The Garden Magazine, October, 1921 



73 



Making Use of the Frames 



Lettuce, planted now, will provide a supply of salad until Christmas, 

 if protection can be given by banking leaves or manure around 

 the frames and by covering with mats, etc., on severe nights. 



Pansies, English Daisies, Myosotis, Canterbury-bells, etc., being win- 

 tered in coldframes, to be kept dry enough to avoid soft growth, 

 which damps readily during warm periods in the winter. When 

 severe weather sets in, cover with dry straw or leaves and put on 

 sash to keep dry. When using leaves, place some small twigs over 

 the plants to prevent settling down too solidly. 



Under Glass Gardening for Winter 



From this time onward work in the greenhouse becomes of more im- 

 portance in the current routine. 



Cold nights must be watched for, and the heating system got ready for 

 use at a moment's notice. A thermostat is really essential in a 

 small house. 



Hardwood plants (such as Acacia, Genista, Azalea, and Camellia) 

 to be given the protection of a cool house or pit until the middle 

 of November. See that all such plants are free from insect pests. 



Pot fruit trees that were repotted a few weeks ago may remain out- 

 doors for some time yet to ripen their wood and prepare for next 

 season's work. Keep free of scale and do not allow them to be- 

 come water-logged. 



Planted-out vines in the greenhouse (such as Allamanda, Stephanotis, 

 Bougainvillea, etc.) to have the water supply reduced gradually, 

 so as to give them a period of rest. Do not withhold the water 

 until the foliage falls. Growth to be checked and the new wood 

 ripened before they are started into active growth again. 



In the palm house, keep a drier atmosphere and give less water than 

 when the plants were in active growth; too much heat and water 

 result in the Palms losing color. 



As Chrysanthemums Flower 



Many varieties of Chrysanthemum will begin opening blooms this 

 month and shading will improve the quality of the flowers. It 

 is not good practice to apply whitewash to the glass, as the petals 

 will damp off during damp dark weather if the shade is too heavy. 

 Portable shades are available which can be moved at will. Keep 

 after the black fly and have the house fairly dry at night to pre- 

 vent mildew. A light application of soot water improves the 

 color of the flowers; all other feeding to be discontinued. Water- 

 ing to be done only when actually needed and in the forenoon. 



Carnations Now in Benches 



Carnation foliage to be kept dry overnight. Look out for rust; pick 

 off and burn infected leaves; spray with copper solution. Thrips are 

 more easily controlled as the weather gets cooler. Spray regularly 

 for red spider. Do not close the ventilators at night but keep a 

 "crack" of air until a little heat in the pipes fails to keep the tem- 

 perature right. A light mulch of rotted manure along the south 

 edges of the benches will protect the young roots from the sun. 

 If the stems are weak, apply a dressing of lime. Give supports. 



Roses Now in Benches 



Early planted Roses will have given a fair crop of bloom by this time, 

 and as the breaks show again a little bone meal may be applied, 

 followed by a mulch of manure. After watering well allow the 

 soil to become a little dry before another watering. Avoid a wet, 

 stagnant soil. Lime water will help. Be sparing in the use of 

 manures rich in nitrogen just now when the temperature is bound 

 to fluctuate on warm days; an over-dose makes soft plants. 



The Lilies for Easter 



Lilium formosum planted in August will now be making roots, and some 

 shoots will be pushing. They need not go to the greenhouse yet, 

 but remove the soil which covers the pots to avoid lanky stems. 

 Place in a frame with a sash over. Lilium Harrisi planted for 

 early winter flowering will be pot-bound enough by this time and 

 ready to be taken in a warm house with temperature of 70 degrees 

 if plenty of water is given to keep the soil moist at all times and 

 early bloom is wanted. Syringe the foliage several times a day 

 and keep down green fly. 



Plants to be Brought Inside 



Field-grown Roses to be lifted, potted firmly, and placed in a coldframe. 

 Spray on bright days. Cover the frames during rainy weather; 



get well-ripened wood and re-established plants which force well 



in early spring. 

