Guide to Better Gardening — Flowers 



GOURDS. Plant as soon as danger of frost is past be- 

 cause if gourds are to be dried and saved they must be 

 completely ripe before picking. In the north it helps to 

 start a few seeds in pots on a sunny windowsill about 

 four weeks prior to safe transplanting time. Plant 

 seeds or seedlings on low "hills" where long vines can 

 climb on fences, bushes, or brush. Let ripen until stem 

 shrivels and pick with short stem still adhering. Do not 

 puncture, bruise, or scar fruits. Put in a cool, dry place 

 for two months, then coat with ordinary floor wax and 

 polish lightly. 



HOLLYHOCK. Does best if used as a biennial. Sow 

 seed in late spring or summer in well prepared soil. 

 Plant seed to a depth of about }4 inch. Cover (mulch) 

 with a thin layer of straw over winter. Should bloom 

 early the second summer. Provide support if plants are 

 exposed to strong winds. Suffers from rust. Main in- 

 sect pest is red spider. Control by using light applica- 

 tions of sulphur dust. Useful for background or at back 

 of tall borders. Color range complete except for blue. 

 Fully double flower types are most compact. 



LARKSPUR. One of the hardy annuals that can be 

 planted in the late fall or very early in the spring. 

 Either broadcast seed and rake it in or else plant to 

 depth of }/s inch in fairly rich heavy soil. Plants can 

 stand quite close together (3 to 4 inches) or can be 

 spaced out to 10 to 12 inches. Prefers cool weather and 

 plenty of moisture. Good for cutting and for tall bor- 

 ders or medium backgrounds. Wide range of colors. 



MARIGOLD. They do well under conditions which 

 are favorable for zinnias and should be handled the 

 same way. Marigolds can be roughly divided into 3 

 groups; the African varieties, growing two feet or more 



Petunias are one of the easiest of all flowers to grow. 

 They will add color to your garden until frost. 



Dress up the sidewalks, driveways and other approaches 

 to your home with colorful, free-blooming flower borders. 



in height, the small-flowered dwarf French kind, and 

 the tall, small-flowered French type. Grown for cut 

 flowers and used effectively in high edgings or borders 

 (2 to 3 ft.) and dwarf edgings (8 to 14 in.). Color range is 

 mostly in yellows, orange and red. 



MORNING GLORY. After danger of frost is past, 

 sow seed in 3^ inch of fine soil along a fence or by a 

 trellis. Plants should stand about 3 or 4 inches apart 

 to make a solid mat of growth for cover. Reducing the 

 amount of water will induce greater freedom of bloom. 

 To make a shorter and heavier mat of growth, cut 

 off growing tips of vines at a height of 3 or 4 ft. and 

 allow side shoots or laterals to grow. One of the most 

 popular vines. 



NASTURTIUM. Plant seed directly outdoors after 

 soil becomes warm. Lush growth occurs if soil is too 

 rich or watering too heavy. Blooms most profusely if 

 grown in rather poor soil and kept quite dry. Plant seed 

 ^2 inch deep and press soil down. Make rows 2 ft. 

 apart for dwarf, 3 ft. for trailing type. Thin plants to 

 8 inches apart when 2 inches tall. Black aphis is the 

 most common pest on nasturtiums and it can be best 

 controlled by applications of nicotine sprays or Mala- 

 thion. Fragrant. Good for cut flowers, bouquets, mass 

 color effects in the garden or for trailing vines. 



PANSY. Can be planted directly outdoors in the gar- 

 den or indoors for transplanting to the garden later. 

 If indoors, sow in cold frames during the winter or early 

 spring. Cover seed He inch deep in fine soil. Thin out 

 seedlings when about 1 inch tall to 3 inches apart. 

 Transplant to the outside garden in fairly warm spring 

 weather and place plants about 6 inches apart. If seeded 



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