The Garden Magazine 

 March, 1919 



Verified Guides for Vegetable Growers 



"Again, in the little gardens . . . the good vegetables have known no fear . . . the spinach assumes a lofty bearing, hastens to grow green nor takes the 

 smallest precautions; the garden bean opens its eyes of jet in its pale leaves and sees night fall unmoved; the fickle peas shoot and lengthen out ... as though June 

 had entered the farm-gate; the carrot blushes as it faces the light; the lettuce exerts itself to achieve a heart of gold wherein to lock the dews of morning and night." 



Maurice Maeterlinck. 





Soil and Site 



The best soil for the all-round vegetable garden 

 is a mellow, rich, sweet, well-drained sandy loam. 

 The best location is a southern exposure, slightly slop- 

 ing, protected on the north by a fence, building or 

 other \Vindbreak, and not shaded for the greater part 

 of the day. 



Except where perennial crops — asparagus, rhubarb, 

 artichokes, etc. — are growing, sow the ground to a 

 cover crop each fall, fitting and seeding each part of 

 the plot as the final crop to be 

 grown there that season is har- 

 vested. In the spring cover 

 with well-rotted stable manure 

 (three 2-horse loads to a plot 

 40 x 40 ft. is none too much), 

 plow or spade up at least eight 

 inches deep, and apply a dress- 

 ing of ground limestone (5 lb. 

 per square yard) before harrow- 

 ing or raking. 



Rake and thoroughly prepare 

 the seedbed for each crop as 

 time to plant it arrives. At 

 this time work in an applica- 

 tion of general mixed fertilizer 

 or, if you prefer to buy the in- 

 gredients and mix your own, a mixture carrying the fol- 

 lowing amounts of whichever constituents you can ob- 

 tain. (See next column.) 



In fitting a seedbed with hand tools, dig deeply, 

 mix the manure in thoroughly, and rake repeatedly 

 until all the lumps are broken up, the surface made 

 level, and the soil fine and mellow. 



Planning and Seed Ordering 



Draw a plan of the space on paper, to scale and large 

 enough so you can write in the name, variety, planting 

 date and yield of each row. This will then supply 

 not only a guide but also a garden record on which to 

 base improvements for next year. 



With the help of the table given on this page and your 

 knowledge of what you and your family like decide 

 how much of each vegetable you ought to grow. Allow 

 a little surplus for canning, drying and giving away, 

 but, on the other hand, avoid wastefulness. 



It is not the amount produced in a garden that deter- 

 mines its value, but the amount that is really utilized. 



Making the Plan 



Include as many of the following principles and sug- 

 gestions as your conditions will permit: 



1. Group all perennial crops or run them around the garden 

 so as to leave an unbroken expanse for the annual, quick-growing 

 sorts. 



2. Arrange to grow everything in rows running the long way 

 of the garden if there is any great difference. However it is better 

 to run them north and south than east and west, and better across a 

 slope than up and down it. Combine these ideas if possible. 



3. So far as possible keep together 

 plants requiring the same distance be- 

 tween rows, that is, lettuce, beets, car- 



rots, etc., spaced fifteen inches apart, 

 beans, chard, okra, etc., with 18 inches 

 between rows, and so on. 



4. Keep tall-growing, bushy plants 

 at the north end of the rows where 

 they will shade the others the least. 



5. Locate a hotbed at the north 

 side of the garden where it can he 

 protected by a fence or shed and re- 

 ceive a full southern exposure. This 

 would also be a good place for a compost 

 heap, potting bench, water tap, rack for 

 the hose, and any other piece of perma- 

 nent equipment, making it a sort of 

 work centre. 



6. Unless you have unlimited can- 

 ning facilities, select early varieties of 

 such crops as corn, peas, carrots etc., 

 and arrange for several small succession 

 plantings rather than one large one. 

 This will give a continuous supply of real 

 "quality" vegetables instead of a surplus 

 of large, mature, tough ones. 



7. Don't include crops that require 

 space out of proportion to your avail- 

 able area, or that can be bought reason- 

 ably, and of excellent quality nearby, or 

 that arc of doubtful hardiness in your 

 section. Watermelons, winter squash, 

 peanuts, sweet potatoes, and, in the very 

 small garden, potatoes, corn and late- 

 peas come into this class. 



8. Rely mainly on standard varie- 

 aftei your real needs are provided 



for, a little space can be given to trials 

 and novelties. 



9. Plan to keep all the ground busy 

 all the season. So managed a garden is 

 a bettci investment than the promoter 

 of any wildcat mining scheme would dare 

 »o say his proposition was. 



10. As soon as you have completed the plan, make out your 

 seed order and send it, at once, to an established, reliable seedsman. 



When Actual Planting Begins 



Lay out the rows in the garden accurately, with 

 line and measuring rod, in accordance with the plan. 

 Straight rows and orderliness look well, save time 

 and space, stimulate increased crops and pay well gener- 

 ally. Run the rows right up to the hedge or fence; don't 

 waste space in corners, or anywhere else. Except on 

 low wet soil where the poor drainage cannot be cor- 

 rected, plant on a level surface and in furrows, not on 

 ridges. And in setting out plants from the hotbed or 

 coldframes, set them level or even in a slight depression, 

 not up in the air so the soil has to be mounded up around 

 them. 



