Besides producing new shoots in this way the variegated pineapple will also develop one or more strong growths from among the leaves of the parent rosette. These make by far the best plants in the end, and should be left to make at least six strong leaves before being removed with a sharp knife, cutting close to the parent plant.

In fact, the hotter the conditions the better, provided a moist atmosphere can be maintained by regular damping of the greenhouse or garden room. The plant grower who can spare the greenhouse only a few minutes’ attention befbre departing for work in the morning should not expect the sort of results that can be achieved by the man who can devote his time to their care. Nevertheless, much can he done with the enlistment of a willing wife who is at home all day and can be entrusted with the task of providing the essential humidity by damping around heating pipes, paths and such like.

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In spite of the vast number of plants which are much more attractive in appearance a surprising number of green-leaved ivies still retain their popularity. The fact that there are so many other colourful plants on the market is in all probability a very good reason for the continued appeal of the green varieties, as they are useful for toning down the colouring when planted arrangements are being prepared. H. Chicago has simple-shaped green leaves with no frills whatsoever. Green Ripple has slightly larger green leaves with prominent veins which are the main attraction.

As the name suggests, II. Mini Green has smaller, more congested leaves that are crinkled at the edges. Of the variegated plants for outdoor use, and as durable indoor plants, the best small-leaved ivies are those with basically grey colouring.

Of these. Glacier is easily the toughest and is an excellent subject for finishing off the front of borders indoors and out, and in particular for use along the edge of outdoor window boxes.

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A number of indoor plants may be propagated by this method, and it is also an excellent way of reducing the height of rubber plants which are getting out of hand. Plants are air-layered simply by removing a section of the outer bark and wrapping a handful of wet sphagnum moss around the exposed area, or by making an upward cut through the main stem and wrapping wet sphagnum moss round the incision.

First remove a leaf at about the height you wish the new plant to be; the section of stem above this point should have at least three or four mature leaves. Make a cut halfway through the main stein about 1 in. below the joint of the leaf you have removed, bringing the cut up vertically through the actual node.

Fortunately, the majority of really poisonous insecticides are not available to the general public, but even those that are considered safe should be handled carefully. Certainly, when handling insecticides rubber gloves should be worn as general practice, and any plants that need treatment, particularly with a liquid solution that is sprayed on, should be treated out of doors.

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On most varieties stems will, quite naturally, become leafless and woody in time. When this happens and the plant is no longer attractive the stems should be cut to within a few inches from their base. Keep the potful of stumps as they usually grow again from the base. The stems can then be cut up into sections some 2 to 3 in. in length.

The rubber plant, Ficus eldstica robusta, may be propagated in a number of ways, leaf and top cuttings being the most practical. Cuttings are best taken while plants are dormant, usually between the months of November and March. The propagating bed temperature requires to he rather high, something in excess 42 C for best results. Very soft cuttings with large leaves rarely do, well; firm cuttings with some three or four leaves attached do very much better. (With any form of top cutting it is important to ensure that there are at least two firm leaves on the stem, otherwise it will all be a waste of time).

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Another pest that ruins the appearance of affected plants. Easy to detect but very difficult to kill off completely once they have made a home in the tangled branches of such climbing plants as stephanotis and hoya. One is often invited to visit the greenhouse of an enthusiastic amateur and see the wonderful range of plants being cultivated under one roof.

Greenfly are comparatively easy to eradicate, there being many brands of insecticide on the market that will quickly eliminate them. Larger plants can only be treated by thoroughly spraying the entire plant and repeating the process as necessary. Smaller plants, on the other hand, can be dealt with equally effectively by plunging the plant in a bucketful of prepared insecticide.

Do this by wrapping a piece of polythene around the pot so that the soil cannot spill out, then dip the plant in the insecticide and swish it around to ensure that all leaves and stems have been well saturated, not forgetting first to don rubber gloves. Keep the plant out of the sun and allow the foliage to dry naturally before replacing in position.

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Abide by the fertiliser manufacturer’s instructions and better results will be a little larger, and procure a properly balanced potting compost. It is seldom, if ever, that one sees good-quality plants growing in what is often referred to as garden dirt. Composts should contain peat, sand, fertiliser and all sorts of other ingredients if potted plants are to do well.

