Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-29

Plan Plant Jobs to Insure
Results in Nature Pottern

and they are so tender that they
should not be planted out-of-
doors until the middle Of May
Some Latitude Possible Z
1t is the same with planting
bulbs. The summer Towering
bulbs have a bit more latitude
than do the ANIMALS and peren-
malls.
We may plant glad cormels
in March and the corms in April,
but they can be planted as late
as June and still produce a crop
of flowers.
The dahlias may 60 into the
ground in late April. but the
dahlia fancier. planning on the
big shows, may not put them
out until the end of May. He is
not interested in a long season
of bloom, but rather in a few
choice blooms that will open
Just before the fall shows. :
The bedding dahlias, those
dwarf free-t1owering plants that
may be grown from seed, are
normally set out in early May
so that they give us a long sea-
son of bloom.
Some Bulbs Go In Late
The early spring towering
bulbs that are planted in the fall
also should be handled according
to the timetable. We start with
Madonna lilies in August because
they put up leaves in the fall.
The daffodils like to 60 into the
ground in September so that
they can make ample growth be-
fore the soil becomes cold. Tulips
should be held until the end of
October or they may get too
ambitious and push their leaves
above the soil in the fall.
The Dutch iris are even more
precociouS and are best planted
in late November.
Same Principle on Divisions
Dividing plants is a similar
timetable job.
The spring Towering peren-
mails are divided in the fall, pref
erably in early September, so
that they will become well es-
tablished by freeze time.
The fall Towering ones are di-
Vided in the spring so as to have
all season to get ready for their
tall display.
Iris are divided after Towering,
when they are practically DOR
nant. The earlier though, the
better, since it gives them more
time to build up for next
springs bloom. The daylilies are
quite tolerant and may be di-.l
'ided either before or after the
lowering season. preferably i'm
nediately after. On the other
hand. we cannot handle oriental
ooppies successfully except in
he dormant season-August.
The Pruning Timetable
Pruning is another job that
must be fitted into the timetable i
4 it is to accomplish all that is
wanted.
The spring-filowering shrub
berry and climbing rose Qarge-
lowered climbers and ramblers) /
are pruned Immediately after
lowering so as to channel their
energy into the new growth
which produces the finest quality
bloom. The bush roses are not
until spring as there Isl
some likelihood of freeze injury
and so the cutting back is done
late in March or early April.
Hydrangeas should be pruned
N the spring, the blue" ones
after danger of freeze injury isl
past; the A. G. and P. G. may
be pruned earlier but In a differ
ent way.
Grapes must be pruned before
The sap starts to flow or they
will bleed" badly.
Spraying and busting
Spraying and busting also
should be geared to the time
table If they are to be effective,
because they are preventative
that should be applied
before the bugs begin to chew
our plants or the disease spores
arrive to infest them. Every
experienced gardener insists
upon regularity of applications.
Fertilizing may be done at var
lous lines, but it is wise to put
some plant food around the
shrub. flowers, and on the lawn
and garden early in the spring so
that the plants will have it avail
able as they start into growth.
We continue our feeding to in
sure continued growth through
out the growing season, but we
must stop feeding the woody
plants early enough that they
will have ample time to take up
the food, make their new growth,
and that growth have time tnl