Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-11-08
Winter Plants.
HINTS TO THOSE WHO WANT FLOWERS
NEXT WINTER.

Almost all plants intended as winter |
boomers must have special treatment |
during the summer and fall months. We |
want blossoms and well formed plants for
winter decorations, and in the cultivation |
of geranums | have found the following
TO be good way to obtain them. Not all
the varieties are good winter boomers,
but some kinds are to lie specially recon-
mended for that purpose. Plants lifted
from the garden which have grown to
considerable size will disappoint you by
taking long time to recover from the
effects OF lifting, if they do at all. 1t ia
better to take young plants this month.
Then we have blossoms in November and
all during the winter, until time to turn
them out in the garden in the spring and
summer blooming.
You want young, healthy plants to begin
with, which set in pots of 4 small size,
say two or three inches; shift occasionally,
bat always use the next size, never making
large shifts. This course may make a
little trouble from drying out where there
| is no greenhouse for the small pots, but II
shallow box to set them into with moss or
sand packed around them and kept damp
will prevent all this trouble. The effect
of the foregoing treatment is TO obtain
stocky plants and to prevent premature
blooming. Good winter blooming gerani-
ums can only be obtained in tins way.
Make the last shift in August for the lar
gest sized plants, the others in tho months
following Scarlets require larger pots
than tho other colors, Pinks, salmons and
whites thrive in somewhat contracted
space. Pinch out all the flower buds until
the plants are taken in for the winter.
OF all the geraniums, be sure and have
some of the scented leaved ones They
are everybody's pets, thrifty growers, and
never bothered by insects of any descrip-
ton. The common rose, large rose, skel-
eton leaved and little pet are my choice
have often been asked why geraniums
do not bloom in winter. In nine cases
out of ten find the trouble is want of
stimuants. A geranium will grow on
earth and water alone, but will not bloom
well. Soap suds is splendid for all house
plants. Soak the pots once week in
soap suds; the dirtier the suds arc the
better Drain and rinse of with clean
water and note the results.
Roses, to get them to bloom in winter
must be grown in pots sunk TO the rim
out of doors during summer They vii
there make strong stock of working
roots, and when repotted in September
! into some very rich soil will become per
!. sistent boomers the entire winter. Rose!
!, are admirably suited to house plants il
!; winter. They do not require warn
T. temperature, but enjoy the sunlight ana
daily bath.
There arc no double winter blooming
: fuchias, MS far as my experience goes
J., The winter blooming varieties are al
c. single, and in the order of merit and rota
k. ton of blooming stand thus: Spcciso
Id Mrs. Marshall and Lustre. A new on
u.s. called Earl of Beaconsfield" gives prom
T., Use of being winter bloomer, but hav
I'd not had 1t long enough to say so definitely
ID Plants intended for winter blooming
- whore they st be purchased, should b
secured in the early fall months. In tha
way they get considerable strength an
size before hard winter comes.
Other good plants for winter b!oomin
NAV be selected from the ADDITIONS, tn
white one, Boule de Nege is probably tn
best. Bouvardias do we'll where there
plenty of heat, and care taken to keep til
leaves frequently moistened. Carnation
that are to bloom in the winter ought
be grown in beds out of doors during sun
mer, and all buds removed until Sep'eu
Der. Then after carefully lifting an
potting, shade them for few days an
success is certain.
The Chinese primrose is most popua
pot plant for winter. They are easll
grown from seed, should have partl;
,,,ai-t
do we'll.
Most people are fond Of tnbcroscs, an
these very fragrant flowers are usual
abundant in summer. but if they al
desired in winter, procure dry bulbs no
and pot them afterwards sinking the p'
tup to its rim in soil out of doors. Hen
roots will fill the pot. and when the co
nights come, the pot may he lifted al
brought into the house. where the tub
rose will soon unfold its blossoms.