Evening star., 1951-04-29

1ll6T6 is one mower CQab Will
do wonders for the new home, a
| flower that is probably first among
the ANIMALS, that is not difficult
to raise from seed, and comes iu
such a variety of forms and colors
that it will supply the needs o!
most gardens. That flower is the
petunia.
Certainly the infinite variety OF
form, from mana compacta to
balcony and double-fringed. pro-
Ivides material for almost any sit
luation. The dwarf compact type
is an excellent edging plant. The
taller bedding types will outline
a border or drive from early sum-
mer until late fall with a riot OF
bloom. The balcony types may be
used in window. box and urn for
gay colorS throughout the season.
The massive doubles are harder
to grow from seed but the blooms
are worth the extra effort.
The growing Of petunias from
seed is ordinarily started in Feb
ruary where hotbedS or sunny
windows provide the necessary
lspace and sunlight. Many garden
ers say they are difficult to grow
but that is usually because they
attempt to grow seed in dirt-f1lled
fats. Unfortunately, the highly
bred petunia usually falls victim
to the disease-damping -off. Good
viable seed will germinate readily.
and if protected from the fungus
disease will soon develop into
husky plants for out-of-door
planting.
Use Sphagnum Moss.
The safest way to grow petunia
seed is to start them in Sphagnum
moss, a material that is readily
obtainable from seed supply
houses and florists. Pulverize the
dry material by rubbing it through
"a A-inch screen. Cover the soil
in fiat or pot with the pulverized
moss, firm it and water. Then
scatter the tiny seeds as thinly
as possible over the moss. Cover
thinly with the dust from the
pulverized moss. Water and set
in a warm place until the seeds
have sprouted. Then place the
box or pot in a stthny window
keeping as cool as possible so that
growth will be stocky and strong.
When the first pair of true
leaves appears transplant to a
larger fiat or box. setting the lit
tie plants at least 2 inches apart.
Water them carefully. preferably
in the morning, so that the foliage
will dry before night. Or, better
still, water the box by setting it
in a tub where the water may be
absorbed from below.
The plants may be kept grow
ing in the box or fiat until the
weather and soil are warm enough
to permit planting in the beds.
However, at this late season it
may be desirable to purchase
started plants, or perhaps. to SOW
the seeds in the beds where the
plants are to grow. This latter
method is apt to result in failure
unless the seeds are covered with
sand or finely sifted compost, be-
cause the tiny plants simply can
not push through a sun-baked
layer. of clay. For that reason
starting the seeds in a box or
fat is preferable.
Compost Mulch Desirable.
Once the plants are in the bed,
and they should be spaced from
10 to Is inches apart, depending
upon type. a good mulch of COM
post or similar material will keep
them relatively free from weeds
and the necessity of frequent cul-
tivation. Mulching is absolutely
essential if the gardener expects
to take vacation during the
summer. But more especially, the
mulch prevents the soil from
caking and checking the growth
during the heat of the summer.
Also, rainfall penetrates a we'll
mulched soil much better than
one which has been compacted.
The only precaution to be taken
when using mulch is to be GER
tain that sufficient nitrogen has
been added in the form of mixed
fertilizer or a straight nitrogen
fertilizer such as cottonseed meal,
nitrate of soda or sulphate of
ammonia. This plant food is
needed primarily to take care of
the bacteria that work on the
mulch. OF course, any surplus
that teaches down into the sol