136 THE BEGINNER'S GARDEN BOOK 



roots can just reach to, remembering that the surface is to be 

 half an inch below the top of the pot. Now lift the plant, 

 hold it in the middle of the pot with one hand, and with the 

 other pour in soil all around it, firming it around the sides of 



the pot with the fingers or 

 a little stick. Put in more 

 and more until the roots 

 are firmly held ; then press 

 together, at the very base 

 of the little plant, enough 

 . , earth to hold it upright. 



FIG. 73. Using the thumbs to finish 



the potting of a plant. Level the surf ace, using 



more soil if necessary; 



tap the pot smartly on the desk or table, to settle the earth 

 in place, or press down with the thumbs, water freely but 

 gently, and the work is done. 



If you have done this properly, the plant is now in the 

 pot with the earth not too firmly pressed around it. If it is 

 jammed or rammed in with too much vigor, the roots cannot 

 easily spread out. 



Another way to pot the plant, and quite as good, is to 

 drain the pot and fill it loosely with earth quite to the top. 

 Tap it lightly, to settle the earth a little. Then with the 

 finger make a hole in the center to the right depth, lower in 

 the plant, press the earth around the roots, firm it around 

 the base of the stem, and scatter in a little more earth, 

 leveling the surface. If you have calculated rightly, and 

 have not pressed the soil down too hard, you will have both 

 earth and plant at the right depth. 



Cuttings are to be potted just as plants are, except that 

 the larger ones may need larger pots. 



Put the plants always in the center of the pot. They 

 can thus grow more evenly. 



