Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-05-27
This Week
in the
Garden

/ Garden |
Roses may be expected to dis
play weak necks" when they are
planted in shade, although If well
Inourished. shade may be more
beneficial than harmful. Roses
lido not thrive too well in full sun
unless given good culture. Plant
food deficiency. especially where
phosphate and potassium are lack
ling is another cause of weak necks
The use of a good 5-10-5 CONNER
cial fertilizer each month from
March until late July is the recon-
mended practice and where this Is
followed no trouble with weak
Inecks should be encountered. The
tiny sucking insect. technically
called nematodes, that sucks the
sap from the root system Is the
third most common cause Of weak
|necks. Where this insect infests
Ia bed the best and cheapest rem.
|edy seems to be to pull and burn
the plants, then disinfect the bed
with a soil disinfectant such as
ID, and replant with bushes that
are free from this pest.
The spring web-worms are be-
ginning to show in manw parts of
the Washington area and should
be controlled. The web-worm is
ia greedy pest and if allowed to
feed will defoliate tree or shrub
in short time. busting with DOT,
Methoxychlor, or other stomach
poison is usually more satisfactory
than spraying since the webs pre-
vent the spray from reaching the
inclosed foliage.
Window lodges In many q home
are bare for the first time since
last fall because house plants have
been moved to the garden for q
summers vacation. This is a good
practice. but it is not successful
il the plants are forgotten. Place
them in lightly shaded area
where they may be watered al
needed during the summer. where
Ipinching and other cultural prac.
tees may be regularly employed
to insure that good bushy plants
will be ready for bringing indoors
in the early fall.
Many insect pests seem to be
making inroads on ornamental
and vegetable plants this spring
Theoretically speaking no one
dust or spray will control them all
However. practically speaking. Z
good all-purpose dust or spray will
secure reasonable degree Of con.
troll. But. this mixture must b.
on the foliage before the bugs take
a bite or suck the sap If it is tx
be effective. Dust and spray pro.
grams are protective and they
cannot accomplish this unles.
they are put on the foliage before
the pests arrive. The exception
to this rule. sucking insects must
be hit to be killed. For them, lie.
the aphios and thrips. use q nico.
tine sulphate spray when the first
are seen. Most all-purpose mix.
lures contain pyrethrum for thei,
control.
Mulches are a great labor saver
They seem to benefit the garden
plants more than they do the gar.
dener. Before applying. stir thu
soil and chop down the weeds anc
grass. Then apply a mulch that /,
thick enough to smother grass ane
weeds. Mix some commercial fer.
Itilizer or nitrogen material with
the mulching material so that thu
bacteria will not rob the soil. d
not bother to turn the mulch
under in the fall, leave it alone
until spring and then add another
layer. The addition Of nitrogen
in some form to the mulching ma.
terial seems to be the critical ster
If that practice is followed re.
iligiously mulching seems to be Of
outstanding value to the success
of the garden.
There is an old theory that lilac
must be 7 years old before the,
will bloom. This presumes usua
Icultural practices. Many specie
and varieties will bloom the secons
or third year. Even the common
lilac (Syringa vulgaris) will howe
earlier if in a relatively sweet soil
well fed and the root area mulchet
rather than the soil be cultivate,
Iabove them. Remove all but ,
few Of the suckers.
If the lawn area is alive will
whitish grubs feeding on tn
grass roots the area should b,
treated with cheordane. Thi
poison is an excellent control TO
the Japanese beetle grubs. tn
wire worm and June beetle grubs
It is also the best material TO
destroying ant nests. Apply a
the rate of 8 ounces per LOO
square feet of area. It may bl
applied as dust or as a solution
using the sprinkling can.
It is not too late to plant glads