Etched very clearly on my mind is the time I laid eyes on the Christmas rose, some years ago. It was a below-zero day in late December, and bitter winds blew in from Lake Erie, as I walked on the hard frozen ground around an estate in Cleveland, taking notes for a descriptive story.

I was feeling intensely sorry for myself, away from home at the height of preparations for the festive season, and oh! so very cold. I turned away from the shore to walk beneath a pleached alley of beech trees, and stopped short at the almost miraculous sight of white flowers at my feet – so startling in their brave beauty as to make me catch my breath.

The Christmas rose is one of the very few flowers with courage to face the elements in mid-Winter in our gardens. Native of many parts of continental Europe and Asia Minor, Ilellebarus niger – to give the botanical name – adapts itself to our severe Winters and trying Summer conditions. Its common name has no doubt been acquired because of its resemblance to a chaste single or wild rose. The flower is white, sometimes an off-white, with a greenish cast, or flushed with pale rose. The golden stamens add appreciably to its lovely appearance. The palmately divided, dark green leaves are also attractive.

Records indicate that the Christmas rose was introduced into English gardens in 1.596. Later, it was brought to America, and every now and then we come across large clumps in old gardens. But for all its hardiness and willingness to bloom when flowers are a rarity in gardens, it is not frequently seen hereabouts.

The Christmas rose will grow in ordinary soil, but will give best results in sandy loam enriched with rotted cow manure and leaf mold, and should be top-dressed annually. It likes a moist but well-drained location that is shaded at least half of the day. It does remarkably well in the shrub border and under tall deciduous trees. H. niger has even been grown among evergreens, but such shade is inclined to be somewhat too heavy. Once planted, it does not like to be disturbed, though after several years, stock may be increased by division of the clumps in the Spring.

Still another attribute endears the Christmas rose to us, for it is ideal for flower arrangements. One evening last January, I was delightfully surprised to find in the town’s library a pale green bowl filled with the lovely Christmas rose which had been grown locally.

It makes a very stunning arrangement for a Christmas dinner in a low silver bowl, with silver candlesticks holding pale green candles. With this may be used pale green china or white china edged with fine lines of pale green, silver and gold; crystal stemware; or white damask cloth and napkins. Or the Christmas rose may be placed in a light green glass bowl ? so flat it is almost a plate ? with a piece of green glass or slag. Accompanied by pale green candlesticks holding candles of a darker tone of green (the green of the foliage), white Wedgwood china and deep green goblets, it is a dinner setting in a subtle, harmonious color scheme.

Perhaps a suggestion for one less formal, livelier and in a gayer mood for a family gathering would be welcome. Pine or balsam fir or spruce or yew may be inserted in a block of plastic “”snow”" or in holes bored into a piece of wood (a narrow bread board serves the purpose nicely). A spray or two of holly may be added for a touch of color.

In the center of the arrangement of greens, a tall hand-made red candle and at each place setting, a shoulder corsage or boutonniere of greens and berries may be placed. This simple arrangement is effective with a white cloth or red one. Creamy white Lennox or white Wedgwood china completes the picture. Plummer’s famous Christmas tree china could be used ? in doing so, however, be conservative with the evergreens for the centerpiece, as the china is so highly decorative in itself.

A red cloth may serve as a foil for a whitened branch in a simple line arrangement, or for a whitened evergreen bough, hung with tiny Christmas balls or small gifts for the family. White poinsettias make a striking arrangement against a red cloth. But I should point out that they are not available in every florist shop and accordingly may be expected to be more expensive than the red poinsettias.

And now for the hostess whose dining room is in the modern manner and whose table is long and narrow. On three mirrors, spaced at intervals along the length okthe table, little Christmas balls may be grouped as bunches of grapes. The new plastic balls are especially attractive, and there are delightful tear-shaped ones, too. Silver and blue balls are effective on a pale gray cloth; silver and green and gold on a green or gold-colored cloth. The balls may be used alone or in combination with gilded or silvered magnolia, bay or rhododendron leaves.

Anthuriums, with their rich, red, formal-looking blooms, are adaptable for a modern Christmas table. Actually, the “”blooms”" are bracts or colored leaves, as in the case of poinsettias. The flower is the odd spike or spadix. Anthuriums are in the luxury class, but offset their rather high price per flower by their long lasting quality. They can be purchased as pot-plants and, as an aside, I might point out that colorful pot-plants in the hall, living room, sun porch, etc., are bright accents to the decorative plan in the festive season.

Carrying the Christmas spirit from the dining room to the living room, consider the fireplace, or rather the mantel, as that is the part to be treated. The fireplace proper should be left free ? it is really dangerous to decorate it.

For a mantel of colonial lines, painted white, evergreen branches, holly, red candles and “”the stockings all hung by the chimney with care”" carry out the traditional theme. Another idea is to hang a large wreath or horseshoe of evergreens above the center of the mantel, with candelabrum at each side; or to make a simple arrangement of evergreens and figurine candles – angels, choir boys and English carol singers.

Last Christmas, my husband surprised me by mounting little wax angels on stars made from aluminum foil, then suspended them on very fine piano wire above the mantel. An old-fashioned lamp, resting on a base made of balsam fir, bathed the angels in flickering light.

Similar decorations are in keeping with a pine-paneled fireplace. In this case, they may be extended somewhat by hanging graceful sprays in the panels, if they are large, or by suspending small dusters of Christmas balls, if the panels are small. Another suggestion is to place the prettiest of Christmas cards from relatives and friends above the mantel and down the sides. Scotch tape will fasten them.

If there is a mirror above the mantel, whatever the Christmas decorations may be, they will be enhanced by reflection. The colonial mirror may be softly draped by a garland; the Victorian mirror more fancifully trimmed, the garland being caught here and there with balls and other ornaments. The modern mirror is best left unadorned. But if it must be decorated, let it be done simply – perhaps a cluster of plastic balls hanging from the top. Without garland and without any decorative note, such a mirror will show off to best effect a modern decor of gold and silver leaves and tear-shaped balls, wired to a “”whip”" (a branch from which all leaves have been stripped).

Now let us move to the front door on which I have ? and I’m sure my readers have ? seen some weird and dismal, as well as very beautiful, creations in the spirit. of Christmas. For a doorway can be overdone to the point of the ridiculous. There is enough variety in material for wreaths, sprays and garlands, so that decorations can be contrived which are original, without striving to outshine the neighbors.

First of all, look at the door. Is it colonial, Georgian, Victorian, modern French, English, Spanish? Is it white or painted yellow, blue or green? Is it oak or mahogany? Does it open upon the street, or is the house set back upon a spacious lawn? All these are points worthy of consideration.

