Rocky Ford enterprise., 1913-05-09
BACK YARD farmer
Interesting Pointers on Garden
ing for the City Man or
Suburbanite.
WHAT TO PLANT AND WHEN
Advice by an Expert on Agricultural
Matters-Window Boxes and Hang
Ing Baskets-Eradicating Weeds
-Beautifylna the Yard.
BY PROF. JOHN WILLARD BoLrE.

A comparatively small number of
the people in our large cities have
the ground available for a vegetable
garden. A much larger number have
some little plot that will raise fow-
ers, but the fiat dweller has nothing of
the kind.
This does not indicate that fiat
dwellers may not have flowers in
summer, however, as they can always
have them in window boxes and fire.
quently in porch boxes and hanging
baskets.
Flowers of many kinds and hues
will grow to fullest perfection in
boxes of various kinds and all they
need is sunshine and little careful
attention. They constitute the chief
Joy of the summer season and no one
should be without them from May
until frost time.
Almost any sort of box will do SO
long as it is deep enough for the
roots to grow in, and strong enough
to hold the earth. An excellent win
dow box can be made of three-quar-
ter-inch lumber, one foot deep and
one foot wide. the length being regu-
later, Of course. to the size bf the
opening in which the box is to fit.
The width of the window or porch box
is immaterial, but the depth should
not be less than ten to twelve inches.
Bore a few three-quarter-inch holes
in the bottom to allow for drainage
and fasten the box firmly in place,
as 1t will weigh a great deal after
being filled.
FIJI 1t with rich greenhouse or gar
den earth. having mixed in a quantity
Of well-rotted manure. Some fine
wood ashes will assist the blossoms
wonderfully. but coal ashes are a
detriment. Have the earth fine and
mellow and plant the flowers as soon
after filling the box as possible.
The quickest and most satisfactory
way to stock these boxes is to buy
potted plants from the florist and
transplant them. They are more
sturdy than plants grown from seed
in the boxes and they bloom much
earlier. The cost is prohibitive in
many cases. however, and almost any
annual flowers will grow from seed
in such boxes. Where the amount of
sunshine is limited 1t is almost neces-
sary to put in plants instead of weeds.
Geraniums are probably the most
satisfactory Towering plants for the
formal window box. and they are
very widely used. Foliage plants are
excellent and Withstand the hot after
noon sun better than Towering plants.
Ferns do well in shaded locations.
Small plants of English Ivy. Wan
dering Jew and many of the smaller
vines are useful for draping effects
and we have seen some Of the larger
growing annual vines, such as Wild
Cucumber. Scarlet Runner Beans and
Morning Glory, used in window boxes
with excellent results. the long. grace
full vines. either climbing in the usual
way or trailing down over the side of
the box.
Hanging baskets, either fern balls,
moss baskets, or boxes. can be hung
in any sheltered location, and they
are very satisfactory. We recommend
the use of self-watering hanging bas-
kets, as the ordinary hanging device
is inconvenient to handle and 1t must
be watered constantly.
Remember that success with boxes
demands lots of water every day,
three times as much as you would
give the same plants in bed.