THE CARE OF SEEDLINGS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 442, 25 August 1928, Page 28

THE CARE OF SEEDLINGS

Many thousands of seedlings are lost every year through not knowing how to treat them, and many more are not grown successfully; that is, not brought to that state of perfection to which every plant is entitled in order to show off its fullest beauty. The following few hints may help to give them a good start in life, which in the case of annuals means everything between success and failure, as their season is comparatively short.

Situation All seedlings will not grow in tlie same position. They all want, and must have, their own particular place in the garden in order to grow successfully, and eventually show oft their individual charm. In other words, they must be made comfortable. While the poppy, with its gaudy •flowers, will delight in full sunshine, a cineraria revels in a cool, shady position, so also do polyanthus and the primrose family. Pansies love a position shaded from the mid-day sun, so do forget-me-not, lobellias, the pretty mauve primula malacoides, and columbines. On the other hand, antirrhinums, asters, stocks, salvias, sweet peas, delphiniums, geums. gaillardia, petunias, phlox, marigolds, zinnias, delight in any open situation. At the same time, strong winds should always be guarded against; the plants get broken and blooms are easily bruised. Care should always be taken to avoid planting a dwarf-growing variety behind a taller one, thus hiding it from view. Such plants as lobelia, myosotis (for-get-me-not), poppies, primulas, polyanthus, pa,nsies, violas, etc., should always be well in front. Carry in the mind’s eye the approximate height of the varieties being planted, and above all do not overcrowd. Massing does not mean crowding the plants; far from it. Plants such as salvias, snapdragons, stocks, asters and petunias, show to much greater advantage if planted in massed formation, but care must be taken with regard to the background. IJor instance, salvias should never be planted against a red brick wall: the reason is obvious, the colour will clash. Rather choose a bed in a lawn, or border with hedge as a background. The same thing will apply to other plants; blend the colours nicely and you will have more satisfaction when they come into flower.

Soil Soil in flower beds will naturally be of a more or less consistent nature, and therefore will not suit all classes of seedlings. While such plants as

stocks, diantbus, carnations and wall- j flowers revel in a good dressing of j lime, pansies, delphiniums, violas, etc., require a liberal supply of well-rotted j manure (cow manure for preference); j antirrhinums (snapdragons) and poppies dislike it, unless applied some time before planting—at least three j months. Asters will often go blind if j heavy applications of manure are \ used. Mignonette and sweet peas to j be grown well require very rich soil j Indeed, large quantities of good cow ! manure being absolutely necessary, j whereas phlox Drummondi will sue- j ceed in any garden soil. So that, i summed up, it 'is well to try to give j to each variety of seedlings just what j they really like, a simple matter, especially if the varieties are grown in masses. In all cases the beds or borders must be well and deeply dug beforehand, bringing the surface soil to a line tilth. It is courting disaster to attempt to plant seedlings in rough ground, as their roots are very fine and require a fine soil in order to grow quickly and make strong plants. It is therefore time well spent to properly prepare the soil. We make our homes comfortable to live in, why not make your seedlings’ home comfortable, too? AN IMPORTANT WORK With the coming of August, the j kitchen garden will have begun to i look quite well filled, many of the beds showing orderly rows of fresh young seedlings and even the potatoes —those put in early, at least—displaying clearly-marked rows. Far from work lessening as the various crops appear, however, the tendency is rather for it to increase. Particularly is this true if the season prove a dry one, for then hoeing must be almost continuous, in order to give the surface soil that finely-broken surface which is the best insurance against drought. Even if the reverse be the case and rain is plentiful, still hoeing is necessary, for weeds grow at an alarming rate and must at all costs be kept down. SOW LAWNS NOW Autumn and spring are the best months to form a good lawn, and with a little patience and attention, quick results may be looked for. Commence by working the land deeply. See that it is properly drained, enrich it with manure, or, if the soil be naturally poor, add a better, and level with precision. When this is done, give a light forking over and reduce the surface to a fine tilth with a rake, and then sow the seed. Heavy sowing is advisable, as being most likely to produce a close, springy turf. This should he lightly raked in. and when the grass has grown to the height of two inches, a light garden roller should be freely run over it, and any weeds showing themselves ' should be plucked out. Seed sown now generally comes through very quickly, and in most cases will he looking green in about four weeks from sowing. In a few weeks from sowing it will he necessary to use the lawn mower and to consolidate the surface. This is essential, as a close bottom is obtained.

To maintain the lawn in a presentable condition it will be necessary to cut regularly, roll occasionally, and top-dress lightly with a good compost in late autumn or winter.

For buffalo lawns, spring planting is preferable to autumn, as the growth is much more active then, and better results will be obtained.