&> 





Nil | "| ANN l, a 
Areskes play a most important part in 
! 
Ka) 
i 
AW 
making your flower garden really out- 
standing. They grow and bloom quickly 
and bring such fine results for just a few pennies 
invested. Most all annuals produce strong, 
sturdy plants and bloom profusely all summer 
long. 
This group of flowers comes to us from almost 
all parts of the world, and like true cosmopoli- 
tans are most adaptable. Properly chosen, they 
can provide bloom and fragrance in the garden 
from early spring to late fall. As they come in 
many forms, heights and colors, they lend them- 
selves to many uses, and a very brilliant effect 
can be secured from a few packets of seed. 
Some are excellent for borders, either massed 
by themselves, in varied combinations, as fillers 
among perennials or to follow spring-blooming 
bulbs. The most effective results can be ob- 
tained if straight, or assorted, colors of one kind 
of flower is massed together. This year, many 
gardeners will be featuring ‘Federal Gardens’’ 
with mass plantings of red, white and blue 
annuals spotted in that order in their beds. 
Many attractive vines for covering fences or 
screening off unsightly buildings, etc., are 
offered in annuals. Most all annual vines grow 
rapidly and blossom profusely. Others are suit- 
able for window boxes and hanging baskets, 
and still others can be used for edging and for 
prolonging blooms in rock gardens after the 
normal season of many of the best rock garden 
subjects. They are invaluable as cut flowers, 
and some, especially the everlastings and 
grasses, can be used in winter bouquets. 
Two things must be remembered in growing 
annuals. The first is the necessity of obtaining 
the best seed possible. Your local seed merchant 
prides himself in serving you with quality mer- 
chandise. His success depends upon faithfully 
serving his neighbors and you can be assured 
that his stock is carefully selected for purity, 
germination and the ability for producing the 
most bountiful crops for your locality. The 
second thing to remember is that if you wish to 
prolong the blooming period of an annual the 
flowers must be picked before they start to fade 
in order that no seed may form. A true annual 
has a slight root system, as it stores no food for 
future seasons and it lives to bloom quickly, set 
seed, and finish its existence; therefore constant 
picking conserves its energy and stimulates it to 
use this energy in producing new blossoms as 
fast as the old ones are removed. 
The majority of annuals prefer a moderate 
amount of sunshine. Some, such as Marigolds 
and Zinnias, like it hot, the hotter the better. 
There are many varieties that prefer a partial 
shade, even a few that like it extremely shady. 
However, they will all do well in almost any bed 
in your garden. 
Good garden loam produces best results and 
the plants should be fed with a complete fer- 
tilizer about every six weeks during the summer. 
Feed small amounts so as not to cause excessive 
foliage growth and be sure to soak the soil 
thoroughly after each application. If fed regu- 
larly at six-week intervals, an application of not 
more than one pound to a hundred square feet 
will produce splendid results. 
Generally speaking, Annuals prefer a mod- 
erate amount of moisture. Never water the 
foliage, but soak the soil thoroughly each time 
you water, getting the moisture down six or eight 
inches. If this is done you will only have to 
water once a week, except during extremely 
hot weather. Watering in early morning or 
early evening is more economical and better for 
the plants than during the heat of the day. You 
will find the new Water Wand an excellent tool 
for proper watering of all types of flower beds. 
The Water Wand supplies plenty of water at 
the roots of the plants without washing away 
the soil. 
Annuals may be divided into three classes: 
Hardy, which can withstand a light spring frost, 
and can therefore be started from seed sown in 
the open as soon as the soil can be worked. 
Many gardeners have had splendid results sow- 
ing these hardier types out of doors in late fall. 
However, if you are planting at this time, be 
careful not to put the seed too deeply, and don't 
put them in until after the first hard frost. 
Annuals which may be sown out of doors in the 
fall or early spring here in the Pacific Northwest 
include: Snapdragons, Clarkia, Phlox, Pinks, 
Cosmos, Pansies, Poppies, Godetia, Larkspur, 
Candytuft and Calendula. 
When these germinate in the spring, thin 
them out soon so as to give plenty of room for 
spreading the growing into strong, sturdy plants. 
Second type is Half-hardy, which requires a 
long season to attain maturity, and therefore 
must be given an early start under glass. This 
group can be started on an enclosed back porch 
if there is ample sunlight, or better still, con- 
struct a small cold frame and place it on the 
2 
ALL PRICES IN THIS BOOK SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE 