Rules of Depth in Seed Sowing 



1. Plant deeper in light sandy soil than in heavy clays. 



2. Plant deeper as the season advances and the soil moisture 

 tends to recede from the surface. 



3. Firm the soil carefully and thoroughly after planting seed, 

 and the lighter it is the more it should be firmed in order that it may 

 convey moisture from below to the germinating seeds. 



4. As a general rule cover seeds with just enough soil to insure 

 their receiving moisture and to prevent their being dried out by the 

 sun, but not enough to prevent the tender shoots from reaching the 

 surface as the seeds germinate. Naturally the larger the seed, the 

 deeper it should be planted, except that peas should go fully as deep 



How to Feed the Crops 



ELEMENT OF 

 FOOD 





 u • 



W 

 Z 



FERTILIZER TO 



PURCHASE 



a. *■ 9 



£ < s 



0. 3 < 



a >• 



AMOUNT 

 PER 

 ACRE 







Nitrate of soda 



is oz. 



135 lbs. 



Nitrogen (N) 



4 



or Sulphate of ammonia 



i " 



no " 







or Dried blood 



$ 



22s " 







or Stable manure 



1 lb. 



4,500 " 



Phosphoric acid 



8 



Bone meal 



l\ oz. 



450 " 



(P 2 0) 





or Dissolved bone 

 or Dissolved rock 



if " 



300 " 



375 " 



Potash (K 2 O) 



10 



Muriate or sulphate of 











potash 



\ " 



10s " 







or Kainit 



II " 



45° 







or Wood ashes 



32 



1,050 " 



J8fe__ 



WATER TAOL 



Level cultivation is better than hilling except on 

 or wet land 



undrained 

 How Many to Supply— How Much to Sow 





H 





w El. 





rt-ET 





O w 



CROP 



w Z 





^ < 





!* 



Beans, Bush . 



s 



Bush Lima 



S 



" Pole . . 



s 



Beets .... 



s 



Cabbage 



p 



Carrot .... 



s 



Cauliflower 



p 



Celery .... 



p 



Corn .... 



s 



Cucumber . 



s 



I-.Kgplant . 



p 



Lettuce 



PS 



Okra .... 



s 



Onion [set) 



p 



(seed) . 



s 



Parsley. 



s 



Parsnip 



s 



Peas .... 



s 



Pepper. 



p 



Radish. . . . 



s 



Salsify .... 



s 



Spinach 



s 



Squash (bush). 



s 



(winter) . 



s 



Tomato 



p 



Turnip 



s 





4 



6 



*36 

 3 



18 

 2 



18 

 5 



*30 

 60 

 15 



6 

 IS 



2 

 t4 



3 



3 



36 

 72 

 JO 



3 

 = hills; t = thinto. 



«2 



25 

 3 

 2 



ii 

 2 

 ■ 1 

 il 

 ii 

 ii 

 2J-4 



2i 

 J 

 Ii 



APPROX. 

 YIELD PER 



30 FT. 



14 qts. 



6 qts. (sh.) 



IO qts. 



1 10 



15 heads 

 150 



15 heads 

 50 stalks 



3 doz. ears 

 5 doz. 



50 



50 heads 

 150 pods 

 36 bunches 

 6-IO qts. 



15 qts. 



80 



Go bunches 



150 



75 



24 doz. 



60 

 90 



60 

 60 

 90 

 60 

 45 

 90 



100 



45 

 IS 

 40 

 60 

 45 

 60 

 10 

 45 

 150 

 3° 

 30 

 45 

 60 



30 

 15 

 90 



60 



< s 



-1 z 



0. o 



30 

 15 

 30 

 20 



45 

 45 



25 

 45 

 15 

 10 



60 

 45 

 60 

 10 

 45 

 3a 

 30 

 .5 

 45 

 3° 



30 

 IS 

 90 



30 



I pt. 



1 pt. 



h Pt. 

 1 oz. 

 I pkt. 

 1 oz. 

 1 pkt. 

 1 pkt. 



J Pt. 

 1 pkt. 

 1 pkt. 



\ oz. 

 I oz. 



I pt. 



\ oz. 

 1 pkt. 



\ oz. 

 3 Pts- 

 1 pkt. 



1 pkt. 

 I pkt. 

 I pkt. 



\ oz. 



• 05 



■05 



1 .00 



• °S 

 ■05 



as beans, and, if planted very early in the spring, or, as some plant 

 them in the fall, they should be covered from six to eight inches deep 

 and then mulched. 



AVERAGE DEPTH TO SOW 

 One Quarter Inch or Less: Celeriac (£), Celery (}), Parsley 

 (&), Water cress (tV). 



One Half Inch: Cabbage group, Carrot, Chicory, Dandelion, 

 Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Pepper, Turnip (i-|). 



