Evening star., 1945-04-08

SlrdUle 1IOlll tllc SCdIiOpolllt VI pCi
kinds. However, the strong grow
ers, those that need lots of moisture
and plant food, such as iris and the
| fall boomers, are exceptions TO this
rule. They need to be lifted and
divided rather frequently. Once a
year is not too often for most of the
fall bloomers if they are to thrive
and produce the bloom of which
they are capable.
Such plants as the hardy asters,
phySostegia, boltonia and chrysan-
/ themums, should now be lifted, the
soil reWorked and the plants divided
and reset. Left growing as they are,
there will be so many plants COM
peting for the moisture and food
available that the quality and vigor
will be greatly reduced.
Most of these plants throw a
great many shoots or new plants
from the old crowns. Each one is
a potential new plant and should be
| so treated. Each needs ample space,
! food and moisture to make strong
/ healthy growth If allowed to con-
| tinue uncared for, the soil will be
soon exhausted and the weakened
plant be subject to disease and
winter injury.
All of the fall boomers need to
grow throughout the summer if they
are to make the most desirable dis
plays. Without sufficient humus
/ compost or Well-rotted manure)
added to the soil this is hardly to be
expected under local conditions. Our
average soil is deficient in humus,
hence in moisture holding capacity.
/ Thus, any bed preparation should in
clude the addition of humuS in some
! form. Well-rotted compost is ideal.
/ Lacking this, rotted cow manure,
leaf mold or other materials should
/ be used to increase the Water-hold-
ing capacity of the soil.
With this simple soil preparation,
fall gardens are not difficult and we
may carry the Towering season into
late October and, in many years
into November There are several
varieties of chrysanthemums which
Will llo"tI dIltI OliN 4iN'No Aio =
killed most other flowers.
The chrysanthemum family is a
large and complex one, having been
cultivated in the Orient at the time
of Confucius. Most of the improve
mentS and the developments of the
cOmmoner types are Of very recent
origin The Koreans, Arctic hybridS
aZaleamums, and early Towering
varieties have been produced within
the past 10 or IS years.
However, the home gardener
should give first priority in selecting
varieties to those that are hardy
under local conditions. While there
are many varieties that will with
stand the cold of New York or the
Middle West, they fail when grown
in the mild winters of the Middle
Atlantic area. A second basis OF
selection should be the season OF
bloom. Many of the newer varieties
flower in October, few in Septem-
Der The older varieties f1oWered ir
November. The third consideration
should be color and form. Chrysan-
themums are available in a number
of forms such as: Decorative taster)
single, duplex, pompon. cushion
(Azaleamum) anemone. cascade anc
spoon. Most gardeners prefer the
decorative or aster- flowered vari.
cites, although the pompons have
been we'll appreciated. However
with the advent of the Koreans
singles returned to popularity anc
are now widely grown. The anem-
ones are not winter-hardy in this
area and unless they can be carried
over winter in a cold frame Shoulc
not be attempted.
Chrysanthemums should be set Out
in April or the old clumps lifted anc
divided at that season. In dividing
an old clump it is desirable to use
only the new shoots from the outer
| edge of the clump, as they are less
likely to be diseased or infested with
nematodeS. Space the new plants
or shoots from l8 TO "a inches apart
in rows % to 3 feet apart. In this
way they can develop into tall bushy
plants without croWding. This i!