GARDEN HELPS
Conducted by Minnesota Garden Flower Society
Edited by Mrs. E. W. Gould, 2644 Humboldt Avenue So. Minneapolis.
Photographic contest—Open to all members of the Garden Flower Society.
Class I. Photograph showing best garden arrangement or planting effect. List of flowers and shrubs to accompany picture.
First prize—Twenty-five perennial plants.
Second prize—Twelve iris.
Class II. Photograph showing individual plant in bloom. A growing plant in bloom will be preferred to one in a vase.
First prize—Twenty-five perennial plants.
Second prize—Twelve iris.
Class III. Photograph showing wild flower in bloom. Directions governing Class II to be followed.
First prize—Twenty-five perennial plants.
Second prize—Twelve dahlia tubers.
Any number of pictures may be entered in each class, but only one prize in each class will be given an exhibitor.
When possible have photographs 5x7 inches or 4x5 inches, although size will not bar an otherwise meritorious picture. Photographs in Classes I and II should be confined to the garden of the exhibitor.
All pictures are to be in the hands of our secretary by November first, and are to become the property of the society. The prizes will be delivered the following spring. The pictures will be on exhibition at our annual meeting in December.
These directions in The Garden Magazine are so good they are quoted verbatim:
Next to seed planting the most important part of the gardener's work is skill in the technique of transplanting. How often do you hear concerning some gardener, that if he "only touches a thing, it is bound to live?" There is no "king's touch" in the garden game. People who "love" plants are more successful with them, merely because such persons take greater care in handling them. The first essential in transplanting is to have good plants. They should be well hardened off (see March Reminder, covering cold-frames); this applies to plants in flats and in pots even more than to those growing in frames. In buying plants, select stocky, compact, dark colored ones in preference to very large ones.
Prepare the soil as carefully as though you intended to sow seeds. Mark out the rows, and if fertilizer is to be used, mix it thoroughly with the soil before beginning transplanting. Then prepare the plants carefully. Unless they are very small, cut back the largest leaves about one-half with an old pair of scissors. With a small trowel or an old knife, cut them out of the frame or flat in which they are growing, keeping as much soil as possible with each. (If not in flats, cut them out as you use them in the garden.) If they are in pots, knock them out carefully and pack into flat for convenience in handling. Paper pots, which produce the best plants, are not removed before planting. Water thoroughly the day before planting, so that the soil will be in the best condition for handling; but for several days before planting, it is well to keep the plants "on the dry side," as they will then re-establish themselves more quickly when set out.
(To be continued)