GARDENING NOTES. Work for the Week. HINTS ON POTTING.

Evening Post, Volume LVI, Issue 74, 24 September 1898, Page 3 (Supplement)

GARDENING NOTES. Work for the Week. HINTS ON POTTING.

[By Agmcola. J Potting, or giving freßh soil and increased root-room to plants, is divided into two well-defined methods — namely, re-potting and potting on. The former method is carried out when plants do not require larger pots, but yet need fresh soil or clean drainage. Palms, numerous Ferns, Zonal Pelargoniums, and many hard - wooded plants, the rooting medium of which may have become sour, occasionally need turning out, the roots examined and pruned to healthy parts, old inert soil carefully picked away, as well as choked drainage, afterwards placing the plants in similar-sized pots. In some cases, however, turning the plants completely out of the pots may not be necessary or convenient, but simply the loose spent soil dug out down to the roots, filling up the space with fresh material. This is termed top-dressing, and is adopted chiefly where roots are not abundant in the surface soil, or where the loss of a few along with the impoverished material is not of much consequence. The added soil should be pressed firmly down. Top-dressing is effective for clearing the surface of mossy growths which accumulate by repeated waterings. All soft- wooded plants in small pots, and needing to be increased in size, must be potted on as a fair quantity of roots reach the sides of the pots and begin to appear through the drainage. Fuchsias, Pelargoniums, Begonias, Tomatoes, and Chrysanthemums all require special attention as the season advances, in order that the plants do not become root-bound until they* have reached the size pots in which they are to flower. There are a few small but important details to be attended to when potting which help largely in ensuring the success of the operation. Before proceeding to pot any plant into a larger size it is imperative that the roots and soil be moist, but not wet so that the soil is sticky, rendering it j unsuitable for the operator to handle. ! Plants to be potted, therefore, should be j examined some hours previously, watering j those well which may be dry. The compost for potting is the next consideration. It must be composed of the various ingredients required in their proper proportion, and when the materials are properly mixed the whole ought to be in a sufficiently moist condition. If afterwards it becomes dusty aud dry before it can be ÜB9d sprinklings of warm water and several turnings will restore it to a suitably moist state. The fresh pots to which the plants ' are to be introduced must be thoroughly clean and dry. Plants in a young state requiring several shifts especially need this attention, as in pots that are dirty inside the young roots will adhere so fast that a difficulty will be experienced in turning tho plants out without breaking the roots, which is injurious, if the balls of soil and roots have to be dragged from the pots. The crocks employed in draining require also to be clean and dry. The crocks ought to be carefully placed in the pots, and not be more numerous than absolutely necessary, some quick- growing plants only needing one well placed crock over the hole of small pots. The amount of drainage in larger pots does not depend so much on the quantity placed in as upon its systematic arrangement, for effectiveness. These details are applicable without exception to all plants when potting.