La Junta tribune., 1915-04-10
FLOWERS THAT MAKE Good.
Flower Planting Time Has Arrived
some Suggestions for Ans
tuer Gsrdeners.

=
ering plants they shall put n their
gardens. The average housewife
who has not much time to spare on
the matter, the child who Is just
becoming interested In growing
plants, and the teacher who Is lay
! ing out school garden for the
benefit OF her pupils Will undoubt-
edly welcome some simple sugges-
lions along this line. The United
States Department OF Agriculture's
specialists particularly recommends
as satisfactory and easily grown
I flowers. the ageratum. the nasturti-
um. the petunia and the zinnia.
Here are few pointers on each of
them.
Ageratum-The ageratum ia one
OF the few blue flowers We have. In
its form II somewhat resembles the
heiiotrope but has no odor. Agera-
tums grow well upon almost all soils
and through a wide range Of cH-
mates. For that reason many COM
binations with them are possible.
The plants are neat, bushy and erect.
and produce a profusion OF brush
like flowers throughout the season.
The dwarf blue sorts make fine
borders and are much used where
contrasting color effects are desired.
For early bloom the seed should
be sown In cold frames or In boxes
In the house early in the season. but
for summer and fall bloom the seeds
may be sown In April or early in
May in well prepared beds In the
open. Seeds sown In August will
produce good plants for winter flow
ering.
Nasturtium-The large seeds Of the
nasturtium require to be planted
much deeper than the fine seeds OF
the petunia. Sow them In rows
where the plants are to grow. plac-
Ing the seeds about six inches apart
In the row and cover them about an
inch deep. When all plants are up
thin 80 they stand foot apart II the
soil is rich: II rather thin. II will be
well 20 allow them TO stand at the
planting distance. The plants
should be given clean cultivation to
induce rapid growth. II planted In
the open at the same time that beans
are planted. very satisfactory re-
suits will follow. For earlier bloom
plant In advance o! this date in hot
beds. cold frames or window boxes.
Petunia-While the petunia grows
readily and rapidly from seeds sown
In the open about corn planting time.
earlier bloom can be had BY sowing
the seed In window boxes or hot.
beds and trsnsplanting the plants
once before placing them In the
open. For localities north Of New
York the most satisfactory method
OF handling these plants will be to
start the seeds In window boxes
about April LIST and TO transfer the
young plants to the open when the
weather permits-about the middle
OF May. The seeds are very small
and should not be covered with
earth In the ordinary way. They
should be sown on the surface ana
brought In contact with the earth by
firming II with q board.
Zinnis-The xinn!s II easily
grown from seed sown In the open
ground. When sown In April the
plants will bloom sbundantiy and
continuously through the entire sea.
son. During August sinniss are q,
their best. To get large flowers and
. profusion OF bloom the plants must
be given ample room for full dsyel. 4
opment. a. well ss an abundant sup.
ply OF food. Strong. rich soils sui,
the s'nnia. II the seeds are soxn
In = dwelling house or In q hotb~d
ana the young plants are pricked ou,
once or twice before being placed In
'heir permanent situations. more sat.
isfactory results will be obtained
than from outdoor soxn seeds. un.
less equal care In thinning or trans.
planting 10 given. In addition 10
'ne'r use In the school garden. Gin.
n'ss can be used for groups. beds.
borders. garden lines and summer
hedges. Their average height 10 one
ana one'hsif feet The sinnis II q
rather large. formal flower whose
colors range through the shades Of
red and yellow. Their season Of
bloom IL through the late sumue,
ese autumn and the indivjduai
bloom lasts for long time both on
The plsas and - cut flowers.