CHAPTER VIII 

 Annuals 



Annuals are one-year plants. The seed is sown, the plants 

 bloom, produce seed and die the same year. Many of our prettiest 

 garden flowers are annuals. They are inexpensive, but give a 

 wealth of exquisite bloom, quickly fill in spaces between other 

 plants, are admirable for the rented house garden, or Summer occu- 

 pied house and adapt themselves to a great range of soils and 

 climates. 



Time to Sow. Most annuals, except, perhaps. Amaranth, 

 China Asters, Browallia, Torenia, Gourds and Butterfly Flower, 

 may be sown in the open when the soil is in good working 

 condition and warmed a bit. Many, however, including those just 

 named are best when first started in the house window a httle earlier 

 than they can be sown out of doors. They are sown in shallow 

 boxes or in flower pots. By keeping the soil warm and moist, they 

 will readily germinate. The little plants, when up, must have a 

 place in some window, close to the glass. Later in the Spring such 

 plant boxes can be taken outside, and in a sheltered, warm place 

 the plants will become strong and sturdy and soon of the right 

 size for planting out. 



Some of the fastest growing annuals need not be started until 

 May. Of these. Zinnias, Marigolds, Stocks and Scabiosas are the 

 best. Well known varieties, needing an early start and a careful 

 removal from the seed-bed, or out of boxes into the garden border 

 are: Phlox Drummondi, Chinese Pink, Petunia, China Aster, 

 Browallia, Lobelia, Monkey Flower, Ageratum, Bachelor's But- 

 ton, Ricinus (Castor-Oil Bean) and Mirahilis (Four o'Clock), Sweet 

 Alyssum. Most of these should not be planted in the open before 

 the middle of May, while a few, such as Phlox Drummondi, China 

 Asters, Petunias and Chinese Pinks, may safely be planted out 

 latter part of April, if they are not raised in too warm a place and 

 are hardened off or weaned to the outer air. 



Sowing the Seed. Most annuals especially Petunia, Orna- 

 mental Tobacco (Nicotiana), Portulaca, Salpiglossis and Poppy 



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