Cultural Directions for Flower Seeds 



The Flower Seed Section of this Catalog is divided into four classes, Annuals, Perennials, Conservatory Plants, 

 and Vines, and under each variety on the following pages is shown a cultural letter indicating which of the 

 cultural directions given below applies to each variety. The height of the plant, the approximate blooming period, 

 and the preference of such plants as are susceptible to either extreme sun or shade is also shown. 



Preparation and Care of the 

 Flower Garden 



While it is generally true that almost any 

 soil will produce plants and flowers, a little 

 care, fertilizer, and cultivation will greatly 

 increase the productiveness of any garden. In 

 late fall or early spring, spade your flower- 

 beds deeply, add well-rotted manure or peat 



moss or humus, plus a complete fertilizer, and mix thoroughly with 

 the soil. This will enable the roots to penetrate to a greater depth, 

 will aid in the holding of moisture in the ground, and will replenish 

 the humus and food-elements the crops of previous years have taken 

 out of the soil. When time to sow the seeds, work the surface as fine 

 as possible and sow in accordance with the cultural instructions 

 referred to by letter under the individual Flower Seed headings, these 

 separate cultural instructions being given below. After seeds or plants 

 are in the ground, if weather conditions necessitate watering, a fine 

 spray should be used, being sure the moisture penetrates to a reason- 

 able depth, as one good watering which reaches 4 to 5 inches will be 

 of far greater value than four or five that reach only to a depth of 

 1 inch, and which in extreme hot, dry weather may prove harmful. 

 (This holds good for your lawn also.) Mulching with a layer of peat 

 moss will do much to retain moisture. As soon as the top of the bed 

 becomes dry enough after a rain, or after watering, work with a hoe or 

 cultivator, pulverizing to a reasonable depth to create a dust-mulch that 

 will prevent excessive evaporation in the sub-soil. All plants, to maintain 



FLOWER SEED SECTION 



Page 



Annuals 5-20 



Perennials 21 -27 



Conservatory Plants 28-29 



Vines 29-30 



their vigorous growth and productiveness, re- 

 quire a certain amount of food elements that 

 cannot be added to the soil at the time of plant- 

 ing, but which should be applied later in either 

 dry or liquid form. Complete or special fertiliz- 

 ers fill these requirements. The following points 

 are of the utmost importance and should not 

 be overlooked. Don't sow the seed too deep. 

 Don't crowd the plants, but give each a place 

 in the sun and a chance to develop. 



Seed-Flat Preparation 



The preparation of the seed-flat is always of the utmost importance. 

 A flat box about 16 inches wide by 20 inches long and 4 inches deep 

 will be ideal. Drill four holes in the bottom for perfect drainage and 

 put in a 1-inch layer of damp peat moss. Next mix two parts of good 

 clean garden soil, free from fresh manure or decaying vegetable matter, 

 with one part of peat moss or humus, and sift the whole through a 

 J^8- or J^-inch sieve, making sure the peat moss is all rubbed through. 

 Fill the rest of the flat with this mixture, firming lightly with a board, 

 until the soil is within Yl inch of the top. The next step, and perhaps 

 the most important one to insure success, is to sterilize the soil to 

 prevent what is known as damping-off. This is really nothing but 

 a fungous rot that attacks the seedling right above the roots and 

 very often causes the loss of the entire flat. Sterilizing may be done 

 with Ansul Formaldehyde Dust or Semesan. Instructions for the use 

 of either will be found on the package. 



CULTURE A 



Seeds under this culture give best returns if sown 

 in flats in early spring, but if earliness of bloom is 

 not essential, good results may be obtained by sowing 

 outdoors after all danger of frost is past. If sown 

 in flats, follow instructions for seed-flat preparation 

 given above and sow seed in March or April at the 

 depth indicated under the separate headings. Water 

 thoroughly with a fine spray and cover with a pane of 

 glass or stiff cardboard. Place in a warm room and, 

 although little water will be necessary, watch the 

 flats carefully and never let the soil become dry. 

 When seedlings appear, remove cover and place in 

 a sunny window. Transplant to other flats as soon 

 as seedlings are large enough to handle, keeping 

 them 2 to 2 inches apart both ways. Expose them 

 gradually to outside conditions and, when sufficient 

 growth has been made, plant in permanent outside 

 locations. If outside sowing is desired, follow in- 

 structions given in Culture B. 



CULTURE B 



Seeds under this culture may be sown in early 

 May in outside seed-beds and later transplanted 

 into the beds they are to occupy, or they may be 

 sown directly into their permanent location. Spade 

 the seed-bed deeply, mix well-rotted manure, or peat 

 moss or humus and. a commercial fertilizer, well into 

 the soil; spread an additional half inch of peat moss or 

 humus over the top of the seed-bed, and rake well 

 into the top surface. Sow the seeds at the depth 

 indicated under the separate heading and water 

 thoroughly with a fine spray. When seedlings are 

 large enough, transplant or thin out as cause may 

 require. If exceptionally early flowering is desired, 

 follow instructions under Culture A. 



