THE WINDOW GARDEN 335 



POTTING 



Potting is likely to prove another stumbling 

 block in the way of success. But if the be- 

 ginner will bear in mind the following simple 

 rules, he will not go astray : 



New pots must be soaked in water two or 

 three hours before using and old pots must be 

 thoroughly cleaned before being refilled. 



Provide ample drainage. Place over the hole 

 in the bottom of the pot a piece of broken crock, 

 hollow side downward and, upon this, overlap- 

 ping, place a layer of smaller pieces. The 

 larger and, deeper the pot the more liberal 

 should be the quantity of drainage material — 

 a layer of drainage material one inch deep is 

 not too much in an eight-inch pot to insure the 

 health of the plant. 



Pot all plants firmly — if the soil is loose, 

 proper watering is impossible. 



Repot plants when the mass of roots sur- 

 rounds the ball of earth. Ascertain the root 

 condition by gently emptying the pot of its con- 

 tents. In repotting, shift to a pot two sizes 

 larger — that is, for instance, from a five-inch 

 pot to a seven-inch. A cramped plant will not 

 show its full beauty of foliage and bloom. 



