SEED SOWING SEASON

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 September 1939, Page 3

SEED SOWING SEASON

HALF-HARDY ANNUALS. A WORRYING PROBLEM. Once again the seed-sowing season is upon us, and with it will come many anxious and worrying problems, not the least among these being the raising of half-hai'dy annuals from seeds sown under glass, from which too often many expect the greatest amount of pleasure during the summer season with the minimum of labour and attention spent upon their raising.

Half-hardy annuals, apart from helping to furnish the greenhouse during the winter months, will, under good cultivation, give an endless amount of pleasure in the flower garden throughout the summer and autumn months. When skilfully employed in association with hardy annuals, they help to make a delightful flower border. Where dahlias are employed as beddmg plants, nemesias and similar subjects make excellent carpeting plants, flowering freely and covering up bare patches until the dahlias have filled their allotted spaces and come into bloom. «

Generally, where difficulty is experienced in raising half-hardy annuals under glass, most of the trouble is traceable to sowing the seeds too early and raising the seedlings in over-warm and humid conditions. When sown too early the young plants become starved long before they can be planted out in the flowering quarters and thereby receive, a check from Which they seldom recover.

When raised under warm and humid conditions the seedlings quickly become drawn and spindly, and are then most susceptible to the “damping” fungus known as Pythium de Baryanmn. Where half-hardy annuals are to be used in the outdoor bedding schemes September is a very good time to commence seed sowing? A suitable seed compost for the raising of the seeds consists of good loam, with the addition of some good leaf mould and a fair admixture of sand, sufficient to render the compost porous. Mix the materials thoroughly together and it is then better to pass it through a coarse sieve, keeping the coarse siftings for covering the crocks in the seed-pots or pans. Clean receptacles should be used. Fill the pans with compost making it moderately firm and level. Sow the seeds thinly and cover with fine soil. It is advisable to water the seed pans with Chcshunt compound immediately after sowing, using loz to every two gallons of water. This will check the growth of fungi spores and if done carefully the seeds will not be disturbed. Squares of glass placed over the seed-pans will help to maintain a uniform degree of moisture until a germination takes place. Turn the glass

daily to drain off any moisture that has accumulated, and should watering again bt? necessary before the seedlings appear, stand the pans in a vessel containing several-inches of water until sufficient moisture has been absorbed, taking care not to entirely submerge the pans.