USEFUL NOTES ON BEDDING OUT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19958, 27 November 1926, Page 3

USEFUL NOTES ON BEDDING OUT.

Lovers of summer-flowering plants will bo busy planting thorn for a week or two. In every case the wise gardener should duly harden off the plants. To transfer tender subjects direct to an open border from the shelter even of a broken-down frame often moans a serious check. The plants should have been without frame protection for at least one week prior to their full exposure in open beds. Tho hardening process should be very gradual. If this has been ettended to then the work of bedding-out may be pushed forward as quickly as possible so that the plants may get well established in their new quarters before tho subsoil becomes very dry in case a naturally dry summer follows. SOIL MANURE. If a quantity of blossoms is required, then ordinary bedding-out stock must not bo grown in a very rich soil. A naturally poor one must, however, be enriched to a certain extent. Ab ndance of blossom cannot bo produced on puny plants. There is the happy medium, and so. if the soil is really a very good one, very little manure will ho required. Soil deficient in humus should bo enriched with rotted manure. Very heavy soils will bo improved if rotted leaf-soil and burnt rubbish iron! the garden smother fire bo mixed with them. If very fine foliage is the chief object in view, then the soil should bo well manured, but not with such stimulants as sulphate of ammonia or nitrate of soda. Tho rotted manure, loaf-soil, rotted _ refuse and cool, concentrated manures will do nicely and produce tho finest p liage. PLANTS FROM POTS AND BOXES. More care should be taken with the plants taken from boxes than with those from pots. Plants grown in boxes and beds must Ixi lifted carefully from such quarters and bo replanted at once with as much soil adhering to their roots as possible. In all cases the plants should be well watered a few hours before they are planted. There wi: not bo any difficulty in regard to pot plants ■' insides of the pots wore clean and dry when first used. If they were dirty, then thi- timely water ing will bo beneficial. Planting several hours after a heavy rain is always pleasant work. If, however, rain is absent and tho soil almost dust-dry. thoroughly soak it the-night before planting.