The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1914-11-18
THE INDOOR WINDOW BOX
AFFORDS much Pleasure
U. s. Department of Agriculture Says
II Room Is Ventilated at All, Flow
ers VIII Not Affect Available
Breathing Air

door window box, properly planned and
tended, will afford much pleasure and
satisfaction to the house wife who
misses her out-of door garden during the
winter months. 1t is mistaken notion
that plants when kept in living rooms
use up certain elements of the air in
such quantities as to make it unhealth-
full for individuals using the room. 1t
is much harder on plants to be in a
room with people than for people to be
in room with growing plants. Plants,
indeed, use air, but use such a small
proportion that the effect of the plant
in the room is negligible if the room is
ventilated at ALL This also holds good
for cut flowers or plants in a sick room,
although the odor of some flowers may
be depressing to the patient, and bad
for that reason.
A good depth for an indoor window
box is about twelve inches. The bot
tom of the box should be covered with
stones and broken pottery to give
drainage and this should be covered by
a layer of moss to prevent the soil
above from working down through the
stones. The drainage and moss should
take up about three inches. The greater
the body of soil above the moss the
more uniform it may be kept as to mois'
ture. The soil should come to within
an inch and half or two inches of
the top of the box.
The indoor window box should be
made to fit into the window. To get
as much light as possible it should be
level with the window. It may be fast
ened with brackets or placed on table,
OF have legs made for it. There should
be drip pan beneath to keep water
from soiling the floor. The box may
rest directly above the drip pan on
legs half an inch to an inch high or
the box may be watertight with the ex-
ception of hole at one end to let out
the water.
The top of the soil should be allowed
to become quite dry once in while.
The results of watering will teach the
owner to regulate the supply. Boxes
may need watering in sunshiny weather
Especially toward spring. every day,
or at least every other day; in cloudy
midIwinter weather not more than once
week. AS a rule it is better to water
lightly and frequently than heavily and
infrequently. The specialist of the
United States Department of Agricul-
ture advises this, although just the re-
verse is considered best when watering
is done out of doors in the summer.
A large proportion of the plants in
window box should be of the same
general character if the growth is to
be successful. Plants of different char
acter need different treatment. 1t is
very difficult to raise towering plants in
window box with the exception of
begonias Ordinary Towering plants are
very exacting, and will not find enough
light in the ordinary living room, even
though placed near the window, al
though they may do well in conser-
vatory. The main object of an indoor
window box is to furnish the fresh alp
pearance of growing lgreen leaves rath-
er than to raise flowers indoors.
The Department of Agriculture s
specialist makes the following sugges-
tions for window box:
Begonias are one of the most attrac-
tive plants that may be used for an
indoors box. Both Towering and non
Towering varieties will give satisfac-
ton, in fact, the Towering variety is
one of the few plants that will blossom
indoors without special cultivation. The
lbegonias is not very particular in its
requirements and will flourish with or
dinary care.
Small ferns obtained from a florist
will flourish. These are particularly
adapted to house culture, as they do
not require direct sunlight. (Care of
ferns will be described in greater detail
in subsequent article.)
Even more hardy than ferns is the
foliage plant known as the aspidistra.
This adaptable plant-growth will stand
a measure of neglect, drought and dust
and still thrive. 1t does not require
direct sunlight.
Geraniums may also he used as foil
age plants, though they must not be
expected to blossom in the window box.
Kenilworth ivy may be planted
along the edge. 1t viii grow nicely
from seed.
Smilax may be grown from the back
of the box, and trained up about the
window to give the effect of an at
tractive bower.
The inexperienced grower of plants
indoors cannot expect to do well with
roses. These plants are most exacting,
and not only will they probably fail to
flower, but also their foliage may be
affected by mildew, blight, etc.
The ordinary individual who desires
other varieties of growing flowers, may
supplement his window box with flow
ering potted plants brought in from out
side, including bulbs raised as described
in a previous article of this series.
These will probably keep their bloom for
brief period only. People who are
fond of plants will, of course, obtain
better results with blooming varieties
after many trials. Some have dealt
with very difficult problems, which they
have solved successfully, but the pres
emit suggestions are meant for the no.
vice as well as the more experienced
grower.
(No. 6 of this series entitled,
"Potted Plants for the Living Room, F"
viii follow shortly.)