Garden Notes - Staking Flowers

Staking

When staking a hardy garden plant the shoots of which are very slender, the best method is to set three stakes round it, and to enclose all the shoots within strands of tar twine. Most medium sized annuals may easily be supported by placing a few branched hazel twigs among them. When staking Peas do not fix the large feathery stakes obliquely, as is often done; it is much better to set them upright, with smaller stakes filling the spaces between.

Staking Chrysanthemums

There are right and wrong ways of carrying out such a simple operation as Staking. The wrong method is to tie the plant round with twine that that it looks like a sheaf of corn. The right method is to put a stake near the middle, and loop each shoot to it by means of hast or tar twine. The smaller shoots may be looped to the larger in a similar manner. This method give the plant a natural appearance.

Ringing

Indoor plants, India rubber Plants, Dracaenas, Aralias, &c., sometimes grow very tall and "Leggy". These may be improved and also increased by Ringing. Carefully remove a strip of bark round the stem a few inches below the lowest leaves, as shown at A. The wound should then be bound round with moss, and if this is kept moist roots will eventually be produced at B. When a fair number of roots appear, the stem below may gradually be cut through, and the upper plant potted.

In-arching

In-arching is a form of grafting in which the scion is not removed from the parent plant. It is often practiced in the case of Grapevines, Camellias, &c. The scion (B) growing in a pot, is placed beside the stock (A), and this slices are taken from the stems of both as shown at (C). The cut surfaces are then brought together and secured by means of yarn or raffia. When the junction has been properly effected, the action is cut off at (D), and the stock just above the union.
 

Re-potting

About an hour before repotting give plant a thorough watering. This is very necessary; if a plant is re-potted in a dry state, any water given later penetrates the new mound and leaves the old roots and soil dry. The plant may be easily removed from old pot by grasping the crown with the fingers inverting pot; and tapping rim on the edge of bench. Remove loose soil and old drainage and cut away any dead roots before re-potting.