File:Beckert's garden annual - complete garden guide for 1950 (1950) (20173038909).jpg

Title: Beckert's garden annual : complete garden guide for 1950
Identifier: beckertsgardenan1950beck (find matches)
Year: 1950 (1950s)
Authors: Beckert's Seed Store; Henry G. Gilbert Nursery and Seed Trade Catalog Collection
Subjects: Nurseries (Horticulture) Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Catalogs; Nursery stock Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Catalogs; Flowers Seeds Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Catalogs; Bulbs (Plants) Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Catalogs; Grasses Seeds Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Catalogs
Publisher: Pittsburgh, Pa. : Beckert's Seed Store, Inc.
Contributing Library: U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library
Digitizing Sponsor: U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Library

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
'
Text Appearing After Image:
HOME GARDENING GUIDE GLADIOLUS Gladiolus are among the easiest of all flowers to grow. But while they stand neglect better than most plants, they also respond beautifully to proper treatment. So it is well to note these brief points: Soil should be well drained, sandy loam, preferably where no glads have been grown for the past 3 years. Cultivation to a depth of 18 inches is desirable. Full sun is best, although they do fairly well in partial shade. Glads may be set out as soon as frost is out of the ground, but extra-early planting gains little. A suc- cession of plantings about ten days apart gives a long blooming season. Depth of planting should be no more than 4" in heavy soil and 5 to 6" in light, sandy soil. Space bulbs 3" apart in rows 18 to 30" apart. Be sure to eliminate air pockets under the bulbs. Place bulbs in a well worked trench in staggered or zig-zag row—and cover at first with about two inches of loam. When shoots begin to appear, work balance of loam into the trench. Watering is important. Glads need an abundance of moisture, especially after the plant is well developed. DAHLIAS Any reasonably careful gardener can grow dahlias easily and successfully. Soil needs of dahlias are no different than those of a good vegetable garden. Drain- age and porosity are important. Fertilizing calls for nothing more than a good balanced commercial fertilizer. Planting is simple. Set stout stakes first. Plant the tuber in a hole 6 inches deep, with eye up, and neck near stake. Cover with just enough soil to hide the tuber. As the eye grows, keep filling in soil. Culture. Cultivate frequently for about the first 10 v/eeks. Do not cultivate v/hen flowers are in bud or bloom. Allow only one main stalk to grov/. When stalk is about 10 inches high, pinch out the center just above the 2nd pair of leaves. When buds appear, pinch out all except the central one. Also pinch out all new lateral shoots except the two nearest the main stalk. This helps produce large blooms on low, bushy plants and en- courages long stems. CANNAS While cannas will tolerate cold soil, they usually do not start growing until hot weather comes. If planted in round beds, you will need 37 plants for a 10 foot bed (18 plants on the outside, 12 in the second rovr, six for the third row and one in the center). A 7 foot bed will use 19 plants, with 12 plants on the outside row, six for the middle row and one plant in the center. FANCY LEAVED CALADIUMS These spectacular foliage plants are par- ticularly valuable because they do well in shade. Start them in a mixture of half sand and half leaf mould at a temperature of over 70 degrees. When the roots are well- developed and the shoot is beginning to show, pot up in rich soil. Set out in the garden when weather is warm and set- tled. Elephant ears can be planted directly in soil out of doors, but the weather must be warm and settled, otherwise they rot. LILIES Even the swamp lilies will not tolerate wet feet; all must have perfect drainage. Yet they like a moist, cool soil. This means that liberal quantities of old well- decayed compost is almost essential for lilies. CACTUS DAHLIA POMPON DAHLIAS

Note About Images