Salt Lake Telegram | 1935-06-07 | Page 18 | In You Own Garden

N r r i AVOCADOS AS HOUSE PLANTS It appears that a great many local housewives are curious about the growth of avocados from seeds and that some have solved the problem of growing these strange plants in pots for home decora decora- tion Following my recent appeal In this department for hand first information on this point I have been favored with the experience r. r ce I of several readers To Mrs Lucy Liley G. G Barnes of Salt SaIL Lake City I am Indebted for lor the following careful instructions Seeds Seed o of the avocado which are arc unusually large may be rooted in water or in clean coarse sand which is kept thoroughly moist at atall atall atall all times If Ie the rooting process is isto isto isto to be done in water which is perhaps perhaps perhaps per per- haps best because then the growth of the roots may be watched daily the tho large seed should be so io suspended suspended suspended sus sus- In the tho glass or bottle of ot water water water wa wa- wa- wa ter that part of it is submerged but part is out of the water and exposed exposed ex ex- posed to the tho air Little twigs string toothpicks or similar materials materials mate mate- rials may be used to fix the seed in this desired position Patience is needed in this rooting rooting rooting root root- ing process sometimes three months bein being required before roots appear When the roots are one or two Inches long the green gi owing growing shoots should have also broken through the seed and now the embryo embryo embryo em em- plant requires more plant food than the tue water can supply so Into a pot pol of oC earth it il should should should-go go Growth Is quite slow The large handsome leaves form and develop in pairs as tho the stem grows and pushes upward The plant of the avocado is highly decorative and andis is used a great deal in illustrations of oC homes decorated in the tho modernistic modernistic modern modern-i manner You may justly be proud of such a plant of your own Many of you no doubt ha have vc tried growing orange and lemon seeds also grapefruit seeds into house plants These take less time and and patience than patience than the avocado docs does and while they are not so uncommon uncommon un un- un- un common they are charming house houseplants houseplants houseplants plants too None of these need to be started In water as the avocado docs does Simply Simply Sim Sini- ply put them about a n. half inch deep in a pot o of good earth Started now they should make malte nice plants for lor winter sInter decoration and you ou will enjO enjoy enjoy en en- jO joy watching their development Such experiments are arc doubly useful useful use use- ful when you have children Al Al- low ow the little ones to tn plant their own wn orange or lemon seeds am and teach each them how to care for th the plants as they grow QUERIES Mrs R. R 0 O. Salt Lake Cit City writes rItes When hen is the proper time to trim a privet hedge Also should lilac flowers be cut away before the they go JO to seed I greatly enjoy enJo r your our articles article in The Telegram Telegram Telegram Tele Tele- gram er e every night Ans Thank Thank you Thin the hedge as it needs it il during the tho summer Yes it is best to snip off the old flower heads both for Cor the sake o of appearance and because seed ripening rip rip- ening is enervating to shrubs anc and flowers alike and should not b be permitted unless you want to save sav seed for future sowing