For a house of New England or Southern colonial architecture, wreaths, sprays or baskets of evergreens are most fitting. Spruce, balsam, fir, pine, hemlock or yew, with or without the inclusion of holly, mistletoe. cones, needles and ribbon, may be employed. The ribbon should, of course, be weatherproof. Blue spruce, by the way, with tiny cones, makes a soft-toned wreath that is especially lovely against the door of a pale-gray Cape Cod house.

Baskets may be suspended from the door knocker or hung beneath the letter box. If the entrance is broad, the fireside wood basket may be filled with greens and placed at one side. Old-fashioned sleigh bells hung on a spray of pine or spruce are charming. Bronze jingle bells are now obtainable. Lacking sleigh bells, others do well.

Bells, snowballs and stars may be made from plastic “”snow,”" which is obtainable at florist supply houses and at some florist shops. This past Christmas, I cut and strung several small stars on bright red, waterproof ribbon against a spray of yew. Flood-lighted, it was particularly effective at night when the “”snow”" stars glistened.

Formal doors of French and Georgian houses lend themselves to more elaborate treatment. They can be garlanded, as well as wreathed, pointing up the delicate pattern of fanlight and sidelights. The heavy door of the English style mansion needs brightening with gilded or silvered leaves, or with a whitened evergreen bough tied with a big ribbon. Huge cones fastened to shellacked magnolia leaves, with or without ribbon, are distinctive.

For an Italian or Spanish villa, what could be more appropriate than a Della Robbia wreath ? a striking and unusual decorative feature of foliage and fruits and also of fir or pine cones. The wreath is constructed as are all Christmas wreaths, with evergreen branches wired to a fairly strong double hoop or frame. Fruits, cones and nuts are introduced as imagination dictates, observing good principles of design and grouping, rather than spotting them. The ornaments are first dipped in a thin solution of shellac to preserve them and also give them a touch of brilliance.

After all, it is not how much, but how well you decorate that will leave a favorable impression upon the guests to your home during the Christmas holidays.

Christmas is a wonderful time of year. As the north wind blows, as snows drift ever deeper, and as the cold strengthens, human hearts beat all the more vigorously. Under the sparkling stars, white, blue, red and yellow, that grim tension we all suffer far too much seems to relax. Gratefully, we push away all ugly and sordid things as being of no importance and enter, for the moment, a world of warmth and brightness.

Thus, this becomes a time when it is permissible to speak freely out of one’s inmost convictions. It is a time when it is not necessary to weigh one’s words, not so much for fear of offending someone or of being found ridiculous, as of being accused of sentimentality.

Perhaps it is the miserable time in which we live that has caused the world to be afraid of sentiment. With things the way they are, we should all of us be on our toes every instant lest something terrible should happen. Personally, I have never been able to understand why it should be bad to be sentimental. If we rule sentiment out, what have we left of the lives of most of us? The wide and pillard avenues of science and philosophy down which I have traveled, somewhat reluctantly and all too often idly, have been chiefly characterized for me by their distressing coldness and emptiness. One smile, one laugh, one hand to hold in the cold and the dark, is worth multitudes of sober facts and solemn pronouncements.

I think it is silly, this business of attempting to be always rational and mathematical – just as if we could be, really. In this absurd world, what have we humans to do with truth? I doubt if we would recognize the thing if we stumbled over it. With things the way they are, I am sure that sentiment is precisely as valid as science with most of us.

What has all this to do with gardening? Everything!

Perhaps I might declare my Christmas message to gardeners very simply in these words; we take gardening too seriously.

Of course you remember the Frenchman who said that all positive statements are false, including this one. That is the trouble when you try to be simple; you cannot be accurate. Thus I do not mean that gardening is not a serious thing. It certainly is! It cannot be done in carefully pressed trousers and a white shirt, or the feminine equivalents thereof. It is a strenuous affair of slacks for the ladies and dungarees for the men, dirty hands, sunburned necks and creaking backbones. What I mean is just that we Americans are all too apt to go to extremes. Who ever in the world first established the idea that the amateur gardener had to be an expert, a specialist?

That way of thinking has done more harm to gardening than all the cutworms that ever wiggled and all the mildew that ever powdered. Certainly there must be landscape architects, and agronomists, and taxonomists and that sort of thing. A man or a woman can touch the fringes of creation by specializing in iris (as I do) or daylilies, or roses or whatever. That is all to the good – wonderful!

What I meant by saying that we arc apt to take gardening too seriously is that we forget to maintain our amateur standing. We need not be professionals unless we seek to earn our livings by and through gardening. That is something else.

I am trying in this Christmas letter to urge the average gardener to forget any feelings of inferiority and to garden as pleasantly as he wishes. In a word, to grow what he wants, the way he wants to do it.

Who has authority to tell anyone that he must garden this way, plant this and plant that? Certainly, information is welcomed by everyone but there is no need of striving for perfection. Instead, gardening should be always carried along for what pleasure there may be found in it – and that is plenty! In a few words, we should stop trying to make a business out of gardening. Leave that for the professionals. Instead, let us enjoy our plants and our plantings.

And to my mind, the best way to enjoy gardening is to be just as sentimental about it as one wishes. If you want to be tenderhearted in your garden, why then be tender-hearted. I mean it! Let your bushes sprawl as they will, if you want it that way. Of course you can prune and transplant and keep your place looking like a public park or an arboretum if you wish. That is your privilege as an American gardener. But, to my mind, a garden should be otherwise – and if you think so, have your plantings the way you want them. Certainly you must learn how to grow things, but let the learning come naturally. Let it be as natural as the growth of the plants themselves and not merely the practice of what someone told you should be done.

Some gardens are as carefully planned as the blueprints for a battleship. That is one way to garden and, a good way, no doubt of that. But gardens can grow through the years too, in a happy: careless, haphazard way – and it is a wiser man than most of us who can say which way is the better. It is a choice you can make, if you so desire.

Then again, authorities will tell you not to have this plant near that; some will say that certain colors will clash with others. Perhaps so. I adore the great heads of Oriental poppies and I have lots of them. Perhaps they do clash with other things; perhaps a knowing person will smile at my ignorance. Let them. That is what I like and it is what I will have.

Probably, in the ultimate analysis, the sentimental gardener finds his greatest enjoyment in the associations his plants have for him alone. For instance, I have a rose bush, it must be fully 50 years old, which was my mother’s. She called it Lady Stuart. I really do not know what it is. It is not available in any present-day catalog. The flowers are small and nothing much compared to what I could be growing but that bush will have its place in my garden as long as I am on deck – because of the memories it supports. Then, I have a certain grouping of wild, blue violets and the narcissus, Horace. It was first established by a certain person and it will be continued as long as I garden.

