Evening star., 1951-07-15

ming and preparing for the new
perennial border.
What kind of flowers arr
wanted for it-shade loving OF
sun children? What colors are
Idesired-white. yellow, blue, or
lis it a riot of colors?
These are some of the first con.
siderations to be settled before
bordering the packets of seed, be-
cause July is the month in which
to sow the seed of perennials and
biennials If they are to be ready
for transplanting to their per-
Imanent home in September.
The starting of perennial
garden is an easy task if we will
observe a few simple rules for
planting seeds. The first consid-
Grafton is, of course. to buy good
seed.
Planting at the proper season
is essential SO that the plants will
reach sufficient size-good husky
plants that will become established
before winter freezing and thaw-
ing puts the root systems to the
critical test.
Begin Planting Now.
But let's go through the pro-
cedure, step by step. Seeds may be
Sown anytime between the middle
of July and the middle of August
with a reasonable chance of being
large enough for transplanting by
mid-September. A few. that are
slow to germinate. may not be
large enough and will need to be
carried over winter with a pro-
tective covering such as a cold
frame. Seeds may be sown in soil,
vermiculite, or in sphagnum moss.
In soil there is always the
danger of damping-off disease,
drying out If neglected for day
Or two or, perhaps. they may not
be strong enough to push through
the crust that forms following a
watering. The easiest method
seems to be to buy a small guam
tity of spaghnum moss-a pound
or two will be ample.
The moss should be pulverized
by rubbing through a quarter-inch
mesh hardware cloth screen. Fill
a shallow pot, box or fiat with the
pulverized material, firm and
moisten. Scatter the seed thinly
over the moss and cover with the
fine material that settles to the
bottom of the pile while puveriz-
ing. The covering layer should
De not more than an eighth-inchi
,hick. Water again and cover with
ourlap or. cheesecloth and place
n a shady protected place until
he first seedlings poke through.
AS the tiny seedlings commence
o show the cover should be re-
moved and the box placed in the
Jun. 1t may need moistening and
his may take the form of syring-
ng from the top during the morn
ng, or the box may be placed inl
tub so that the moisture may bel
absorbed from below. Both meth
IDS seem to work satisfactorily |
he latter is comparatively easy
when the seeds are sown in small
'oxeS that are light enough to
move about. |
Transplant to Box.
When the first true pair Of
caves have formed, the seedlings
re ready to be transplanted to al
arger box or to a prepared bed
where they will continue to make
trong growth until time to go into
he garden. In the starting boxl
he plants are normally so thick
hat they will grow tall and Spindly
lnless transplanted early. If they
ire reasonably far apart they may
'emain until the second pair of
caves appear. But. unless an inch
apart, 1T is likely the roots will be-
ome entWined and the transplant
ng more difficult the longer it is
,ut off.
The seedlings should be placed
n soil that has been well en-
lched with compost, peatmoss orI
Vell-rotted manure. A good nix
ure is made up of equal parts of
ne of these humus materials,
and and garden loam. 1t should
'e 3 or q inches deep to encourage
trong growth. However, a fiat
nay be filled with this mixture
md the seedlings placed in it. |
space the seedlings at least 81
inches apart each way. Stronger
'ushy plants will be obtained if
more space is left between them.
after transplanting the seedlings
hould be watered thoroughly and
haded for three or four days
Intil they have become established
n the new home. Once growing.
hey should be moved into the
un, although protection from
Wind is desirable, since breezes
peed the drying of the soil, thus
equiring more watering.
The seedlings growing in the
lats will need protection from
nails and slugs which deligh to
eed upon tender young plants. A