152 Gardening 



spinach, kale, collard, and Irish potatoes are of this 

 class. 



Early varieties of some of these vegetables mature 

 during summer, while other varieties mature later. 

 Swiss chard and New Zealand spinach continue to 

 yield leaves for use as greens throughout the summer. 

 In general, the seeds for these crops may be planted about 

 the dates of the last killing frost in spring. The very 

 early varieties of beets, onions, carrots, and Irish potatoes 

 may be planted somewhat earlier. 



Perennial vegetables maturing crops in cool weather. 

 The standard garden crops of this class are rhubarb, 

 asparagus, and certain types of perennial onions whose 

 edible parts are used for food only during the cool weather 

 of early spring. These plants continue to live and grow 

 throughout the growing season, and they are left in the 

 ground over winter. 



Warm-season crops of short growing periods. Many 

 warm-season crops grow quickly enough to mature 

 from seed planted directly in the garden. Of these crops, 

 sweet corn and snap beans may be sown about the date 

 of the latest killing frost. Okra, cucumbers, melons, 

 squashes, and lima beans are planted about two or three 

 weeks later, or after the soil is thoroughly warmed. 



The gardener is often anxious to plant these crops 

 early, but such plantings may be injured by cool weather 

 or even " nipped " by late frosts. Hence it is a good 

 plan to make successive plantings. If the first plantings 

 are killed, the space can be given to some other crop. 

 Planting both early and late varieties of these vegetables 

 is advisable. Extra early crops can be secured by trans- 