The nub of the whole matter is this. There are many activities of life where a man must bow to regimentation. There are some activities where he must be as precise and as careful as he may be. But, these are not amateur gardening. We plant and cultivate for pleasure. We have no obligation when we take a piece of ground in our hands and make it bear flowers and fruits. Of course learning to garden better is a pleasure too and we will all enjoy that pleasure, year by year. But above all, garden as you please and in the piece of ground that is your own, indulge your sentiments as you wish. Hither all, it is your garden.

Last Summer’s serious drought has already killed some plants and injured countless others. In the vicinity of Boston, practically no rain worth mentioning fell during July and August, some places having little or none even in June.

The deficiency in rainfall on September first, was somewhat reduced by fast and heavy rains during September – about six incites’ worth, but these came so rapidly that the water did not soak into the soil as it should. Now, as this is being written (late October) there is still a deficiency in rainfall of seven inches, and gardeners can expect considerable injury to woody plants unless soaking rains come before the ground finally freezes this Winter.

Evergreens in particular may stiffer, and, of course, these must be watered thoroughly and frequently before the ground freezes. Deciduous plants, many of them, are better equipped to take care of themselves, but even these may suffer severely this Winter. No one can say how badly off mature trees are right now. They may look all right, they may have dropped their leaves at the normal time, hut the amount of water stored away in their storage organs may not be sufficient to take them through the Winter unscathed. Injury to such plants may be unnoticed until next Spring, after the leaves begin to appear. Then a browning and quick dying of the foliage may be ascribed to a “hard Winter,” and not the true cause – the lack of water during the previous Summer.

Every gardener knows that watering trees and shrubs in the late Fall before the ground freezes is the best possible insurance against injury later on. So is mulching. A thick mulch of any one of a number of materials placed on the ground after it is thoroughly wet, will aid materially in conserving that moisture in the soil, and in keeping the ground slightly warmer, thus allowing the roots to continue their active growth a little longer. This is very much to the good.

There are some shrubs which have withstood the Summer’s rainless period remarkably well. Some of the most outstanding of these might be mentioned, not necessarily because we must plan for future severe droughts in this area, but rather because there arc always some dry spots where special drought resisting plants should be used. It is too soon to list the trees unaffected by the drought, since injury to many of these may not be noticeable until the next Spring, but some genera contain several species which have done well. Such would be the oriental quinces, Chaenomeles; the brooms, Cytisus: the indigo, Indigofera; privets, Ligustrum; matrimony vines, Lycium; ninebarks, Physocarpus; buckthorns, Rhamnus; sumacs, Rims: and locusts, Robinia.

Then there are individual shrubs which have done very well. The Amur maple, Acer ginnala, is an excellent small tree, noted for its dense growth and vivid scarlet Autumn color. Not all of the barberries have prospered, but the most widely planted of them all, the japanese barberry, can certainly be placed at the top of the list as far as drought resistance is concerned. It has often been said, and justly, that if there is a dry spot in which the Japanese barberry will not grow, it is a waste of time to try anything else. The mentor barberry, Berberis mentorensis, a semi-evergreen, is also in this same group, and might be used more for this purpose.

The Siberian pea tree, Caragana arborescens, and some of its close relatives should be included, for they are used extensively in windbreaks and hedges in the Great Plains areas of western Canada where dry conditions are the rule rather than the exception. They also are very hardy, and withstand very low temperatures for extended periods. The native groundsel-bush, Baccharis halimifolia, the pistillate plants of which are so noticeable in the Fall with their small, thistle-like flower heads, not only withstands dry soil, but salt water spray as well, making it a desirable plant for the seashore.

Another native, the common witch-hazel, Hamamelis virginiana, which is the last of the woody plants to bloom in the woodlands of the northeastern United States, can be grown in full sun and dry soil. Merely because it is found chiefly in the woods does not mean it cannot be grown elsewhere. Some of the best specimens in the Arnold Arboretum (and they do make splendid specimen) are growing in full sun.

Bayberry, Myrica pensykanica, and the Beach Plum, Prunus maritime, are two more natives for this group, typical of the northeastern United States, and splendid dry soil plants. The bush cinquefoil, Potentilla frulicosa, native from the tops of the Olympic Mountains in Washington clear across the continent to New England, is another. Gardeners tend to overlook this plant, for it grows only about three feet tall and has small yellow or white flowers 1%” in diameter, but it certainly merits consideration. It is not susceptible to any serious insect or disease pest and blooms continuously from mid-May throughout the Summer. No, it is not conspicuous, but it is dependable!

The Scotch rose, Rosa spinosissima, and Virginia rose are both natives of North America and withstand dry soil conditions as well or better than most of the other roses. The low dwarf gray willow, Salix tristis, is still another poor soil plant, seldom over 1 1/2′ high, but with excellent light gray foliage, and good for planting on banks where soil erosion is a problem.

Finally, some of the junipers merit consideration as dry soil plants, being among the few evergreens which can be considered in this category. The common juniper, Juniperus communis, is one, together with the native red cedar, J. virginiana. The creeping juniper, J. horizontalis, and the shore juniper of Japan, J. conferta, are two other low, creeping plants that aid in covering the bare spots on poor dry soils, neither one growing over 1 1/2′ in height.

These then, are a few of the shrubs which have done well in the drought of 1949, and which can always be expected to do better than other plants on dry soils. Many other plants did well, too, during the past Summer, but these mentioned have proved themselves time and again as among the first. to warrant consideration for growing in places where dry soil conditions are prevalent.

Who would want to celebrate Christmas without the traditional evergreens, holly and mistletoe or the lovely poinsettias and Christmas roses? Without these plants and many others, the season would be stripped of its many gay and pleasant associations.

Although historians disagree, tradition places Jesus’ birth during the Saturnalia, one of the ancient celebrations which closely corresponded with our observance of Christmas. Branches of holly festooning the doorways were a signal for the spontaneous “Io Saturnalia” which carried a spirit of good will similar to our own “Merry Christmas.”

After the death of Christ, the early Christians were forbidden by the fathers of the church to take part in festivities honoring a heathen god. Forbidding, however, was one thing, and enforcing another. A doorway bare of the traditional holly brought the wrath of the Romans down on those within. Many people continued to decorate their doorways with holly even though they took no part in the holidays. Eventually the priests came to the conclusion that it was impossible to eliminate the decorations; hence the custom gradually became associated with the birth of Christ.

Historians were uncertain as to what the crown-of-thorns might have been. Some said it was a euphorbia; others claimed it was a rose or a berry bush. But weren’t the leaves of the holly armed with rather formidable prickles? And weren’t the berries as red as drops of blood? It could have been the crown-of-thorns.

Holly and Ivy

And so the holly became a holy plant, so firmly established as a symbol of Jesus that the early English were direly punished should they even speak disparagingly of it.

