Window Boxes 
There’s nothing finer than window 
and porch boxes io make a house 
look “lived in’’ and gay. 
The necessary boxes may be 
bought ready-made, or constructed 
at home. Redwood or cypress are 
the best lasting materials, but or- 
dinary yellow pine will do nicely 
if well painted. Paint at least two 
coats, and use brass screws instead 
of nails to join the boards. 
Drainage of flower boxes is impor- 
tant. Use about two inches of 
coarse gravel at the bottom, Cover 
this with a layer of sand, and then 
with good, rich soil. Fertilizing may 
be done with liquid manure, but 
commercial plant tablets are even 
better, and much easier to apply. 
Plants suitable for window boxes 
are quite numerous. Among the 
best are Petunias, Nasturtium, Ager- 
atum, Candytuft, dwarf Marigold, 
Bachelor Button, Babysbreath, Ver- 
bena, Sweet Alyssum, Vinca, Eng- 
lish Ivy adds a nice touch, as do 
various ferns, 
Good Points to 
Remember 
Pinch ‘em off! To make annual 
flower plants branch and grow 
more flowers, most of the plants 
should have the top of the stem 
pinched off when they are a few 
inches high. Remove only the end 
bud, about 14”, 
Divide your perennials. Most peren- 
nials must be divided every 3 or 
4 years. Cut away all the dead 
roots and stalks, save the best por- 
tions, and start afresh. 
Flower bed preparation. A good 
border needs a well prepared sub- 
soil. Dig deep and condition the 
subsoil just once, and you needn't 
bother about it again for many 
years. For this happy situation, 
break up heavy subsoil with sand, 
peat moss, humus, or lime. Top 
this off with fine loam. The double- 
dug bed will be higher than be- 
fore, but will soon settle. 
Formula for Pansy 
Growing 
Pansies are not annuals but near- 
hardy perennials that need special 
culture, Cold frames, with glass 
sash and mats for winter protec- 
tion are essential. Soil should be 
rich: up to one-third of soil can be 
well-rotted manure or sifted com- 
post. Sow seed in August. Protect 
frame with shades made by tack- 
ing muslin or cheese cloth over 
window screens. Thin plants to 
stand 4”x4”, After first frosts, 
cover with glass and mats, and 
allow to freeze slowly. Remove 
mats in early spring and allow sun 
to warm frame, Move plants into 
permanent position when in full 
bloom. Keep faded flowers picked; 
they will stop blooming if any 
seeds are allowed to form. Grow- 
ing good Pansies from seed is the 
test of a real gardener. 
WINNER 1951 
BRONZE MEDAL 
5 ‘Where to Plant’’ 
Ideas 
Flowers in the vegetable garden. 
To have plenty of cut flowers with- 
out disturbing your flower borders, 
plant a few rows of flowers along 
the edge of your vegetable garden. 
Or set them out between rows of 
early lettuce or radishes, where 
they can bloom after the vegetables 
have been used. 
Annuals in the tulip bed. Just after 
the late tulips finish blooming, set 
out some annuals between the 4 ae 
tulip plants. If you do this, you 4 
may safely leave the tulip bulbs : A 
in the ground for several years, or MARIGOLD, Glitters 
at least until they need separating. 
Flowers for trellis or fence. Vines 
for quick cover here are quite 
numerous. For brilliant color effects, 
plant Ipomea, Scarlet Runner Bean, 
Cypress Vine, or Japanese Morning 
Glory. Less colorful are the Cup- 
and-Saucer Vine, Hyacinth Bean, 
and Heavenly Blue Morning Glory. 
For heavy foliage effects, gourds 
are good. 
LARKSPUR, 
Regal Lilac 
For garage cover, Sometimes it is 
highly desirable to screen off the 
bare walls of the back-yard and 
garage. For quick results, the taller 
annuals, such as cosmos, holly- 
hocks and sunflowers are desirable. 
Any of the vines named in the last 
paragraph above are suitable, too. 
Between drive and property line. 
This narrow strip is often a very 
nice place for a long flower border. 
A low effect may be had by plant 
ings of balcony, petunia, portulaca, 
and sweet alyssum. Or a _ hedge- 
like effect is easy to get with 
Kochia, Four O’Clocks, Zinnias, or 
Marigolds. 
Two Interesting House 
Plants 
The Heavenly Blue Morning Glory 
makes an excellent house plant for 
winter flowering if grown in a 
sunny window. Start new plants in 
late August, using 6” pots (they 
make heavy root growth). They can 
be irained up strings on either 
side of the window. Lobelia plants 
can be lifted just before frost, cut 
back, potted and will flower in- 
doors in late winter. 
Large Flowered and 
Double Petunias 
These should never be direct seeded 
outdoors, but must be started indoors. 
Use a flat filled with seed-starting mix- 
ture. Press soil with a brick or flat piece 
of wood to firm it. Wet thoroughly. Then 
broadcast the seed on surface of the soil. re 
Cover entire flat with 
a pane of glass and 
then with a sheet of 
newspaper. Set in a 
warm, dark place at 
75° to 85° until seed 
germinates. Then 
move to a sunny win- 
dow. If flat dries out 
slightly before seed 
sprouts, water care- 
fully with an atomizer, 
Transplant seedlings 
when second pair of 
leaves forms. Move 
into the garden after 
danger of frost is past. 
TITHONIA, ' 
Torch ; 
27 
WINNER 1951 SILVER MEDAL 