CULTURE C 



Seeds under this culture do not take kindly to 

 transplanting and should be sown outdoors in early 

 spring, as soon as danger of frost is over and soil is 

 in a fair condition to work, directly into the beds 

 they are to occupy. Spade the seed-bed deeply, 

 mixing well-rotted manure, or peat moss or humus 

 plus a good commercial fertilizer, well into the soil; 

 spread an additional half inch of peat moss on the 

 surface and rake this well into the top. Level off 

 and sow the seeds thinly at a depth indicated under 

 the separate headings; water thoroughly with a fine 

 spray. After seedlings appear, thin out to give 

 individual plants a chance to develop. 



CULTURE D 



Seeds under this culture, being quite hardy, may 

 be sown outside in very early spring, as light frosts 

 do not affect their growth to any extent. The seed- 

 bed should be spaded deeply and well-rotted 

 manure, or peat moss or humus plus a good com- 

 mercial fertilizer, mixed thoroughly with the sub- 

 soil. A half inch of peat moss should be spread over 

 the top and raked Jightly into the upper layer of 

 soil. Plant the seeds at a depth indicated under the 

 separate headings and water thoroughly with a fine 

 spray. After seedlings are large enough to handle, 

 thin out or transplant, as you wish. Very early 

 plants may be obtained by sowing in late fall just 

 before heavy frosts make it impossible to work 

 the soil. 



CULTURE E 



Sow in seed-flats (note preparation of seed-flats 

 above) from February to April if you wish to use 

 the plants to decorate your garden; or during the 

 summer months if you wish to cultivate them in 

 pots for house decoration. Sow seeds at' the depth 

 indicated under the special headings and water thor- 

 oughly with a fine spray. Cover seed-flat with a 

 pane of glass or stiff piece of cardboard and place 

 in a warm room. As soon as seedlings appear, remove 

 cover from flat and keep in a warm room in a sunny 

 window. As soon as the plants are large enough to 

 handle, transplant into other flats to stand 2 inches 

 apart in rows, or in small pots if you prefer. Trans- 

 plant outdoors when all danger of frost is past, or if 

 you have raised them for house decoration shift into 

 larger pots as need arises. 



CULTURE F 



Plants under this culture are purely conservatory 

 or house-plants such as Asparagus, Calceolaria, 

 Cineraria, Primula obconica, Solanum, Stevia, etc. 

 Follow instructions for preparation of seed-flat 

 above and sow seeds preferably during spring 

 months at the depth indicated under the separate 

 headings. Water thoroughly with a fine spray, cover 

 the flat with a pane of glass or stiff cardboard, and 

 place in a warm room. Most of the varieties coming 

 under this culture will germinate in from 8 to 20 

 days. As soon as seedlings appear, remove the cover 

 from the flat and keep in a sunny window in a warm 

 room. As soon as seedlings are large enough to 

 handle, transplant into other fiats to stand 2 inches 

 apart. After a reasonable growth has been attained, 

 pot up in 2- or 2 ^2-inch pots and keep shifting into 

 larger pots as plants attain a size that makes it ob- 

 vious they can no longer get sufficient nourishment. 



CULTURE G 



Seeds under this culture may be sown from April 

 to September in flats or coldframes (see preparation 

 of seed-flats above) at the depth indicated under the 

 special flower seed headings. Water thoroughly 

 with a fine spray and cover the flats with a pane of 

 glass or stiff cardboard. Although little additional 

 watering will be necessary, care must be taken 

 never to permit the soil to become dry. Place in a 

 warm room and as soon as seedlings appear remove 

 the cover and place in a sunny window. When large 

 enough to handle, transplant into other flats, spac- 

 ing seedlings 2 to 1Yi inches either way, and after 

 they have made sufficient growth, transplant to 

 permanent location. For midsummer or later sow- 

 ing, start seeds in a coldframe where soil has been 

 treated the same as for flats; shade the sash and 

 raise as soon as seedlings appear. Transplant as 

 soon as seedlings are large enough to handle, spacing 

 2 to 2J^ inches apart either way, and when sufficient 

 growth has been obtained plant outside into perma- 

 nent locations. Note: Only a few varieties under 

 this culture will produce flowers the first year, and 

 all will benefit by winter mulch or protection at 

 least the first season. Seed may be sown in the open, 

 after danger of frost is past, in a seed-bed in which 

 the top soil is finely pulverized and mixed with peat 

 moss or humus. Select a level location and raise 

 seed-bed several inches above the rest of the garden 

 to prevent seeds being washed out by heavy rains. 

 When plants are sufficiently large, transplant and 

 place them in their permanent locations. 



CULTURE H 



Seeds under this culture are best sown indoors 

 in March or April directly into small pots. Fill 

 the pots with a mixture of good garden soil, com- 

 posed of two parts soil and one part humus, 

 to within a half inch of the edge of the pot. Firm the 

 soil and place one or two seeds at the depth indicated 

 under the separate headings. Take an ordinary 

 seed-flat, fill with moist peat moss, and plunge the 

 pots into this up to within a half inch of the edge. 

 Water pots thoroughly and cover flat with a pane 

 of glass or stiff cardboard. Place in a warm room and 

 as soon as seedlings appear, remove cover and place 

 in a sunny window, gradually exposing them to 

 outside conditions. When all danger of frost is over 

 remove from pots without destroying the root-ball 

 and plant in their respective places outdoors. If an 

 advanced blooming period is not desired, the seeds 

 may be sown outside as soon as warm weather 

 sets in. 



Flower Seeds 



BECKERT'S SEED STORE 



