1937 CATALOG OF Richard TPtener, OXNARD. CALIFORNIA, U. S. A. 
SOWING OF PETUNIA SEEDS 
Prepare a seed bed by taking leaf mould soil 
which has been mixed with some clean, white 
sand (use positively no fertilizer in this soil when 
sowing). Sift this through a fine sieve into seed 
pans and flats within two inches from the top. 
Fill the remaining two inches at the top of the 
receptacle with boiling water and let the water 
seep through the soil and let the soil then stand 
for a day. This will have killed all weed seeds, 
worms and fungi contained in the soil. Smooth 
over the surface of the soil, but do not pack, as 
Petunia seeds will not grow in soil which has 
been packed. After the surface is smooth, sprinkle 
with fresh, cold water so that the soil will settle 
evenly. Sow the seeds over the top. If you are in 
a dry atmosphere, sprinkle a very little of this 
sterilized soil over the seeds. In damp climates 
no soil covering is needed, but a sprinkling of 
charcoal dust is good. Place a clean pane of glass 
over the flats or seed pans. If the sun strikes the 
glass, place over it a single sheet of newspaper. 
Always keep the seed bed moist, but not wet. 
Do not sow the seeds too closely, as they are to 
attain three or four leaves before transplanting. 
The glass should be removed as soon as the seeds 
have sprouted. The young plants should be trans¬ 
planted as soon as possible into flats, spacing them 
one inch apart. 
Petunia seeds should be sown out four months 
before they are marketable. 
Petunia seeds sowed out in this sterilized soil 
will germinate 100% and the young plants will 
grow faster and be more vigorous. Also, you will 
not be bothered with weeds and fungi. These seeds 
are cleaned by a process where only the fertile 
kernels are selected. Ants will carry off the seeds 
if they have any access to same. Snails will eat 
the young seedlings-—a great many in one night. 
For this reason seed boxes should be placed so 
that snails and ants are unable to reach them. 
Most oi the loss of the seeds occurs in this way. 
We would suggest in this case that the seed box 
be placed on small blocks of wood, the blocks 
resting in jars or pans, the latter containing either 
oil or water. The ants or snails are unable to cross 
the oil or water, and so cannot reach the seeds. 
If you have successfully raised Petunias from 
seeds before, use your own method. The above is 
given to those who are unacquainted with the 
handling of Petunia seeds. 
HANDLING OF YOUNG PETUNIA PLANTS WHEN 
GROWING IN 3-INCH POTS FOR THE MARKET 
In order to have large flowers and brilliant colors 
in three-inch pots, a good soil is absolutely essen¬ 
tial for the young plants. 
Following Are Directions lor Preparing the Best 
Soil: It is best to use an even mixture of leaf mould 
and old, rotten manure (four or five years old or 
from the hot bed). However, if no old manure is 
available, leaf mould will do. To a cubic yard of 
soil add a four-inch pot of fresh Portland cement, a 
five-inch pot of bone meal, a five-inch pot of dried 
blood and a regular water pail full of white sand. 
After mixing all of these ingredients, in a dry 
condition, run them through a fine screen. It is 
best to let this soil lie in the open in the shade of 
a tree or at the north end of a building to ferment 
for at least three months before using, but which is 
not absolutely necessary. 
Do not add anything else, as this is the best 
mixture for proper results. Do not use powdered 
sheep manure, chicken manure or fish meal, for 
these ingredients act as poison to Petunias. When 
transplanting, the young plants should be planted 
so that just the root part reaches into the soil. If 
poor soil is used, plants will be spindly, flowers 
small and colors bleached out. This has been the 
cause of many complaints in regard to the Petunias 
not being large. You cannot raise good plants in 
poor soil in three-inch pots. Many mistakes are 
made in that the seedlings are set too deep. It is 
very essential to be careful in transplanting so that 
only the roots are under the ground, as when 
planted too deep they take much longer to start 
growth and many will damp off. 
My Petunias should not be pinched back when 
young, as they are naturally stocky and of dwarf 
growth, which I have accomplished by years of 
careful selection in that direction. 
I receive thousands of questions from my cus¬ 
tomers every season in regard to growing and 
cultivating Petunias best, and as my time is con¬ 
tinually taken up in my work, I have tried to cover 
the most important of them in this article. How¬ 
ever, there is an excellent book on the market 
in which nearly all the questions which are asked 
me are clearly explained. The name of this book 
is Fritz Bahr's Commercial Floriculture, which you 
can obtain by sending to me. (See the book page 
at the end of catalogue.) 
Denton, Maryland, Feb. 21, 1936. 
Mr. Richard Diener, Oxnard, California. 
Dear Sir: I have been especially successful in raising 
plants from your seeds. Last year my Petunias were admired 
by everyone, and it seems that many people have never 
seen large ruffled and frilled Petunias. 
I have also obtained a number of choice Dahlias from 
your seed, one a huge golden spider like cactus, is one of 
the most beautiful Dahlias I have ever seen. 
Yours truly, 
PARKER STONE. 
Queens Village, New York, March 8, 1936. 
Mr. Richard Diener, Oxnard, California. 
Dear Sir: It is rather late to inform you but perhaps you 
will still be interested to learn that at the September 1S34 
flower show of the Garden Department of the Woman's Club 
of Queens Village, Mrs. Sharpe was awarded the tricolor 
for the outstanding exhibit of the show (250 entries), with a 
collection of your giant Petunias, Ruffled Monsters, raised 
from seed purchased from you that spring. We had seen 
your display at the Chicago Century of Progress in 1933. 
Very truly yours, 
HARRY SHARPE. 
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