Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-10
Gardening in Washington
Conducted by J. W wellington Garden Editor The Star
AND ITS ENVIRON

Having tried fer several years TO
combine gardening with tree growing
the garden editor is prepared to state
that this simply cannot be satisfac-
torily done. For a few weeks in the
Spring, before the tree roots begin to
draw heavily on the soil for nourish-
naent and water, fair results are OBJ
tanned, but sooner or later the un
equal struggle inevitably results in
favor of the trees. Yet one hesitates
to sacrifice fine shade trees even with
an improved garden in view. Hence
the uneven battle is continued from
year TO year.
Some plants do much better in par
tial shade than do others. In fruits
the grape, raspberry and currant seem
to do fairly well. In flowers narciSSus
tulips, hyacinths. balsams. phloX, sal
via and lilies give good results. Roses
are almost complete failure, just
barely surviving from year To year.
Among vegetables chard, early rad.
shes, early beans and tomatoes usually
return profitable crops. Sweet corn.
cabbage and beets have proved alto.
gether unadapted to the situation.
There are undoubtedly many local
gardeners facing similar problems and
il would be interesting and worth
while il their experiences might be
known.
One object lesson that might well
he derived is that uselessness of plant
ing fruit trees in the vegetable garden.
Sooner or later the fruit trees ara
sure to gain the ascendancy. The fruit
trees should he by themselves in one
area. and the vegetable garden left free
and unincumbered. Shade trees should
A,.lx 1o
side the highway. However. when
treSs are already present one hesitates
10 destroy in a few minutes objects OF
beauty which have taken nature years
to produce.
Iris Root Borer.
At times the iris borer becomes a
serious menace to this desirable Spring
towering plant. The large pinkish
white colored worms or larvae are ca
pable of doing great injury to the
fleshy surface roots, eating out all the
interior tissue and, in case of heavy
tnfestation, causing the death of the
entire plant. In most all cases the in
jury is sufficient to cause the plant to
cease Towering. About the only prac.
teal remedy is to lift the entire plant. |
separating it into smaller divisions
and at the same time digging out and
destroying the borers. All borers are
dangerous, largely because they work |
out of sight, and hence accomplish
severe injury before they are noticed i
In resetting the young plants it is
we'll to replenish the soil with bone
meal, worked deeply into the soil. This |
treatment will aid the plants to re-
cover sufficient strength to resume |
Towering. Fortunately. the iris borer, |
Afh i've
enemies to hold it in restraint. 1t is |
this reason why the amount of injury |
varies from year to year.
China Asters.
Disappointing results are so often |
the reward of the growers of this fine |
old garden flower that one hesitates |
10 recommend its culture. The situa-
ton is something as with the sweet |
pea. Here and there a grower sue
ceeds in producing satisfactory crop
of flowers, but failure is frequently the
reward of even the most painstaking
care. The China aster is subject to a
z ant disease commonly called aster
yellows. which is, unfortunately,
spread from sick to healthy plants by
insects. The combination makes any
control measure exceedingly difficult.
especially as the disease also occurs
in many wild plants, some totally un-
related to the aster. Covering the
plants with fine netting is a possible
protection, but who cares TO disfigure
the flower garden with nets. 1t is
better to turn to the grow
ng of other aSter species, natives of
North America, many OF which bear
ovely flowers and are fully hardy and
disease resistant. The flowers, al !
though not quite so SNOWY as those of
The China asters. are more dainty |
Furthermore. many of the native
ssters are perennial. making annual
p-anting unnecessary. Much progress
is now being made in breeding i'm
proved forms of native asters. and il
ls probable that in the course of time
such desirable varieties will be forth
coming that the China asters will not
be seriously missed.
The Damson Plum.
This interesting group of plums en-
braces the small acid-fayored varie-
ties which are so desirable for preserv-
ing, but are little too tart for eating
fresh out of hand. They are gener-
ally blue in color and so much alike in
appearance that the varieties are not
easily distinguished and are usually |
classified simply as damson plums.
There is, however, very consider
able difference in varieties, some be
ing much sweeter and more desirable
for eating. The Shropshire and the
French damsons are worthy examples
OF the better kinds.
The damson plums are natives of |
Europe and Eastern Asia and are
closely related to the large European
plums of the type of Lombard, Italian |
Drtlne and the several Garo Nariotias
In fact. the damsons are regarded by |
some botanists as representatives of |
the ancestral types of the larger and /
better-flavored varieties. This suppo- |
sitlon is borne out by the fact that |