One Half to One Inch: Corn salad, Upland cress, Eggplant, 

 Endive, Onion (seed), Parsnip, Radish, Rhubarb, Rutabaga, Salsify, 

 Tomato. 



One to Two Inches: Globe artichoke, Asparagus (seed), Beans 

 (bush 2-2), Beets, Cardoon, Citron, 

 Corn, Cucumber, Melons, Spinach and 

 N. Z. spinach, Okra. Onion (sets), 

 Pumpkin and squash. 



Two to Three Inches: Jeru- 

 salem artichoke, Peas, Sweet potatoes. 

 Rhubarb (plants). 



More Than Three Inches: 

 Asparagus (plants 3-5), Horseradish 

 (roots 3-4), Irish potato (4). 



Rules of Time in Planting 



1. In following any published 

 table or guide find out for what 

 latitude and elevation it was planned, 

 then modify it to fit your locality by 

 4 days difference for each degree ef 

 latitude and each 400 feet elevation 

 by which you are separated from the 

 place where the table was made. In 

 other words, for every degree you are 

 south of that point, or every 400 feet 

 you are below it, advance your plant- 

 ing dates four days; and vice versa. 



2. In any case, try a small planting of any crop you are par- 

 ticularly fond of about two weeks earlier than any guide or local 

 "authority" says is safe. .If it is caught by the frost, the loss of 

 seed and time is immaterial; if it escapes, you are the gainer by a 

 harvest days or even weeks ahead of your neighbors — not to mention 

 their envy and admiration. 



3. Plant the upper side or end of your garden, and the sections 

 where the lightest soils are, first. These are always the earliest 

 becoming warm and fit for planting first. 



4. There are two classes of vegetables as to hardiness: (a) 

 those that are not injured but only retarded by cold weather and 

 that therefore may be planted as soon as the ground can be gotten 

 ready, with the knowledge that they will simply wait around until 

 the weather becomes suitable for their growth; and (b) those that are 

 seriously checked or even killed by cold and which are usually wasted 

 if planted before the soil has definitely warmed up. The important 

 members of these groups are: 



HARDY SORTS 



Plant in New York from March 15th to April 30th. Average tem- 

 perature in shade 45 degrees F.) 

 Beet Cabbage Lettuce Peas 



Carrot Cauliflower Onion Radish 



Cress Endive Parsnip Spinach 



Celery Kale Parsley Turnip 



TENDER SORTS 



Plant in New York section from May 15th to June 15th or later. 



Average temperature 60 degrees F. in shade) 

 Beans Melons Pepper N. Z. spinach 



Corn Eggplant Okra Pumpkin Squash 



Cucumber Tomato 



BY THE SEASON 



Combining two short lived crops or an early short 

 lived one with a late slow growing 

 one, etc., often makes possible a 

 = verydesirablemaximumuseofthe 

 land. Much depends, of course, 

 on the climatic restrictions of 



NOTES the locality, but a grouping of 



the different vegetables, accord- 

 ing to the periods during which 

 they occupy the land should be 

 helpful anywhere: 



Include green and wax podded. 

 Wait for warm soil. Plant at 



10 day intervals. 

 Less tender than bush sorts. 

 Allow 2 weeks between sowings 

 Transplant twice. 

 Allow 3 weeks between sowings. 

 Start under glass. 

 Start first under glass second 



in seedbed. 

 Plant 4 seeds to hill. 

 Wait for warm weather. 

 Start under glass; keep warm. 

 Keep cool and moist. 

 Tender. 



Plant early; use while small. 

 Give fine rich, soil. 

 Will not transplant well. 

 Plant very early. 

 Sow at 10 day intervals. 

 Start under glass; keep warm. 

 Plant often; use while small. 

 Hardy; plant early. 

 First sowing early spring, 2d 



late summer. 

 Thin to 4 plants to hill. 

 Thin to 3 plants to hill. 

 Start under glass; transplant 



twice. 

 Sow part for summer, part for 



late fall. 



1. Perennials, occupying the same 

 ground for an entire year or more: Arti- 

 choke, asparagus, horseradish, rhubarb, 

 and various herbs. 



2. Annuals to be planted early 

 (too early to permit a crop to be raised 

 there in advance) and left without 

 transplanting all season: Beans (pole), 

 celeriac, celery (early crop), chicory, 

 cress, dandelion, leek, onion (seed), pars- 

 nip, potato (early crop), pumpkin, ruta- 

 baga, salsify, late squash, New Zealand 

 spinach. 



3. Long season crops with which, 

 however, another quick growing crop 

 may be combined, to either precede or 

 follow it according to when it is planted: 

 Bush beans, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, 

 celery (late crop), corn, cucumber, egg- 

 plant, muskmelon, pepper, tomato. 



4. Quick growers that can be 

 grown as main crops in midseason, or 

 as catch crops early and late: Beets, 

 lettuce, peas, radish, kohlrabi, turnip, 

 spinach. 



5. Hardy annuals to be sown late 

 in the season and to remain in the 

 ground over winter for early spring use: 

 Corn salad, chicory, kale, parsley (better 

 if planted fresh). 



72 



