THE CULTIVATION OF THE CINERARIA.

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 24, 6 November 1930, Page 9

THE CULTIVATION OF THE CINERARIA.

The comparative case with which the Cineraria can bo grown, together with tihe exceeding beauty and variety of its flowers, embracing as it does nearly every.conceivable colour, with the exception of'yellow, will always ensure for it a high position in public favouT. A very marked change has -been made iri the value of this flower since the introduction of the 9tellata and double variety. These; are so varied in eolouT and ■ beautiful in form that they deservo to take high rank as florist flow-

ers.. They are so entirely distinct from the grandiflora sorts that even tiie most enthusiastic lover '■ ■~ of - these flowets would scarcely venture to institute a comparison ...between them, as to their value for decorative or cut purposes.

Cinerarias are now so generally raised from seed! that no other mode of culture 'need be alluded to. The plant is a rapid gtbwer once the cool weather sets in, and very succulent and requires generous ■ treatment, and will not endure extreme heat without, suffering.

The. best time for sowing the seed in the Hutt Valley is the second week in Ddcenlber, with a second." and tihird sowing in January and February, so as to ensure a succession of plants for planting in bush houses and under the shelter of trejds/ etc. A. compost of equal parts ilbam and 'leaf mould and a little snarp sand is necessary in its early stages. , Sow very thinly in shallow boxes or seed pans; water the soil fii-st before sowing the seed, and then slightly cover with some fine sand, and until the plants are showing well above the soil water-by soaking. (Place the pans or boxes threo parts of tieir depth in water until the whole of the soil is thoroug-hly soaked). '',; ;

I beg to Temind young growers that this is the Tock on which many get hopelessly wrecked; for let your soil dry out once and yout plants are done for. an; 4; quickly" show .it. Place the boxes or pans in a , shady end of a greenhouse or frame, with a piece of glass covering, eaehi pah or box to prevent rapid evaporation. As sopn as tie seed has germinated the result will be weak spuidly plants'.

2Teiw seed will germinate in about six days. As soon as the plants make fair progress, transfer jhenv to a frame in the coolest . and shadiest part. of the garden, and as soon" as the seedlings have formed two or three leaves prick theni out into flat boxes ;dr pans, using the above kind of compost. When they have become sturdy, and have -formed a few more leaves^ transfer them to three-incih pots, using a somewhat richer soil by adding a little dry powdered cow manuofe to the compost recommended.

My advice to young growers is, "endeavour to grow them as nearly hardy as possible. '' Still it will be necessary to protect them from bright sunshine.

The Cineraria is a very fast-rooting plant, and it will soon require another shift. It used to be tho custom with some growers years ago to transfer at once to the ffowering pots. There is, however, some danger in this practice of over-potting, therefore I would ad-

vise one intermediate shift from tirreeineh to five-inch pots,, by Uio time the plants have filled these pots with x'oots, cold nights will have begun to take place, and the most advanced plants will be ready for their final shift.

' For all ordinary purposes seven-inch pots are large enough, but the eightinch or even large ■■pots ai*e allowable •wihen very fine specimens are required. The soil for the final potting should be of'a stronger nature than that used in the earlier, stages of growth, and should consist of two parts loam, one part leaf mpuld, one part well decayed cow manure, and a little sharp sand. To each ordinary barrowful of this compost add a six-inch pbtful of dissolved bones (superphosphate of lime), which being more soluble, is quicker in its action than raw bones. . Should tihere TjOs any lumps in the superphospliate these must be brokenl and thoroughly1" mixed with the compost; if the soil be very dry,: sprinkle it well with rain water. While- mixing the it is the. better for being mixed a week or;so before using, to allow the bones to dissolve. . s ■

As. the winter comes on remove the plants to the Tgrcpnhquse or conservatory, and ; give air freely, ; and from the, first? appearance of 'the flower buds manure water can be given with advantake once or twice a . week until

the flowers'show .colour, then it should ■be discontinued.. . Puto water only should bo given during the display.

Cineraries, like many, other softwooded plants^ are subject to go off just on the- sui-face of the soil j the best preventive is plenty of fresh siweet air and a judicious application of water, especially '■ during the sho ; rt days of winter. '

If the plants are too erowdecV it will almost certainly be productive of mischief, and my advice is better to grow a few really fine specimens that will' produce a -handsome display of superb flowers than attempt a largo numiber of feeble plants that will prove unsatisfactory..-" The ■great pest of the Cineraria is the green fly, a"nd tobacco smoke1 is the.'best remedy for this pest. The most effective means of preventing this pest's appearance is to fumigated the plants at intervals of not more than tlrree weeks with tobacco- smoke, care* must be taken, however, to see that the leaves of the plants are dry before, commencing fumigation, otherwise tihe effect of the smoke might be to scorch the leaves. The secret of growing Cinerarias well is to keep them growing from the seedling to the flowering pot witli freedom from insect pests; never allow them to get a check ,by becoming pot-bound or to suffer fot want of water. . The double and Stellata varieties require exactly the same treatment as the grandiflora varieties, only the Stellata varieties will need a slight support with sticks as t2iey usually grow at Jeast two feet high. In saving the seed, take the best flowers and separate them from the general bulk of plants, and, if possible, place them in^a separate house ot large frame, to prevent them being crossed by the operations of the bees. The result of nnot attending to this most important operation will be the loss of the good strain of Cinerariai. Another pest that sometimes attack tihis plant is the red spider, and when, it does, it will !be necessary to dust/the leaves with sulphur, which, though it will not Mil, prevents feeding, and tiros starves them to death.