OCR Text |
Show I EARLY CULTIVATION IS BES1 . Applying Mulch to Soil Prevents Bed s From Becoming Dry and Enables r. It to Absorb Moisture. i. Shallow cultivation I the same In effect as applying a mulch to the soil. , a it prevents the bed from becoming H dry. and enables It to absorb ell the t moisture from lljfM, showers and H dew. i For May plants such cultivation i will be sufficient without watering, ti but others, notably didiilas, miift have f plenty of water. Soap suds from the I wash are excellent for dahlias, and r should be applied by the pailful to I make sure of reaching the roots. This s matter of watering, right down to the s rootB of the plants. Is very Irnport- y ant, and unless you can give enough e lo do that It will be better not to wa- e ter at all, hut trust to shallow cultl- c vatlon only. Always use a watering- 1 pot. so that you can apply the water 9 directly to the roots. Using a hose I- scatters the water too mucb. Water i, plants after sundown. I Almost everybody grows astern. A i top dressing of well rotted stable rna- nure will give nourishment to the 1 plants, and also keep the soli around them moist. Liquid manure, not too strong, should be applied to the roots. v but It should not wet the foliage. If this Is done at Intervals, large and ,- well developed flowers will be the re- ward. Sweet peas should he well cultl- vated. Hone meal, strewn along the rows and raked tn, will help In pro-- motlng vigorous growth. Manure wa-i wa-i ter Is also very beneficial, but a'ter - using manure water one day use clear f water the next. Sometimes In dry t seasons the flowers look faded and do not. show In their true colors. To 9 demedy this fault mix soot and water 1 together, to about the consistency of milk, and apply at the roots. |