The Culture Of Vegetables And Flowers From Seeds And Roots Part 27

==Half-hardy perennial==

All the Gaillardias are most conveniently grown as annuals from seed.

The plants remain in bloom for a long period, and for their gorgeous colouring the flowers are as highly prized for arranging in bowls and vases as for garden decoration. The best month in which to sow seed is March, and the plants will then be ready for putting out in May. Any good compost will answer, and only a moderate temperature is necessary to bring up the seedlings. The usual course of procedure in p.r.i.c.king off must be adopted to keep them short and stout.

==GERANIUM==

==Pelargonium. Half-hardy perennial==

Geraniums of all kinds are most valuable if treated as annuals. In their seedling state the plants are peculiarly robust and charmingly fresh in leaf.a.ge and flowers, even if amongst them there does not happen to be one that is welcome as a novel florist's flower. When grown from first-cla.s.s seed, however, a large proportion of fine varieties and a few real novelties may be expected. The seed may be sown on any day throughout the year, but February and August are especially suitable.

Sow in pans filled with a good mixture, in a somewhat rough state. Cover with a fair sixteenth of an inch of fine soil. Put the seed-pans in a temperature of 60 to 70 if sown in February, but heat will not be necessary at all unless it is desired to bring the plants into flower early in the ensuing summer. We are accustomed to place the seed-pans on a sunny shelf in a cool greenhouse, and have fine plants by the end of June, many of which begin to flower in August.

==GERBERA==

==Half-hardy perennial==

The Gerbera, also known as the Barberton or Transvaal Daisy, is a native of South Africa. Under cool greenhouse treatment it may be grown to perfection in pots, and a charming display of bloom can also be obtained in the open border from plants put out in a well-drained sunny position and given slight protection in winter. The flowers somewhat resemble a Marguerite in form, having a number of long pointed petals radiating from a small centre. In addition to the brilliant =G. Jamesonii=, sometimes called the Scarlet Daisy of the Cape, many hybrid flowers having a wide range of delightful colours are also available. Although seed is often sown in spring, the best results are probably obtained from an August sowing, in pans placed in a gentle heat. p.r.i.c.k off the seedlings when large enough, and if required for the greenhouse or conservatory transfer to pots, or gradually harden off for planting in the open as soon as weather permits in the following spring.

==GESNERA==

==Naegelia. Tender perennial==

An extremely beautiful ornament for stove or conservatory. The new hybrids freely produce spikes of bright pendulous flowers of many charming colours. Although the Gesnera is a perennial, it is sound practice to treat the plant as an annual. Seedlings from a January sowing will commence flowering in about nine months. Very rich soil, a warm and even temperature, and plenty of water, are requisite to promote luxuriant growth. The culture advised for Gloxinias will exactly suit the Gesnera also.

==GEUM==

==Hardy perennial==

The introduction of the well-known double variety, Mrs. Bradshaw, which may easily be flowered from seed in the first season, has brought the Geum into prominence in recent years. Seed of the above-named variety should be sown in pans in March or April and the seedlings p.r.i.c.ked off into boxes of rich soil when large enough. Put out in May or June and do not let the plants suffer for want of water. Geums may also be raised from sowings made in June or July, and transplanting in due course to permanent quarters, in the manner usual with hardy perennials.

==GLADIOLUS==

==Corn Flag. Half-hardy perennial==

Formerly the Gladiolus was seldom raised from seed, probably because the seed obtainable was not worth sowing. Now it is saved with so much care that it will give a splendid display of flowers, a large proportion of which will be equal to named sorts, and some may show a decided advance.

The use of large pots--the 32-size will answer--is advantageous for many reasons, and they should be either new or scrupulously clean, for they will have to remain unchanged for many months, so that a fair start is the more necessary. For the same reason special care should be taken to insure free drainage. Over the usual crocks place a layer of dry moss, and fill with a compost of fibrous loam and leaf-mould in equal parts, with sufficient sharp sand added to make it thoroughly porous. Press the soil firmly into the pots, making the surface quite even, and in February dibble the seeds separately about an inch apart, and half an inch deep. This will render it needless to disturb the seedlings during the first season. Put the seed-pots in a steady temperature not exceeding 65 or 70. After watering, it will help to retain the moisture if the top of each pot is covered with a layer of =old= moss, until the plants show. When the seedlings are about an inch high remove to a lower temperature, and begin to harden off by giving air on suitable occasions. Take care, however, that in the process no check is given to growth. Soon after the middle of May the seedlings should be able to bear full exposure, and it will then be time to renew the surface soil. Gently remove the upper layer, and replace it with rotten cow-manure, or some other rich dressing. Water must be given regularly until about midsummer, when the pots may be plunged to the rim in a shady border, and this will keep them tolerably moist until, in September, the seedlings begin to ripen off, which they must be allowed to do. When the leaves have died down, shake out the bulbs and place them on a shelf to dry. A mixture of equal parts of peat and pine sawdust, placed in a box or seed-pan, will make the best possible store for them; the box or seed-pan to be kept in any spot which is safe from heat and frost. After about six weeks, each bulb should be examined, and decayed specimens removed. If any of them have commenced growing, pot them and place in a pit or greenhouse. In March take the bulbs out of store, pot each one singly, and prepare for planting out. The transfer to the open must not be made until the danger of frost is past, even though it be necessary to wait until the first week of June.

