant bed and

border work. Sow in March and plant out into rich soil in a position that enjoys full sunlight. Orange King ; s the finest strain. I advise home sowings, as calendulas germinate freely, i lant 10 inches apart. Height, 12 to IS inches; colour, brilliant orange. CALLIOPSIS—Hardy annual. Not seen a great deal nowadays, but a very acceptable subject for grouping among red, orange, yellow or blue flowers. Sow in autumn or spring and plant in clumps or drifts in the middle row of the border. Keep spent flowers removed. Plant 10 inches apart. Height. S to 24 inches. Colours, yellow*, brown, etc. CANDYTUFT.—For edgings, rockeries, crazy paths, tubs, “spillover,” and, in fact, any odd little corners that seem impossible, this hardy little annual is splendidly suitable. The small, common, white one is the best, and if sown in late autumn and planted out iu winter, candytuft will give of its best throughout the ensuing summer. Plant six inches apart. Height, six inches.

RAISING SPRING SEEDS HINTS AND ADVICE For the next two or three months most of our readers will be busy with the seed-sowing, and a few hints concerning the most successful methods adopted for this important operation should not be out of place. Where space or inclination is not available for seed beds, or only a few* seedlings are required for the home plot, the adoption of wooden or even tin receptacles may be utilised to advantage. These receptacles, or “flats” as they are more commonly termed, may be constructed to any dimension, although the amateur would do well to be guided by the handy size generally adopted by the nursery folk. These are about 14 inches long, 12 inches w'ide, and 3J inches high, and may be made from old kerosene cases, butter boxes, or such like, cut into the desired size. Most serviceable flats may be acquired by cutting a kerosene tin in halves, lengthwise, which w r ill give two ideal, receptacles, measuring approximately 14 inches by 9 inches by 4J inches. A few holes should be bored or pierced at the bottom for drainage. Now take a few crocks, cinders, or small broken stones to form the base of the filling. Then fill up with soil, which should be reasonably rich, light, and loamy in texture, and finely sifted. This should be packed in the box lightly, and levelled to about threequarters of an inch from the top. We always advocate sowing the seed in narrow drills —straight little rows, about 15 inches to 2 inches apart, made with a sharp-pointed stick or skewer. The seed should be scattered thinly and evenly, and covered to a depth in accordance with its size. Most flower seeds are barely covered, an eighth of an inch being ample for the majority of varieties. The soil should then be firmed down gently over the seeds with the palm of the hand or some flat object, and then well watered. A covering of hessian, calico, or even glass and newspaper may be used to assist the germination. Little is gained, however, by artificial or hasty germination. Place the boxes under the partial or diffused shade of some tree, and afford due protection against the ravages of snails, birds, etc. "Water regularly and judiciously. Above all, purchase your seed supplies from a reputable store. Cheap seeds are always a most unwise and very unsatisfactory investment.