Evening star., 1953-09-06
This Week in
the Garden

gardeners. Whenever willing Is
observed water should be sup
piled and, if possible. the sol
should be moistened to a consid-
cradle depth. This may require
punching or drilling holes fo1
the water to soak into. Newly
set out trees and shrubs are Suf-
fering more than those that are
established. Even when rains
come, unless the surface has
been loosened the chances are
much of the rainfall will run
of. To remedy this it is deSir-
able to loosen the surface sol
and spread a mulch over it.
Mulches prevent pudding and
allow the water to soak into the
soil.
The fall tent caterpillar is
prevalent and should be con-
trolled before the pests defoliate
trees and shrubs. A dust con-
tanning DDT, Methoxychlor OF
any other stomach poison is sat-
isfactory. Dusts usually pene-
trate the webs more readily than
a spray, therefore produce re-
suits more quickly. The webs
may be burned, but unless care
fully done this is liable to dam
age the nearby branches. Or,
the infested branch may be cut
off and burned.
The fall vegetable garden has
been severely handicapped by
the hot, dry weather, which has
interfered with normal plant
ing. However, it is not too late
to SOW radishes, kale, lettuce
and spinach.
The hot dry weather has ef-
fectively prevented the appear
ance of the late blight on toma-
toes and potatoes. Normally
these two crops would be suffer-
ing unless protected by dust or
spray.
The dry weather has caused
many trees and shrubs to shed
their leaves. While this will un-
doubtedly weaken them they are
probably better able to survive
than those that retain their
leaves. Many of the fallen leaves
show the characteristic brown
patches caused by drought.
It is not too late to spray the
trunks of peach, cherry. plum
and apricot trees with DDT to
consrol the peach borer. This
spray is essential if the borer is
to be controlled. Sometimes the
borerS overlook a tree but not
often or for long. Spray the
trunk from the ground up to 4
or S feet. A 10 per cent DDT
solution is ample, in fact, if the
trunk is thoroughly soaked and
two additional applications at
three-week intervals are made, a
5 per cent solution should be
adequate.
Crimson clover, a winter cover
crop, that is an excellent soil i'm
proven, may be planted as late as
the middle of September in this
area.
This is peony planting month
and most people will be buying
the heavy headed Chinese varie-
ties. However, there are many
attractive single japanese and
semidoubles that are worthy of
more widely planting. They
come in the usual peony colors
and have the same cultural re-
quirements.
In planting peonies allow for
settling so that the buds on the
crown of the root will not be
more than two inches below the
surface of the ground. Common
causes of failure of peonies to
bloom in this area are planting
too deeply and competition with
greedy tree roots. This latter
cause is usually associated with
too much shade.
Daffodil is the English name
for all members Of the narcissus
family. Jonquil is the name for
one small section, but is generally
applied incorrectly to the trum-
pet daffodilS.
It is about time to dig the early
planted glads. AS soon as the
foliage begins to brown they
should be lifted, the tops re-
moved and put to dry in a shady
situation. Early removal of the
tops is to prevent the migration
Of thrips to the corms.
After the corms are dried, it
will take two or three weeks,
the dirt, roots and old corms
should be removed and the
cleaned cormS put into paper
sacks with naphthalene fakes.
Place the bags in warm place
so that the fumes from the
naphthalene will kill the thrips.
After a week or two of this fu-
migation the corms should be
removed from the bags and
stored in well-ventilated boxes or