Evening star., 1951-07-29
This Week
in the
Garden

Ichlordane. Eight ounces per 1000
square feet of area will take care
of them very nicely. Chlordane
may be purchased either as a dust
5 or 10 per cent, or as a liquid, 40
per cent. Most gardeners find
that the wettable powder is also
convenient. Whenever an ant hill
is discovered a tablespoonful of
the wettable powder mixed into a
sprinkling can full of water will
soon put the ant hill out Of
commission.
Now that the weeds are making
strong growth it is important that
they be cut down before going to
seed. Each weed allowed TO seed
now will contribute thousands of
seeds ready to plague the garden
next spring. It is much easier to
cut them down now and place in
the compost pile where they will
add to the humus supply. some
thing we really need for the
garden.
Don't neglect the fall vegetable
garden. Some of the crops should
be planted now. Turnips, Chinese
cabbage, kale, endive and collards
are real fall crops and the seed
may be sown now in the garden,
although the latter four are most
often Sown in a fiat or small bed
and transplanted later. If plants
are available, set out fall cabbage
and broccoli now. 1t is a bit late
to set out Brussels sprouts unless
in protected area where killing
freezes come late.
There are II or II weeks before
the date we normally expect a
killing frost, October 20. Or. put
another way, We can still plant
snap beans mot pole), carrots and
kohlrabi. An early-maturing vari-
ETY. of sweet corn might mature,
although sweet corn is susceptible
to length of day and the short
days in the fall retard develop
ment
1t is not too late to SOW seeds
of many biennials and perennials
for the flower border. Sweet will
liam, pansies, columbine and
many others should be sown at
this season in order to have husky
plants for setting out in Septem-
Der. Sow the seed in a well-pre-
pared soil mixture or Sphagnum
moss to avoid difficulty with the
disease known as damping-off.
This is the season when judi
cious watering is needed in many
gardens. Hot sun and drying
winds sap the moisture from un-
mulched borders quickly and un-
less the showers are frequent
plants soon begin to droop ana
growth is checked. To adequately
moisten the soil to an effective
depth the nozzle should be re-
moved and either a cloth hose
that permits the water to perco-
late slowly through, or a wide
board placed under the end to
permit the water to flow gently
without washing away the top
soil. Allow the water to run until
the soil is moistened to a depth
of 4 to 6 inches. Where this
method of watering is practiced.
one watering every week or 10
days will keep the plants in good
condition. Barely moistening the
surface soil does more harm than
good, and it is especially effec-
tive in encouraging the growth of
crabgrass.
1t is not too late to purchase
plugs" of the Japanese lawn
grass (zoysia japonica). Seed is
not available and is not likely to
be on the market for several
years. The plugs may be pur-
chased locally and placed in the
lawn where they will slowly
spread, or to encourage rapid
growth they may be set in a cul-
tivated area where the soil is we'll
enriched.
The late blight of tomatoes has
not been reported locally but is
active on the Eastern Shore.
Local gardeners who have not
started dusting or spraying their
tomato plants should begin to Go
so now. Once the disease cnLers a
tomato plant there is nothing to
do but pull and burn it.
Washington has two planting
periods for evergreenS-March-
April and August-September. 1t
is not too early to order evergreen
shrubs for fall planting. Make the
planting as early as possible since
it is desirable to have such plants
we'll rooted before cold weather
stops growth.
Oriental poppies may be lifted
now and reset without difficulty.
This work should be completed be-
fore the end of August. Propaga-
ton is by root cuttings which may
be started in the vegetable garden.
Place the 3-inch cuttings right
side up in a shallow furrow, COW
ering the tops with an inch of
soil. W. H. Y.
FACTORY I1sX3sly
Lifetime Warranty /