An early English carol features a duet between a man (Holly), ands woman (Ivy), another favorite Yuletide , decoration in that country. Since Holly was the more colorful and beloved by the birds, he was taken inside while Ivy must remain the outdoor decoration.

Having been the olden symbol of wine dealers and dedicated to Bacchus, the discoverer of wine, ivy had to undergo a still greater transformation than the holly to become acceptable in the sight of the church as a Christmas decoration. The custom had sprung up among those without means of obtaining more orthodox greenery to content themselves with festoons of the ivy which luxuriantly clothed the walls of old buildings everywhere. Churchmen finally decided it would be better to provide some legitimate reason for its use, rather than forbid it. Its all-embracing tendencies suggested the all-embracing love of the Savior, so ivy became a symbol of love, rather than winebibbing.

A Christmas Herb

Callum serum, a native plant of Palestine, is known as our lady’s bedstraw. Homey and popular flowers in the Old World had a way of acquiring a “love-name” associating them with the madonna. Some writers insist that bedstraw is a corruption of beadstraw. Early peasants used it for the purpose of saying their aves and pater nosters, because the regularly spaced whorls of leaves suggested a rosary.

Merry Christmas is its message

Many prefer, however, to cherish the Christmas legend of the manger in Bethlehem. Since galium grew abundantly even where it was not wanted, some of it found its way into the straw used for bedding in the stables. It was on this harsh though fragrant hay that the Christ Child lay.

Nicholas Poussin is said to have painted a Nativity showing the lifeless hay bursting into fresh bloom. Celestial rays streaming from the Holy Child turn the tiny white blossoms to purest gold. Old World worshippers often gather the fragrant, springy galium for stuffing pillows at Christmas.

Origin of the Christmas Tree

And what would Christmas without a brightly lighted tree be? The spirit of Christmas, personified by Santa Claus, La Befana or some other name can leave gifts in a shoe, stocking or even a pocket, but these things do not shout “Merry Christmas” to everyone who passes by.

Despite recurring legends that “tannenbaum” was originated by Martin Luther to entertain the children in his parish, historians place the use of a lighted tree in pagan festivals long before the birth of Jesus. Holy men in Germany gave the Festival of Lights a Christian meaning, just as the holly was sanctioned by the Roman priests. Immigrants carried the idea to other lands until, like the holly, the lighted tree has become synonymous with Christmas.

And, like the holly, small fir trees once were in danger of extinction from unwise cutting by careless, mercenary-minded peddlers. But no more. Both holly and Douglas firs have become good cash crops. The United States Department of Agriculture reports that in areas favorable to their growth, either may bring the farmer more money than pasturage on the same amount of ground.

A Poinsettia Legend

Another Christmas legend concerns another of our traditional plants, the flamboyant poinsettia. Instead of being associated with His birth, since it is an American, this euphorbia, with insignificant yellow flowers, took pity on Maria, the little Mexican girl. She was on her way to church on Christmas Eve when she realized that she had no gift to lay on the altar. Suddenly the bush beside the road became suffused with scarlet leaves about the flowers. Not only did it become a fitting offering for Maria to lay on the altar, but a pleasant jingle in the tills of florists throughout the land by our own wholehearted acceptance of it as a Christmas plant.

Mistletoe is one Christmas plant that never has received official sanction from the church, although it has been used as a decoration in the home for centuries. There is nothing about this half-parasite to catch the eye as in the case of the holly, Christmas rose, or the flaming poinsettia, yet, for centuries its white, waxy berries have captured the hearts of old and young alike.

Mistletoe

No tree hung with precious jewels could have been more valuable to a landowner in days of old than a tree well-laden with mistletoe. So prosperous were the crops about such a tree that childless women begged for the privilege of sitting under it, believing that it promoted fertility.

Should a divining-rod-shaped branch be found of this child of the sun. its price was above rubies, for the sick were instantly healed as it was waved above their heads.

Because Norsemen dedicated it to Freyja, their goddess of love, maidens who failed to receive a kiss underneath a mistletoe-laden tree would not be married that year. Young men became wary of such maneuvers, so young Nordic maids became as resourceful as Mohammed, and brought the mistletoe indoors. Since a berry was picked off for each kiss, well-filled branches were in great demand. Rosemary entwined with the mistletoe was a double-indemnity insurance policy. Marriages which followed these kissing-bees were said to have been especially blest.

Even today, when kisses are no longer considered a pledge of betrothal, the custom of hanging a sprig of mistletoe in the doorway still persists. Some canny maids have even resorted to pinning a bit of it into their hair!

It is fashionable to think of November as a dark and unpleasant month, somber, sad and gloomy. Personally, I like the month very much. Its short days, rains and low skies, that sometimes need the taller trees to prop them up like poles do the canvas of a tent, come as a welcome relief. I am tired of the hot weather, of drought and dust and buzzing bugs – tired too of so much sunshine. And, be it heresy or not, I am tired of gardening. Consider the past months!

Along in mid-Winter, we contracted a fever from the seed catalogs and that fever reached dangerous heat when we first dug our hands into the soil. We literally took off our coats and went to labor in May – labor that continued without rest all the next six months. Every day brought its chores – sometimes more than could be done. Now, it is over. The garden has gone to sleep – and so can we.

There’s work still to be done, of course – cleaning-up, Winter-covering, pruning, mending fences and so on. But there is no hurry about it. The last of the Spring-flowering bulbs are tucked away, the new lilies are in and the fallen leaves are all on the compost pile. So we can sit at case and hear the rain drum against the windows and watch the fog drift through the bare trees. It is a peaceful time of year, November. The year has turned its cycle and plants have completed their work and retired to their rest.

Sometimes, I think I would like to have a good-sized greenhouse so I could grow flowers the year around but, after all, gardening like all other human interests, can do with an annual period of rest, too. I think that Spring comes all the brighter when one has been all Winter without flowers. Meanwhile, there is the fire on the hearth, drawn curtains, books, tobacco and the satisfaction of rest after long labor faithfully sustained.

The first snow of the year – there is magic in it. Up here in the hills, it. usually conies soon after the first of the month and by Thanksgiving the world is white to stay through Mardi. Plants and trees snuggle down gratefully under the blanket and farmers wait. eagerly until the crystals accumulate to two feet or so – because then both house and barn are banked above the sills and cold, no matter how severe, is kept outside.

Soon, of course, we grow tired of the white stuff and long for the green tide of April ? but the first snow is universally welcomed. Sometimes it comes quietly in the night and one wakes in the morning to a serene clarity of soft light that comes only from sunlight reflected from white fields. We like snow best when it comes along about noon.

