Home Greenhouse and Early Winter - Renewed Beauty

After the first frosts have devastated thethe benches at this time of year than the
outdoor garden, the home greenhouse comes intochrysanthemum. Even ordinary garden varieties,
its own. However useful or decorative it may beproperly watered, fertilized and pinched back
at other seasons, each year, when the landscapeduring the summer, give a long-lasting colorful
grows bleak and the trees bare, there is reneweddisplay. For the more ambitious grower, modern
pleasure in the sight of healthy, flowering plantshybridization offers a bewildering choice among
under glass.classifications, which include those known as
By November, autumn chores for the most partincurved and reflexed, dahlia-flowered and
are done. Permanent plants which have spent theanemone-flowered, plumed, feathery, spooned
summer outdoors are re-established. Bulbs areand spidery.
potted. Bins are filled with soil, sand, compost andIn my own case, certain of the standard
the other materials that will be needed throughlarge-flowered varieties of medium height have
the winter. With shorter days, many of themproved so satisfactory that I grow them from
sunless, greenhouse operations are slowed down.cuttings year after year and have little room for
There are, of course, certain things that requirenovelties. To lead off the procession there is the
attention. Care must be taken not to overwaterdeservedly popular yellow, followed by double
and not to fertilize too often. Seedlings started inwhites, a two-toned red with golden overtones
August or September must be given what sunand follow it up with an appropriate scarlet bloom
there is and be transplanted before they becomefor the holiday season.
crowded to assure healthy plants for the benchesAnother plant which lends beauty to the late
after the turn of the year. Ventilation is importantautumn greenhouse is the Camellia japonica. This
and it may be necessary to open a side ventilatorspecies tends to bloom after Christmas, although
for a short period on a cold cloudy day when thea few early varieties will open in November or
automatic roof ventilators remain closed.December. In order to keep them away from
Look Out for Pestspest you should know the mealy bugs life cycle
There is never a time when one should not be onand when to put an insecticides to your plants.
the lookout for such pests as white fly orCamellia sasanqua, a species gives a profusion of
cyclamen mite and spray accordingly. In general,bloom all through the fall. Its flowers are smaller,
however, these tasks are routine and there isbut cover the branches of a well grown specimen
time to enjoy the greenhouse without thethat they are equally effective. Sasanquas also
pressure of work so familiar a month or twohave the advantage of being faster to grow to a
earlier.blooming size and of being somewhat less
It is difficult to find a more rewarding flower fordemanding as to culture.