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 trie 

 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 mis 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 subsoil. All plants, to maintain 



FLOWER SEED SECTION 



Page 



Annuals 3-19 



Perennials 20-26 



Conservatory Plants 27-28 



Vines 28-29 



their vigorous grow-th 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 

 dryorliquid 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 

 }<i- 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 1 o 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 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 essentia], 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 place in a warm 

 room; although little water will be necessary, watch 

 the flats carefully and never let the soil become 

 dry. When seedlings appear, remove flats to a 

 sunny window. Transplant to other flats as soon 

 as seedlings are large enough to handle, keeping 

 them 2 to 2 Y2 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 deeplv, 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 frosts do 

 not affect their growth to any extent. The seed- 

 bed should be spaded deeply and well-rotted 

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

 mercial fertilizer, mixed thoroughly with the sub- 

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

 the top and raked lightly 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 w-ish. Very early 

 plants may be obtained by sowing in September 

 or October, leaving the small plants to winter in 

 their seed-beds. 



CULTURE E 



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

 above) from February to April if you wish to use 



j 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 sprav and place in a warm room. 

 As soon as seedlings appear, remove to a sunny win- 



' dow. When the plants are large enough to han- 

 dle, 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 



j 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 



j above and sow seeds preferably during spring 

 months at the depth indicated under the separate 

 headings. Water thoroughly with a fine spray, and 

 place in a warm room. Most of the varieties coming 



i under this culture will germinate in from 8 to 20 



1 days. As soon as seedlings appear, remove to a 

 sunny window. When seedlings are large enough to 



1 handle, transplant into other flats to stand 2 inches 

 apart. After a reasonable growth has been attained, 



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

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



I 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. 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 to a sunny window. 

 When large enough to handle, transplant into other 

 flats, spacing seedlings 2 to 214. inches either way, 

 and after they have made sufficient growth, trans- 

 plant to permanent location. For midsummer or later 

 sowing, 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 2 Y2 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. Place in a warm room and 

 as soon as seedlings appear, remove to a sunny win- 

 dow, 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. 



BECKERT'S SEED STORE, Inc. 



Phone: Fairfax 4210-4211 



103 Federal St., North Side, Pittsburgh 