At such times, the morning sun is pale and soon disappears in grey clouds which cover the sky with a smooth, unbroken pewter-grey. Often there is no wind, just a stillness and a damp cold that bites through the heaviest clothes. Then, without warning, a vagrant flake drifts down, slanting in from the East. Before long, the air is filled with them and, soon, as the wind awakens, the snow comes in earnest, driving past the house in smoky swirls.

The dark ground greys and then turns white and soon the grass and then the weeds vanish, leaving only shrubs and trees to be seen. Finally, drifts start shaping themselves and by dark they have arched over the stonewalls along the road. Winter has come. The face of the world is different ?and humans are different, too. In a few hours, the year has ended and we are facing into four or five months of cold and storm. But beyond them, we know, is Spring, coming the nearer with every storm.

Migration of plants is a fascinating subject. For years, every time in the Fall when I went south on the Pennsylvania Railroad out of New York City, I used to watch, when the train crossed those horrid marshes just south of the tunnel entrance, for the gorgeous and graceful fields of the grass I know as Eulalia, properly Alf iscanthus sinensia.

They are plants taller than a man, with great plumes waving in the wind. Native to eastern Asia, they are rarely cultivated in American gardens and have become naturalized in the Northeastern United States. For years, the Jersey marsh was the only place I knew them. About two years ago, I saw them beside the New Haven Railroad tracks in Westchester County, New York, and just the other day I saw them for the first time so far north, in a marsh in Revere, just east of Boston.

This particular marsh was filled in about 10 years ago by pumping in mud from the harbor. For years it has been a saline waste of sun-hard mud. Now, behold, a fine stand of Eulalia is prospering there. Where did it come from? I think I know every garden in the neighborhood for miles around and not one has the grass in it. Here is a real mystery – for I am sure no one planted the seed in a sandy, salt pan given over only to salt-wort, Spartina and a very few sea lavender plants.

It amazes me how out of the same soil, with the same water, air and sun, different species of plants can produce such tremendously different substances. My wonder is pointed by the recent announcements of the discovery of the presence in Strophanlus sarmentoaus of the miracle drug, cortisone – a substance which promises new hope to humans suffering from rheumatism and arthritis and, maybe, other ills.

About the same time, there was the announcement that the tropical yam, Discorea, may be a good source of a related drug. The new science of chemurgy has certainly made remarkable strides of late years in the application of unknown or unused plant products. It seems to me that we are only making a good beginning, for there must be many unknown plant products of infinite value to humanity waiting to be put to work.

Going about the country, I see various enthusiasts working with many kinds of plants, laboring, often for love of the job, to make them better. I know that gardeners are certain to be greatly. enriched soon with new, improved plant material.

Rose specialists, day lily enthusiasts, and other fans of particular plants may not like what I have to say but, from what I have seen the past three years in all parts of the country, the most interesting developments are taking place in garden lilies. Not only are there new colors, stronger plants and new varieties but there seems to be a special progress made in breeding disease resistant stocks.

Of course, the ills to which lilies are heir have been a limiting fault in their popularity. If sonic of the new strains bear out their promise, lilies tomorrow will be as easy to grow as well as, say chrysanthemums. Incidentally, there arc new and good mums coming along, too.

Few humans have much of a sense of smell; we lost it long ago. Yet there are odors which force themselves upon us. One of the pleasant ones is that of apples. We brought in a few bushel of Macs for apple sauce making and put them in the back kitchen where it would be cool.

We were too busy to do any canning for several days but when we went out into the room to get them, the air was drenched with the odor of the fruit. It was almost as good as the scent of a wet south wind coming warmly through the orchard in May. Still speaking of scents, how pleasant the whole house is when pickles are being made. For real fragrance, however, there is nothing that can beat the way the kitchen welcomes you when a great kettle of mince-meat is bubbling on the range. That is real smelling!

If you have never set out on a cold wintry day just before Christmas, hatchet strapped to your belt, to cut your own Christmas tree from your own ground, you don’t know what you have missed! This Yuletide harvesting has become part of the holiday tradition for us. Christmas really comes into the house when the newly cut fragrant evergreen is carried rustling through the door. Quite different it is from the trees which are bargained for at a street corner in town. Such are cut months ahead of time and have lost their forest fragrance, and, occasionally, their needles before they are used. And – what’s more – the home grown tree is free for the cutting, something like a present from Santa.

Christmas trees are easy to grow. Besides providing you with a Christmas harvest, they add beauty to your garden Summer and Winter. Once planted and given a good start, they grow rapidly and need no further care. They require no watering during the midsummer heat (or drought) and no protection against the Winter cold. They will grow in almost any soil, but most species do best in a slightly acid (pH 5-6) loam, preferably moist with adequate drainage. They fit into almost any garden plan, whether set out singly or in groups. They can be put close to the house, if you plan to cut them before they grow too tall. Place them alongside a driveway, or form a beautiful fence row or a strong windbreak if you let them grow into tall trees.

Almost any of the numerous varieties of evergreens can be used as Christmas trees.

Fir – Firs make the ideal Christmas trees. The most popular in the northeastern states is the balsam fir, which grows in the great northern forests, but is not so easy to grow in other locations. Firs grow in a conical form, even and straight. The characteristic blunt-pointed short needles are deep green, shiny and smooth to the touch. They keep well in the house and scent the air with the wonderful pungency of balsam. There are many varieties of firs. The Douglas fir (though not a true fir in the botanical sense) is grown successfully on lawns and is available at most nurseries.

Pine – The pine is one of the most important timber producers of our country. There are a great many varieties and they all can be easily recognized by their characteristic long thin needles which grow in sprays around the twig, something like bristles on a brush. Pines grow lofty but not so even and slim and conical as the fir or spruce. Older trees, unless close together, often take picturesque irregular shapes. They rarely appear on the market as Christmas trees in the north east, but their branches and ornate cones are popular for decoration. We once dug out some young trees from a cow pasture where they were “not wanted” and we were happy to have them for our Christmas trees before our own garden grown spruces were ready for cutting.

Spruce – In popularity the spruce is close to the fir as a Christmas tree. Of the same cone-like shape, it also grows rigid and even. Its needles are sharp and pointed, arranged spirally around the rough barked twig. The best known types are the white spruce and the Norway spruce, also the blue spruce, which are so often seen on lawns and in parks. The Norway spruce has become our favorite. Its aroma is superior to that of the native white spruce, and this beautiful evergreen thrives on our ground, and so we use it to bring Christmas cheer into our home.

We started eight years ago, when we set out four-year-old transplants. Two-year-old seedlings may be bought for as little as a few cents apiece. For quick results we recommend six-year-old transplants. Commercial Christmas tree growers, who expect to have marketable trees in about four years, prefer to use these. The trees can also be raised from seeds – if time is no factor.

