. The American florist : a weekly journal for the trade. Floriculture; Florists. 708 The American Florist. Nov. 7, HARDY HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS. Protecting: Half Hardy Perennials. Althougli in many cases protection is very necessary there is no doubt it is over done in quite a number of cases. The protective material is too heavy and too much of it is used; it is put on too early and the fall growth of many plants there- by injured. The dying away of the growth in autumn is .iust as much a part of the plant's economy as its formation in spring. Valuable constituents are re- turned to the roots
. The American florist : a weekly journal for the trade. Floriculture; Florists. 708 The American Florist. Nov. 7, HARDY HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS. Protecting: Half Hardy Perennials. Althougli in many cases protection is very necessary there is no doubt it is over done in quite a number of cases. The protective material is too heavy and too much of it is used; it is put on too early and the fall growth of many plants there- by injured. The dying away of the growth in autumn is .iust as much a part of the plant's economy as its formation in spring. Valuable constituents are re- turned to the roots as the growth dies off. and if this is smothered by a foot or two of leaves or litter, then the plants are weakened and either die or start weakly in spring. We are quite convinced that many of the hardiest of our herba- ceous plants are so weakened by heavy protection that they dwindle away year after year and eventually die out, where- as, if they were left to harden up well with the cold weather in early winter and then covered with a few leaves which would act as a nonconductor of heat and prevent the rapid changes of frost and thaw caused by winter sun- shine, they would be far better and stronger plants. Besides keeping away light and air, the protective material often heats, especial- ly should it be at all damp when used, and this, of course, is immediately de- structive to all growth above ground, as well as injurious to the forming crowns, which are usually either just out of the soil or just below. Then, although it is not always recognized, it is not usual- ly the cold of winter that destroys her- baceous plants. It is the constant freez- ing and thawing in spring, and the cold winds. The giant asphodels—Eremurus Himalaicus and E. robustus—are often looked upon as tender, or at least only half hardy plants, yet we have had them stand out all the winter when the soil has been frozen dry, yet start up strong- ly and well in spring, only to have the young growth cu
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectfloriculture, bookyea
