AMONG OUR GARDEN NEIGHBORS 
EVERY GA%DSN MSAS^S M HOMS' 
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A WAY back in the days of our youth (some fifteen 
/\ years ago), the Garden Magazine began to talk 
/ \ about Fall Planting. This was not at that time the 
/ \ established custom that it has since become; and a 
^ ^ great many people were not only critical of our 
stand, but decidedly intolerant. We like to remember this, 
because it helps us to remember something else — something we 
are likely to forget, since every day is a full one and every month 
brings so many things to our pages. This is the fact that we 
have been, and are, pathfinders. 
Without talking about ourselves unduly, it does seem that once 
in a while at least we should enjoy the privilege of reminiscense, 
.of living over old campaigns as it were, and of telling the tales 
of them to the new generation of gardeners. Otherwise how 
shall these know of them (since we so nearly forget them our- 
selves, owing to the pressure of affairs of to-day)? And if they 
do not know, how shall we continue to be the gardening guide, 
philosopher and friend that we have been? Or in other words, 
if we do not now and then dwell upon what we have done and 
thus prove our claim to be always a little bit ahead — leading 
the wav wisely, and with what may perhaps be called discreet 
courage! — how shall they know that they may safely place their 
trust in us? So, though modesty may forbid our utterance, 
duty commands it — and we do not shrink from duty, whatever 
else our shortcomings! 
Fall planting of everything, save a few especially tender or 
for some reason susceptible trees or shrubs, has long been pre- 
ferred by many of the most advanced gardeners. Actually 
great numbers of these practice planting earlier than fall — 
what may be called late summer planting — and do this with 
notable success. Probably there is no gardener who has not, 
in some desperate moment, transplanted a shrub or perennial, 
if not a tree, at a time when he was almost sure the operation 
would kill it ; and yet has found it to live and thrive and proceed 
with its blooming and growth, almost as if nothing had happened 
to it. Which brings us straight to the fact that we do not 
need to wait until fall in order to achieve successful results. If 
we do the work properly — this is, of course, absolutely essential 
—we may as a matter of fact, transplant pretty nearly when we 
please, certainly by the end of summer, when all top growth is 
completed and vegetation generally has reached the dormant 
stage even though it has not dropped its leaves. 
The matter of doing the work properly is, of course, the prime 
essential. Take the handling of evergreens, for example. At 
whatever season this is done, they are dug with a ball of earth 
enclosing the roots; and this, in turn, is enclosed in burlap, 
which prevents its being disturbed. Actually the earth is 
transplanted as well as the tree, and the tree’s processes are not 
interrupted. Be sure that if we do the work in this way with 
other material we may be as bold as we please about moving it, 
at any season. 
Late summer planting, however, is especially advantageous, 
even without these precautions, as far as deciduous growth is 
concerned. This material generally is making root growth only, 
from the middle of August on. Obviously planting by the first 
of September insures that this root growth, going on until cold 
weather is sufficiently advanced to paralyze all activity, will 
establish the plants in their new positions before winter. Plants 
set out later in the fall do not have this opportunity, since root 
growth is sooner interrupted by winter. It is in early Septem- 
ber, therefore, that we now advise planting or replanting the 
garden. Everything in it may be handled now — evergreen 
and deciduous trees, shrubs, fruit trees, perennials, and vege- 
table roots; and some vegetable and annual seeds may be sown 
at this time. The general exceptions requiring spring planting 
are the stone fruits, the broadleaf evergreens, and perhaps such 
thin-barked trees, as Birch, etc. 
THE OPE^C olum ^ 
Readers’ Interchange of Experience and Comment 
„ T . , c, /''AUT here in the Puget Sound region of 
f Biffb ° ra ^ 6 Western Washington, many home gard- 
? A , . , eners make a practice of allowing Dahlia 
in Was gton r0 ots, Gladiolus and Tulip bulbs to remain 
undisturbed in the ground for a period of many years. But even in 
this country of ordinarily mild winters this is a far from safe practice, 
for quite at the most unexpected time a season of heavy and prolonged 
rain is frequently followed by a penetrating frost, which plays havoc 
with these moist and tender bulbs. Aside from this one important 
consideration, long experience in securing choice blooms has convinced 
me that the better way to develop stocky, thrifty plants is to dig and 
dry the bulb clumps immediately after they have finished their sea- 
son and store them away for the next year’s planting, waiting until 
that time arrives to separate or break them up. They must be 
planted singly of course, not in clumps. 
In the case of Tulips, the bulbs are taken up as soon as the petals 
have fallen, then they are “heeled in” in this way: a small trench is 
dug, the bulbs are laid on the soil, they are then drenched with water 
and lightly covered with a layer of dirt or light litter, and a box or 
board is placed over them so as to shield the bulbs from the sun or 
summer storms — for any additional moisture must be guarded against, 
as it would at once start a new growth. When the leaves and stems 
are thoroughly dried out the bulbs are cured sufficiently to be removed 
from the trench, shaken free from dirt and stored away until the 
normal planting time, which in this section is about the first or second 
week in January. Following this treatment we have a wonderful 
floral display in the latter part of April and on through May. Gladiolus 
may be cured in the same way, if garden space is at a premium; other- 
wise the stalks that have finished blooming should be cut back to 
within a few inches of the soil, and all watering should be stopped. 
Under this treatment the bulbs will be completely dried out and they 
may be dug and stored away before the fall rains set in and start another 
ineffectual and weakening period of growth. Dahlias that have re- 
mained in bloom until the beginning of the wet weather may be cut 
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