DRY WEATHER ADVICE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 572, 26 January 1929, Page 30

DRY WEATHER ADVICE

CORRECT WATERING Like a human being, a garden cannot live without water, and as water constitutes one of the three most essential factors governing the life and welfare of the vegetable kingdom, a few practical hints concerning its lightful application should be useful. Water is composed of two gases, oxygen and hydrogen, and possesses the valuable property of dissolving mineral substances in the soil, many of which are essential for the growth of plants. Water is thus the actual medium which transports the nutriment to the tenants of the garden, j Where the gardener is fortunately ; blessed by having a never-failing supj ply of this precious commodity conducted right to the very seat of his operations, he is indeed a lucky man —and ou this account alone the average suburbanite should boast better gardens and more bountiful returns than those acquired by his less fortunate country cousin. | In fact, one often wonders whether | we fully appreciate, and make the very j most of, this great privilege afforded ; us, seeing so many neglected and deI sorted plots that could be made “to bring forth abundantly” with but very little effort on the occupier’s part. The ways and means adapted in supplying the precious fluid to living plants is both varied and novel, but we will confine our attention to the more fortunate amateur who is possessed with a connection to the street for his supply. CORRECT WATERING Many amateurs, unknowingly apply | the hose or can in a truly tantalising j manner, and although meaning well j are actually occasioning the plant very serious harm. It is in the open | garden plot that the amateur is apt j to be led astray. Let it be borne in | mind that surface watering—that use- i less dribble so often resorted to—serves no good purpose, and occasionally plays serious havoc with the root j system of a plant. Rather would it be better to forego i the daily sprinkling and indulge in one j good saturation weekly. For this pur-! pose, where the amateur is possessed j of a goodly length of hose we would advise the adoption of a serviceable garden sprinkler, which distributes the water in a gentle penetrating shower and thus ensures a complete saturation of the soil without risk of surface washaways or damage to tender plants. Thet*e are many excellent makes of sprinklers on the market, among which is a particularly fine nozzle at present very conspicuous in our jiublic parks and private gardens. To imitate nature is manifestly the duty of every gardener, even to applying

water. Granted, rain water is far more preferable than moisture coming from any other source. This is partly accounted for by the fact that the rain in its descent obtains from the atmosphere many gases and various mineral substances of high value as plant foods. It is also of the same temperature as the atmosphere—another most important asset. In its fall it cleanses the leaves from all dust and other matter which tend to block up the pores. It further enters the soil, laden with its life-giv-ing properties, and in penetration con-

veys to the roots the moisture which is so necessary for the sustenance of life engendered by its helpful action in the assimilation of nutriment. Thus it will be observed from the foregoing remarks that the sprinkler which distributes its water in a similar manner to a natural shower of rain is by far preferable to the harsh stream ejected from a coarse nozzle, which is detrimental to new growth and tender plants in general. TIME TO WATER A steady gentle saturation is much more penetrating and effective, and also more readily absorbed by the soil, than a drenching deluge, of which the greater portion invariably runs off the surface and goes to waste. Therefore we would advise the amateur to exercise discretion when selecting and purchasing his outfit. Great diversity of opinion exists regarding the correct time to apply water; we say “any time,” provided the plant requires it, although many experts are inclined to favour the application of the daily refreshment at sundown, a period which gives the plants a much longer period to partake of the benefit thus afforded without fear of evaporation. We are not altogether averse to plants being watered during the heat of the day. There is an old-fashioned belief that such a practice is detrimental, and at times even fatal to the welfare of the garden occupants. Our public parks and gardens have exploded this fallacious idea. Sprinklers may be observed playing among the flower beds and lawns practically the whole day through.