KEEPING FRAME CUTTINGS HEALTHY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 139, 13 June 1936, Page 13

KEEPING FRAME CUTTINGS HEALTHY

Damping off is the great winter enemy of frame cuttings. To keep it down you must be particularly careful with regard to watering. No moisture should be given unless it is really needed. Such cuttings as violas, antirrhinums, bedding calceolarias and pentstemons will probably be able to carry on until the turn of the year without any watering at all. The frame might be opened for a little while, if on a comparatively mild morning there is a nice light shower of rain. But beyond that, rain must not be allowed to get into the frame. To allow the cuttings to get wet late in the day might well be fatal. iDrip due to faulty glazing of the frame light is particularly dangerous; drops of water falling on to a plant will speedily ruin it. If any leaves do damp off, remove them at once, before the trouble has a chance to spread. Ventilate as freely as you can during the day, especially after rain has been allowed to fall on the plants. Plenty of air will keep the cuttings dwarf and heal’thy. Let the light be raised at least a few inches, except during fog, when it must be closed right down .It must also be closed at night. Keep the surface of the soil well stirred. If a scum or mould should form, at once, scrape it off. See that the glass is kept clean. If it is allowed to become grimy, growth will be drawn and spindly through lack of light.