WHEN TO DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO 



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APRIL— THE MONTH OF HASTE AND ACTION 



Herein are listed the seasonal activities for the complete garden. Details of how to do each item may 

 be found in the current or the back issues of The Garden Magazine — it is manifestly impossible to 

 make each number of the magazine a complete manual of practice. References to back numbers may be 

 looked up in the index to each completed volume (sent gratis on request); the Service Department will also 

 be glad to cite references to any special topic if asked by mail and to send personal replies to specific ques- 

 tions; a stamped, addressed envelope being enclosed. 



When referring to the time for out-door work of any sort New York City (latitude 40) at sea level in 

 a normal season is taken as standard; but at best dates can only be approximate. Roughly, the season 

 advances northward fifteen miles a day. Thus Albany, which is one hundred and fifty miles from New 

 York, would be about ten days later, and Philadelphia, which is ninety miles southwest, about a week 

 earlier. Also allow four days for each degree of latitude, for each five degrees of longitude, and for each 

 four hundred feet of altitude. 



(Copyright, 1922, Doubleday, Page y Co.) 



AKE haste now to dig, sow, plant, fertilize etc., for all the big 

 things of the coming summer and fall. But "make haste 

 slowly," weather is not a fixed thing, good and bad periods 

 being sandwiched. The actual weather conditions will differ 

 greatly in different sections; in some places winter may en- 

 dure almost to the end of the month, thus preventing planting outdoors; 

 in others the advent of an early summer may be suspected. When 

 balmy conditions prevail, it is only a matter of a few days when the 

 soil is dry enough to make a start. Therefore see at once that there 

 is no accumulation of work that ought to have been done in the weeks 

 just gone. Be ready to get as much as possible of the "joy" of garden 

 working when the time is ripe. But be not deceived by sudden ad- 

 vances of over-warm spring days nor by late lingering days of winter. 

 The two will overlap and intermingle. Take all possible advantage, 

 keep work right up to the minute, but don't rush! Of course the bulk 

 of the seeds are now in hand ready for sowing. But check over the list. 

 Then look to the stock of sundries and insecticides. Consider each 

 crop's needs and order at once bordeaux, slugshot, melrosine, nitrate of 

 soda, bone meal, etc. Let "prevention is better than cure," be the 

 slogan; for the difference between a good and a poor garden is usually 

 traceable to preparedness. As with seeds, so with everything else that 

 goes into the garden, it pays to buy the best; i. e., from dealers who 

 specialize or direct from the manufacturer where possible. 



Vegetable Garden 



Plow or spade the earliest piece of ground as soon as it can be done 

 without the soil adhering to the tools; when it will crumble nicely 

 with raking, plant the hardiest of the vegetables as suggested in 

 last month's Reminder; viz: Swiss Chard, Onions, Turnips, Kohl- 

 rabi, Carrots, Beets, Smooth Peas, Salsify, Spinach. They will 

 survive any belated frost and snow. Use a good seeding machine 

 if your plantings are of any proportions. It saves both time and 

 seed. 



About a week or ten days later (as circumstances permit) these early 

 plantings to be followed with plants of Lettuce, Beets, early 

 Cauliflower, Cabbage, etc. from the frames after being thoroughly 

 hardened off. 



Plant for convenience in cultivating, which will mean a good deal 

 in personal comfort before next fall. Standardize the width 

 between rows, and so save time making adjustments on the 

 cultivators when cultivating. Group together all early maturing 

 vegetables, so that the ground may be used for another crop. 

 Crops that occupy the ground all season should be arranged to- 

 gether. 



Early Potatoes to be planted. Treat with formalin solution for scab 

 (one pint commercial formaldehyde to forty gallons of water). 

 Don't omit this; it is no longer an experiment. 



Vegetable roots may be set out (Asparagus, Rhubarb, Sea-kale, 

 Chives, Horse-radish, etc.) Onions and Leeks, started indoors 

 for exhibition, may be planted out. 



Asparagus beds to be lightly forked over, and hilled up. 



Succession plantings of Peas, Spinach, etc. to be made as earlier 

 plantings break the ground. 



Small sowings of herbs such as Thyme, Sage, Marjoram, Dill, etc. 

 may be made. 



Tomatoes, Egg-plants, Peppers, Muskmelons, and other tender 

 plants may be still sown in the hotbed; Sweet Potatoes, put in to 

 sprout and planted out next month; and a few Cucumber seeds 



for an early crop to utilize all the frame space when the other 

 plants are set out. 

 Lima Beans, Squash, and the tender vegetables mentioned above, 

 may be started in dirt bands, or paper pots for setting out later. 



Flower Garden and Grounds 



If not already done, uncover Roses, examine for scale, and if found, 

 spray. When the buds begin to swell, prune back the Hybrid- 

 perpetuals to. three eyes, remove all weak wood on the Teas, and 

 cut them back one third. 



Plant all deciduous nursery stock as soon as possible. Two essentials 

 for success are planting as soon as received, and putting into well 

 prepared soil. Should the ground not be ready to receive them, 

 heel-in and water well until they can be set out. 



Stake or wire all newly planted trees, to prevent swaying by high winds. 

 Water all newly planted material at frequent intervals if the 

 ground appears at all dry, and winds are prevalent. 



Replant and rearrange Perennials as the new growths show through 

 the ground to distinguish them. Give all perennial beds an ap- 

 plication of ground bone, and point over the surface to incorporate 

 it with the soil, but be careful not to injure dormant crowns. 



Compost the winter protective materials as removed; they make 

 fine summer mulch when decomposed. 



Vacant flower beds intended for bedding plants to be dug and got 

 ready for summer occupants. Uncover beds of bulbs and rake 

 over the surface soil to keep weeds in check. 



Finish pruning late flowering shrubs. Prune and tie up vines on walls, 

 arbors, and trellises. 



Sweet-peas to be sown outdoors as soon as possible, so they may root 

 deeply before hot weather overtakes them. Plant out those that 

 have been started under glass. 



Asters, and Stocks are very successful from sowings made outdoors 

 this month; and sowings may be made of such Annuals as do not 

 transplant very well; e. g., Mignonette, Alyssum, Poppy, Hun- 

 nemania, Eschscholtzia, Lavatera rosea, Lupinus, as well as 

 Candytuft, Nasturtium, Centaurea, Marigold. 



Plant Gladiolus for early flowering. 



The Lawn and Walks 



Clean the lawn of weeds, filling holes thus made with good soil, and 

 reseeding. As soon as the grass is long enough to reach the blades 

 of the machine it should be cut. Promote a strong root growth of 

 grass by mowing frequently, but never cut extremely close. 



Roll light soils where hand machines are used for mowing; but where 

 heavy horse or power machines with a big roller are in use, enough 

 rolling is done while mowing, and particularly on heavy soils 

 inclined to pack and become hard. 



As soon as the mud has dried up sufficiently, attend to roads, drives, 

 and walks. Keep the original edges of these as much as possible. 

 Use the scuffle hoe for weeds on the drive, or a good weed-killer 

 if it can be applied without injuring the edges of the adjoining 

 lawn. Repair ragged edges of turf by inserting pieces of sod, or by 

 adding soil and seeding down. 



Frames and Hotbeds 



Useful as these simple structures are for raising early plants for setting 

 outdoors weeks ahead of the time they would otherwise be ob- 



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