HOW TO GROW flowers listed in this catalog 
Behind the listing of every flower, you will find a number from | to VIII. These numbers refer 
to one of the following cultures, which give directions for growing every flower we list. 
While growing flowers from seed is 
sometimes more difficult than vege- 
tables, largely because we have so 
many different flowers, each with its 
special needs, the following eight dif- 
ferent methods should cover the indi- 
vidual needs of any flower listed. In 
general, the same fundamentals apply 
as in growing vegetables: loose, well- 
drained soil to which has been added 
plenty of organic matter, fed by apply- 
ing from 21% to 3 lbs. of a good mixed 
fertilizer to every 100 square feet. How- 
ever, when starting seedlings in flats or 
pots indoors, do not add fertilizer to the 
starting soil, since the seed contains all 
the food the young plant will require 
until it begins to form true leaves. Do 
add fertilizer to the soil in which plants 
are to flower. 
One of the important problems in the 
home garden is to keep up a continued 
show of bloom. This calls for using 
several different types of annuals, such 
as those which must be planted very 
early (see Culture IV) and those which 
bloom later (Cultures I and II). If some 
of the cool-weather annuals in group IV 
are seeded in midsummer and kept 
well watered, they will grow slowly 
until the cooler days of fall start them 
into more active growth. These will 
produce late flowers. Also, quick-grow- 
ing annuals from Culture II can be 
seeded at intervals for succession 
bloom during the summer, 
One important factor in lengthening the 
flowering season of all annuals is to 
cut off all flowers as soon as they fade. 
Annuals complete their life cycle when 
seed is formed, and usually stop flower- 
ing as soon as this happens. By pre- 
venting seeding through the removal of 
faded flowers, the plant is kept grow: 
ing and blooming. 
Culture | 
These flowers need a long season and 
so must be started indoors if a full 
blooming period is to be had. If early 
bloom is not important, they will bloom 
later in the summer when sown di- 
rectly in the open garden. Some gar- 
deners sow, both ways so as to be sure 
to have continuous bloom. 
For directions on starting seedlings in 
flats, see page 14 in vegetable section. 
Remember that flower seedlings are 
frequently more delicate than those of 
vegetables, so extra care in watering 
should be used. Never let the flats 
dry out. Shading the soil with a pane 
of glass covered with newspaper is im- 
portant in the case of fine seed such as 
petunia, since these are easily injured 
by hot sunshine. 
When seedlings show their second pair 
of true leaves, transplant 21/2" x 21" 
to give the individual plants a chance 
to develop. Expose gradually to out- 
door conditions and plant outside when 
danger from frost is past. When sown 
outdoors without transplanting, follow 
instructions under Culture II. 
Culture II 
These are the quicker growing annuals, 
which can be sown directly in the 
garden and will bloom in time to make 
a good display for most of the summer. 
If they come up too thickly, the extra 
plants can be transplanted to another 
location. If particularly early flowers of 
these are wanted, they can be started 
as directed under I. 
Because flower seedlings are rather 
delicate, extra care in preparing the 
seed bed will pay dividends in better 
plants. Spread about 2!/2 lbs. of good 
general mixed fertilizer over every 100 
sq. ft. Next, apply all the organic mat- 
ter such as peat or compost that you 
can spare, and dig in the fertilizer and 
organic matter. Rake surface to a fairly 
smooth seed bed and sow seeds at 
depths recommended in catalog list- 
ings. Water thoroughly with a fine 
spray and keep moist until seedlings 
form their first true leaves. When sec- 
ond true leaves have formed, any 
plants not needed in that particular lo- 
cation can be transplanted elsewhere. 
Culture Ill 
These flowers do not transplant well, 
and should be planted out-of-doors 
where they are to bloom. Seed as soon 
as danger from heavy frosts is over. 
Otherwise, culture is same as II. When 
seedlings are large enough to select the 
best ones, thin out. All of these can be 
handled as pot-grown seedlings as de- 
scribed under VII if early bloom is 
wanted. Do not try to handle as seed- 
ling transplants. When setting out from 
pots, disturb roots as little as possible. 
