CARE OF THE GLASS HOUSE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 804, 26 October 1929, Page 30

CARE OF THE GLASS HOUSE

It has just occurred to me to say a word about painting. The outside of a glasshouse occasionally requires painting, for the preservation of the wood of which the house is built, and usually an oil and lead paint is used. That being so, care must be taken to have the house well ventilated at the time of painting, and while the paint i= drying. Even though the outside only is being painted, the fumes and odours from the lead paint readily permeate the interior. Nothing is more deleterious to delicate plants, especially when they are iu the growing stage than the fumes from lead paint Orchids and fronding ferns especially suffer badly, breathing the fumes in with the air, as they do. Thus it is v< ’ r - v . ur gent to make for ample ventilation at painting time. Regarding interior painting, it is wise to use some non-lead paint, and there are several good white water-paints on the market. Many plants now are requiring repotting. I have so often advocated the ample use of charcoal in the potplant soil. This material is loved by pi actically all plants; not only is it a great soil purifier, but it gives both vigour and colour to flowers and foliage. Either wood or bone charcoal may be used, and it should be well crushed. It is not sufficient to use charcoal ia lum P s at the bottom oi the pots for drainage purposes, but it should be finely powdered and mixed with the soil for general plants, while it may be broken into small pieces only, for orchids. In making the repotting soil, due provision must be made for sufficient drainage, not only at the bottom of the pot, but through the soil. Thus, if the soil be heavy or peaty, some good sharp sand, of a sea-shore consistency should be well mixed with the potting soil. Ferns, palms and orchids mav now be repotted. The latter should have a goodly supply of todea fern fibre in the potting mixture. Ferns and palms delight in cow or sheep manure.