'S GARDENS EVERYWHERE 1 



Potting Plants 



HPHIS is a busy time in school. The 

 * weather is less and less dependable, 

 and so every one feels hurried. There are 

 so many nice plants in the school gardens 

 and in the neighborhood gardens. If 

 plants are taken up and potted for the 

 window garden, they will do far better 

 throughout the entire winter if left out- 

 doors as late as possible. Because of this 

 "weathering" the plant is better able to 

 endure its future hardships and is also less 

 prone to lice and the various plant diseases. 



Good soil is the first consideration in 

 potting. Perhaps it is not necessary to 

 fuss so much over the preparation of a 

 potting soil as some people think. A 

 good soil is needed — that is all. One 

 does not need to mix a great portion of 

 fertilizer with the soil. Old rotted manure 

 may be worked in sparingly; fresh fer- 

 tilizer should never be used. If the soil 

 is heavy and clayey, mix in some fine clean 

 sand, one-fifth the amount of the total 

 quantity of soil being a safe proportion. 

 The sand lightens the soil and helps the 

 drainage problem. If the soil is too sandy 

 to start with, thus lacking body, add 

 leaf mold from the woods to make one 

 fifth of the total bulk. If it is impossi- 

 ble to get leaf mold try very old rotted 

 manure, but in that case use only a 

 little. The sheep manure put up in 

 packages by the seedsmen is excellent 

 to use in the preparation of potting soil. 

 The city schools have always the hardest 

 problems of this sort. Sheep manure is 

 possible for them. Try applying to the 

 Park Boards of your cities for small 

 quantities of soil. 



After the soil is mixed, the pots are to 

 be filled. See that they are quite clean. 

 Scrub the old ones with sand and water. 

 Soak up the new ones until you see no bub- 

 bles rising to the surface of the water. 

 This soaking up of the pot prevents too 

 rapid drying out of the soil. 



It is absolutely necessary to provide 

 a proper amount of drainage material 

 in the pot or window box. Pieces of broken 

 crocks, charcoal, or stones may be used 

 for the purpose. Stones are the very 

 poorest things to use. They, of course, 

 absorb and hold very little water. But 

 if one has no other material to use thev are 



HOUSE PLANTS FOR SUNNY AND 

 SUNLESS WINDOWS — HOW TO POT 

 AND CARE FOR PLANTS -INSECT 

 PESTS AND HOW TO FIGHT THEM 



Conducted by 

 ELLEN EDDY SHAW 



New York 



better than nothing. At least they repre- 

 sent a loose area at the bottom of box or 

 pot where air may penetrate. Broken 

 crock is better than stone for drainage 

 purposes. Charcoal is best of all because 

 it adds sweetness to the soil, and a mass 

 of soil, such as there is in a window box, 

 is so likely to get water-soaked and sour. 

 A combination of broken crocks and char- 

 coal is good too. 



The question is often asked as to the 

 amount of drainage material to use. First, 

 of course, one must cover the drainage hole 

 in the pot with a bit of crock. Do this 

 for each separate hole in the bottom of 

 the window box. Place about one inch 

 of drainage material in small pots, pans 

 and flats, and two inches or more in window 

 boxes and large pots. This may sound 

 like a great deal of space to devote to 

 drainage material, but just try it and 

 watch the results. 



After attending to the drainage fill in the 

 soil. Do not fill the pot full of soil and then 

 poke the plant in. Fill the pot about 

 half full of soil, then hold the plant in 

 position, allowing room enough for the 



The pest most common to house plants Is lice or 

 aphis. Spray with soapy solution or dilute oils. etc. 



173 



roots to take an uncramped position. 

 Hold the plant with one hand, and fill 

 in soil with the other. Firm the plant in 

 place. After potting you should be able 

 to hold up the plant, pot and all, by the 

 plant stalk. 



Do not fill the soil clear up to the top 

 level of the pot. A good half inch should 

 be left for watering. The rule is the 

 same in the case of the window box. 



House Plants 



A NOTHER question arising is that of 

 ■** the kinds of plants to use for house 

 culture. Geraniums are the most satis- 

 factory of all plants. But they do their 

 best in sunny windows. A window box 

 full of bright red geraniums with wander- 

 ing Jew or English ivy, trailing over the 

 edge, is the best for the school-room. If 

 the box is to be in a sunless window, then 

 this is an entirely different proposition. 

 So it all resolves itself into a division of 

 plants, one for sunny conditions, and the 

 other for sunless. 



In the north windows try begonias. 

 The coral begonia is an excellent one to 

 try. Fuchsias, dracaena, pandanus and 

 aspidistra do well with little or no sunlight. 

 Ferns, palms, ivies and the different 

 varieties of asparagus grown indoors, 

 will thrive without sunlight. Geraniums, 

 heliotropes, abutilons and roses need direct 

 sunlight. Alyssum and petunias may be 

 taken up from the garden, potted and 

 kept in the sunny windows all winter long. 



The areca, kentia, and Cocos Wedddliana 

 palms are the best home palms. For the 

 hanging basket buy a plant called "little 

 pickles" or Othonna Capensis. This may 

 be increased by planting pieces of it in the 

 soil. 



Watering of Plants 



PLANTS may be as greatly injured 

 by too much water as by too little. 

 This is rather difficult to regulate; give 

 plants water when they need it, and when 

 you do water, do it thoroughly. 



Plants that are to remain without at- 

 tention over Sundays in classrooms are 

 often left standing in saucers full of water. 

 Try placing the pot on two matches laid 

 in the bottom of a saucer filled with water. 



