4 MISC. PUBLICATION 483, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



and, in the South, of fall collards, kale, spinach, and turnips remain 

 in a usable stage in the garden for a considerable time. 



Some understanding of the behavior of each of these crops under 

 local conditions is necessary in order to plan the best planting schedule 

 and get the most out of the facilities and resources available. It should 

 be understood that effective gardening requires thought and work 

 before and all through the entire season and, in the South, the year 

 round. 



WHAT TO GROW 



Primarily, one should grow those vegetables that will be most 

 enjoyed, provided they can be grown successfully in the area. How- 

 ever, if a garden is to contribute to a better fed Nation, it should con- 

 tain most of the vegetables listed in table 1. 



The green leafy vegetables — chard, collards, kale, and turnip 

 greens — are of greatest importance, and one or another of them should 

 be available from early spring onward to severe freezing weather. 

 They should be in every garden and should be eaten frequently. 



Tomatoes and beans are so widely adapted that they should be 

 generally and generously grown. Tomatoes are so easily canned that 

 they should be grown for canning as well as for eating fresh. 



Beets, carrots, and onions can be stored for some time as well as 

 used fresh; so quantities of these sufficient to afford a supply long 

 after harvest may be planted. Parsnips can be left in the ground 

 all winter. 



Cabbage is easy to grow, but only a few plants per person should 

 be grown for harvesting at one season, as cabbage does not stand long 

 after heading. However, any large surplus of cabbage can be made 

 into sauerkraut, and heads of the Danish type can be stored. 



HOW TO ARRANGE THE PLANTING 



If the garden plot slopes appreciably and is subject to washing of 

 the soil, the rows should not run up and down the hill; if the plot is 

 nearly level, the rows should run the long way of the area for con- 

 venience in working. 



Tall-growing crops should be placed preferably on the north or 

 west side of the garden so that they will not shade the low ones. 



Insofar as practicable, the first plantings of small and early vege- 

 tables should be along the south or east side, later crops being sown 

 progressively across the area. This orderly procedure helps avoid 

 confusion and damage to the earlier sowings. 



In general, flat culture is preferable to and requires less work than 

 growing the crops on raised beds or ridges. Ridges, however, must 

 be used on poorly drained areas where heavy normal rainfall residts in 

 frequent surface flooding and on areas where the furrow method of 

 irrigation is to be used. 