We set out 36 four-year-old transplants in various places, one long double row 3M feet apart to the north side of our lawn to form a windbreak. From this row we have now been taking Christmas trees for several years, gradually thinning out every second tree. We also placed some singles and pairs near the house and on the lawn. Two years later, we set out another 25 trees along the garden fence and also a large group at one side of our uphill driveway. They were all planted during April before they begin to form new shoots and while the ground holds sufficient moisture. With a spade we drove a wedge into the sod and inserted the ten-inch transplants, roots pointed straight downward, and then the gap was firmly closed. They were never watered, but we did sprinkle some superphosphate around every tree each Spring, which accelerates their growth considerably.

Growth has been far from even. This we don’t mind because it stretches the harvesting over a greater span of years. At some favorable spots where the soil is rich and moist, trees reached the height of 10 to 12 feet within eight years. During the same period of time, others never grew higher than 14 to 18 inches. They were on a slope where the soil is poor, almost sterile. Here nature pointed out to us the importance of environment. But we found good use for our dwarfed under-privileged trees. Since a future as Christmas trees or windbreaks seemed doubtful, we transplanted some into a windowbox. There we keep them well watered, even during warm spells in Winter, and enjoy their refreshing green as we look out our city apartment window.

The only insect pest which we encountered one season was the white pine weevil which also affects Norway spruce by destroying the topshoot. Cutting the affected tops and burning them in July stops it and a shoot next to the top will take the lead without impairing the shape of the tree.

If your garden space is big enough to grow lilac bushes and other shrubs, you may grow your own Christmas trees. If you should, however, own a sizable piece of idle land which might be suitable for reforestation, then you could give commercial Christmas tree growing a thought.

It will soon be time to sharpen the hatchet and set out to bring in the Christmas harvest, the fragrant spruce which is marked for thinning the row along the garden fence. There may be several more this season and they will make welcome presents for friends. Our white pine is in need of some trimming and its bushy branches will be put to use as a handsome door spray and also to give additional touches of green about the house.

And so we grow all we need to decorate the house indoors for the holidays, and then there are the lush evergreens just outside the door which are handsome touches of green on the dormant Winter landscape.

On the first Christmas, when the shepherds went to pay their respects to the Child at Bethlehem, they were followed by a little girl. When she found that they had brought offerings of doves, fruits and honey, and had no gifts to offer herself, she left dishearteningly, and wandered away weeping. Suddenly a light from above shone brilliantly on her, and the angel Gabriel asked her why she wept.

When he was told that she was too poor to bear gifts. the angel swept the earth with his wings, and before the little girl there soon appeared the beautiful white flowers of the Christmas rose in abundance. With great joy she gathered big bunches, and carried them to where the Child lay. There the kings and their attendants were presenting their rich gifts, but when the Child saw the little girl with her bouquet, he smiled, and stretched out his tiny hand to reach the pearly white flowers.

Thus, according to this delightful legend, the Christmas rose came to be – an enchanting flower cherished for the many tales and myths that tell of its creation, for its symbols that stand for beauty, purity and everlasting strength. Its attractive evergreen leaves and waxy flowers have the boldness to reverse the normal blooming cycle, and brighten our gardens and hearts in the icy time of year.

Flower of Winter

Perhaps no other flower belongs more truly – and traditionally – to December and January. Some of the early-flowering httlbs, like eranth is and snowdrop, will often err and startle us with their floral jewels weeks ahead of the dictates of the calendar.

Some of the late Winter-flowering shrubs, like the witch-hazels, will transgress schedule and burst into occasional bloom on luring, warm Winter days, but the Christmas rose was made specially for Winter – and for Christmas, too. It is, indeed, the season’s own.

Not a True Rose

One of the first facts we should learn about the Christmas rose is that it is not a true rose. Nor is it related to it in any way. The common name was given because its flowers, which often appear at the holiday season, resemble those of single, white roses. The botanical name indicates that it is a hellebore or a member of the ranunculus or buttercup family. Thus the buttercup, hepatica, delphinium, peony, clematis. columbine, anemone and monkshood are some of its more popular cousins.

Soil Requirements

This hellebore from southeastern Europe and Asia Minor will, once given the proper location and soil requirements, become a permanent resident of any shrub planting, plant border or rock garden. As it grows naturally in woodland areas, it requires a deep, well-drained soil that contains plenty of humus material. Peat moss, leaf mold and well-rotted manure need to be added in quantity when preparing the bed. A neutral pH reading is best, and if the soil is acid, it is advisable to add lime. Partial shade is also a requisite, and this can be provided in the form of light shade from high-branching trees or tall-growing shrubs. Such a place is ideal because coverage is offered from the hot Summer sun, and yet sunlight, needed for good flowering, reaches the clumps during the leafless months. In dry periods, it is important to water plants well, as the black roots dive deeply into the soil.

A Long-lived Perennial

In selecting a suitable place for your Christmas rose, choose one where the plants can remain permanently. They resent being moved about, though more especially they dislike to have their roots torn or broken. Slow in coming into bloom. once established they will he faithful with their creamy white contributions for many years. It is not unusual to hear reports from gardeners who have had plants in the same spot for 50-75 years.

In transplanting the Christmas rose, perform the operation in the early Spring or Fall. Opinions of experts seem to vary about this, but if plants are lifted with a large ball of soil they will fare well. New plants are best obtained by lifting the outer pieces of a clump with a pitchfork, thus leaving the center crown undisturbed.

Christmas Roses Indoors

An interesting way to handle the Christmas rose for use in the home is to lift budded plants carefully in the Fall from the garden, pot them in large containers and then force in a cool room or greenhouse for Christmas. As plants flower anywhere from Fall through March, and later, this method will assure flowers for the day itself. The English are very fond of this practice, and at Christmas. potted plants are a common sight in market places. In creamy white jardinieres or in green ones they can be a truly beautiful spectacle indoors where a too warm place should be avoided.

Effective in Arrangements

Of course, the flowers may be gathered from the garden or the coldframe, if they are grown there specially for cutting purposes, and used for flower arrangements. They combine well with holly or inkberry leaves and other traditional Christmas greens, but however arranged, they deserve the most important place – the dining-room table, mantel or coffee table ? where they can be seen and enjoyed from every vantage point. White, green or red candles used in the arrangement will add color and interest. The Christmas rose, we must not forget, is no ordinary flower, and should not be treated as such.

Species and Varieties

The most commonly grown species, and the most beautiful, is Helleborus niger already mentioned. Its deeply-cut, leathery leaves, remindful of those of pachysandra, measure about three inches across. The flowers, tinged with green and pink, consist of five petals, two to five inches in diameter. They appear at the ends of foot-long stems, which may be shorter or even longer.

