Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-10-30
How 20 Pot Plants.

The first consideration In pOtttnr plants Is to
have the soil In suitable condition, neither too
wet nor too dry-jusT Ia friabIe condition. 1t
too wet, 1t VIII bake hard together, and prevent
the roots OF the plant penetrating it rea1 lily; IL
very dry, the ball will not b. OF the proper
nrmness Throughout, and some difficulty VIII
De found In getting the water for the arSt two
or threeEaterings 10 go through it. The Pot
should be perfectly Clean, inside and out; and
II IL has been used before it should b. well
washed and dried before using tt again
In Shifting plant from q smaller into larger
pot, take the neck o; the plant between the fore
ana middle fingers Of the lef5 hand, placing tn /,
Dottom or the pot In the right haad, turn it up-
side down, and give the rim OF the pot two or
three raps on the edge of a table o. your pottin
oench; this Will loosen the ball. and yoI can
then readily life the LOT from it. As a general
rule, In shifting plant from a smaller to a
larger pot. select q pot in wntch the pot you are
shlft1ng rom car stand readily. Rooted cuttings
should at first have two Or three inch pot. aud
De SHIFTED from these as r1e pots become full or
roots. Potters generally advance the siz.s OF,
their pots by an inch; thus there are Two, three
1our, nVe, SIX, seven and eight inch pots; above
the last SIZE they advance by Two tncne5, the
measurements being the 1aternal diameter OF
the rim. For ordinary room plants an eight
Inch pot Is as large az can be conveniently
managed. When geraniums fuch5ias, and stint
should be taken out OF 1t and have the roots and
tops pruned back, and again potted IN the same
sized pot.
1t used to be the custom to place An oyster
OF the pot, la the idea that 1T prevented the
drainage from being stopped up. Ii is now
discarded by the best cuitivators as tG really
produces the difficulty it was intended to oovi
ate. by largely reducing the size OF the hole II
the hole getsstOpped up IL can readily be cleaned
out With knife or sharp stick When potting
cutting put little soil In the bottom OF tnI,
pot, then take the plant IN your left hand, ana
letting the roots hang loosely in the pot, auG
keeping the neck OF the plant In the center
with your right hand or small troWel fill the
soil into the pot, bump the pot down on the
table or bench few times to settle the cart,
evenly, aud then firmly press Ii down with tbs
thumbs, not filing the pot full. but leaving a
SUFFICIENT space at the top for watering. II The
plant to be repotUed Is an established Ole take
1t out OF the pot in the way already directei
ana pot 1t into one size larger With the
fingers or pointed stick rem I'VE about hal
an inch or more OF The outside OF the ball; If tn
roots are much matted they may be cut away
On the outside with a sharp knife, then
placing ne soil In the bottom OF the pot, puT
the plant In IL, and then I'LL in the soil between
the ball and the pot, ramming 1t down moder
ately with blunt stick, making sure that
vacancies are left The surface of tbs ba
should be little below the level OF the top O
the pot: Always be careful to leave sufficient
room at the surface for watering but neve
bury the neck or collar OF the plant 10 the soil
70 90 SO is very Injurious to many plants. esoe
cially azaleaS, canelias, oranges, lemons and
other hard wooded plants.
AFTER reporting your plants, place them Ia a
81 ady place, where they will not be exposed t.
high drying winds; and water them from :
watering pot with fine rose, but do not give
100 much at once. Only give enough to settlt
a Prddle, and makes 1t hard when it dries ou
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