Care of Pot Plants: Watering, Etc. 



Plants in pots may be compared to caged birds, both being in unnatural conditions. 

 Their requirements must be filled, or results will be unsatisfactory. A free bird, or a 

 free plant, having the air, or mother earth around them, can resist winds, and dust, and 

 dryness, and many other things that interfere with growth; but when in cages or 

 pots, they are entirely at the mercy of those who own them. Birds generally fare better 

 than plants, for it is not uncommon to see plants sitting in windows, and on railings of 

 verandas, day after day, exposed to sun, winds and dryness'; the pots are porous and 

 the roots of plants are close against the side, they soon become hard and dry and 

 incapable of transmitting supplies to the leaves and stem. The plant itself exposed to 

 winds and dryness, reaches a pitiable condition, and life soon becomes a matter of 

 simple endurance, depending entirely upon its powers of resistance. The supply of 

 water is often deficient, the dry pot absorbing a great deal, and most of the water 

 running down on the outside of the ball, the center of the ball being dry. 



Pot plants growing in exposed places should have double pots or pot covers, much 

 injury being done by the exposure of the porous clay of the pots to drying influences. 

 There are certain plants that can bear exposure to adverse influences, better than others. 

 Among them are Yuccas, Aloes, Fourcroyas, Palms, Dracenas, Asparagus Sprengeri and 

 a few other plants with thick leathery leaves. Plants in pots should never be allowed 

 to become dry. Neglect of this kind, once, may cause more damage to the roots of a 

 plant than it can repair in a month. The ends of a root are supplied with mouths or 

 ducts, through which they absorb moisture or nutriment. If these are destroyed by dry- 

 ing or decayed by over-watering, the source of supply is cut off from the plant. It has 

 to put out new roots before it can regain its vigor. Hence the importance of care in 

 watering. 



New or dry. pots should be soaked in water before potting plants, so as to fill the 

 pores, or they will absorb moisture from the soil and dry out the roots. It is a good 

 plan to protect potted plants with covers or set them inside of a second pot to keep 

 plant from drying out. The roots near the sides of the pot are easily dried in sun or 

 draught. Covers or double pots shade them. Covers can be made of rice matting, and 

 various materials, or pot covers can be purchased ready made. 



Plant rooted cuttings in 2 to 2% inch pots, and re-pot into larger sizes as the pots 

 fill up with roots. Small plants should never be put into large pots, but advanced as 

 they gain size and strength. If over-potted, the soil becomes sodden before the plant 

 grows large enough to require the room. It grows slowly and often makes a complete 

 failure. In re-potting, turn the pot over, face down, placing the fingers across* the top 

 to hold the plant and gently tap the edge of the pot on the edge of a table or potting 

 bench. The plant will slip out easily and the roots can be examined and plant slipped 

 back in the pot, or potted on, as desired. 



If roots have reached the outside of the ball and formed a network around it, it 

 requires a larger pot. 



THE CARE OF FERNS 



Most ferns, especially those offered in greenhouses, are shade-loving. Their native 

 homes are in canyons, or under trees in moist places where the air is quiet, and their 

 fronds are not disturbed. Many of them are from tropical countries and quite a number 

 have originated in green houses, either as sports or from spores, as their seeds are 

 called. Adiantums or maiden hair ferns, are most difficult to manage in the house, 

 because they will not long survive the dry air of rooms, owing to the extreme delicacy 

 and small size of their pinnules, which are sometimes as delicate as gauze. They are 

 sensitive to dryness of the air, though they will often do well in shaded places, in 

 lath houses, or shady verandas, and only a few succeed with them in the house. Many 

 other kinds are admirably adapted for house culture; among the different varieties of 

 Nephrolepis, of which the Boston fern is one. The Asplenium Belangeri, Woodwardia, 

 (a native California fern.) 



Perns should not be placed in halls, or situations exposed to draughts. They require 

 great care in watering. People often think they have watered their plants when the 

 water has only gone over the surface and around the sides of the pots, the center of 

 the ball being still quite dry. This is especially the case when the pots are filled with 

 roots. It is necessary that the ball should be thoroughly soaked. There is no regular 

 rule as to the time for watering. Plants in vigorous growth require more frequent water- 

 ing. Evaporation also, has much to do with it. On dry warm days, when evaporation is 

 great, water may be needed twice a day, while if the air is cool and moist, two or three 

 days might intervene without water. A healthy vigorous plant absorbs much water, 

 while a delicate one can absorb but little. The soil should be examined always, and if 

 dry, watered; if not refrain from watering. A dry pot if tapped, gives a hollow sound 

 like a ripe watermelon, while one that is wet gives a dull heavy sound that indicates 

 moisture. 



When. leaves shrivel and turn yellow, the soil has been too dry; if they turn yellow 

 without shriveling, it indicates too much water has been given. In either case, the 

 roots have been abused and lost their power of absorption. 



Plants which are late in blooming may often be made to give their flowers earlier by 

 allowing them to become pot-bound, after which they can be fed with fertilizers and 

 kept from suffering from lack of fresh soil. 



The reason for this is that when the vigor of growth is checked, supplies are cut 

 off. This induces a plant to put forth buds earlier than it would under normal condi- 

 tions. Many vines or plants make very strong growth before blooming. When grown 

 in the east it is sometimes as late as September before they give any flowers, which 

 makes a very short blooming season, for frosts kill them, a sad disappointment to those 

 who have watched them grow so long. 



