The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-04-21

mistake in handling the plants they
wish to hold over for next winters
blossoms. These people either remove
the plants from the pots in which they
have been growing and transplant
them to the open ground or plunge"
the pots full depth in the soil and think
no more of the matter In the former
case the plants take care of them
selves during summer and perhaps
make fairly good or even excellent
growth; in the latter case they are
unsuccessful from want of food and
moisture.
Plants that the gardener expects 10
use during the following winter must
be given reasonable and timely atten-
tion all through the summer in order
to have fine specimens which will pro.
duce plenty of flowers the following
winter. The process of lifting and re-
potting plants involves considerable
amount of labor This. coupled with
the loss of roots, should be enough to
condemn the practise.
The period for removal of plants
from the garden to the house is always
trying to plants because the condi-
tions under which growth must be
made are radically different from those
outdoors. Any one who will notice 81
plant that has been growing in the op.
en- ground during the summer and then
lifted and taken into the house in the
autumn will see that there is low
cred strength which results mainly
from a loss Of roots and branches and
from the disturbance which the plant
has received when the change was
made. Within a few days the loss OF
strength will be observed Plants so
handled frequently, if not generally,
require at least Several months in
which to recuperative process is talk.
ing place they will not produce flow
ers abundantly if at all Whether the
window gardener adopt the plungins
or the setting out plan he is really
working against his best interests.
The chief objection to 'plunging
plants in their pots It's hat while the
soil around the pots seems moist and
rich, and while for,ths reason the gar
dener may believe the plants are do
ing we'll, yet examination of the oil in
side the pots will show that very little
moisture and less plant food get in.
The only means whereby food and
moisture can enter are through the
drainage hole at the bottom and a
much more proportionately limited
quantity at the top (because the soil
is dry.)
Unless the gardener supply his
plunged plants with water at Frequent
intervals he is almost sure to have
these plants affected severely by local
dryness in the pots while plants with
in few feet but not in pots, are get
ting plenty OF food and moisture,
Plunged plants never grow with the
strength and luXuriance of those found
in the open ground
For these reaso Is advisable al.
ways to keep plaa's intended for the
following winters use in pots during
the entire summer, They should be
placed on a partly-shaded veranda or,
better, under a shed with slate roof.
Such a shed may be merely posts with
a roof framework and lath shades plac-
ed On TOP. These shades may be made
by netting ordinary building laths to
other laths placed at right angles to
the ends, each longitudinal lath being
placed It's own width from its neigh
bor. The frames so made may be fas-
,ened by means Of string to the post
framework mentioned above. This
plan is usually better than placing the
plants under trees, as is sometimes
done
Whether placed on the veranda or
under a shed the plants can he kent
under complete control and with much
less work than If they were put into
the garden. Those which viii require
little or no water during the summer,
for instance, poinsettia. imantophyl,
lum, cacti, bouyardia and the like,
may be placed together In other
groups should be plants which viii re
Quire more watering. 1t is good plan
to keep all yareties of a species to-
gether. The advantage OF this ar
rangement that work can be saved
and yet plants may have all the light
or shade and water they need. Besides
they can be given those little atten-
tions they equhe from time to time
much more conveniently than IL they
are scattered here and there in the
garden. Il is essential that the gar,
dener should study his plants so as 20
know what they require at any time
When plants are held over summer
In this kind Of way they frequently
need no complete repottlng in the fall
All that may be necessary is to re,
move part of the upper portion OF the
soil and to replace ii with fresh rich
coil ,--....tA .r fI.se.