Sowing Herbaceous Calceolarias

The herbaceous Calceolaria is a popular greenhouse plant in spring. The pouch-like flowers are as large as pigeon's eggs, borne in scores, and most beautifully marked. Everybody admires the rich appearance of well-grown plants. Propagation is done by means of seeds, and therein comes a difficulty. Although the plant is very large the seed is very small, and requires almost as much care in handling as Begonia seed. Further, the seedlings are not so accommodating as some plants; they really seem as though they would as lief die as not. Let the raiser pay particular attention to the hints given in Chapter I (Jan. The Opening Year). when raising Calceolarias. When the plants have fairly got moving, they are as easy to manage as anything else. Having no tubers to form, they move quickly. They are all right in a frame until September, when they should go on to a greenhouse shelf.

Potting Primulas

Young fringed Primulas for winter flowering that were pricked off from a seed pan a month ago will now be ready for small pots. They will be quite safe in a frame for the next ten weeks, and should have abundance of air, together with water as needed. Loam, leaf mould, and sand suit them. They should be potted firmly, and fairly low, otherwise the collar may become bare after a few weeks' watering, and the plants rock about.

Biennials And Perennials

Complete the sowings of the various kinds which have been selected from the list in the previous chapter.

Border Carnations

The flower stems are now rising rapidly, and there must be no neglect in providing supports. Remember the advantages of coil wire stakes, as advised in a previous chapter. If fine blooms are wanted, most of the side buds of the various clusters should be removed in order to throw strength into the central ones. Three may be left on each stem.

Care Of Ferns

It saves some trouble in watering if a shade-wash is put on the glass of greenhouses for the summer, and shading of this kind, or in the form of roller blinds, is particularly necessary in the case of Ferns, which might otherwise be scorched up. The pots should stand on cool, moisture-holding material, such as fine shingle, and this should be kept moist. Constant attention should be given to watering, or the plants will collapse.

Maggots In Marguerite Leaves

The foliage of Marguerites is sometimes discoloured by zigzag lines, and may become covered with brown blotches. The appearance is due to the attack of a leaf-mining grub similar to that which affects Celery (see preceding chapter), and may be dealt with in the same way.

Window Boxes

It stimulates window plants if they are looked over occasionally, decaying leaves and fading flowers picked off, the soil stirred up with a trowel, and an application of fertiliser sprinkled over the soil two or three times a week just before watering. There is still time to decorate window boxes for the summer by getting pot plants of Marguerites, Zonal Geraniums, Ivy-leaved Geraniums, Tropoeolums, and other suitable plants.

Fig. 48. - Coil Stake for Carnations.

a. The coil stake.

b. Main stem and flower buds.

Pelargoniums After Flowering

The large flowered green-leaved Pelargoniums are the better for a complete rest after flowering. They may be placed in a group out of doors, and given no water until the foliage withers, then pruned back to short stumps, watered, syringed, and put under glass. They will soon break into fresh growth, and make splendid plants for another year.

Dressing Violas

It was advised to plant Violas early, in order to get them into vigorous growth before the spring was far advanced. If this course was adopted, the plants will have put in several weeks' hard flowering by the time July opens. They will be very little the worse for this, provided that the flowers have been regularly picked, and water and liquid manure given in dry spells. If these steps have not been taken, the plants may be somewhat dingy now, and it will refresh them to crop them over, removing the old growths as well as the flowers, and spread some fresh soil and manure among them. They will soon be in growth again after this treatment, and will flower nearly as well as ever.

Mildew On Roses

Roses ought to be at their best in July, and it is distressing to see the plants get coated with mildew. This is liable to happen when the plants are growing in poor, thin soil, and are suffering from drought. Soakings of liquid manure, or even plain water, will do good. But plants growing in really fertile, moist soil sometimes become affected, and it is well to resort to dry flowers of sulphur directly the grey powder begins to spread. The sulphur is best applied through a pair of Malbec bellows, which distributes it evenly and economically.