For April, 1922 



123 



The Greenhouse, Month to Month 



GEORGE F. STEWART 



TllK month of April is one of the husiest months of 

 the whole year in the greenhouse, a great deal of 

 time lieing used in transferring many plants, that are 

 to be planted outdoors, to cold frames for hardening off. 

 It is so easy to forget details, which, if neglected, will 

 prove detrimental to fruits and plants later on. The 

 greenhouse man should work out a daily system, as far 

 as possible, so that daily duties may be done at certain 

 stated periods of each day. System is a great time 

 saver, especially when, as at the present time on ac- 

 count of business depression in so many lines, many 

 places are short handed. 



This month the cool greenhouse hard wood plants 

 that have been used during March for house decora- 

 tion and flower show purposes should be repotted, if 

 they are heavily ro(ited in their receptacles. Some of 

 the lighter rooting species will go a second year with 

 a light top dressing and weekly applications of Clay's 

 Fertilizer, while they are making their growth. I 

 would include under this heading such plants as aca- 

 cias, Bancra, corncUa. choricciiia, criostcmon, heaths, and 

 other Spring flowering hardwood plants, known by many 

 as "New Holland hardwood plants." A good compost 

 for potting these plants is upland loam, for the stronger 

 rooting sorts, w'ith about a third of good sharp sand 

 added. To those that have more delicate roots give equal 

 parts of loam and peat, adding the same amount of sand, 

 with some fine charcoal. Pot firmly and do not over-pot. 

 Personally I never give a hardwood plant more than an 

 inch of shift, unless it is a very coarse rooter. It shows 

 culture to have a large plant in a small receptacle. Defer 

 pruning, and shaping the plants until they have begun to 

 root into the new compost. I think that they break more 

 evenly and heal over the cuts more quickly. 



Cool bulbous plants should be watched carefully to 

 have a succession when required. \\''e are now likely to 

 have occasional hot days, forcing them a little faster than 

 last month. They can be held for a long time after be- 

 ginning to show color in a cool frost proof jiit with a 

 cement floor. 



Specimen fuchsias and geraniums should now be grow- 

 ing vigorously in their flowering pots. Stimulate occa- 

 sionally with fertilizer and manure water. Water at least 

 three times with clean water between applications. Pinch 

 the points out of the fuchias to keep them in shape, espe- 

 cially on the strong growths. Allow eight weeks from 

 the last stopping to the date they are wanted in flower. 

 Geraniums break naturally, if the flower buds are picked 

 ofi^. The same length of time as stated above is required 

 to bring them into full flower after the removal of flower 

 buds. These notes also ajjply to fuchsia baskets, and ivy- 

 leaved pelargoniums that are used for hanging in any 

 position for decorative effect. 



Single stem chrysanthemums, if large blooms are re- 

 quired, must be attended to, moving them along to their 

 flowering pots as quickly as possible. Hush plants, as 

 regards potting, should be treated as above. There must 

 be careful stopping to keep them symmetrical, cutting 

 any shoot that is taking the lead faster than the others. 



Towards the end of April sow seeds of "herbaceous 

 calceolaria,'' if one desires large specimens the following 

 vear for exhibition. One can have a nice sturcK- little 



lilant liefnre the hot months of Summer. It stands heat 

 much lietter than those of later sowings, and when the 

 cool Fall nights arrive, if given the proper compost, will 

 grow like a weed. 



Chinese primroses. Primula stcllata, Kcwensis. Obcoii- 

 ica, should be sown this month, but malacoidcs will be 

 better left until later. 



Do not forget the young carnations and roses intended 

 for benching by the end of June. Better success with the 

 carnations, I think, can be had by pot growing until 

 planted out on the benches. I"rom observation and prac- 

 tice, the plants are more easily controlled than when 

 planted out in the field. Insect pests may be never seen 

 if reasonable precautions are taken, and finer and better 

 stemmed flowers may be had when the short day arrives. 

 Nice plants in four-inch pots are about right to plant 

 in the carnation and rose house, about the above-men- 

 tioned period. Move them along with that end in view 

 in a nice, airy temperature, avoiding draughts by careful 

 ventilation. 



Tropical plants such as Allamandas, Ixora. clcrodcn- 

 dron, cucharis, anthuriums, flowering and foliage 

 varieties, crotons, marantas, etc., are now growing vig- 

 orously. Allow- each specimen plenty of space as it is 

 then much easier to combat insects than when over- 

 crowded on the benches. In my experience, over-crowd- 

 ing of plants in a humid atmosphere is ideal for the 

 breeding of red spider. Syringe freely on all bright days ; 

 admit air freely on all davs when the temperature allows 

 it. I do not believe in the sweat box idea for these 

 plants, as experience has proved that they will grow as 

 well in a lower temperature than was practised in our 

 earlier days of gardening. To keep insects in check dur- 

 ing the rest of the season I have found that a thorough 

 spraying with Imperial Soap Spray, according to direc- 

 tions, adding a wine glass of kerosene to every three 

 gallons of the water-diluted mixture, kept well agitated 

 during the application every two weeks, is efi^ective. 

 There will then be very little trouble with the usual 

 JDreeds of insects. Choose a cloudy day for the operation, 

 and even during the hot months, have a little heat in 

 the pipes. 



The early fruit houses will soon be ripening their fruit. 

 Never syringe after the fruit begins to show color. 

 Keep the houses good and airy. Nectarines, in my opin- 

 ion, are better for forcing than peaches, as they are not 

 so commonly grown out doors, and many people prefer 

 the flavor of this fruit. Keep a sharp lookout for any 

 unnecessarv shoot that will not be required for next 

 vear's fruiting on any of the trees. Do not overcrowd 

 the trellis. 



Grape vines will now all be starting into growth. Dis- 

 budding must be strictly attended to. Several buds are 

 always to be found at the end of the spur. Select the 

 bud nearest the rod if it is stronger. Never be in a hurry 

 to tie the shoots down to the wires as a jar of a door 

 will often snap the shoot. One grower, I knew, main- 

 tains that nearly every grape house he has seen is wired 

 too near the glass. His idea is that each shoot should 

 have plenty of head room to develop until the weight of 

 the bunch naturally brings it down to the desired position. 

 Modern wide glass structures certainlv need more air 



