SUCCESS ASSURED

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 358, 19 May 1928, Page 26

SUCCESS ASSURED

BY SOWING SEEDS IN BOXES Now is the time for sowing ceeds of many vegetables and flowers in pots, pans or boxes, in order to have sturdy plants for transplanting at a suitable opportunity. A -Hat" fruit case on its side makes an excellent seed box. in the bottom of the box bore holes to provide for drainage, then place a layer of crock (pieces of broken pots), pebbles or pieces of charcoal, then HU the box with nice, friable, sandy loam, liberally mixed with leaf mould. Heavy or clayey soil should not be used. Make the soil in the box moderately firm, and give it a soaking. No seeds should be sown more than half an inch deep; in fact, most flower seeds need to be planted one quarter of an inch in the soil. Fine seed, such as lobelia, musk, forget-me-not, need no covering; they should simply be pressed into the soil after mixing with a little fine soil to secure more even distribution. Flower seeds which may now be sown include antirrhinum (snapdragon), cineraria, candytuft, godetia, nasturtium, sweet peas, geum, pansy, alyssum, delphinium, etc. Attenito,n should also pe paid to the sowing in boxes of vegetable seeds, including cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, beet, kohl rabbi. With regard to lettuce, the most useful varieties for present planting are Iceberg and Neapolitan. By growing seed in boxes the growing conditions are under control, s on hot days the boxes can be kept in a shaded place. If you have a garden frame covered with glass or calico, so much the better.