Evening star., 1938-06-18

blooming perennials are be-
ginning to mature and may be
~ gathered when ripe. If plant
ed at once in a well-prepared seed
bed they will germinate much better
than if stored for later planting. This
is particularly true OF delphiniums
foxgloves and a number of others
ordinarily thought of as hard to grow
from seed. If the seed are to be held
for later planting they should be
cried and stored in a cool, dry place
Grass clippings left on the lawn
make an excellent as well as q cheap
mulch. It Is the best way. to, return
humus to the soil. This Is particularly
important for the older lawns whose
humus was exhausted long ago. Gar
den soils are regularly supplied with
humus, and yet they have less to pro-
duce for q given area than does the
average lawn.
Now is the time to lift and divide
daf1odils and tulips. The daffodils are
best planted at once If the bed can be
made ready. Tulip bulbs store easily
in cool, dry place and can be held
until October or November. DafIo-
dis seem to do better If planted ear
lier but may be safely stored in
cool. airy place. Before planting the
daffodils thoroughly and deeply work
the soil, incorporating leaf mold, COM
post or some other form OF peat moss.
The American kinds Of peat moss are
better for daffodils than the imported.
Enough food in the form Of humus and
bone meal should be worked into the
soil to last the bulbs for four or five
years.
Sometimes it appears difficult to
prepare soils with sufflcient food for
some Of the more sensitive plants.
By sensitive it is meant those that do
not like manure or cottonseed meal.
One way to take care Of such q prob
lem is to prepare the beds early in
the summer. incorporating well-rot-
ted manure, cottonseed meal or any
other fertilizer desired. BY fall plant
ing time these fertilizers will be suf-
ficiently decomposed. This is an ideal
way to prepare peony, poppy and daf-
fodil beds for fall planting. Grow
annuals during the summer in the
beds If desired. The manure win not
injure them.
zinniaS, china asters, snapdragons
And many other ANIMALS can be
planted now in the daffodil and tulip
beds. The foliage of the bulbs Is
nearly dead and the ANIMALS will help
to hide 1t. The space should be used
and the roots of the ANIMALS, by tax
ing the soil moisture, will keep the
bulbs dryer. It is not too late to SOW
the seeds of number of the ANIMALS.
Calliopsis, candytuft. cornflower, zin-
MAS, etc., will give a wealth OF bloom
in the late summer and fall from
seed sown now.
Summer is not the ideal time to
move shrubs, but it can be done. The
secret is to take good-sized ball of
earth with the roots, water well after
planting, mulch the soil, and cut the
tops back. The extent of cutting
back Of the tops depends upon the
loss of roots. A nursery grown shrub
does not need much pruning, but an
old-established shrub will need quite
a bit Of top pruning.
Speaking of transplanting, the ideal
time is right after good rain-as
soon as the soil will work without
pudding. Shade for q few days and
keep the ground cultivated. A good
shade for small plants can be pro-
vided with berry boxes, small fruit
baskets, shingles CEDAR or thin
boards pushed into the soil at an
angle. Shading is important, espe-
cially if the sun continues rs hot Is
it has been for the last few days.
Pinch out the tops Of the new plants
and they will survive transplanting
much better than If left to grow ,n-
trimmed. Also, pinching makes them
develop into strong, bushy plants.
Some people hesitate to cut their
flowers for fear Of reducing the dis
play of bloom in the garden. Tempo
partly, cutting does remove the bloom,
but the more cutting done the more
flowers to come. Many plants stop
blooming as soon as seed natures: BY
cutting the flowers and preventing seed
formations, the blooming season Is pro-
ionged. zinnias, petunias. mapdras-
ous, nastslrhums and chi&a astefs are