Evening star., 1948-09-19
Invite Your ANIMALS Indoors
A Wide Variety Can Be Potted;
Some Will Flower Till Christmas

but q south window will do. The
method is not so important at this
season of the year since most win
dows are kept wide open. Strong
drafts are to be avoided that In
creases Transportation Evaporation
from the plant tissue.
Annuals require a temperature of
from so to 10 degrees for best re-
suits, slightly lower at night than
during the daytime. This, OF course,
depends upon the kind Of ANIMALS
being grown. Zinnias, for exam
pie, prefer higher temperatures
than stock. Cornfiowers, another
good subject for indoor culture, pre-
fer a much cooler temperature dur
ing growth and Towering than do
the dwarf French marigolds. Morn
ing glory, If you have the patience
to train them, make an interesting
display for the sunny window-es-
pecially If trained upon a round
wire frame. The latter is necessary
If you are to enjoy their flowers
they always face the sun-but it Is
easy to turn the pot around when
wanted.
The list of ANIMALS suitable for
indoor culture Is much larger than
one might expect, and OF course
there are others which, with little
extra care, can be used. The dwarf
ageratum Is a long-season bloomer
that will appeal to many, since it
is small and easy to lift and pot.
The snapdragons, however, in spite
of their size, are likely to give
better results since they do not re-
quire quite as much sunlight. The
dwarf French marigold and the
smaller -f1owered types Of zinnias
generally make an excellent display
In the sunny window. Petunias
may be expected to do well indoors,
as will the verbena. The annual
coreopsis (calliopsis) is not as
snowy as some but it is interesting
because of the color combinations
in its flowers. Heliotrope, stock
and balsam are more likely to do
well in a cooler situation than those
mentioned above.
The tall cosmos-orange flare and
yellow fare-are too big for most
window spaces, but make excellent
displays where they can be accom-
modated. The same Is true Of black
eyed susan, blobe amaranth and
nicotiana C1owering tobacco.
1t is possible to grow root cut
tings of such plants as begonia,
coleus, lantana, the geraminums,
plumbago and verbena in sand or
vermiculjte plant aid. AS soon as
the cuttings are well rooted, place
them in small pots and later trans
fer to the standard 21a to 3-i- ch
sized pots.
Since the ANIMALS are rather
strong growing and free-flowering,
they need to be kept well watered
and fertilized. BY pinching of spent
bloom they will flower much longer.
Snapdragons and petunia will keep
going under favorable conditions
until Christmas or later.
The choice of plants is not as
important as it Is to get them ready
before cold weather and frost ar
rive. A few plants will not impose
a burden, and with practice one
may want to experiment with new
ones and perhaps on larger scale.
With a considerable number of
plants one will need shallow pan
filled with gravel to place the pots
in and to simplify watering. Mois-
ture, evaporating from the pan, will
benefit the plants and when wa
tering is needed ii is an easy chore
to add water to the pan until the
level is high enough for the pots
tn ahsorh IT,