CHAPTER ELEVEN 



THE TIME FOR PLANTING 



Planting time ! Time to get a spade and tear up the turf 

 somewhere : to clear a space and stir the soil and set in 

 it the roots of some lusty plant-foundlings, in hopes of 

 seeing what they will do when summer comes. 



JAMES G. NEEDHAM 



RADISHES are planted as soon as the soil can be worked 

 in spring. Lima beans are not put into the ground until 

 at least a month later. The seeds of these crops are 

 planted directly in the garden, but cabbages and toma- 

 toes are grown from plants started indoors or under glass 

 and later transplanted to the open ground. 



These different practices are followed because through 

 long experience gardeners have learned that plants differ 

 in their temperature needs and in their growing periods. 

 Some kinds of seeds, germinate in cool soil. Others rot 

 unless the soil is warm. Some plants grow best in cool 

 weather. Some thrive only when the heat of summer 

 comes. Some crops grow quickly. Others develop 

 slowly, and it is necessary to start the seedlings early 

 to permit them to mature before the heat of summer or 

 the frosts of autumn check their growth. 



The right time for planting a garden crop depends, 

 therefore, not only on the climate and weather of the 

 locality, but also on the heat and light needs of the crop 

 and the length of its growing period. It is well for the 

 gardener first to understand the temperature require- 

 ments of the various garden crops, and how long it takes 

 each one to mature. Then he can with profit study the 

 climate of his region. In this way he can find out much 

 that will prove of value in determining the right plant- 



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