The Culture Of Vegetables And Flowers From Seeds And Roots Part 28

Seed may also be sown in pans in July or August, the seedlings being transferred in due course to pots for the winter. The protection of a frame will suffice, provided that frost is kept away, and the plants may be put out in spring as already advised.

==IMPATIENS==

==Sultan's Balsam. Tender perennial==

Early sowing should be avoided for two reasons. The seed germinates but slowly in dull weather, and the seedlings when raised are almost certain to damp off. We do not advise a start before March, and not until April unless a steady heat of 60 or 65 can be maintained. Sow in well-drained pots, filled with soil composed of two parts of turfy loam and one part of leaf-soil, with very little sand added. The seedlings are exceedingly brittle at the outset, and re-potting should not be attempted until they are about an inch high. Even then they need delicate handling, and after the task is accomplished they should be promptly placed in a warm frame or propagating pit for a few days. In June or July the plants should reach 48-sized pots, but they must not be transferred to the conservatory without careful hardening, or the whole of the flowers will fall. =I. Holstii= also succeeds well when bedded out in summer in the same manner as Begonias.

==JACOBEA--=see= SENECIO==

==KOCHIA TRICHOPHYLLA==

==Half-hardy annual==

This remarkable variety of =K. scoparia= is a miniature annual shrub, which is also known as Summer Cypress, or Belvidere. It is singularly attractive, of rapid growth and graceful habit. In a very brief time the finely cut foliage forms a compact cylindrical plant, beautifully domed at the top, and the tender green changes to a rich russet-crimson in autumn.

Seed may be sown in slight heat during February or March to provide early plants for pots, or for setting out in the open immediately the bedding season commences. It is important not to crowd the seedlings, and every precaution should be taken to prevent them from becoming thin, leggy, or wanting in symmetry. Each plant must be allowed sufficient s.p.a.ce to develop equally all round. An April sowing can be made in the open where the plants are intended to remain, and beyond regular thinning they will give very little trouble.

As a conspicuous dot plant in beds this Kochia is extremely useful, or it can be ma.s.sed in borders, and it also forms an admirable dividing line in the flower garden. For the decoration of conservatories a number should be specially reserved. Specimens may be employed with striking effect on flights of steps, in halls, and many other positions where a plant of perfect outline will serve as an ornament. Height, 2 to 3 feet.

==LARKSPUR==

==Hardy annual==

The cultivation of the annual Delphiniums, more familiarly known as Larkspurs, is so simple in character that it calls for little comment.

But these handsome subjects are so widely grown, and so greatly appreciated, that they are fully deserving of special mention here. The taller varieties, of which the Stock-flowered strain is the most popular, are best grown in large beds, borders and shrubberies, and the dwarfer kinds in small beds. Apart from their usefulness in the garden, however, the taller sorts of Larkspur are much in request for providing cut material, particularly for the decoration of the dinner-table, and a number of plants should always be grown in reserve for this purpose. It is usual to put in the seed where the plants are intended to stand, and March and April are the best months for sowing. Thin out the seedlings promptly, and give each plant ample room for development, especially when grown on good ground.

Larkspurs may also be sown in September for producing an earlier display in the following year than is possible from spring-sown seed.

==LAVATERA==

==Mallow. Hardy annual and hardy perennial==

Countryside gardens owe not a little of their floral brightness to the Mallows. The modern varieties of Lavatera, however, far surpa.s.s in effectiveness the flowers commonly met with and are regarded as among the finest subjects for creating an imposing display in tall borders and large beds. For this purpose the annual varieties, Loveliness, =Rosea splendens=, and =Alba splendens=, are the most popular. As transplanting is not to be depended upon, seed should be sown thinly in March, April or May where the plants are wanted to flower. If the ground has been generously prepared fine specimens will result, and each plant should be allowed a s.p.a.cing of at least two feet for development.

The perennial variety, =L. Olbia=, makes a bold subject for herbaceous borders and shrubberies. Seed may be sown in pans any time from March to August, putting out the plants when large enough for flowering in the following season. Small plants of this variety may with advantage be potted for conservatory decoration.

