Growing Plants in Wood Bands _ 
Growing small plants in plant bands is 
a very handy and convenient way; especial- 
ly where plants are grown for resale. Too, 
the small gardener who wants only a few 
plants, can make up a flat with 134 inch 
size which will make 45 per flat and sow 
just a few seeds in each band and then grow 
one plant in the band till it actually needs 
shifting to a larger size or in some cases, can 
be transplanted to the open ground. 
There are several different types of these 
bands or pots on the market. The pot-type 
takes more space and there is always the 
disadvantage of the air space between them 
and those that are water-proof, have the dis- 
advantage of some pots being watered tod 
much and others not enough, there is not 
the drainage as in the band-type. 
Nitrogen Starvation 
But in the band type. these are usually 
made of soft wood which decays quickly: 
and in doing so, takes up the nitrogen from 
the soil in the band, thus starving the seed- 
ling when it needs the nitrogen the most. 
You have noticed these seedlings with their 
pale looks. With the cypress band, thia 
wood actually will remain for years without 
decay and seedlings grown in them lose none 
of the nitrogen in the soil and you will have 
well colored plants. , 
For the small grower, these small sized 
bands made up in a flat full or 45, are ideak 
containers. If many seeds are started at 
the same time it is well to plant the slow 
germinators in one flat and the quick 
ones in another; this will allow you to keep 
the flat covered with screen at least a longer 
period than if some seed germinated in a 
week, such as Sunflower, when you would 
have to give them head room within 10 days. 
This year we have all our seed tests plant- 
ed this way, most of which we will grow on 
in the nursery for field testing and observat- 
ion. While we have tried to make the 
flat plantings as near alike as possible many 
will have to be moved before others are 
ready and to make the moving easy, we 
have placed about a half inch of course 
gravel in the bottom of each band, thinking 
that the band can be lifted out easily; we 
will have to wait and see, tho, 
Ideal for Resale Purposes 
Those readers who are growing plants 
for sale and especially perennials, should 
try growing in these bands, shifting to 
the larger size when necessary. A selection 
of plants can be put into flats and displayed 
at your sales place or as many do, sell them 
to those selling flowers and plants at road- 
side markets. One grower has small flats 
holding 12 bands, which he makes up in an 
assortment and then sells the whole dozen. 
I notice that some spring sales have been 
for the 4 inch band; other than moving 
field grown stock to them, I cannot imagiine 
how these large bands were to be used. 
certainly one would not want to START a 
plant in a large band. Ten times as many 
of the small size are sold to all the other 
sizes to gether. 
Kew Soil Mixtures » 
SOIL MIXTURES ; 
There are several formulas for making 
soil mixtures for seed pans of for potting. 
The following are those known as the 
Kew mixtures. They have been carefully 
worked out and it will pay to follow them. 
The Kew No. 1 Seed Mixture is: 
6 parts sandy loam. 
4 parts leaf-mould,(Oak best). 
2 parts sharp sand. 
1 part crushed flower pots. 
I part tufa. 
and the plants germinated in this should be 
potted up in: 
6 parts sandy loam. 
2 parts leaf-mould. 
1 part sharp sand. 
1 part crushed pots. 
Where a plant especially requires lime, this 
can be added; scree plants, more gravel can 
be daded. 
This mixture is used for alpines, woodland 
species and those requiring excess of humus 
in the soil. 
The Kew No. 2 Mixture is: 
4 parts loam, free of lime. 
4 parts sifted leaf-mould. 
1 part peat. 
4 parts fo sharp sand. 
2 parts crushed pots. fj 
and the potting ssoil for these plants is 
made up of: 
6 parts mlie-free loam. 
4 parts leaf-mould. 
1 part peat. 
1 part sharp sand. 
1 part crushed pots. 
and to this mixture, bone meal, dried blood. 
and hoofand horn meal can be added, es- 
pecially for gross feeders. 
The above is for lime-hating species. 
The crushed pots should be very fine. 
the size of Radish seed. It is very valuable 
in the mixture because of its water holding 
action. 
DRYING FLOWERS OF 
BELLS OF IRELAND 
Molucella laevis is a hardy annual, grow- 
ing about 2 feet high. : 
It is not commonly known that its flowers 
are very attractive when dried and used as 
“everlasting flowers”. Cut tte thems as soon 
as the dew has dried,; this should be done 
when the flowers are full open. Hang ttem 
up in small bunches, in a dark airy room 
where the temperature is 60-70 degrees Far. 
VELTHEIMALANT 20 YEARS OLD 
J. G. Bacher of Portland, Oregon writes: 
“I enjoy the privilege of each year trying 
out new flowers and some of my plants are 
nearly 30 years old. 
Just yesterday I photographed a Veltheim- 
alant raised from seed planted in 1928! 
I have also, for the first time, the lovely 
Hardenbergia in flower, also the Haemanthus 
natalense while H. catharinae flowered in 
summer time. 
In the fall the evergreen Haemanthus 
albiflos flowered well for me as you will 
see from the picture enclosed. 
Mrs. Modic’s Flower Room. 
383 
A Porch Garden 
Mrs. Madalene Modic of Pa. writes about 
her porch garden or jungle room, as she 
calls it and as it may interest others who 
wish to turn a porch into a miniature green- 
house, we are showing a picture of it and 
following are some of her remarks about 
handling it. 
“My husband had the porch enclosed 
for his books, an easy chair, a place to read 
and relax. He had bookcases built under 
the windows the length of the room, 12. 
inches wide. ‘There is room for your 
plants,’ he said. Little did he then dream 
of how plants multiply and grow. Many 
were swapped for others, till the shelf was 
overflowing to a table nearby. My husband 
had another shelf built under the end win- 
dow. By another year it, too, was over- 
flowing, so my husband’s chair was removed 
and more shelves were built. 
The only heat comes from the living 
room which is heated by a furnace; the 
north end is always cooler than the window 
opposite the archway. All the shade loving 
plants go to the north window. 
I started my porch garden in 1949 and, 
have learned much from my plants. Some re- 
fuse to be at home, others sulk, while many 
are content to grow and bloom. I have the 
most trouble with temperature and humid; 
ity. I have little trouble with insects; pre- 
vention is the clue, by keeping the bugs 
away. I use Malathion this year. 
I spend one hour every day with my 
plants; water them every other day and 
save rain water whenever possible.. I have 
a shelf in the basement where I keep my 
supplies and do the repotting. I once 
raised 60 Gloxinias from seed. I sow 
Clarkia in September; put them into 21% 
inch pots and stake, by February they are 
blooming. I grow Browallia, Stevia, Begon- 
ias, Petunias, Passiflower, Agapanthus, Val- 
otta, Episcia, Plumbago, Oxalis, Lantana, 
and Clivia from seed. 
SEDUMS FOR DRY BANKS 
It is said that a basketfull of Sedum 
spurium rubrum, S. sexangulare and S. spur- 
jum scattered over a dry bank on a cloudy 
day will root and in full flower the following 
year. 
AUSTRALIAN SEEDS 
_ A great many Australian seeds are planted 
in the U.S.A. In their natural habitat, 
the soil is usually of a sandy nature, so if 
is best to mix 1/4 or 1/3 sharp sand in any 
heavy clay soils. It would also be kept in 
mind that a safe rule to follow is to provide 
good drainage. 
