Gardening for Amateurs 



859 



The Pruning of Greenhouse and Hothouse Glimbers 



NOTHING adds more to the charm 

 of a glasshouse than a few climbers 

 trained up the rafters of the roof, 

 on pillars, and against the back wall when 

 the house is a lean-to structure. Many 

 of them make vigorous growth, arid if 

 not correctly treated in the matter of 

 pruning, soon deteriorate, while affecting 

 adversely the welfare of the plants in pots 

 beneath them. During summer climbers 

 may be allowed much more space than in 

 winter, for during longer, brighter days 

 a little shade from the climbers will do 

 no harm to plants on the stages. In winter 

 it is an entirely different matter. At that 

 season all the light possible is necessary for 

 the plants in pots. Thus annual pruning or 

 vigorous thinning of the climbers trained to 

 the rafters of a greenhouse is very necessary 

 in autumn. 



There are two distinct classes or sections 

 of climbers, those with evergreen leaves 

 and those which are deciduous. It will be 

 at once recognised that deciduous climbers 

 are the most satisfactory for training to the 

 roof -rafters, and as these are in the majority 

 some of them may be used for the pillars 

 and walls. In dealing with climbers that 

 need severe pruning annually it is best to 

 shorten them in autumn by about half, and 

 complete the hard pruning in the new year. 



WARM GREENHOUSE AND HOTHOUSE 

 CLIMBERS 



Allamanda Hendersoni. A vigorous 

 climber with large yellow flowers. Shorten 

 the shoots in autumn, and prune them hard 

 back in early spring. 



Aristolochia. This curious plant is best 

 trained to the rafters, and the season's new 

 shoots allowed to hang down. It is decidu- 

 ous and requires hard pruning in spring. 



Bougainvillea glabra. A very popular 

 deciduous climber for pillars and rafters, 

 also thrives in a cool greenhouse. Requires 

 hard pruning in spring. 



Gissus (Vitis) discolor. This tropical 

 Vine is a lovely roof -climber ; the young 

 growths hang down, forming a pretty cur- 



tain, or they may be trained over arches or 

 around pillars. The leaves are velvety green 

 mottled with silvery- white. This is of rapid 

 growth, and the shoots should be thinned 

 freely in autumn, the oldest being cut out 

 first. 



Clerodendron Balfouri is one of our best 

 hothouse climbers, producing in quantity 

 during the summer beautiful scarlet and 

 white flowers. It is deciduous (leaf -losing), 

 and suitable for training up rafters or 

 pillars. Shorten the growths in autumn 

 and prune hard back early in the new year. 



Gloriosa superba. This is a bulbous 

 plant which makes annual growths of 5 or 6 

 feet. These die down in autumn, when the 

 pots can be laid on their sides under the 

 stage, as one does with Caladium and 

 Gloxinia. The flowers are orange and red. 



Hoya carnosa. An evergreen climber 

 making long slender growths suitable to 

 train round pillars or along the roof -rafters, 

 as it is not likely to shade unduly the plants 

 beneath. Hoya carnosa has been called the 

 Wax Flower, in reference to the dainty wax- 

 like nature of the delicate flesh-pink flowers. 

 Pruning takes the form of thinning out the 

 growths whenever they become too numerous. 



Stephanotis floribunda. This has de- 

 lightfully fragrant waxy-white flowers hang- 

 ing in clusters, mostly produced in early 

 summer. It has been called the Madagascar 

 Jessamine. Stephanotis may be grown in 

 a similar way to Hoya carnosa, and requires 

 the same attention in pruning. 



Solanum Wendlandii. A most vigorous 

 climber, producing in summer large heads of 

 lilac-blue flowers. These are borne at the 

 ends of the shoots, and their weight gives 

 the plants a pendulous habit. It is deciduous 

 and most effective when trained to the roof 

 of a large conservatory. Shorten the growths 

 in autumn and prune hard back early in the 

 year. 



GREENHOUSE CLIMBING PLANTS 

 Abutilon. These have fine Mallow-like 

 flowers. They are very effective against a 

 wall, also trained to pillars or rafters. 