==LOBELIA==

==Annual and perennial; half-hardy==

There are several distinct cla.s.ses of Lobelia, differing materially in height and habit. For dwarf beds or edgings the =compact= varieties should alone be used. These grow from four to six inches high, and form dense b.a.l.l.s of flowers. The =spreading= or =gracilis= cla.s.s, including =L. speciosa= and =L. Paxtoniana=, is in deserved repute for positions which do not demand an exact limit to the line of colouring. The plants also show to advantage in suspended baskets, window boxes, rustic work, vases, and any position where an appearance of graceful negligence is aimed at. The =ramosa= section grows from nine to twelve inches high, and produces much larger flowers than the cla.s.ses previously named.

All the foregoing can be treated as annuals; and from sowings, made in February or March plants may be raised in good time for bedding out in May. Use sandy soil, and place the seed-pans in a temperature of about 60, taking care to keep them moist. By the end of March or beginning of April the seedlings will be ready for transferring to pots, pans, or boxes. The last named are very serviceable for this flower, for they afford opportunity of giving the seedlings sufficient s.p.a.ce to produce a tufty habit of growth. A gentle heat will start them, and they will give no trouble afterwards, except on one point, which happens to be of considerable importance. It is that the plants should never be allowed to produce a flower while in pots or boxes. Pick off every bud until they are in final positions, and then, having taken hold of the soil, they will bloom profusely until the end of the season.

Lobelias make elegant pot plants, yet, with the exception of the =ramosa= varieties which are excellent for the purpose, they cannot be grown satisfactorily in pots. The difficulty is easily surmounted by putting them out a foot apart in a good open position, and if possible in a rather stiff soil. When they have developed into fine clumps lift them with care and place them in pots, avoiding injury to the roots.

This method will produce a display of colour which cannot be attained by exclusive pot culture.

From the best strains of seed it is possible that a few plants may revert to long-lost characters. Florists are striving to obviate this, but it will require time. Meanwhile there are two ways of dealing with the difficulty. Some growers prefer to raise plants from seed, and take cuttings from approved specimens for the next season. This plan insures exact.i.tude in height and colour, with almost the robust growth and free-flowering qualities of seedlings. But it necessitates holding a stock through the winter, and this may be a serious matter to many. The simpler proceeding, and one which answers well in practice, is to raise seedlings annually and to remove from the pans or boxes any plants which show the least deviation from the true type. A few kept as a reserve will replace faulty specimens which may be detected after planting out.

The handsome perennial section of Lobelias obtains less attention than it deserves, especially as the most ordinary routine culture will suffice for these plants. They are partial to moisture, and also to a deep rich loam. A sowing on moderate heat in February or March will secure plants fit for bedding out in May. They may also be grown entirely without the aid of artificial heat from sowings in June or July. Employ pots or seed-pans, and pot off singly immediately the plants are large enough to handle. The protection of a cold frame or hand-light is all that is necessary during winter, and the planting out may be done in May. These Lobelias reach two feet in height, and make excellent companions to such flowers as =Anemone j.a.ponica alba= and =Hyacinthus candicans=. The dark metallic foliage and dazzling scarlet flowers also have an imposing effect as the back row of a ribbon border.

==LUPINUS==

==Lupine. Hardy annual and hardy perennial==

Both the annual and the perennial Lupines are extremely valuable for garden decoration and for supplying an abundance of cut blooms. Each cla.s.s includes a number of charming colours and many of the flowers are delightfully scented. Not the least of their merits is the fact that Lupines are not particular as to soil; indeed, the annual sorts will often thrive on ground that is too poor for other and more fastidious subjects.

The annual varieties should be sown where intended to flower, as they do not transplant well. Sow the seed in March, April, or May, and subsequently allow each specimen a s.p.a.ce of about eighteen inches for development.

=L. polyphyllus= is a valuable race of perennial Lupines which, from a sowing made in March or April and treated as annuals, will produce a fine show in the following autumn. In order to insure a display earlier in the season, however, many growers of these flowers prefer to sow in June and July of the preceding year. Two varieties of =L. arboreus= form large bushes which are distinctly ornamental when in full bloom. The seed should be sown in June or July and the seedlings transplanted to flowering positions before they become very large.

