Evening star., 1940-06-01
Leaves From
The Garden.
Notebook
Recent Rainy Spell
Adds to Danger
OF Plant Ills

Inc recent period OF rainy
weather favored the spread OF mil
dew and rust. A generous applica-
ton Of bordeaux or sulphur as a
spray or dust will help to bring them
under control. It takes . regular
program Of applications, however,
to keep them under control.
The frequent showers have made
1t difficult to keep any spray ma
terial on our plants and no doubt
will help to give the plant diseases
and insect pests q head start on
the home gardener. With a system
attic effort they can be controlled
and to enjoy healthy, vigorous
plants, we should endeavor to keep
them free from diseases and bugs.
1t is time that all dahlias be put
into the ground, we'll staked and
fertilized. The tall-growing stately
fall flowers which these tubers are
capable Of producing require care
in the form of water and fertilizer.
A well-prepared planting hole goes
long way toward meeting these
requirements.
The oft-repeated statement, my
yard is too shady for flowers" only
means one thing-the owner is try
ing to grow only sun-loving flowers
In shady situation and hence has
given up because Of repeated fall
ures. There are many shade loving
flowers that do we'll in this vicinity
If given little care at planting time
Now that the chrysanthemums
have been dug. the soil reworked
and plants reset 1t is time to begin
pinching them back to produce
bushy plants. This applies to the
hardy garden pompons and not to
the azaleamums and Articum hy-
brids. which normally produce many
branches.
Take moment to think about
the fall-blooming perennials now.
There are number, including the
hardy asters, Japanese anemones.
chrysanthemums, physostegia. Bol-
tonia, etc, which will flower in late
September and on until frost. They
should be planted now. Or, If you
already have them in your garden
they should be divided and reset,
excepting the Japanese anemones,
which improve with age.
We should begin our watch for
the iris borers. Look for signs of
their working downward through
the leaf sheaths, it is quite notice.
able. Having located where a borer
is working, grasp the leaf between
the thumb and first finger near the
base OF the leaf sheath and pull
upward. exerting enough pressure to
crush the small worm.
II you intend to reshape azaleas
now is the time to do it. Ordi-
narily they are left unpruned,. but
If it is intended to prune them for
any reason 1t should be done now
before the new flower buds start to
form. Give them a mulch of leaf
mold and avoid hoeing or digging
around them.
It is possible to increase the num-
Der and size and lilac blooms BY re-
moving the spent flower spikes and
most of the new shoots that spring
up about the base of the old BUSH
This serves to throw the strength Of
the plants into the formation Of
flower buds. A little fertilizer worked
into the soil, and II the soil is acid,
the addition Of lime will also help
the general vigor and freedom Of
bloom.
Now that the iris (tall-bearded)
season is about over any thinning or
resetting should be started as soon
as possible 50 that the newly reset
plants may make a good strong
growth and flower buds before fall.
NvE oy, rou,orIiy1v ~, iyie b<>d a. - wall