Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-31
PLANTING SEEDS FOR
EARLY SPRING FLOWERS

If YOU SOW pansy seed as soon as pos
sible in August you will have flowers
very early next spring. probably before
your neighbors who buy their plants will
have placed their orders. Pansies are
SO hardy that they will winter over in
the open ground if covered lightly with
straw or leaves, especially if there is an
abundance of snow. Early pansies are
delight. They are handsome in beds, are
useful for Towering in window boxes
and make charming edgings when the
season is young. And they may be moved
about when in full bloom, thus provid-
ing for immediate effects.
The beds where the seed is to be plant
ed should be exposed to the SUMS rays
all day and should be SO placed that they
can be watered several times day II
necessary. The seed may be sown in lit
tie burrows or broadcast the latter plan
being followed when many plants are
started, but first the soil must be made
as fine as possible with an iron rake.
If you want really good pansies and
lots of them you must purchase seed of
a high grade but you will not find it in
the little five and ten cent packages the
seedsmen sell. The best plan is to tell
your dealer that you want the kind Of
seed he would sell a commercial grower.
You should be willing to pay a quarter
or even 80 cents for a package. There
is grower in New England who sells
all the seed he is willing to dispose of at
the rate of S1.5 pound. He does not
sell it by the pound, though, but in little
packets. each of which brings a dollar. A
few seeds will be enough for the amateur
and most dealers carry high grade.
With the seeds in the ground and COW
cred lightly water must be given freely,
and in such fashion as not to wash them
out. A good plan is to place a piece of
burlap over the bed and to allow the
water to work through the cloth to the
soil. simple way to keep the bed moist
is to cover it lightly with hay until the
plants appear Even then water in abun-
to stand for much work, but when it is
remembered that the bed need be only a
few feet square and that few pailfuls
of water will wet it thoroughly it is seen
that the amount of abor demanded is not
great
Along in September the little plants
should be removed to their permanent
quarters and set about six inches apart.
Many of them will be blooming before
frost comes. and if protected lightly with
straw through the winter the beds will
be gay with blossoms in April or even
before. Some people find considerable
profit raising pansy plants in this way.
Near Cleveland lives a woman who has
plants and disposes of several thousand
each spring. Usually it is an easy mat
ter for one to get a quarter for eight to
a dozen plants from friends and neigh
bors. People who fail to make their
plants grow after they come up may
often win success by sterilizing the soil
of the seed bed. which means nothing
more than baking it in tins in the oven
until 1t is too hot for the hand to be held
in it. 1t is by no means a difficult mat
ter TO sterilize the top soil of small bed
Extra early plants may be secured by
transferring the little plants from the
seed bed to a cold frame, on which sash
should be placed in December, or earlier
if the weather turns very cold On warm
days it is necessary to lift the sash some
what for ventilation. and this attention is
needed. especially in March. In fact, as
soon as the ground is free from frost the
sash may as Well be removed entirely.
Raising ones plants. it is easy to make
up a bed or a narrow border of solid
colors, and the effect is delightful
stretch of blue or yellow flowers along a
walk, for example, is charming. Seed is
colors is offered. and one may arrange in
advance for whatever effect may be de-
sired.
There are several other plants which
may be started at the same time as
pansies and which need the same sort of
culture. The English daisy and forget
me-nots are the best known, and it is q
simple matter to grow them. Both are
excellent for edgings early In the season.