Annuals for Winter Bloom Indoors — By Martha H. Clark, 



A NEGLECTED OPPORTUNITY FOR THE INDOOR GARDENER — YOU CAN START NOW AND 

 HAVE A SCORE OF DIFFERENT BRIGHTLY BLOOMING PLANTS OVER THE HOLIDAYS 



New 



Hampshire- 



NO GARDEN lover would dream of 

 discarding annuals from his summer 

 garden, but few seem to realize how much 

 wealth of color and fragrance they would 

 add to his collection of conservatory 

 flowers. Yet the owner of a small con- 

 servatory, or merely a modest window-nook 

 in a sunny corner of the home has in them 

 great possibilities for winter beauty. 



There are four methods by which the 

 amateur can successfully make use of 

 annuals for winter culture. With the 

 exception of a few varieties in each case 

 (which I have noted below in each instance) 

 these methods apply to all the better known 

 species of annuals. 



i. The first method consists in planting 

 a summer garden of annuals, and in 

 utilizing the self-sown seedlings for con- 

 servatory culture. This method has the 

 two-fold advantage, in that the grower 

 may enjoy a gardenful of flowers through- 

 out the summer, and at the same time have 

 an abundance of material for his conserva- 

 tory during the winter months. 



It is also by far the most satisfactory, 

 and successful method for the amateur of 

 little experience. It has but one dis- 

 advantage, that in the case of some flowers, 

 such as annual phlox, petunias, etc., whose 

 prototype is of an unpleasing magenta hue, 

 the self-sown seedlings are very apt to 

 revert to the original type. 



2. The second method consists in sowing 

 seed in the open ground by mid-August, 

 and transplanting the young plants into 

 their winter quarters before the first frosts. 

 This provides very nearly as sturdy plants 

 as the first plan, but makes much more 

 trouble and uncertainty. The seedlings 

 must be shaded from the midsummer sun; 

 whereas, in the first method, they are 

 protected by the mother plants. And it 

 is a fact that no seedlings seem to have 

 quite the vigor and general sturdiness of 

 those that have sown themselves. 



In both these methods, there is the dis- 

 advantage of having to transplant. This 

 delicate operation in the hands of a novice, 

 may often lead to total failure, despite the 

 health of the plants that are moved. The 

 young plants chosen should be small and 

 stocky, and must be lifted with a broad- 

 bladed garden trowel that is large enough 

 to include plenty of earth with the roots. 

 So handled and cut back a trifle, to allow 

 any bruised or torn root-growth to estab- 

 lish itself, transplanting is easy. 



3. The third method entirely does away 

 with transplanting; and where the plants 

 for the conservatory are to be grown on 

 and flowered in pots, is a very easy and 

 successful way to raise a stock of healthy 

 plants. By this method, the seeds are 

 sown directly in the pots in which the 

 plants are to flower. Sow several seeds 

 to a pot, labelling each pot carefully as to 



color and variety. Then pull up the weaker 

 seedlings, leaving two of the sturdiest, or 

 in the case of a small pot, leave only one 

 plant. In the case of double flowers, how- 

 ever, such as double petunias, it is a 

 peculiar fact, and one little known to most 

 amateur gardeners, that the smallest 

 weakest looking seedlings invariably pro- 

 duce the fine double flowers, the ranker 

 growing seedlings being singles almost 

 without exception. 



Five-inch pots are a very convenient 

 size. After the plants are a few inches 

 high, the pots should be plunged in the 

 ground, in a semi-shaded position. At the 

 bottom of each hole made to receive a pot, 

 there should be a layer of coal-ashes to 

 discourage the rootlets from finding their 

 way through the hole in the bottom of the 

 pot, as they will surely do if this precaution 

 is neglected. 



4. The fourth and last method, is the 

 least satisfactory for the amateur, and 

 needs plant-benches, plenty of root-room, 

 and unwearying attention to watering and 

 airing; and even then, except in the case 

 of a veritable greenhouse and a trained 

 gardener, will result only in weak, spindly, 

 anaemic plants. 



In this method the seeds are sown in 

 midsummer, in the conservatory boxes or 

 pots and where they are to flower during the 

 winter. The disadvantages of this method 

 so far outweigh its advantages that I 

 merely mention it as a possibility. Strange 

 to say it is almost invariably the way 

 chosen by the amateur who desires to 

 flower annuals in winter. 



Along in September he suddenly decides 

 that he would like to try a few annuals for 

 winter-flowering. Consequently he buys 

 and sows his seeds (generally ordered in 



Mignonette seeds sown outdoors about August 15 

 will give flowering plants by November 



11 



mixture) and leaves the seedlings almost 

 as much to their own devices as he would 

 if he were growing them in the open ground. 

 He forgets that the atmosphere of a house 

 lacks woefully the health-bringing oxygen 

 and humidity of fresh air and dew. And 

 then, when the sickly plants have readily 

 succumbed to the first inroads of aphis 

 and red spider, he blames everything but 

 himself, and vows ever after that annuals 

 are "no good for house culture!" And 

 his friends who hear him must believe him 

 or there would be more winter growers of 

 some of our best annuals. 



A few general rules in the selection of 

 seed, are as follows. 



1. Buy only from large and well known 

 seed firms if you would be sure of having 

 your seeds fresh, and true to name and 

 color. 



2. Do not buy in mixture but order by 

 color only. 



3. In the case of snapdragons, stocks,, 

 etc., where there are listed tall, intermediate, 

 and dwarf varieties, choose only the dwarf 

 or semi-tall varieties. 



4. Grow only a few kinds at one time. 

 It is far better to make a specialty of a few 

 than to grow an unsatisfying hodge-podge 

 of too many kinds. 



It is safe to say that all annuals that 

 may be grown in the open air, can be suc- 

 cessfully flowered in the house if care is 

 taken to provide them with similar con- 

 ditions. All, however, are not worthy 

 of a place in the winter garden, where each 

 plant must count to its fullest extent in- 

 beauty and general suitability. 



The following list comprises those that 

 are most easily grown, and that I have 

 found to be most worth while. The 

 numerous failures have been omitted, and 

 only those listed, with which any amateur 

 may reasonably hope for success. 



Sweet Alyssum. Self sown seedlings are 

 the best. Transplanted in October before 

 heavy frost they will begin blooming by 

 the first of December, and continue all 

 the winter and early spring. I have 

 found the common sweet alyssum the 

 most satisfactory. It is very good for a 

 hanging-pot or basket, for as the plants 

 grow, they trail somewhat, and are apt 

 otherwise to take up a good deal of space. 

 Flowers white, and very fragrant. 



Snapdragon. Get the dwarf and inter- 

 mediate varieties of antirrhinum for win- 

 ter culture. They do best when seed is 

 sown in individual pots about July 1st 

 and pots sunk in the ground; begin 

 blossoming in January, and last through 

 April and early May. The lighter colored 

 varieties are the most showy and effective. 

 Do best when a trifle pot-bound, and 

 respond quickly to liberal enriching. Will 

 not stand a. sudden drop in temperature. 

 Are also somewhat susceptible to aphis 



