THE SAND FRAME

Evening Star, Issue 22526, 19 December 1936, Page 23

THE SAND FRAME

Most people who become keen on shrubs realise sooner or later the necessity of starting a small nursery and doing some propagating. Few are content with only one specimen of a treasured plant, and very often a cutting of an addition to the garden is obtainable, where a plant is beyond reach (writes “Lorna,” in the ‘ Manawatu Daily Times ’). We all grow, in these days, many plants which hare no very long record of hardiness,- and the havoc or an exceptionally severe winter may prove very great, making the possession of some young stock of great value. Moreover, the raising of cuttings is an economical way of adding to, the beauty of the garden. The work is exceedingly fascinating, so much so that once taken in hand it is likely to be persisted in, even to the point of raising plants nqt really wanted, from sheer interest in the work. The sand frame has now become a common method of propagation, and has many advantages over the older methods of procedure. It can be of any size, and may be home made. Three feet by two feet in area is a nice size. This is deep enough to hold six inches of clean gravel, on which is placed three inches of washed sand. The surface of the sand is six inches from the glass. In such a frame as many as 400 cuttings can be accommodated at one time. The great advantage of this method is that the bed is always ready to receive cuttings which, need only just dibb'ing in. There is not the bother of getting pots ready, finding a little soil, and watering the cuttings in. The care of the frame is of the simplest. The glass may be permanently shaded with whiting, and a morning watering, using about a gallon of water for the size of frame mentioned, is all that is required. The cuttings may be taken, out, examined, and reinserted, if necessary, without in any way damaginging them, • The winter treatment will consist, of less frequent watering and protection from severe frosts. The type of cutting which succeeds best seems to be one which has scarcely reached the half-ripe stage, is rather small in size, and taken off with a heel. The potting should be carried out as soon as the roots have reached a length of half an inch or so. If left too long in the sand, they quickly attain length, and are likely to be damaged: moreover, shorter roots are more able to adapt themselves to the change in the rooting medium. Throughout the period of use all dropped leaves should he promptly removed from the frame, as well as any dead cuttings.