| Show I Alkali Dust Bust Every spring I seem to get the urge to do a little window gardenIng garden- garden Ing and raise early pl plants t to be beset beset beset set outdoors after frost So far farmy farmy farmy my efforts have been rewarded with loss about as often as gain but it is fun and last year I suc- suc ceded in raising all my tomato plants one aster one eight and a few petunias The first thing to remember Is that seedlings indoors are very apt to o die from damping off unless I both oth the seeds and the soil soli used are treated to kill the bacteria and fungi which cause this One way to do this is to bake the I soil in an oven about as long as it takes to bake a potato Then treat I the seeds with or some similar disinfectant which can be purchased from most seed cata cata- logs Another way is to treat the seed and soil with a solution solution solution so so- lution in the first watering To prepare prepare prepare pre pre- pare this solution add one teaspoon teaspoon teaspoon tea tea- spoon of to one cup of if C water and nd stir well Put one quarter of this solution into a aquart aquart aquart quart of or water stirring well This solution is to be used to water your our plants the first time After this initial watering throw throwaway away all remaining solution as it is still poison and nothing will be bo gained by saving it as it loses strength rapidly when standing byde not only disinfects the seed and soil but also seems to stimulate stimulate stimulate the seed and cause early germination Next in importance for success is the right soil It should not be too rich Use 50 per cent sand and 50 per cent good top soil soli Manure or fertilizer is not necessary and too much will cause burning Youcan Youcan You Youcan can start your seeds in flower pots boxes cans paper cups or any number of containers Just there is some means of drainage provided in the bottom After planting put the containers in a warm level place and cover with paper to keep it dark and prevent excessive evaporation Water Vater carefully as soon as seedlings seedlings seedlings seed seed- lings begin to appear move the container to the light After seedlings seedlings seedlings seed seed- lings are up it is worse to over overwater overwater overwater water them than to remain on the dry side If possible sub irrigation is best Avoid getting foliage wet and do not let water stand on the surface When plants have their second leaves trim them out to two or I three per square inch or transplant 1 them to Individual pots paper pots potS' 1 can be purchased from Crom Montgomery ery Ward mall mail order catalog Crowding produces spindly weak plants If your plants develops a sickly green or yellowish color they are probably suffering from over wat wat- ering Let them dry and then start watering re-watering cautiously If this does not help dissolve a little chemical fertilizer in the water used to irrigate ir irrigate irrigate ir- ir them and feed them that way Melons and alid seedlings with just one tap root can not be transplanted transplant transplant- ed easily If you try them do not disturb them even when moving to the garden because if the dirt is removed from around the root they will die Seeds that can be started indoors now are snapdragons lobelia verbena verbena verbena ver ver- bena petunia salvia aster balsam balsam balsam bals bals- am tomatoes onions peppers c cabbage cabbage cab cab- b- b bage marigolds locally loc loc- locally ally called straw flowers ageratum candy tuff and almost any others you wish to try Goodbye now and success to all you vou gardeners of this old Alkali Dust |
