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Growing Goldenseal
Belonging to the Madder family this genus includes about 200 evergreen shrubs and rarely small trees. Best known representatives are G. jasminoides, or cape jasmine, and G. Veitchii, the florists gardenia, with its waxy, fragrant white flowers and glossy foliage.
The old white freesia, F. alba, is still most desirable. It bears its snow white blooms on stems ten inches long; colored hybrids grow a few inches taller. Under proper conditions the plants remain in bloom for about two weeks, and through successive plantings made two weeks apart, a continuous supply of blooms may be obtained in the greenhouse or house.
By the 1800s, goldenseal was included in medical lists of drug plants in America. The plant was used to treat dyspepsia, inflammations and other illnesses. It was an official drug plant until 1936, when it almost became extinct because of its great popularity,
The culture of freesias is quite simple. The corms and plants are tender and must never be subjected to freezing temperatures. They are suited to house culture exclusively. Success depends primarily upon correct temperature. Prepare a special soil mixture composed of one-third each of leaf mold or shredded peat moss, good rich garden soil and fine clean sand. Moisten the mixture moderately and place it in pots or deep bulb pans, first covering the drainage hole with a few pieces of broke flowerpot. Five or six corms can be planted in a five-inch pot, from eight to ten in a six inch pot.
Some gardeners have found that freesia corms are surer to bloom if they are dried thoroughly for about two weeks on a sunny windowsill. When planting, space the corms about two inches apart and press them into the loose soil mixture so that the tips are covered with from " to one inch of soil. Next, place the pots or pans, without watering them, in the shaded window of a cool room where the temperature remains between 45 and 55 F. (7.22 to 12.78 C). Under such conditions root growth will commence promptly. When the sprouts break through, place in a south window. It seems that the colored varieties do better if the temperature is kept at 55 to 60 F(12.78 to 15.56 C)
Gardenias demand a very acid soil, with a pH of 4.5 to 5. This may be supplied by well-composted sawdust or oak leaves. Leaves that fall from the plant, as well as its own faded flowers, may be placed on top of the soil to form a self-mulch. If the foliage shows a tendency to turn yellow, a handful of rotted manure or cottonseed meal may be mixed with the top layer of soil.
Always keep the plants as close to the window as possible, but beware that they are not harmed by the frost during cold nights. The foliage must never be allowed to touch the glass of the window. A few thicknesses of paper placed between the plants and the glass during extra-cold nights will be an added protection. Water moderately, but never let the soil dry out. When the buds begin to open very weak liquid manure may be substituted for the water to encourage long flower spikes set with larger blooms, Support flower stem with four or five short, thin stakes stuck around the edge of the pot connected with thin twine. For cutting, remove each spray when the first two blooms have opened.
When the blooming season is over, gradually withhold water and dry off in a cool room. The process of ripening the corms required about a month or so. When perfectly dry, shake the soil from the corms and store in a dry place until next fall or early winter, when they may be replanted. Corms which started into growth during storage fail to bloom, in most cases.
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