 Shrubs for forcing, such as Lilacs, Deutzias, Forsythias, Pyrus, Loni- 



cera, Spireas, etc. (see back issues of this Magazine) to be lifted 



and potted in readiness for spring forcing. 

 Clumps of Chrysanthemum maximum, variety King Edward VII, can 



be lifted and carried along in a frame for forcing next January. 



Give Coreopsis the same treatment. 

 Violets may still be planted; choose a dark day and avoid over-water- 

 ing. An occasional dose of lime water will keep the soil sweet. 

 Mignonette, Stocks, Snapdragons, and other plants of this type for 



forcing may still be benched. Water carefully until thor- 

 oughly rooted. 

 Cold-storage Spireas for mid-winter flowering to be purchased and 



potted up. Place in a cold house or under the bench until growth 



starts; then give full sunlight and water freely. 

 Tulips for forcing to be potted or boxed up as soon as possible. Give 



ample drainage. 

 Canterbury-bells, Dielytra spectabilis, and the variegated Funkias for 



forcing to be lifted and potted up. Place in a frost-proof frame 



until needed. 

 Cinerarias to be potted on as they fill the pots with roots. Space out 



to give a chance to develop fine foliage all around. 



Easter Suggestions 



Rooted cuttings of Geraniums intended to flower round Easter time 

 to be potted up as soon as they are ready and kept growing right 

 along. Or grow along in a frame with proper protection, where, 

 with favorable weather, they might remain until the Chrysanthe- 

 mums are out of the way. 



Cuttings of Mrs. Sanders Marguerite for Easter flowering to be rooted 

 now and carried in a temperature of 50 degrees. Small plants 

 in 4-inch pots, well potbound, will flower earlier than larger 

 plants that have been given plenty of root room. 



Now Growing and Needing Care 



Otaheite Oranges to be given a place on a sunny bench in a tempera- 

 ture of 54-58 degrees at night with the usual rise with sun heat 

 during the day. Strong plants need a great deal of water, some 

 more than others. Syringe to control scale and mealy bug. Give 

 liquid manure weekly when the pots are well filled with roots. 



Side shoots of Pandanus Veitchii to be taken off when a fair size is 

 attained (and then always with a heel). Place them in a warm 

 propagating case, with a brisk bottom heat, and pot up when they 

 have made roots about half an inch long. A good soil is three 

 parts fibrous loam, leaf mold two parts, and .one of sand. Give 

 temperature of 65 degrees at night. 



Specimen winter-flowering Begonias need space to develop. Elevate 

 on inverted pots or blocks of wood as close to the glass as possible, 

 and so that every overhanging branch is fully exposed to the 

 light. Keep temperature not below 55, not above 79. 



Snapdragons, planted early and making strong growth, to be sup- 

 ported with stakes as needed. Disbud. Have the foliage dry 

 overnight, or rust may develop. Spray with suitable fungicide, 

 as a preventive. 



Bedding-plant cuttings now rooted to be potted up and grown along 

 in a cool temperature. 



Seeds to be Sown Inside 



Main sowing of Sweet-peas to be made this month. Tie up the early 

 sown batch and keep the flowers picked clean. Maintain temper- 

 ature evenly at 45-50 degrees during the night, and up to 60 during 

 the day. Stir the soil carefully, and water regularly. Cut out 

 the laterals, and tendrils. Strong-growing Spencers may be 

 nipped and two growths taken up. 



Early sown Mignonette benched last month needs supports. Seeds 

 may be sown now for January and February flowering. 



Calceolaria leaves to be inspected for insect pests, and sprayed. 



Succession sowing of Beans, Cauliflower, Lettuce, Spinach, and Rad- 

 ishes can be made at various intervals. 



Pansies for overwintering in coldframes may still be sown. Those 

 sown last month may be set outdoors where they will winter, if 

 given protection with salt hay or similar material. 



Continue planting Paper White, Grand Soleil d'Or, and Trumpet Ma- 

 jor Narcissus. Some of the early planted stock that is well rooted 

 may be brought into a carnation house temperature. 