Further remarks on Gladiolus will be found at page 329, under 'The Culture of Flowering Bulbs.'

==GLOXINIA==

==Tender perennial==

Gloxinias can now be flowered in the most satisfactory manner within six months from the date of sowing seed. Hence there is no longer the least temptation to propagate these plants by the lengthy and troublesome method formerly in vogue, especially as seedlings raised from a first-cla.s.s strain produce flowers of the finest quality, both as to form and style of growth. One great advantage to be obtained from seedlings is an almost endless variety of colour, for the careful hybridisation of the choicest flowers not only perpetuates those colours, but yields other fine shades also. Those who have never seen a large and well-grown collection of seedling Gloxinias have yet to witness one of the most striking displays of floral beauty.

Quite as much has been done for the foliage of the Gloxinia as for its flower, and the best strains now produce grand leaves which are reflexed in such a manner as almost to hide the pot, so that the foliage presents an extremely ornamental appearance.

By successive sowings and judicious management it is possible to flower Gloxinias almost the year through. The most important months for sowing seed are January, February, and March, and to secure an early display in the following spring some growers sow again in June or July.

The soil most suited to Gloxinias is a light porous compost of fibrous loam. If this is not obtainable, leaf-mould will answer, mixed with peat and silver sand in about equal parts. New pots are advisable, or old ones must be thoroughly cleansed, and free drainage is essential to success. Fill the pots to within half an inch of the top. Sow thinly, and slightly cover the seed with very fine soil. Place the pots in a warm, moist position, carefully shading from the sun. A light sprinkling of water daily will be necessary. Immediately some plants are large enough for shifting, lift them tenderly from the seed-pot, so as scarcely to disturb the rest, and p.r.i.c.k off into large 60-pots in which the soil has a convex surface. Follow this process as plants become ready until all the seedlings have been transferred. When potting on allow the leaves to rest on the soil, but avoid covering the hearts. On the first warm day give air on the leeward side of the house, briefly at first, and increase the time as the plants become established. A clear s.p.a.ce between the plants is necessary to prevent the leaves of neighbours from meeting. The final shift should be into 48-pots, unless extra fine specimens are required, and then one or two sizes larger may be used. An occasional dose of weak manure water will prove beneficial, taking care that the foliage is not wetted. A moist atmosphere, with the temperature at about 60 to 65, greatly facilitates the growth of Gloxinias. With care, however, they may be well grown in greenhouses and pits heated by hot water. Although the plants love a humid atmosphere while growing, this ceases to be an advantage, and, in fact, becomes injurious when the flowers begin to expand. At that time, also, the manure water should be discontinued.

Under 'The Culture of Flowering Bulbs,' page 331, further instructions are given.

==G.o.dETIA==

==Hardy annual==

So far as the culture of G.o.detias is concerned, the usual spring sowing and the regular treatment of hardy annuals will satisfy those who are content with a display entailing the least possible trouble. But the G.o.detia is no ordinary annual. The plants flower with such amazing profusion, and the colours are so magnificent, that those who wish to produce striking effects in beds or borders in July and August will find G.o.detias of the highest value. All the varieties come perfectly true to colour and admit of numerous contrasts and harmonies. As an example, we suggest the following combination for a long border, or beside a carriage drive. Sow two rows of Alyssum minimum, allowing twelve inches between the rows; one row of Dwarf Pink G.o.detia fifteen inches from the Alyssum; two rows of G. Dwarf d.u.c.h.ess of Albany eighteen inches apart; one row of G. Scarlet Queen eighteen inches from the preceding variety, and one row of Double Rose at the back. The result will astonish those who have not previously seen a really fine exposition of this flower.

Many other combinations will occur to those who carefully study colour schemes.

There are few annuals more greatly valued for cutting than the taller varieties of G.o.detia. These mainly produce double flowers in sprays two feet or more in length which develop into full beauty after being placed in water.

March and April are the months for sowing seed in the open for a summer display, and September for spring flowering. Good effects, however, are obtained by raising a sufficient number of plants in boxes and p.r.i.c.king off in readiness for putting out after bulbs and spring bedders have been cleared away. Under this practice there need not be a blank or a defective specimen.

Dwarf G.o.detias make exceedingly symmetrical and attractive pot plants.

For this purpose sow seed in October in pans and place them in a temperature of 55 until the seedlings appear, then remove to a cooler place. As soon as possible p.r.i.c.k off three in each 48-pot and when established grow on during winter in cold frames, giving air daily except in frosty weather, when the frames must remain closed and can be protected with whatever covering may be at hand. Here it may be well to point out that even when touched by frost the plants will recover if they are shaded from the sun's rays until the pots are quite clear of frost. G.o.detias flowered in pots make bright groups in conservatories, and occasionally do good service where failures occur in beds.