There are also many worthwhile varieties of the species. H. n. altifolius is bigger, and has flowers that measure 3% inches across (in humid climates they grow larger), often several on a stem, while H. n. praecox has smaller blooms. Another species, very popular in Europe, is II. orientalis, known as the lenten rose because it blooms from late Winter through the lenten period. Not as handsome as its close relative, it has dark green to purple flowers. A variety, H. o. atrorubens is admired for its flowers that are greenish-purple inside and dark purple on the outside.

Last Winter while visiting a school, I was much interested in several kinds of plants that were growing in water. Most of them were common, but the method of growing was the outstanding feature. Indoor gardeners grow their plants in certain soil mixtures, but these were growing in water alone with no soil visible. The intriguing thing about it was that the containers were of clear glass, so that the roots could be seen. This, according to the teacher, kept the pupils’ interest at a high pitch. When I left the school and returned home, I found myself thinking of water culture and how home gardeners and apartment house dwellers, especially those without an outdoor plot of ground, would find much pleasure in trying the method at Home.

What are some of the plants that can be successfully grown in water, you ask? The common sweet potato is one of the most popular – for all that is necessary is to select a well-formed potato that has live buds or eyes; these are not kiln dried. The tuber is placed in a mason jar or other container that fits it, with the lower half submerged in water, and the operation is complete. Charcoal placed in the bottom will absorb impurities. The plant should have a sunny window or one with some sun.

It is unusual to see an amaryllis flowering in water, but it will do so if the bulb is of flowering size. Simply place it so that the base touches the water, and before long the unfolding flower stalk will develop. However, this beautiful plant will send out a flower stalk at any time irrespective of whether it is in water or not.

Another plant in the same category is the Autumn crocus, Colchicum. It, like the amaryllis, flowers even while in the storage box if it is left alone. By placing several bulbs in a low dish with a minimum of water, they will send out the flower stalks, the individuals developing into most interesting specimens. It is not long-lasting, but the fact that it flowers so easily always arouses interest. The pink tubular flowers are three to four inches wide.

While I am mentioning bulbs that send out their flowers with or without water, I must mention that very obnoxious flower, the devil’s tongue from Cochin-China. The bulb grows to large size and will, when ready, send out a flower stalk two or more feet in height. It is a member of the arum family to which many of our most delightful plants belong. The flowers, dotted with greenish-purplish, have an atrocious odor that penetrates every crevice of a room. In fact, a gentleman telephoned the writer and asked what to do with the dozen bulbs he had. He said his wife told him that if he didn’t get rid of the plants she would leave home! After flowering, and when the weather is warm, the bulbs can be planted in rich soil outdoors where they send out an amazing leaf which is cut into segments that make it very ornamental.

When visiting the recently held outdoor industrial show on Lake Michigan in Chicago, I had occasion to inspect the display staged by the Chicago Park District, and among other displays saw several plants growing in water. It consisted of rutabaga, carrot and beets cut horizontally just below the top, or about two inches below, and placed in low containers. They were sending out a mass of very pleasing foliage, and all that was required was an occasional watering.

Has anyone tried to grow the early tulip Due Vanthol in water? Good, strong bulbs will do so, sending out their flowers without much attention beyond an occasional watering. Everyone knows about the paper white narcissus flowering under water culture, but the bulbs must be thoroughly cured and cooled or they may send out foliage instead of good flowers. It is wise to anchor the bulbs with gravel, or their strong root system may push them upward and at an angle. Start in a cool, dark place until roots develop, then bring to the light of a south window. The Chinese sacred lily is in the same class, and may be treated in the same manner. It has a yellow center and white petals which enhance its beauty.

There is much fun – garden fun – for the apartment house dweller if he will grow the dumb cane in suitable bottles of water.

Take a good, strong cutting and place it in a large bottle with some charcoal in an east window that is screened by a thin curtain. The beautiful leaves soon appear, and they are really a superb example of nature’s art. English ivy and wandering jew will last a long time when grown in this manner, but they must not be expected to endure for years. A small amount of a chemical plant food applied at intervals of 30 days will keep them going in a luxuriant manner. They like a semi-shady location, such as an east or west window, during the dark Wintry days. During Summer when the light is more intense, they should occupy the north window. If they do not do well in one room, try another where the conditions may be more suitable.

Some of the floating plants can be used as an added attraction, but they usually enter their resting period during Winter, thus requiring a lower temperature than is found in the average room. High and dry conditions are the bugbear to indoor plant growing, but if it can be corrected, better and more kinds can be grown. Some of the common floating plants are the duckweed, floating heart and the water hyacinth, the latter famous for its rapidity of increase and tendency to obstruct navigation in Southern waters.

Plants must have a certain degree of light if they are to develop the deep green foliage. Without it, they may turn yellow and eventually pass away. Many of the tropical plants that are grown in water are found in the tropics beneath the shade of trees, which is indicative of their needs. Flowering plants usually need an abundance of sunlight if they are to attain their maximum beauty.

Summary: A complete fertilizer or plant food – organic or inorganic – is one very key “item” for success in the lawn, with landscape plants, in your garden and with your houseplants. With a little study of fertilizers and their recommended uses can save money and increase productivity.

Click Here to Read – How and What to Feed Garden Plants

Question: The garden center recommended a “complete fertilizer” to use on the lawn, landscape trees and shrubs for my yard, how do I know what is the right plant food to use? Martin, Peachtree, Georgia

Answer: Martin, homeowners face many options in choosing from a great variety of fertilizers on the market today, and may at times be uncertain which one to select for their particular needs.

There are organic and inorganic fertilizers, both of which are available in powdered, granular, and liquid forms. Then, some are complete, or balanced; others are prepared for special purposes. A study of fertilizers and their recommended uses is well worth while, both in terms of money saved and in increased productivity.

Essential Elements of Complete Fertilizer

All balanced fertilizers must contain three basic elements:

• (1) Nitrogen, which promotes leaf and stem growth
• (2) Phosphorus, which helps plants grow and flower as well as makes their stems strong
• (3) Potash, which aids root growth and, to a certain extent, acts as a balance wheel between the other two.

By law, the percentage of these three elements making up the fertilizer must be printed on the bag or container. The percentage, or number of pounds of each element per 100 pounds, is expressed in numbers such as 10-5-5, 5-10-10, 5-8-7, 20-20-20, and so forth, and always in the same order: nitrogen, phosphorus, potash.

If the total amount of each element in a particular fertilizer is not in a form which plants can use as plant food, the analysis must also show the percentage which is available to plants. Many fertilizers also contain some iron, copper, manganese, calcium, etc., which may or may not be listed.

