Evening star., 1941-05-31


ne in which humus is lacking.
that it pulverizes readily and seldom
bakes hard, while a soil lacking in
humus is likely to be stiff and hard
to work, one that becomes hard as
rock if left uncultivated following
rain. A soil rich in decaying
humus provides more than sufficient
vitamins for good growth. 1t re-
leases plant foods that would other
wise be insolubie.
Since humuS contributes so much
to the needs of plant life we should
make every effort to see that the
soil contains liberal supply. What
is liberal supply? One might an
sWer by saying all that can be OBJ
tanned. Experiments at Cornell Uni
versity uthaca, N. " indicate that
roses, delphiniums and lupines do
best in soil containing so per cent
humus. Perhaps you do not care to
create the ideal, so go just as far
as your compost pile or your pocket
book will permit. Not only at plant
ing time should we use humus. but
every spring and fall give a top
dressing of some decayed vegetable
material.
With a flower or shrubbery bed
that is deeply prepared and we'll
supplied with humus one need not
fear any but the most severe
droughts-droughts that extend over
a period of several months. And it
is only during such a prolonged
period of rainfall deficiency that
watering will be a necessity. Not
the necessity you think of. i. e.,
watering every evening. Rather a
thorough soaking in which you
throw the nozzle on the shelf and
let the water run and run, until
the soil is moist down a foot or
more. Take trowel and check the
penetration. Unless the soil is we'll
moistened to depth of a foot or
more you will not benefit the plants.
They are deep rooted and you GER
tainly should not do anything that
will cause their roots to grow to-
ward or near the surface. 1t is the
ShalloW-rooted plant that is the first
TO suffer. l have often wondered
as to whether or not a nozzle does
more good than harm. With a noz-
zle 1t is SO easy to dampen the
surface of the soil and then quit.
But, try holding your finger over the
end of the hose. You quickly tire
OF the chore and let the water run
slowly onto the ground in sufficient
volume that it soaks in at least an
inch or two. The new SOil-Soaking
canvas hose has much to commend
it, Regardless of the method en-
ployed the ground should be thor
oughly moistened to a depth of
foot or more. How often? Once
every two or three weeks or longer
should be sufficient for most plants.
Flower and shrub beds should be
mulched as an added protection.
The deeper the mulch the less trou-
BILE with weeds and with evaporation.
A rose fan writing in the American
Rose Annual related how she not
only saved her roses during the
1886 drought but had excellent
bloom throughout the summer. Her
roses were mulched with fresh ma
nure The beds, according to the
story, could not be watered, since
the livestock needed all that was
available. A manure mulch was
employed to depth of foot. Most
local gardeners will not care to try
a mulch of fresh cow manure. but
they can use compost, leafmold or
any other available humus material.
The deeper it is put on the less
the loss of moisture through surface
evaporation. Weeds will be smoth-
cred out if Thea mulch is 2 inches
or more in depth. Also the roots
will be protected from the summer
heat and the plants will continue
in active growth. Most gardeners
expect their roses to stop growing
and the perennials to go into a
sort of coma during the summer.
Through the use of summer mulch
this condition can, to a large ex-
tent, be avoided.
1t is realized that the foregoing
is of little benefit to the gardener
who has drought problem to meet
now. 1t is primarily for the gar
dener who is going to prepare
new bed or rework the old one.
Nevertheless, the value of mulching
Is just as great whether the beds
are properly prepared or not. A
paper mulch or one of the vege-
table materials, fresh or decayed,
will cut the loss of moisture. The
greater the depth the greater the
benefits. With a good mulch and
with a thorough watering at inter-
walls OF week or more most gardens
will continue in active growth. The
intervals between watering will be
less as the humus content of the
soil decreases A soil lacking in
humus cannot hold as much. mois-
ture as soil with good humus con-
tent.
Some plants, such as bluegrass, if
properly established will go into a
dormant stage until the rains come.
While we do not care to have a
brown, dead-appearing lawn, it is
better that it should be so than to
sprinkle just enough to germinate
the crabgrass which will thrive with
surface moisture. Crabgrass in Wig
orous growth will oftentimes smother
the bluegrass and give the lawn a
decidedly moth-eaten appearance.
So for economy'S sake, if for no
other reason, do not sprinkle the
lawn. If you are going to water it,
put on enough to benefit the blue
grass rather than to more or less
permanently injure it.