Bedding Plants

Most of the plants used for flower gardens and lawn beds come under the

three following classes: (1) Those grown from seed; (2) those grown from

cuttings; (3) those of a bulbous nature.



Almost all of the first group are sown in the spring in flats in the

greenhouse. Two important exceptions, however, are pansies and English

daisies (Bellis perennis). They are sown early in the fall, as already

described, and the plants wintered over in a frame or protected

outdoors. For the retail trade they are put up in small boxes or "pansy

baskets" made for the purpose. While small plants, just beginning to

bloom, are the best, it seems very hard to convince a customer of it and

they will often choose a basket with four or five old plants loaded with

bloom in preference to a dozen small ones.



Asters, alyssum, balsams, candytuft, celosia, coleus, dianthus (pink),

lobelia, mignonette, petunias, phlox, portulaca, ricinus, salvia,

verbenas, vinca, roses, zinnias, may all be started from seed. The

greatest secret of success is to keep the plants from crowding, and keep

pinched back to make bushy plants. Salvias and coleus are the tenderest

of these plants. The others can go out to the frames, if room is scarce,

as soon as the weather becomes settled.