VETTERLE & REINELT — HYBRIDIZING GARDENS 
CAPITOLA, CALIFORNIA 
CULTURE OF TUBEROUS BECOHIAf 
Natural State, Central and South America. 
Planting Time; January to May. Flowering time, May to November. 
SEED 
Sow from January to March. Place one or two inches of gravel in flats or seed pans, to 
insure good drainage, over which place a fairly coarse mixture of two-thirds leaf mold and one- 
third peat about one inch deep. Smooth the surface with the same mixture finely sifted, not 
more than one-eighth inch deep but do not press it down. It is necessary for the surface to be 
of a spongy character so that when the seed germinates the young roots can get into it. If 
surface is too fine and packed, the seedlings will often fall over as the young roots are unable 
to get in. 
Place the pans in shallow water until thoroughly soaked up from below, then broadcast the 
seed. Cover with glass and a sheet of paper or keep it in the dark until germination takes 
place. Night temperature of 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit is necessary for quick germination. 
Lower temperature than 65 degrees will considerably slow up germination with poorer results. 
As soon as germination takes place, take the paper off and in three or four days lift the 
glass also, otherwise the little seedlings will get too spindly. Warm temperature, protection 
from direct sunlight and uniform moisture are absolutely necessary. Even a slight drying out 
of the surface will be fatal to the delicate young plants. Very gentle overhead watering should 
be used when necessary. 
TRANSPLANAING 
When the third leaves are developed, transplant one inch apart in flats containing the same 
mixture as for sowing. No finely sifted surface is necessary any more. Do not put more than 
one to one and one-half inches deep of soil in your flats. Deep flats filled with several inches 
of soil are not necssary. Usually they do not drain well, soil will get sour and checking of the 
growth will be the result. Before they get too crowded, transplant in the same manner again 
farther apart until strong enough to be planted out in the open or if desired potted up 
If planting in open ground, enrich the soil liberally with well rotted cow or sheep manure 
and a sprinling of bone meal. If soil is heavy add plenty of either leafmold, peat or sand or 
a mixture of all so that the ground will be light and porous. Plant in a shaded position such 
as under the trees or north side of the house where direct sunlight cannot reach them. Keep 
well watered, fine overhead sprinkling preferred. 
FEEDING 
If very strong growth is desired, additional feeding can be given when the plants reach 
approximately 4 to 5 inches in height either by the sprinkling of one-half teaspoonful of Am¬ 
monium Phosphate around each plant or approximately a heaping teaspoonful of cotton seed 
meal which should be worked into the soil slightly not too close to the stem. This dose will 
usually prove sufficient for the whole season but can be duplicated again later in the Summer 
when the plants are in full bloom which will prolong the flowering season to some extent. 
DIGGING AND STORAGE 
In Autumn when the foliage turns yellow, withdraw the water gradually and when all 
growth dies down entirely, take out, wash off all soil, taking care not to bruise the tubers, 
dry in sunlight for a day or two until thoroughly dry, then store in open flats in cool dry place. 
See that all particles of the old stem are removed until healthy tissue shows, otherwise if left on 
they will decay and destroy the tuber. 
TUBERS 
If early flowering is desired, place tubers during January and February in a warm place in 
open flats, moisten slightly once in a while and gradually as they begin sprouting buds, plant 
in flats filled with peat only about three inches apart according to size of the tuber, so that 
they are only slightly covered. Keep uniformly moist but not too wet in a warm place well 
lighted until three or four inches of growth develops, then plant in pots or permanent position 
as desired. The front is always where the tips of the leaves are pointing. Often if dormant 
tubers are planted in open ground, especially if it is cold and too wet, numbers of them rot 
and the planting will be uneven, some coming earlier, some later, and facing haphazard way. 
Started first in peat, they will develop splendid root systems which are necessary for developing 
good specimens. 
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