West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-11-16
Care Should Be Taken That Peren-
NAL Plants Have Proper Winter
Proteetion-Correet Manner to
Prepare and Store Roots and
Bulbs

placing the flower garden in shape for
winter will vary with the kind OF
plants grown and the latitude, say
specialists or the department In the
case OF perennials. which die down TO
the ground but which should live
through the winter and send up shoots
again on the advent OF warm weather.
the roots should be well mulched with
manure or inches deep as soon as
the ground freezes. In this group are
included such plants as peonies. lark
spur, hollyhock, columbines, iris.
piatycodones and perennial poppies.
Plants such as cannas, dahlias. glad
iolas, and Caladiums should have their
roots dug up and stored in a cellar
where the temperature will not rise
about 60 degrees nor fall below so
degrees +, The root clumps of cannas
and dahlias should not be shaken free
OF soil. These plants with the soil
naturally adhering to them should be
placed on racks or in slat boxes so
that the air may circulate among
them. II is important that the roots
do not become too warm or dry and
that mo frost shall reach them. The
bulbs OF gladiolas, Caladiums and tube
roses, on the other hand, should be
carefully cleaned OF soil and dried
In the open air for a day or two. They
may then be stored I'm the cellar.
In all but semi-tropical portions of
the United States geraniums must be
taken indoors for winter. Florists us
ueliy make cuttings in the fall to grow
new plants in greenhouses for spring
use. This practice is, OF coarse. i'm
practicable for the average household
er. The latter may take up growing
plants and hold them in a dormant
condition by storing upright in boxes
OF dry soil in a cellar having temper
ature OF from 40 to so degrees f. The
plants may be placed close together
with only little dry soil among the
roots.
While taking many plants indoors
for the winter. the home gardener in a
large section of the country should set
out In the fall the pansy plants which
are to make up the spring beds OF
these flowers. This procedure should
be followed in the country south OF a
line from New York city to Sprin-
gheld, Ill. The young plants should
be covered by coarse manure at the
hrst freezing OF the ground before it
has had an opportunity to thaw.
While number of the shrubs COM
monty grown In the garden will go
through the winter without injury IL
let alone. others must be given vary
Ing degrees Of special attention.
Among the shrubs which need no un-
usual fall and winter care are snow
balls, spires, mock orange and lilacs.
Hydrangeas, even In the south, must
have special winter protection and in
the north must be lifted. set in tubs,
and kept In a frost-proof cellar. An
east and west line through Philadel-
phia is generally accepted as marking
the boundary north Of which II is
necessary to take hydrangess inaoors
South Of this line II is usually SUN
cient TO protect the tops of the plants
with straw or brush while they are in
their outdoor locations. A little man
ure or straw may be placed on this
covering to hold it in place. The brug-
mansia, or thirn apple. should be
treated like the hydrangea.
The first frost which will put an end
to the development OF many of the
flowers in the home garden should be
ne signal. say specialists OF the de-
partment, for the planting OF bulbs Of
the tulip, hyscinth and narcissus,
which are to furnish the first touch OF
ceior for the outdoor garden in the
spring, The bulbs may be put in even
before the appearance OF the first frost
but better not until after.
Tulips and hyaclnths should be plac-
ed in beds I'm light, rich soil that has
been dug to a depth OF at least 10
inches. They should be set 4 inches
deep and 8 inches apart II the mar
cissus and its variants -jonquils and
danodils to be planted in beds.
the soil should be prepared similarly
and the bulbs should be set 10 inches
apsrt ana SiAehes deep.
4 pleasing variation from planting
the narcissus, type Of early spring
blooming bulbs formally in beds is to
plant them in scattered groups on the
open lawn or in the edge OF shrub
Psrg. a good plan IN arranging for
the location Of the flowers on the lawn
Is to broadcast the bulbs and plant
them where they fall, A small hole 8
OF inches deep should be made and
the bulb inserted, pointed end up. The
hole should then be pressed full OF
soil Often the narcissus, planted IN
this way, will become naturalized on
the lawn and will continue to grow
there indefinitely. coming up year af-
ter year, II the tops are left uncut until
near the first Of June. Where the
lakn iskept cut the tops OF the plants
gfg cit on before the bulb has g
chance 70 develop for the next years
blooming. though they may survive q