Gardening Notes

Hutt News, Volume 2, Issue 35, 6 February 1930, Page 9

Gardening Notes

GROWING BULBS IN POTS

AND BOWLS.

Like everything else in the way of plants, r Tibs pay "or gopd . attentipu. The large spikes, ao much admired are .not obtained by the use of big bulbs -so much as by proper culture. The greatest of all mistakes is to pot them, and then force them into blpom immediately, without having a N plentiful supply of Toots. When this is done the blossom refuses to come out of tie bulb, and, ef course,' causes disappointment. We have known bulbs^ potted, then placed under stages in the greenhouse. The position is all veiy well, but what we have noticed is that they have had no covering. T&is covering is 'most qssential, for it effectually darkens, and conduces, to the formation of roots. Use coeoanut-fibre refuse, not ashes, for covering the pots to a depth of three or four inches. When cultivating hyacinths arid other bulbs for exhibition, we usually employed small flower pots upside down. One of these was placed over each bulb, the object being to prevent the' spike of bloom damping on its early appearance. It is I a good plan, and keeps, the flower clean.

. The soil recommended for bulbs is three parts of turfy loam, to one of very TOtien manure. A little "sharp sand may be added to keep it open. It should be used in a rather dry state, sp that it may be into the pota firmly. Five-inch pots are used for hyacinths, one. bulb in a pot. For tulips ■ the saane size is employed, and three bulbs put in, or a* size laTgeir— that is, six inch—for four bulbs. In the case of narcissus the larger pote are used for t»he bigger bulbs—thre» in a pot—and the smaller bulbed kinds are property placed in the fiverincih size. •Put a good piece of crock over the hole of the pot, then a layer of smaller bits; over this the rougher portion of the soil, wMch should be pressed in. Fill" the pot with soil afterwards, and scrape, out a little with the fingers, to make a hole for the bulb. This is a small matter, but important,' because the practice of pressing the-bulb down into already firm soil causes the roots to force it out of tie ground. This, of course, gives the plant a one-sided appearance. A good depth to put the bulbs is half under the soil. WateT is not needed after potting the earth, and subsequent covering of cocoanutfibre being moist enough to start the rooting process. '

Hya 2 Laths are especially suitable for growing in glasses, and this method of culture is both interesting and instructive, particularly to children. Place a couple of small pieces of charcoal in each gass and partly fill with pure water, so that when the bulbs are placed in position the water is close to, but not touching, t»heir bases.' Place the" glasses in a dark cupboard where they will Be cool, thiis encouraging the formation of roots before top growth. Remove them when the tops commence growing, and. afterwards keep. in full light. G-ive support in good time, and more water s»hould be added as becomes

necessary.

Darkness is required for about six weeks, then the pots may be examined, and brought to the light. To obtain really fine blooms, whether it be hyacinths or the pther $wo principal spring flowers—narcissus and tulips— gentle forcing under glass is advisable. In fact, many of the better kinds, do not respond to a high temperature! The pots should-be stood in an airy position vicar the glass. Here growth. comes on gradually and becomes steady A temperature that will keep out frost is ample, the sun, as spring advances, will'do the rest.

With regard to watering and feeding, we would not let the soil get dust dry, nor keep it over-wet' until the blooms are well u*p out of "the b«lbs. From then we would give more mois-

iture at the roots, and when the. colour in the blossoms show itself feeding siay be started, titrate of soda, at the rate of one ounce to a gallon of water, is a stimulant, and may be used each time watering is done. Bulbs require such a stimulant as this to work quickly/ Also use tepid water at all times.

After iiavin^ flowered, tlje bulbs may not.-'be thrown away, but they will not be satisfactory for pot culture two years in succession; They shoiild be planted

in any out-of-the-way place in the garden.

BULBS IN BOWLS.

Almost any vessel may be used, into which bulbs and fibre can be firmly packed, but at the same time those with a glazed nonabsorbent surface are best; nothing excels the bowls supplied by dealers specially manufactured for the purpose. Having sefeured the required number, be sure that they are clean, and then attend to the fibre, for so much depends upon .its being in a suitable conditionj that is, neither too wet noT too dry, though t»he former is preferable.

Fibre is purchased ready prepared from the firm who supply your bulbs, and consists of a. mixture of peat, ground shell, and crushed charcoal. If dry, soak it < well, end allow it to drain for an nqur or soj^then fill your receptacles to within a little distance of the rim, and place the bulbs in position,' each bulb just clear of its neighbour, and put just enough -fibre over them to hide the tops, taking care that this is firmly" packed between them, so that there is n* chance of them'shifting.

There is now a choice" of procedure before us; either the bowls may be taken outdoors and^here plunged in a bed # of ashes for.three months, or placed on a shelf in a cool, dark, and airy cellar, preferring the former met&ocl. Outside they will require no watering beyond the natural rainfall if the fibre and ashes ate properly moist, but those on a shelf will, at the. end of three weeks or so, "be getting dry, and. -mvs>t then be lifted down, plunged over,the rim in a basin of water until air'bubbles cease to rise t&en tipped on their sides and allowed to drain until no more drips fall, when they can again go on to the shelf, requiring no more attention for several weeks to* come.

,At the expiTation of . three months, •they will have filled the fibre full .of roots, and be just 'breaking into top ' growth. Remove tkem to a well-lighted window, as near the glass as possible and iieep the bowls constantly turned to prevent their drawing to one side or, better still, if accommodation will' permit, stand on a shelf in the roof of a span greenhouse, from which frost alone is excluded, keeping well moist, and allow them to make haste slowly.

Amongst t»he best bubs for this mode of ..culture are Crocus, Fritillarias of the ineleagris varieties, Hyacinths, single or sorts, Roman ditto Narcissi in variety, Mttsearia bbtryoides, Polyanthus Narcissi, Narcissus Poetaz, and Tulips

of sorts.