The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-02-03
Potting Plants for Winter.

POtIiHg TtAnES IOf hInteTs
IT is arwavs well to take up plants
soon enough t. have them take root anew
quarters.
To insrge the best success, the opera
tor should select cool or damp weather,
and provide himself with good, friable
soil When there is but little to be
done, morning or evening is good time
for operations. Plants when set out in
the open ground form their roots very
differently from what they do when
grown in pots, the roots being long and
Struggling, and very liable to be cut
moved with them. Consequently the
soil should lie made very wet before re
moving the plants, and Ihe earth around
the ROOFS should te lifted as cumpactlS
as possible. Very l:gat soils viii Re 4ui.e
especial care in thi, respect.
Another important point is to pTune
the plants sufficiently. Plants that haye
made rank, succulent growth, or az
removed wi.h Il c.I!-i,!e. 3hin i>SS
root, re irH 70 ..,-t.- ,,-,L, Nc
cut bacI are induced to form YOU,
Shoots, which viii gave the plants d IL L
symmetrical form, and conduce t, ID,
development of fiower-buds. In man,
cases, however, little or no pruLing i:
necessary.
In removing plants from the graun'
take off all the Sill not counrcie>! viii
the roots, and place a little fresh soil
good quality in the pot, when platin
the plant in it This gives The "a
new food to work upon. tltuts nee.
better soil when growing il p p,'- !i,4t
when set in the open ground Ni.e th
plant has been pToperl y .ires cu i,io liz
soil, apply Sufficient water to md .'rl' e:
saturate the soil, ard se5 the plants in
cool and shady place until the 20 l. III
formed. See that The plants d Mt >liI
fer for water after being pu;,ed. Ii
after potting, they are lett in the ope'
air, the pots should not be exposed t
the full glare of the sun, as it VIII over
heat the pots and dry out the roots G
the plants. The proper way is TO pug
the pots to the brims in some ligh., CO..
venient material.
Large plants of grranium>. wtlici
have bloomed all summer aud are ;iti-
untitled for house decorator. N " b.
kept during the winter in A ii"iiJ warm
cellar. Occasional watering- will d.
necessary to keep the plants from dry
ing. 1t is but little trouble to kee,
| plants over winter in this way and from
what | have seen the present summer
believe that old large plants Of gerani-
ums are especially desirable for bedding
purposes. They make a show of both
blossoms and foliage early in the season,
| before small young plants come on.
Another advantage in large or old plans
is that they are almost proof against
| that insidious enemy of the geraaium,
the white ant. In such plants the piJh
seems to be too tough Tor the auts tC
bore.
Coleus makes exceedingly beautiful
plants for window decoration in winter
Young plants from "tip" cuttings in
small pots are fully as good for this
purpose as larger ones,. and occupy
much less room. Some of the newer
varieties of this plant have very delicate
colorings and markings, and almost
every year varieties of special Interest
are added to our already large list. The
principal difficulty in keeping coleus il
an ordinary dwelling-hou. is that the
plants become chilled at night, which
will cause the leaves to drop, and fre
|
of coleus require good exposure to the
shades and markings.
There are some kinds of plants, no
| generally regarded as house-plants
which are desirable for winter bloom
ing. Pansies, tuberogos, sweet alyssum
stocks, etc.. are among those which ca,
be grown indoors. Tuberoses which
| ~,
the summer, but which are too late t.
bloom and escape the frost, may be care
fully lifted and potted in good rich soil
and they will then bloom in the house
For house culture the dwarf variety
''Pearl,' is in every way superior to th'
old variety. Acl'r "antGGs N%l>ic,',, j
a pretty plllo, OF Very compact growth
quality which makes it superior t,
most other varieties of achyranthes
which are of much coarser growth. Tn
markings of Achyranthes Versicolor ar
very handsome. Cuttings of verbena
may be started at this time, and vii
make good plants for winter blooming
Wood taken from ceranium nlants il
pruning : c7l@- ,::.t s., -...I.s. A,...ut
from, which may be done by placin.
each cutting in a small pot filled witt
fine loose soil. The soil should be KEEP
evenly moist, and the pots plunged il
sawdust or other material, in cool
shady situation. Scented geraniums ar
indispensable in every collection of par
Tor plants. AS their chief value consist
in the fragrance of the leaves, smal
plants are nearly as good as larger ones
while they take up much less space O.
the stand. This class of geraniums no,
numbers q great many varieties, c
which rose, apple, lemon, variegate
rose and skeleton leaved are desirab]
ones. The apple scented is particular
rich.-Cor. Examiner and Chronicle.