Evening star., 1951-11-11
This Week in the Garden :

Frost and freezing weather
reached most Of the area over
last week end and now gardeners
are busy with the many tasks
incident to getting the garden
ready for winter. The first of these
jobs is to see that all flower and
bulb beds are free from standing
water. The second task, is to
mulch those plants and shrubs
whose roots should be kept func-
tioning as long as possible. The
collection and spreading of
mulches to be put on after the
ground is frozen need not be
pushed. That is. unless this is one
of those winters that comes early
and stays late.
The use of Common 0talian)
IryegresS for a winter lawn is not
new in this area, but it could be
more widely used. In the first
place 1t provides a bright green
lawn throughout the winter. Sec
|ondly, the fibrous root system i'm
proves the soil materially. In the
spring the conversion from a tenn
porary to a permanent lawn is
relatively easy to make. Sow the
seeds of permanent grasses in
February on top of the ryegrass.
Frost and spring showers will
carry them down into the soil
where they will germinate and be-
come well rooted by the time
spring arrives.
Dahlia tubers may be stored In
any one of several ways. Some
experienced growers cut the tubers
apart, making certain to take a
section Of the stem with each
tuber because that is where the
t"eyes" are. These may then be
stored in baskets of peat moss,
slightly dampened. Or. the clumps
may be lifted with considerable
soil attached, and placed on the
floor in the coolest part of the
basement, covered with peat moss.
Or. the tubers may be washed and
dipped in paraffin. The fourth
method is to bury box or keg in
the garden, placing the tubers in
side. packed in sawdust. The box
is then covered with several layers
Iof leaves and dirt. The object
desired In each method is first to
prevent drying out (the usual
cause of loss), and secondly, to
prevent freezing. OF course, If you
have an old-fashioned cellar
with a dirt or brick floor. these
modern methods are unnecessary.
Now that frost has put most of
our deciduous trees and shrubs
into a domant condition, they may
be moved "bare-rooted." When
moving woody plants, every effort
should be made to take" as much
of the root system as possible. Use
burlap or other materials to pre-
vent the roots from drying. Before
or after planting. the tops should
be pruned to Offset loss of roots.
Overpruning at this stage is less
likely to result in permanent in
jury than underpruning. This is
a good time to practice that old
saw, IF little is good. more
should be better"
There is still lots of time in
which to plant early spring.
Towering bulbs and the seeds of
the hardy ANIMALS. Plant a few
for earliest cut flowers.
Why not give The youngsters
few flowers of their own? A
few pansy plants and some Of the
smaller tulip bulbs do not require
much space, and the youngsters
will have some flowers of their
own to pick as they please. Every
child wants to pick the brightly
colored flowers, and If they have
some of their own they are not
apt to pick the choice bloom that
are being reserved for some spe-
cial occasion.
A note of warning was sounded
lat the National Garden Advisory
Committee meeting, held in Wash
ington last week. There is likely
to be a shortage of fungicides and
insecticides containing sulphur or
copper. Better lay in a moderate
supply for next seasons use. 1t
might even pay to lay in your
needs of superphosphate, as that
is the one fertilizer that might be
lon the scarce side. Farmers and