The Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-04-29, Page 48Page 14
Annual flower mixtures are full of pleasant surprises
Seedlings need tender loving care
Organization and careful
preparation before tran-
splanting seedlings can help
ensure a healthy garden,
says T. J.. Blom, Ontario
Ministry. of Agriculture and
Foodhorticulturist.
"First, remove stones and
debris from the garden.
Next, loosen the soil and
poke holes for the tran-
splants."
• Addi pre -wetted peat
'moss • o the holes before
transplanting will give the
plants a good start.
Mr. Blom says it is best to
transplant seedlings at
night. Water seedlings.
several 'hours before tran-
splanting.
When ready to, transplant,
SEEDLING FLATS
gently tap the sides of the pot
to remove the plant.
"Keep _ the roots and soil
together as much as
possible, then put the roots in
the new hole and pat the soil
around them."
After transplanting, Mr.
Blom recommends watering
as needed and fertilizing
after two or three days.
"One-half to one pound Of
regular fertilizer per 100
square feet of garden ,space
should be adequate."
Provide _cucumbers,
squash, tomatoes, and.
.melons with up to four
square feet of space. Cab-
bage, peppers, broccoli, and
brussels sprouts require less
space.
tart spring with new cuttings
Spring is here, and 'it's the
best time to take cuttings
from overwintered garden
plants.
R. A. Fleming, Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture and
Food horticulturist at
Vineland Station, feels that a
A harden full of miracles
• By John Hughes .
Soils and Coops. Brandt
OMAF '
Each year, plant 'breeders
come up with new varieties of
bedding plants for the home
garden. These new varieties
feature. qualities, such as
.unproved disease resistance,,
new colors, different plant
shapes and • habits, improved
hardiness, longer lasting or
larger flowers or ¢ better
' adaptibility to . environmental
conditions.
One of the highlights of the
new selections for 1981 include.
Milday, a mixture of dwarf
asters featuring large 10 -11 -
centimetre (4 •to 412 -inch)
blooms. This variety blooms
profusely on bushy, compact
plants 25 to 30 cm (10-12 in.)
high. This mixture is
recommended for bedding and
potting.
Another promising new
selection is the Begonia Bertini
hybrid, Cora. This 25 cm (10
in.) tuberous begonia variety
features large, bright, orange
scarlet, single flowers. This
variety does extremely well
Oen' in full sun providing the
soil is rich.
Celosia plumosa, Apricot
Brandy, won an All -America
Bronze medal for 1981. It
displays exquisite, 'apricot -
orange blooms freely. above
bright -green foliage. Plants
are uniform 35 to 45 cm (14 to
18 in.) in height, spreading to
50 cm (20 in.) across. This
variety offers bright colour for
bedding plantings and it is also
an attr active c ut flower.
Red Wizard, is 'a new ad-
dition to-theseries of compact
basal -branching coleus. It
features bright -red leaf in-
terior, shading to dark red
with a chartreuse border.
Two new geranium varieties
are also recommended ' for
1981. The Orbit hybrids are
uniformly early -maturing with
a compact habit, large blooms,
and good basal branching.
These are available in salmon,
scarlet, red and white. The
Picasso hybrid is a -new and
unusual violet color with soft
leaf zoning.
Home gardeners can also
enjoy two new varieties of
impatiens. The Blitz hybrid
was named winner of the All -
America Bronze medal for
1981 - the first impatiens to
win in the 48 -year history of the
awards. It has the largest
bloom of any of the other
orange -scarlet varieties, and it
is also earlier and more
abundant in bloom. The other
new -impatiens, Novette White,
presents a new color along
with a rose -white star and
violet in the popular Novette
series.
In marigolds, watch for a
new dwarf French Tiger Eyes.
This unique. flower form',
featuresa golden -orange Crest
with a.singiemahogany skirt.
The profuse 5 cm (2 in.)
blooms grow on 30 to 35. cm (12
to •14 in.).. plants. Marigold
triploid hybrids Roso and Baro
feature golden -yellow and
lemon:yellow blooms.' Blooms
are early, large and abundant
over a long season.
An outstanding new • pansy
hybrid, Universal, is an ex-
tremely, . early -blooming type
that produces an abundance of
good-sized blooms throughout
the season. Plants. are
uniform, compact, and
tolerate cool and warm
temperatures well. This series
offers a full color range (11
shades) with plain and blot-
ched faces.
Petunia Flamenco is a
vibrant, rose -red . variety that
offers earlier flowering, more
compact habit and deeper
color than other petunias in
this color range: A new color
available in the popular Flash
series isSahnon Flash: It is a
bright, deep-salfnon color with
a lighter throat.
Ryco is a new salvia variety
that features very vigorous,
early and uniform plants. Its
abundant, dark -greet foliage
contrasts well with the bright -
red 'newer spikes. In tests,
Ryco shows excellent garden
performance. Its height is 30
cm (12 in.) . There are also new
additions to the Carabiniere
{series of salvia. Now the
original Carabiniere Scarlet .
has color companions in
orange, purple and white.
Home gardeners 'may also
want to try Minaret, a new
bedding snapdragon, semi- '
dwarf (30 cm or 12. in.)
available in a wide range of
colors. These well -branched
plants are free -flowering over
a long season. A new verbena
variety called Tropic was the
Fleuroselect Bronze medal
winner for 1981. The swarf,
ball -shaped plants feature
large; bright currant -red
�N6 FQR
NAPP4
GARDEN INE
Choose from a vasty of
' blooms with no contrasting
eye_ If you need a new ground
cover or container plant, try
the new vinca variety Pink
Carousel. Plants are 7 to 10 cm
(3 to 4 in.) high and spread to
60cm(2ft.). '
A new zinnia variety for 1981.
is . the Pulcino mixiure. •'The
very compact blooms reach a
mature height of 30 to 38 cm
(12 to 15 in. ). The double and.
semi -double blooms' , are,
available in sharp, distinct
.colours. This variety features
long-lasting blooms that
compete : in Quality' with the
higher priced Fl hybrids.
Watch for these new
varieties .
keen gardener can achieve
good results with cuttings
taken from plants such as .
coleus. fibrous begonia,
impatiens and fuschia.
"The best cuttings consist
of v.igoro.us new growth, 8-.12
cm (3-5 in.), with three or
four veil -developed .leaves.
Root the cuttings in moist'
sand or a combination -of.
'sand, perlite.or vermiculite:
mixed with an equal volume
of peat moss." . .
"In a bright; moderately
warm (15-17 degrees C)
location, rooting should take
lilace in twooto three weeks."
There is •no need • to use
rooting hornic'ne. The -
rooting medium should be
kept moist, but not, Wet. A.
.greater degree of success is
assured if cuttings are
dusted with a fungicide such'
as•'Benamyi or..Captun us'
they are taken.
"The next impartant
'factor is sufficient light. If
cuttings do not get, enough:
light, they develop soft. weak
growth as they 'strive to
reach the light."
When healthy root systems
are • e.stablished, cuttings
should be transplanted into a
good potting soil and(lowed
to grow indoors ultil' all
danger of frost is past.
"Care and attention in-
doors toward the end of
March will pay ',huge
dividends in the months
ahead. Spring ..plantings of
strong, healthy stock grown
from cuttings ensure a gcod
start toward abundant
summerd isplays.":
:u�
,.°111fi
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