The Garden Magazine, April, 1924 
111 
Keeping Frames and Hotbeds Busy 
Tomatoes, Egg-plants, Peppers, Muskmelons, and other tender 
plants may be still sown in the hotbed; Sweet Potatoes, put in to 
sprout and planted out next month; and a few Cucumber seeds 
for an early crop to utilize all the frame space when the other 
plants are set out. 
Lima Beans, Squash, and the tender vegetables mentioned above 
may be started in dirt bands, or paper pots for setting out later. 
Pansies, Myosotis, Daisies, Canterbury-bells, Aquilegias, Foxgloves, 
etc., carried over winter in coldframes, to be got into the beds or 
borders they are to occupy to give space in the frames for other 
purposes. 
Annuals, such as Zinnias, Globe Amaranth, Miniature Sunflowers, 
African Marigold, Early Cosmos, Petunias, etc., may still be 
sown in the coldframe. 
A mild hotbed made up at this time is about the best possible place 
to grow on Geraniums and other low-growing bedding plants 
that are making a great demand on the bench space in the green¬ 
house. With four or five inches of soil and the pots plunged to 
the rims, the gentle heat will set them growing apace. Keep closed 
for the first few days; then give air whenever possible. 
Don’t allow any crowding of the young plants in the frames, or weak, 
drawn stock will result. If in pots, take out every other row 
erecting a temporary frame for them rather than crowd. Seedlings 
to be pricked-out into other frames (or planted into flowering 
quarters if their hardiness justifies it) for the same reason. 
Useful as these simple structures are for raising early plants for setting 
outdoors weeks ahead of the time they would otherwise be ob¬ 
tained, they become indispensable as an adjunct to the greenhouse 
for hardening off stock prior to planting out. 
Harden all early planted material by giving plenty of ventilation on 
all favorable occasions. With longer days and more sun power, 
water will be required in greater quantity. Water thoroughly, 
too, avoiding the “little and often” plan which dampens the sur¬ 
face soil, whilst the roots of the little plants underneath are dry. 
Provide plenty of covering when a cold night is expected. Weeks of 
hard work can be undone by one belated cold spell. 
THE GREENHOUSE STILL PLAYS ITS PART IN THE GARDEN SCHEME 
Plants of every description now require increased water and ventilation. 
Lightly shade Palms and Ferns to prevent burning. 
Sow tender Annuals to prick-off when large enough to handle, and then 
transfer to coldframe. 
Hardy Annuals, started early and pricked-off into flats, or potted, 
may go to coldframes to make room for other stock. 
Clumps of Perennials that have been forced, to be planted out, as soon 
as their usefulness is past, in a small nursery where they may re¬ 
main for two years to recover. 
Plant outdoors during dull or showery weather rooted runners of 
Violets. 
Hanging baskets for porches, etc., to be filled now, and hung in a cool 
house until they go to summer quarters. Weeping Lantanas are 
useful for these baskets. 
Roses that are not producing well may be thrown out, the house 
cleaned down, and a new lot of plants put in. If the cropping 
system is practised, pinching should be done about the middle 
of the month for a crop at the end of May. Water more freely 
and syringe often enough to keep red spider under control. Liquid 
manure may be more freely given. Pot-up Rambler Roses for 
next year’s use. 
Continue rooting Chrysanthemums, pot-on early rooted ones as they 
show need. Avoid any check in growth through becoming pot- 
bound. 
Carnations in benches will be benefited bv a mulch of half manure 
and half soil to prevent the roots drying out too quickly; as they 
are apt to do at this time of the year. Varieties with delicate 
pink flowers will be better for a light shading on the glass—just 
enough to break the direct rays of the sun. Young plants to go 
to the frames to be hardened off previous to planting outdoors; 
which, however, may be done soon after the middle of the month if 
weather conditions permit. Turn over at the first opportunity 
the soil to be put into the benches for the young plants. 
Avoid wide fluctuations of temperature in the Sweet-pea house at 
this time. If buds are dropping, look carefully to the watering. 
Acid phosphate (an ounce to a gallon of water) is often helpful. 
Attend to cultivation of the soil, tying, staking, and thinning of 
shoots as occasion requires. 
Replenishing by Cuttings etc. 
Snapdragons now need more water. Cuttings put into sand in 
March will be rooted now, so place into small pots and keep 
potted-on into the next size larger, and still another one 
larger yet, if they make rapid growth. 
Calceolarias and Cinerarias, now coming into flower, to be kept free 
from insect pests. 
Pot-on plants that need more root space; and particularly bedding 
stock to be transferred to a mild hotbed (see under “Frames”). 
Cuttings may still be made of Coleus, Petunias, Ageratums, 
Achvranthes, and other bedding plants. Top-back the more 
advanced plants to make them sturdy and bushy, and root 
the tops. 
Propagate Dahlias from cuttings from old plants started into growth 
on a sunny bench in a cool house. 
All early flowering shrubs that are being forced should be placed in a 
cool house when in full flower. Bulbs of such Lilies as speciosum, 
if potted or planted in benches, will flower before those outdoors. 
Continue planting at intervals cold storage bulbs for a succession 
of bloom throughout the summer months. 
Branches of Lilac bushes cut and placed in a warm room or greenhouse 
will produce good flowers, but the color will be white, irrespec¬ 
tive of the normal color of the variety. 
Fern spores to be sown now on sand or very fine soil in a warm, moist 
house; give a position somewhat shaded. 
Pot-up Cannas that have been started in sand. Keep growing without 
a check Asters sown for early use. Maintain a buoyant atmos¬ 
phere in the house containing the bedding plants if it is not conveni¬ 
ent to make up a mild hotbed for them. 
Poinsettias placed in a warm house will soon throw out young shoots 
for cuttings. Root these in coarse sand in a warm propagating 
bench. 
Petunias for late use may still be rooted from cuttings. Small plants 
of Lobelia speciosa, may be potted-on for filling vases at the end 
of next month. 
Bouvardia, rooted early and potted into 2\ inch pots may be set into 
frames, and either grown on there, or set in the open ground as 
soon as all danger of frost is past. 
Young plants of French Hydrangea may be moved to frames to harden- 
ofT and planted out to make fine plants by fall. Cyclamen to be 
kept growing in a cool, partially shaded position. Feed with liquid 
manure Hydrangeas to be in flower for Memorial Day. 
More Vegetables and Fruits 
Melons, Cucumbers, and Tomatoes for summer crops indoors to be 
started. Personal preference may be followed with Tomatoes, 
but with Melons and Cucumbers the English forcing types alone 
can be used. 
Prune out weak wood of fruits and start late trees into growth. Tap 
smartly such pot fruits as may be in bloom to disperse the pollen 
and ensure a good set. Give plenty of water to those that have 
set their fruit, and syringe them each morning and not later than 
3 o’clock in the afternoon. Peaches especially need a damp at¬ 
mosphere; never tolerate anything approaching aridity after 
blooming is over. Do not thin fruits until after the stoning period. 
Disbudding the shoots is done by rubbing out every second growth 
with the finger and thumb. 
