Evening star., 1926-04-17
HERBACEOUS
BORDER.

Spring is happiness so beautiful,
SO unique, so unexpected. that I don't
know what to do with myself. What
do YOU advise? ?''-Emily Dickinson.
Spring is here and the question
comes to me. too. What shall ! do
Ia my herbaceous perennial border?
Lots consider the problem as find ii.
We, of course, all put a Winter
mulch about the herbaceous peren-
mails last Fail. Now that the new
shoots are pushing up their tips, this
material should be removed. Usually
ii is sufficient to pull this material
clear of the crowns. although with
such gross feeders as chrysanthe-
NUNS. peonies and Japanese iris, it
may he advisable to spade the well
rotted manure, straw or leaves into
the soil Those plants which were
mulched with fine gravel or Sifted
coal ashes. should be inspected to
A-..ke sure that this mulch has not
aShcd in too close to the crowns.
Ehp old plant stems. which are al
.NsrS hest left over the Winter to
hold such loose mulches as leaves.
may now be cut and taken out of the
garden. DO not pull these unSightlN
stems. | did so for while and found
that il often pulled away pieces of the
newly growing clumpS. This care
in regard to mulcheS. together with
the removal of weeds. should be Suti-
cient to start the plants into new
growth unless the plants are the kinds
which need dividing and thinning
The Thin spots. however. should be
filed in with the young perennial
plants which were grown from seed
in 1925 or purchased this Spring.
Spring is the right time to thin and
repiant all Fail Towering perennial
flowers. Speaking of perennials, they
are the types of herbaceous plants
which thrive from year to year. Some
of these may go several years with
out attention, but others profit by
frequent moving. Among those to
be moved are the chrysanthemum
and aster. These should be lifted, cut
into pieces not ever inches square
and reset in rich soil for Fall bloom
ing. Some varieties are such poor
growers that they do not make large
clumpS. These should be lifted oc
caSionally. for this treatment will re-
new the Vigor of the stock. 1t is by
no means necessary to use large
pieces of the old clump. as a single
shoot with few roots VIII maintain
the particular variety. Sometimes il
is desirable to set small pieces. as
these often give larger individual
flowers on the smaller plants. How
ever. mass effects are probably best
secured 10y using larger starts. These
Fail towering plants are normally
moved after growth has started in
the Spring. the actual time being
indicated by the growth of new
shoots. Increase needed plant stock
ft,,y nnY
in q sand bed.
Sometimes we find it necessary 70
move summer or even Spring flower
inc perennials in the Spring. although
the rule for Washington and its en-
virons would indicate that this was
not 50 desirable a early Fall trans
pla ntinG If Spring moving is i'm
perative. however, it should he COM
pleted as early as possible, consider
Ing the soil conditions. Some Of the
ill effects of Spring moving may he
overcome if one moves the stock with
2 ball of earth. taking care not to
loosen the contact between the roots
and the soil.
Newly applied applications Of well
rotted manure. or completely rotted
spaded into the ground as soon as
the soil is dry enough. The supply
of plant food in the garden must
he maintained. When commercial
fertilizers are used to augment the
compost one should guard against
harminG his plants by allowing the
concentrated mixture To fail upon The
new shoots. sheep manure Is ali"
and easily secured and il il recon-
mended in the absence Of barnNard
manure or compost.
"a I.-.,,,
suit most perennialS. although there
are some which thrive under Il mulch
throughout the whole Summer. Above
all. keep down the weeds by weekly
attention in pulling the new pests.
for weeds compete with our peren-