==MARIGOLD==

==Tagetes. Half-hardy annual==

Marigolds of several cla.s.ses are valued for the profuse display of their golden flowers in the later summer months. The choicest are the so-called French, or =Tagetes patula=, which have richly coloured flowers, and some of the varieties are beautifully striped. For their high quality these Marigolds are judged by the florists' standards. The African, or =Tagetes erecta=, make large bushy plants with flowers 'piled high' in the centre; the colours are intense orange and yellow.

in various shades. The bedding section is represented by the dwarf varieties of =Tagetes patula=, or Dwarf French Marigolds; also by =Tagetes signata,= a very neat plant with fine foliage and rather small orange-coloured flowers, produced in great abundance. In hot seasons and on dry soils this proves an admirable subst.i.tute for the Calceolaria, which does not thrive when short of food, whereas the Tagetes bears drought, the shade of trees, and a poor soil with patience, and up to a certain point with advantage. Sow all these in March in a moderate heat, and p.r.i.c.k the plants out in the usual way, taking care finally to allot them sunny positions. Seed may also be sown in the open ground at the end of April or early in May.

The section of Pot Marigolds, =Calendula officinalis=, includes two remarkably handsome varieties, Orange King and Lemon Queen; the flowers of both are large, double, perfectly formed, and are worth a place in the choicest garden. These may be sown on the open border in March, April, and May, and the best place for them is in the full sun on a rather dry poor soil, but they are not particular, provided they are not much shaded.

==MARVEL OF PERU==

==Mirabilis Jalapa. Half-hardy perennial==

This flower may be treated either as an annual or as a biennial. As an annual the plants are very compact and effective, the leaves and flowers forming round glittering ma.s.ses in the late summer and autumn months.

When the roots are saved through the winter and planted out in April larger plants are obtained, but there is no advance in quality over the very neat and sparkling specimens raised from seed in spring. Sow in heat in March and April, and treat in the same manner as Balsams until the time arrives for planting out. A rich sandy loam suits them, and they like full exposure to suns.h.i.+ne.

==MIGNONETTE==

==Reseda odorata. Hardy annual==

Mignonette is so much prized that we must devote to it a paragraph, although there is little to be said. In many gardens plants appear year after year from self-sown seeds, and it will therefore be evident that Mignonette may be grown with the utmost simplicity. As a border plant we have but to sow where it is to remain, at different times from March to midsummer; the one important point is to make the bed very firm; in fact the soil should be trodden hard. It is imperative to thin early and severely, for any one plant left alone will soon be a foot in diameter, and in some circ.u.mstances cover a much larger area. Where bees are kept and s.p.a.ce can be afforded, seed should be sown in quant.i.ty, for Mignonette honey is of the finest quality in flavour and fragrance. In pot culture it should be remembered that Mignonette does not transplant well; therefore, having sown, say, a dozen seeds in each of a batch of 48-or 32-sized pots, firmly filled with rich porous soil to which a little lime or mortar rubble has been added, the young plants must be thinned down to five, or even three, in each pot, as soon as they begin to grow freely. If small plants are wanted early, leave five in a pot; if larger specimens are wanted later, leave only three, or even only one. For winter and spring, sow in August and September and keep them as hardy as possible until it becomes necessary to put them under gla.s.s for the winter. A further sowing for succession may be made in January or February. Several strains of different tints are now at the command of cultivators of this favourite flower.

==MIMULUS==

==Monkey Flower. Hardy perennial==

This flower will grow in almost any soil, although a moist retentive loam and a shady situation are best adapted for it. There are many varieties, differing in height, and all are worth growing, both in pots and borders. If sown in February or March, and treated as greenhouse annuals, they will flower in the first year. It is easy to raise a large number of plants in a cold frame, and they make a rich display in borders and beds later in the year. Sowings in the open ground during summer will supply plants for blooming in the following season, but the most satisfactory course is to grow them as annuals, and at the end of the summer consign them to the waste heap. The Mimulus is quite hardy, and the most ordinary care will suffice for it. Water in plenty it must have, or the flowering period will be curtailed.