ROCK GARDENS
Rock, Marsh, Shrubs
in the Garden
Plants 14
When the plant has been lifted,
don't, as is so often done, use a spade to
cut the roots apart, but care-fully divide
the plant up into as many crowns as possible
by means of a sharp knife, which will do
the minimum injury to the roots. The strong
new outer crowns are those that should be
retained and replanted, the old inner roots
being discarded. The stems that have already
borne flowers should be cut away from the
new crowns, so that only the young and vigorous
shoots from the base remain. These should
be replanted as soon as possible, or should
be potted up in a compost of half turfy loam,
a quarter sand, and a quarter leaf-mould.
This is another and easy method of propagation,
eminently suitable in the case of plants
with fleshy roots. If the roots are examined
in the late autumn or early spring, they
will be found to be covered with small, whitish
knobs or shoots; these are the "eyes" from
which the new growth will spring. Cuttings
of these fleshy roots from two to eight inches
in length, in accordance with the size of
the plant, and each having an "eye",
are taken. They are planted just below the
surface and a few inches apart in light,
sandy soil in partial shade, or in a frame
with a warm, close atmosphere. The cuttings
are inserted vertically with that part of
the root which was nearest the stem uppermost.
In propagating plants whose roots are fleshy,
but rather more fibrous in nature, the larger
root-stems should be cut away from the crowns
with as many of the smaller fibrous roots
as possible adhering, and should be planted
as advised above, but should be left intact
and not be cut up into small pieces. In the
case of plants whose roots creep horizontally
just below the surface of the soil, cut the
roots into pieces from one to six inches
in length, each piece having an "eye" or
bud from which shoots can spring, and plant
horizontally in the soil at the same depth
as they were before being dug up. The root-cuttings
will require frequent watering during the
following few months, and will be benefited
by the occasional application of a little
weak manure water. It is essential to keep
the surface of the soil loose. The cuttings
can be planted out in the autumn or in the
following March or April.
table with marsh plants suitable
for rock gardens...
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