Half-Hardy Annuals

Those who lack the facilities for raising Asters, Ten-week Stocks, Marigolds, Phlox Drummondi, and the other half-hardy annuals recommended in previous chapters for sowing under glass in March, may sow them in a sheltered place, and in fine, moist prepared soil, in the open air towards the end of March. The seed should be sprinkled thinly in drills drawn about nine inches apart, so that a hoe may be run between them to keep weeds down. The plants can be transplanted from the rows to their flowering quarters when they are about three inches high. Use freshly-slaked quicklime freely to keep slugs at bay. They will devour the whole stock otherwise.

Hardy annuals may still be sown in beds and borders where they are to bloom.

Begonias and other seedlings raised in boxes in Winter, and which have been making slow progress, may now be expected to move more quickly. Seedlings should never be allowed to remain crowded together, as then they get "drawn" (that is, long and weak in the stem) and fail to make good plants. The first sign of crowding should be the signal for setting out farther apart in other boxes, or singly in 3-inch pots.

Pinching Plants

The gardener gets rallied sometimes about his choice of terms. He often speaks of "pinching " plants. What he means by that is removing the growing tip. The result of "pinching" is to make a plant that is running up with a strong central stem form strong side shoots near the base. It thus becomes more "bushy," to use another horticultural term. A plant with strong side branches generally produces more flowers than one with a central stem only, so that it is better in more ways than one. "Pinching" may be practised on many pot plants with advantage - on Chrysanthemums (except those grown for show flowers), Zonal Geraniums, Fuchsias, Heliotrope, Marguerites, and others. It is best done when the plants are about six inches high, and may be repeated (this time on the side shoots which have resulted from the first stopping) if necessary.

Staking Plants

This is another helpful detail. Plants that are staked betimes grow better than those which are left without support. Florists sell plain or painted stakes of all lengths, and also green raffia tape for tying. Even quite dwarf things like Mignonette and Rho-danthes, as well as all plants that produce one or more leading shoots, are benefited by early staking. Where several plants are grown together in a pot, as in the case of Mignonette, short stakes may be put round the side of the pot, and connected by strands of tying material. It is not desirable to use long stakes for short plants, otherwise the stick tends to become the most prominent object. This consideration should have weight in staking herbaceous plants, Dahlias, Gladioli, and other plants in the garden.

Propagating The Draught Palm {Aspidistra)

The useful, draught-resisting Aspidistra forms a creeping root stock, and when increase is desired an old plant may be turned out of its pot and a sharp knife passed through the rhizome. Any fairly strong piece so severed will strike if a few root fibres are secured with it.