I 



The Canadian Horticultiiri^ 



Floral Edition 



Vol. XLV. 



PETERBORO, ONT., NOVEMBER, 1922 



No. 11 



Protecting Plants Over Winter 



MANY varieties and species of plants 

 that are supposed to be permanent 

 in place and nature, require in 

 this country protection over winter. 

 The tender and half-hardy kinds of orna- 

 mental plants seldom will thrive, even 

 live, without special care during the cold 

 months. As these kinds often are the 

 best in quality or attractiveness, the 

 subject of winter protection is one of 

 great importance, and should not be 

 neglected. The amount of protection 

 differs somewhat in different districts 

 and with the kinds of plants concerned. 

 The following suggestions may be adapted 

 to suit one's environment and material: 

 Protecting Bolbs 

 Out-of-door spring flowering bulbs, es- 

 pecially the late planted ones or those 

 that have not yet been planted, will 

 benefit by having some protective ma- 

 terial put over them some time before 

 very severe weather sets in. Four -er 

 five inches of strawy manure, straw, long 

 grass or autumn leaves placed over them 

 prevents, to a very great extent, the bulbs 

 from being lifted or heaved from the 

 ground by sharp frosts and helps them to 

 ■^tart into root action during early winter. 

 Some evergreen spruce or pine boughs 

 may be put over the manure, not only to 

 keep the covering in its place, but also 

 to do away with the unsightly appear- 

 ance the manure presents during the 

 winter when not covered with snow. In 

 exposed places it may be necessary to 

 fasten the covering with wire or pegs to 

 keep it in place. 



Bulbs that were planted at the proper 

 time — the second or third week in 

 Octol>er — may not need protecting as 

 much as the late planted ones, but even 

 these will benefit by some protection, 

 especially in sections where the snowfall 

 is partial and of uncertain duration. 

 Dutch hyacinths and crown imperials 

 should have some protection, as they are 

 not quite as hardy as tulips, narcissi, 

 crocus and most other spring flowering 

 bulbs. Tulips and narcissi especially, 

 can be planted as late as the weather will 

 permit, but are better planted earlier. 



Where Japanese lilies, such as Lilium 

 auratum, L. speciosum album and J.. 

 speciosum rubrum are attempted to be 

 grown out of doors, they should be 

 covered with at least a foot in depth of 

 strawy manure. These lilies, however, 

 are seldom a permanent success as border 



C. B. Alden, Toronto 



plants, even in the warmest parts of 

 Ontario. About the second or third week 

 in November is usually about the best 

 time to put winter covering on bulb beds 

 or borders. 



Border Plants 



Tender border plants, such as holly- 

 hocks, pansies, Shasta daisy, Chinese 

 pinks or any other partially tender border 

 plant that requires protection, must re- 

 ceive very different treatment from that 

 recommended for bulbs and tubers. Too 

 often they are treated exactly the same. 

 Better no protection at all than to treat 

 them in the same way as for bulbs. 



A simple but very practical method of 

 protection is to place over the plants 

 first some small pieces of brushwood, old 

 raspberry canes or coarse trimmings 

 from the perennial border. A few leaves 

 may be sprinkled over and among these, 

 and a light covering of strawy manure, 

 about two inches in thickness, over the 

 top of all. This method of covering 

 plants not only collects and conserves 

 the snow around and over the plants, but 

 what is of far more importance, where it 

 is essential to preserve and keep alive 

 the top growth of the plant, the brush or 

 trimmings mentioned allow of a circula- 

 tion of air — something absolutely neces- 



sary to plant life even when dormant in 

 winter — and prevents the plants from 

 being smothered and often rotted and 

 killed as they usually are by a heavy 

 covering of leaves or manure alone. 

 When the latter alone is applied to grow- 

 ing plants alone for protection, it becomes 

 wet and soddened, then freezes solid, 

 thus forming a solid mass of ice over the 

 plant, effectually excluding the air and 

 usually results in smothering and rotting 

 the plant. 



In our often changeable weather in 

 winter, and more especially during the 

 vagaries of late winter and early spring 

 weather, the light covering mentioned is 

 of great benefit to tender plant life in 

 borders. Whilst admitting sufficient light 

 and air to sustain plant life, it effectually 

 excludes the hot sun, thus to a great ex- 

 tent preventing the alternate freezing 

 and thawing so detrimental to plant life 

 in late winter and early spring. Banking 

 the snow over tender plants protects 

 them materially during winter, but is of 

 uncertain duration and benefit in early 

 spring. There is no better protective 

 material for plant life than dry light snow 

 as long as it lasts. 



Bush Roses and Shrubs 



Budded or grafted plants of hybrid 



A well kept tMclcyird adds to tlic attracttvcnew of the hoaie. 



It w Pliny to tiiivc u tK>jiulirul biM-kyiird, A few HhnilM. nvergr»M*n« iiiifl Itiinly pIhiiIj*. riin Jm> laHLcfiilly urraiig(Hl ut little 



eip<^iiiMt anil will pr<Hluc« a cliurniirig cITi-it Aunualn iiiiiy Iw i<ulMtilut<-<l fur tlin hiirdy ones. 



