Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-14
PRETTY GARDENETTE
IN THE WINDOW

one may live in city fiat without
foot of ground to cali his own. and vet
nave a garden. The window box solves
the problem. Even a sunny window is
! not necessary. although to be preferred:
/, there are plants and flowers which
| flourish in the shade.
The window garden will be a thing of
beauty all summer. if properly made and
managed. and the poel says, you know.
that thing of beauty is a joy forever.
1T lives in memory after it has faded
from sight
Many people fail of success with win
dow and porch boxes because they do
not make them deep enough When
warm weather comes they dry out quick
I, ~ and the flowers perish for lack of
water 1t must be remembered that the
box Is a real garden in miniature-a gar
denette. as il were. The processes which
go on within 1t are the same as those
which go on in the soil everywhere Eight
inches is none too deep for the window
box. which must be made firmly. as the
vet earth exerts considerable pressure
against the sides. II over the street,
II must be fastened so securely that the
most violent winds cannot wrench it
loose Otherwise there may be broken
heads and damage suits
Well rotted stable manure. pulverized
sheep manure from the seed store or a
little bonemeal may be mixed with good
garden soil when the garden is made in
the box. For q very small sum enough
, suitable earth may be secured. no doubt.
at the shop of the nearest scotsman or
florist. City people sometimes are puzzled
to know where they can obtain little
common earth.
/ All through the season water must be
applied with a generous hand even more
so THAN in the garden, for the reason
/ that the soil in boxes is more exposed
/ to the air and dries more quickly. In
! warm weather, watering every day is
| needed. Holes for drainage are often
| MADE in the bottom of the window box
but really are not needed, unless the
plants are flooded with water, which is
going to extremes Certainly there should
| be no drainage holes when the box is
| viOus.
BY the middle of summer window gar
| dens which have made a brave show up
to that time often begin to look seedy
ana tnriItless. The owners wonder why
| but sit helpless,y by and see their flowers
! perish. Yet the cause is a simple one
the plants are starved They have taken
! up. all the available pant food in the
soil and need square meal. If an ap-
plication of shsep manure is made on
! the surface and lightly worked into the
soil. with several more applica tions be-
| fore the end of the season. the plants
will revive end continue to yield their
blossoms The same result NAV be ar
complished by pouring on manure water
about the color Of weak tea once or twice
! q week.
( There are plants and flowers in great
variety well adapted to window box cuI
ture. Most effective results are secured
+, when there are tall plants combined
with trailing vines. Geraniums arc nov,
uiar and easily grown, and variegated
vinca. splendid trailer. supplements if
nicely. Thunbergia is a good vine and
bears many dark-eyed blossoms but !,
Graves the sun. Petunias are handsome
poisoning plants for sunny windows
Marluerites and nasturtiums ar. 49,
satisfactory and carly in the season
pansies may be grown. For shaded win
dows let the choice be begon.a. priv
| roses. fuchsas and gloxinias anon tha
towering pants. with ivy or y;nca for
vines. Moneywort is fine too. aIthourh
not so well known -
II the garden maker has good t,s,a
he-or she. more likely-will not trv to
grow 100 many kinds in one box
gardenettc composed of pink geraniun,s
and vinca Is much more handsome than
one which is merely hodgepodge' '''a"