Culture IV 
These flowers are all unusually hardy 
annuals that can withstand heavy 
frosts. In fact, they are often sown in 
fall, just before the soil freezes for the 
winter, in which case they won't germi- 
nate until spring. Fall sowing gets the 
seeding job out of the way in spring 
when time is precious. 
If not fall-sown, they should be seeded 
as early in spring as the soil can be 
worked. Most of them make their 
growth early and do very little during 
the heat of summer. Often, by cutting 
off the faded flowers and feeding the 
plants lightly, they can be revived so 
as to bloom in fall. 
Culture V 
These flowers, while garden subjects, 
are also useful as winter flowering 
house plants. For garden use, handle 
according to II. For winter flowering 
inside, plant fairly late in the season, 
as old plants will not bloom well. As 
soon as seedlings have made their sec- 
ond pair of leaves, plant in 2)/2"' pots 
(no larger) and keep shifting to larger 
pots, never more than two sizes larger 
with each shift, until they are in 6” 
pots. Annuals in pots should have five 
to six hours of direct sunshine if they 
are to flower indoors. 
Culture VI 
Perennials can be seeded at almost any 
time during the year except for a short 
season in fall, when the young seed- 
lings would not be mature enough 
when frost comes to survive. They can 
be seeded in cold frames before the 
ground thaws in spring and will grow 
when warmer weather comes. Most 
experienced gardeners, however, prefer 
to sow them in late spring after the 
heavy rush of work is over. A cold 
frame or sheltered bed which can be 
shaded from the direct sun is best. Pre- 
pare soil thoroughly with plenty of or- 
ganic matter, peat or vermiculite. A 
loose, friable soil will produce a thick 
mat of roots so that the seedlings will 
transplant easier. Perennial seedlings 
are particularly weak growers and so 
need extra care. In covering the drills 
in which the seeds are sown, use either 
pure clean sand or a mixture of half 
sand and half peat, to prevent packing 
of the soil over the seeds. Always 
water with a fine spray. 
As soon as the second leaves form, 
seedlings can be transplanted into their 
permanent position. Or if more con- 
venient, they can be left in the seedbed 
until the following spring. Under this 
culture, only a few species will bloom 
the first year, and even those that do 
bloom will not throw typical flowers 
until the second year. Planting earlier 
does not increase the chances for first- 
year blooms, but if for any reason it is 
more convenient to start perennials 
earlier in the season, Culture I may be 
used. Delphinium seed is often started 
in late August to take advantage of 
cooler night temperatures, as this seed 
will not germinate when soil readings 
go above 77 degrees. 
Culture VII 
These annuals need a longer growing 
season than can be given them out- 
doors, but because they do not trans- 
plant readily, they must be started in 
pots and set out into permanent posi- 
tion without disturbing the roots. Other- 
wise culture is the same as I. The use 
of plant bands (boxes made of veneer 
or waterproof paper) which are filled 
with soil in which seeds are planted in 
the same way as in pots, allows you to 
set out these delicate seedlings without 
disturbing the roots. The band will 
soon rot and the seedlings will grow as 
though started in the garden without 
transplanting. 
One difficulty experienced by the home 
gardener without a greenhouse is that 
clay pots dry out too rapidly. This can 
be overcome by filling an ordinary 
seed flat with moist peat moss or ver- 
miculite and plunging the pots into this. 
Be sure to keep the peat moist, since it 
will rob the soil in the pots of moisture 
if not enough water is applied. 
Culture VIII 
These flowers are biennials: that is, 
they make leafy growth the first year, 
but don’t flower. The leafy growth of 
the first year stores food for blooming 
the following year. The flower spike 
or stem appears the second year, after 
which the plant dies. 
This means that if a continuous show 
of bloom is wanted from biennials, a 
new planting must be made each year 
to replace those that bloom that year. 
Biennials are handled in the same way 
as perennials, except that to allow the 
plant to store enough food for the next 
year’s bloom, the seed should be sown 
as early in spring as the soil can be 
worked. See page 31 for special in- 
structions for handling Pansies, bi- 
ennials that are handled in a special 
_ way. 