==GREVILLEA ROBUSTA==

==Australian Oak. Greenhouse shrub==

In its native country, New South Wales, this is a stately tree. Here it is grown as a pot plant, and the finely cut, drooping, fern-like foliage produces one of the most graceful decorative subjects we possess. Its value is enhanced by the fact that it withstands the baneful influences of gas, dust, and changes of temperature better than the majority of table plants.

Seedlings are easily raised by those who can exercise patience; and afterwards the simplest cool culture will suffice to grow handsome specimens. But we do not know any seed--not even the Auricula--which takes more time and is so capricious in germinating. In all cases where seed is sown in fairly rich soil, which has to be kept constantly moist and undisturbed for a long period, there is a tendency to sourness, especially on the surface. Free drainage will do something towards preventing this. Another aid in the same direction is to cover the seed with a layer of sand, and the sand with a thin coating of ordinary potting soil. When the surface becomes covered with moss, the coating of soil can be gently removed down to the sand, and be replaced with fresh earth, without detriment to the seeds.

Sow at any time of the year, in 48-sized pots filled with rather firm soil; and as the seedlings straggle through and show two pairs of leaves, pot them off singly, and give the shelter of a close pit or frame until they become established. They must not be allowed to suffer for lack of water, but there is no necessity to give them manure water at any stage of growth. An occasional re-potting is the only other attention they will require until they reach the final size, and the pots need not then be large.

==HOLLYHOCK==

==Althaea rosea. Hardy perennial==

Generations of unnatural treatment had so debilitated the Hollyhock that disease threatened to banish it from our gardens. Just at the critical time it was discovered that the plant could be grown and satisfactorily flowered from seed. Florists at once turned their attention to the production of seed worth growing, and with marked success. The best strains may now be relied on to produce a large proportion of perfectly formed double flowers, imposing in size, colour, and substance. The seedlings also possess a const.i.tution capable of withstanding the deadly =Puccinia malvacearum=, and there is no longer a danger that this stately plant will become merely one of the pleasures of memory.

In growing the Hollyhock it is necessary to remember that a large amount of vegetable tissue has to be produced within a brief period, so that the treatment throughout its career should be exceptionally liberal.

Some gardeners are successful in flowering Hollyhocks as annuals. Where this course is adopted it is usual to sow in January in well-drained pots or seed-pans filled with rich soil freely mixed with sand, covering the seed with a slight dusting of fine earth. A temperature of 65 or 70 is necessary, and in about a fortnight the plants should attain a height of one inch, when they will be ready for p.r.i.c.king off round the edges of 4-1/2-inch pots, filled with a good porous compost. Put the seedlings in so that the first leaves just touch the surface. At the beginning of March transfer singly to thumb pots, and immediately the roots take hold remove to pits or frames, where they can be exposed to genial showers and be gradually hardened. Defer the planting out until the weather is quite warm and settled.

The shrubbery border is the natural position for the Hollyhock, but the regular occupants keep the soil poor, and for such a rapid-growing plant as we are now considering there is obviously all the greater need for deep digging and liberal manuring. If put out during dry weather, complete the operation with a soaking of water, and repeat this twice a week until rain falls. Give each plant a clear s.p.a.ce of three or four feet to afford easy access for staking and watering. By midsummer offshoots will begin to push through the soil. The removal of these will throw all the strength of the plant into one stem. To insure its safety a strong stake will be required, which should be firmly driven into the ground, and rise six or seven feet above it. In case of an accident at any time to the central stem the hope of flowers for that year is gone, and it is therefore worth some pains to prevent a mishap. The tying must be done with judgment, and as the plants increase in size an occasional inspection will save the stems from being cut. Several inches of half-decayed cow-manure placed round the stems, with a saucer-like hollow in the centre to retain water, will be helpful to the roots, and if the flowers are intended for exhibition, the treatment can scarcely be too generous.

It is, however, easy to grow and flower Hollyhocks without the aid of artificial heat. On a south border in June prepare drills about two inches deep and a foot apart. Place an inch of rich sifted soil in each drill, and upon this sow the seed very thinly, covering it about a quarter of an inch. If the weather be dry, give a gentle soaking of water, and finish with a dusting of soot to prevent vermin from eating the seedlings. Thin the plants to six inches apart, and they may remain in the seed-rows until the end of September. Whether they are then transplanted straight to blooming quarters, or put into a cold frame for the winter, depends on soil and climate. In the southern counties, and on light land, it will generally be safe to winter Hollyhocks in the open, with merely a shelter of dry fern or litter. But in heavy loam or clay the risk is too great, and the cold frame must be resorted to. In this they will be secure, and can be ventilated as weather permits. As the season advances give more air, until they are planted out in May.