Plant Food – Basic Types

There are several ways to classify fertilizers, but first we shall divide them according to whether they are organic or inorganic. Organic fertilizers are those derived from animals or from plants. These include bonemeal, fishmeal, sewage sludges (Milorganite), cottonseed meal, dried blood, manure (fresh or dried), etc.

These materials are comparatively low in their chemical analysis but they often appear to furnish benefits out of proportion to their content. They cannot burn your plants and they release their chemicals slowly as they gradually decay.

Natural Chemicals

The inorganic fertilizers are already in their basic chemical form. A number of them, like some limes and rock phosphates, are natural chemicals. Others are manufactured chemicals. Since they are already in chemical form—which is the only way in which the plants can absorb them regardless of their origin—they take effect much faster than organic fertilizers. Decay is not necessary.

Other points in their favor are that they are usually cheaper, you can control more accurately the amount of plant foods you provide, and they have higher concentrations of plant foods so that you need less inorganic than organic fertilizer to do the same job.

Man-Made Chemicals

To confuse us, however, science has now given us synthetic organics, man-made “natural foods.” These fertilizers are members of the urea-form group, relatives of the plastics, and release their one plant food, nitrogen, slowly as they decay. In the North they may release it over the entire growing season; in the South they break down more quickly. Although they are highly concentrated—containing up to 40 per cent, or more—they cannot burn roots or leaves. Nitroform has been a widely advertised brand.

Liquid Fertilizers

A third basic group is the liquid fertilizers. Here we include both types, the organic such as the liquid fish emulsions and the purely chemical, or inorganic, soluble powders and liquids. Both are convenient to use and equally effective in the soil. The inorganic group, however, lends itself to somewhat more rapid absorption when used for foliar or on-the-leaf feeding. They usually come in more highly concentrated form and a little goes a long way but, by the same token, they must be used with greater care and strict adherence to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Click Here to Read – How To Use Plant Fertilizer Concentrates

Specialized Fertilizer

Finally, we have the specialized fertilizer such as lime-free azalea, camellia, and holly fertilizers, rose or bulb foods, African-violet foods, etc. Their uses are indicated by their names. In this category, too, are the common gypsum, used in limestone sections to supply calcium without increasing alkalinity, and sulfur, used as a minor plant food and soil acidifier.

Fertilizer By Content Type

We can also divide fertilizers into two groups according to their contents. One is the high-nitrogen type, which promotes leafy growth on lawns, leaf vegetables, and foliage plants – this is why you should Know Your Fertilizer. A good example of this is 10-5-5, used on lawns in some areas. The other is the low-nitrogen type, in which phosphorus and potash play a more important part. One of these is 5-10-10, used primarily as a tree, rose, and bulb food. Use the first type where stem and leaf growth is wanted and the second where flowers and fruits are important, as well as for all root crops.

Read – How To Apply Fertilizer But How Much

Hopefully you now have a better idea of the fertilizer you need for the job and can now buy the “complete fertilizer” needed to do the job.

Question: What is the best way to apply fertilizer and just “how much” fertilizer should I apply? Donna, Dallas, Texas

Answer: Donna, before we look at applying fertilizer we need to look at – How Much? Also, in your question, you did not let me know if you were applying to the lawn, fertilizing roses, trees or container plants, so we will have to provide more of an overview.

Click Here Read – How And What to Feed Garden Plants

How Much Fertilizer?

The amount of fertilizer to use depends to a large extent upon its concentration, the soil, the crop you intend to grow, and weather conditions. Only a soil test, whether made by you or your state experiment station, can answer the first question accurately, although if you have a lush crop of weeds, you can be sure that your soil is pretty good and should be able to grow a flourishing crop of vegetables, fruits, or ornamental plants.

Some plants, such as asparagus and rhubarb, are heavy feeders, especially of nitrogenous fertilizers. Others, such as peas and beans, may even add nitrogen to the soil.

Weather also plays an important part, because organic fertilizers especially are less available to plants during unseasonably cold periods. But, at the same time, the plants grow more slowly under such conditions, hence their need for plant foods is reduced.

Recommendations for ordinary powdered garden fertilizers, such as 5-8-7, generally range from 3 to 5 pounds per 100 square feet. In the case of highly concentrated fertilizers, whether liquid or dry, the required amounts vary so much from brand to brand that the only safe thing to do is to follow the manufacturer’s directions.

How To Apply Fertilizers

When fertilizing lawns a hand-held, push or motorized fertilizer spreaders is used to “throw” the fertilizer evenly, then the fertilizer is watered in to help move it into the soil.

The most common way to apply fertilizer has been to scatter it over the soil and then turn it in by plowing, rotary tilling, or spading in a garden for example. However, some believe it to be the most wasteful, especially in sandy soils where it can easily be washed down out of reach of the plants. Unless the soil is well mixed, it is often just dumped to the bottom by the plowing or spading and the young plants must do without it in their early stages.

A better method is to scatter the proper amount over the soil after it is turned over and just before a thorough raking. This gets it well mixed in the upper few inches and allows it to work its way down.

More economical for small flowers or vegetables whose roots are not far-ranging is to mix the fertilizer thoroughly into the soil directly under the row or hole for the plant. Then after the plants are well established and need a little additional food they may be side-dressed by placing the fertilizer in a furrow on either side of the row or in rings around individual plants.

Up until now we have been discussing the application of dry or powdered fertilizers. With side dressings we can also apply fertilizer in liquid form for a quick pickup. For this, use only those designated as completely soluble. Other forms have too much waste.

A variation of this is root feeding, where a liquid or powdered fertilizer is placed in a mixer and automatically dissolved and fed into the water passing through a hose. The enriched solution is then fed to roots of trees, shrubs, roses, etc. through a hollow spike-like applicator that is pressed down into the soil to the proper depth. Another effective form is the use of “fertilizer spikes” in which fertilizer manufactured into a tablet or spike and is placed in the soil and slowly dissolved by moisture and water as it comes in contact with the spike.

Through The Leaf – Foliar

Lastly, we have foliar, or through-the-leaf, feeding. Only completely soluble materials may be used and care must be taken to follow the manufacturer’s directions explicitly. Once the correct amount has been calculated for the apparatus at hand, the fertilizer solution may be applied with a conventional sprayer or a hose sprayer, either at the time of spraying or separately.

What About Earthworms

There have been claims that chemical fertilizers kill earthworms. However, within reasonable limits, the heavier the application the greater the growth of crop and crop residues; hence the larger the population of worms because of this increased food supply. Also, earthworms are no more sensitive to fertilizers than are root hairs. But, if temporarily disturbed by an overdose, the worms simply move down deeper or out of the fertilizer’s range.

Before you apply fertilizer to the garden, landscape or lawn, always read and follow the manufacturers directions.