34 



BECKERT SEED AND BULB COMPANY 



FLOWER GARDENS FROM 

 SEEDS 



The only differ- 

 ence between 

 making a flower 

 garden and a veg- 

 etable garden, for 

 which directions 

 are given on Page 

 2, is that flower 

 seeds are very 

 much finer grained 

 than most vege- 

 table seeds and are 

 generally of slower 

 germination. This com- 

 bination requires, above 

 all, that the soil for any 

 flower garden should be put 

 in as fine condition as it can 

 possibly be with the help of 

 all kinds of tools and rakes, and 

 the seeds should be sown very 

 shallow or covered very lightly. 

 Then, too, the gardener has to exer- 

 cise patience. A row of Radish seed 

 or Beans will show up within a week, 

 while the majority of flower seeds (with 

 few exceptions) will lie dormant for the 

 best part of two weeks before even sprouts 

 appear. Another thing: many of the young 

 flower seedlings very much resemble weeds. 

 Do not be in any great haste to thin out or transplant rows of 

 flowers until the character of the plant shows up so unmistakably 

 as to assure you that you are transplanting a flower rather than 

 a weed. 



In the case of very expensive flower seeds, it is best to start 

 them indoors in a shallow box with good soil. Sow the seeds 

 of the finer grained varieties on top of the ground and press 

 them firmly into the soil. Then cover with a piece of newspaper, 

 and water that, so as not to shove the seeds too deeply into the 

 soil. 



All flowers being more tender than most vegetables, the real 

 flower garden outdoors is generally not planted until after May 

 1st. But many of the hardier classes, like Asters, Carnations, 

 Zinnias, etc., may be started in the house in boxes, as suggested 

 above, for an extra early crop of flowers. 