When using aerosol sprays of any description (other than those for pest control and cleaning) plants should be carefully avoided; better still to remove them from the room altogether.

When creating a display, be it in the fireplace or at the4lower club, there can be few plants that blend in so readily with almost any chosen colour scheme. And one cannot imagine any major function at which flowers play an important part where cut maidenhair fern would not be used in quantity. To supply adiantum for this purpose the nurseryman forsakes pot culture and plants his stock into specially prepared beds in the ground in his greenhouses, which gives a greatly increased yield. The owner of the garden room may well benefit from the nurseryman’s example by planting adiantum at the front of prepared beds containing an assortment of house plants.

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It will cost practically nothing to purchase a tradcscantia in a pot to decorate the nearest window-sill, but it may involve the owner in a considerable outlay if the entire office area is to he landscaped with indoor plants. The window-sill plant is usually the property and responsibility of the person working in the vicinity and need not involve any expense.

The glossy green leaves of Ficus lyrata are shaped like the body of a violin and have faint yellow veins running through them, but the overall impression is purely green. Not particularly easy to care for, it does better if the roots are allowed to grow through the bottom of the pot and into a container filled with moist peat. It takes many years to reach maturity but a height of 20 ft. is quite possible when plants are growing in large pots. However, by the time plants attain this height they will have almost inevitably lost most of their lower leaves. Conditions required are warm, moist and shaded; the temperature should not fall below 16C. (60″F.).

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The owners of small gardens need to utilise every scrap of space and they, therefore, must be more selective in their choice of plants. Climbers and wall plants will provide the answer to many problems for they will add both space and height to congested sites and will bring colour to every available wall. However, enthusiasm should be tempered with discreet understanding for there are climbers which love to be baked into brilliance of flower by hot sun, whereas others must be soothed by moist shade.

Some climbers, of which, Actinidia chinensis and Polygonum baldschuanicum are prime examples, will swallow a house completely so quickly do they grow. Others like wisteria or clematis must be carefully pruned and trained, or the gardener is left to contemplate a naked expanse of stem. No matter what treasured climber is planted, the wall will provide a protection not enjoyed by the denizens of the open garden.

I could till a book with a selection of climbing and wall plants but as before will restrict the choice to those which have been proven in the crucible of the garden. There are two species especially suitable for wall culture, butoboth need different treatment.

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Climate changes affect almost everyone in the world. Water shortages are common and in some regions, your water usage may even be restricted. It’s becoming more difficult to have that lush tropical garden in drought areas. There are many excellent and comprehensive plant guides which include most plants, but which may not readily survive in your garden. Maybe it’s time to rethink your garden plans, with an eye to beautiful beds filled with native plants. Regional native plant guides are limited to flowers, grasses and other ornamentals and wildflowers which are adapted to your garden’s environment and seasonal changes.

Although it’s lovely, that fussy perennial, which you nurse along in your hot desert climate year after year, may not survive much longer, due to insufficient available water or increasing temperatures. Native plant guides hold hundreds of entries from which you may choose to create a new display of flowers which will thrive and hang tough in harsh conditions you may experience in your area on a yearly basis. Not only these native plants thrive, but they’ll require less maintenance. After all, native plants flourished in the area before there were any gardeners to water them!

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When feed for livestock is in short supply, hedgerows and vegetation growing between shrubs provides a useful alternative source of nourishment. But since clover is not always readily available, an emergency diet will obviously include some unwelcome plants.

One of these is Common Hemp-nettle. True, its seeds are quite large and contain a fair amount of fatty substances, but they are also relatively toxic. Feed containing as little as five per cent Common Hemp-nettle causes poisoning of livestock, particularly horses, in which it induces a kind of depression or melancholia.

Welted Thistle is a typical example of a biennial in the field and in the wild in general. If it germinates in spring, it forms a ground rosette of leaves the first year but does not produce flowers. The following year it produces an erect stem, up to 120 cm long, terminating at the top, and at the tips of side branches, in erect flowerheads.

It is most likely to be damaged by the presence of even a slight spring or autumn frost. Common Hemp-nettle used to be an annoying weed in field crops, particularly grain, when these were harvested by hand as the spiny points of the calyx after flowering caused painful scratches. However the plant yields a drug used to treat diseases of the respiratory tract.

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