Page Six 
GIRARD BROTHERS’ NURSERY, GENEVA, OHIO 
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A. coveR WITH 
LATH SCREEN 
GROW EVERGREENS FROM SEED 
SOWING EVERGREEN SEEDS 
Evergreen seeds should never be sown in 
greenhouses, hot beds, or cold frames, for 
they need more ventilation. Seed bed soil 
should be of sandy nature. If the soil is 
hard dig it up, and mix sand and peat with 
it so it will be loose and friable. Select a 
level spot outdoors for a seed bed, where 
washing will not occur from rains. We 
give several methods of sowing. Two things 
cause loss of seedlings, dampening off 
which is caused by fungi in the soil, and 
weeds. In a small way seeds are best sown 
in flats, the flats placed under lath shade 
in the seed bed outdoors. One packet of the 
finer seeds like Spruce will sow a flat. 
DIFFERENT METHODS OF SOWING 
To avoid dampening off trouble sterilize 
the soil for the flats by cooking moist soil 
in an oven for 20 minutes. After flats are 
filled sow seed thinly, broadeast and just 
cover the depth of the seed with sterilized 
sand or peat. Larger seeds press down. If 
one is not fixed to sterilize so much soil, 
fill flat first 3-4 of depth with soil. Steri- 
lize enough soil for the other 1-4 needed to 
fill the flat. Cover seeds as shown above. 
There may be a little dampening off with 
this latter method; to help avoid this on 
cloudy days remove shade and sprinkle a 
little sterilized sand over the seedlings 
every few days. Don’t water every day, 
water thoroughly and let flats dry out a 
little. Dampening off occurs more in moist 
sultry weather. 
We think most beginners will have better 
success with this method. Fill flats with 
clean sand such as is used for concrete 
work. Generally this does not have to be 
sterilized. If you have peat a mixture of 
half of each is even better, for moisture 
is better controlled. After the seed germi- 
nates use a complete garden fertilizer 
around 5-8-10. A teaspoonful of the ferti- 
lizer to a gallon of water used when water- 
ing them every three weeks. Water thor- 
oughly with just clean water to wash out 
any unused salts. 
Commercial growers sow in beds 4 ft. 
wide first carefully preparing the soil. Some 
sterilize with chemicals, others use weed 
burners or small flame throwers. This kills 
both weed seeds and fungi. It is a job for 
two men one constantly digging up the 
soil ahead. 
After evergreen seeds are sown cover 
with clean burlap or cloth. Place boards 
or a little sand on top of the burlap to 
hold it firm to the soil. This is left on 
until the seed germinates. Lift up a corner 
to see when germination commences. Then 
remove burlap and sprinkle a little sand 
over them. Try not to bring in fungi from 
outside to seed beds by using muddy water. 
Careful growers keep beds screened to 
keep birds and small animals from wander- 
ing over the seed beds. Small birds will 
pull up tiny seedlings. 
WINTER CARE—After ground freezes 
mulch with sawdust, leaves, lawn clippings, 
marsh hay or peat. Evergreen boughs make 
nice cover. 
HEMLOCK SEED require some time to 
come up. Plant in rotten sawdust or peat, 
or a mixture of half soil and peat. 
A bed 4 ft. wide by 10 ft. contains room 
for 4,000 to 5,000 seeds. 
