ISO 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



November, 1909 



Storing Vegetables for Winter 



Use 



THE ideal place for storing vegetables for 

 winter use is a root cellar so completely under- 

 ground that the cold cannot penetrate to it, and 

 where sufficient ventilation can be provided to 

 properly adjust the temperature at all times. The 

 surrounding soil will supply sufficient moisture, and 

 the vegetables are of easy access at all times and 

 are safe from vermin. Mice sometimes get at them 

 when buried in the ground, which is the next best 

 method of storing. 



Roots can be successfully kept in warm, dry 

 house cellars by placing them in tight boxes made 

 of seven-eighths lumber. Cover with sand, putting 

 one inch between the roots and the bottoms and 

 sides of the box, and covering the vegetables two 

 inches deep. Use boxes of not less than two bushels 

 capacity, cover tightly, and place in the coolest part 

 of the cellar. The sand prevents wilting, and 

 also protects the vegetables from any sudden 

 changes of temperature. 



Celery and other crops can be successfully stored 

 by digging a hole deep enough to contain them, 

 covering with boards in the form of a pitch roof, 

 with earth and corn fodder or straw on top arranged 

 so as to shed water. The covering must be thick 

 enough to prevent the contents from freezing. An 

 opening at one end of the trench, closed with a 

 burlap bag of leaves or straw and a board cover 

 will make easy access to the vegetables. 



The successful keeping of all hardy vegetables 

 over winter depends on maintaining a temperature 

 of 35 degrees; total darkness, which prevents sprout- 

 ing or growth; and just sufficient moisture to pre- 

 vent wilting, shrivelling, or drying. 



With the exception of beets, all root crops must 

 be cut close. Do not allow any of the tops to 

 remain, as it is liable to sprout. It is even better to 

 cut off a small amount of the root. Beets, how- 

 ever, should have about an inch of the tops left on. 



If intended for storage in a root cellar, cabbage 



should have the stem and outer leaves cut off; 

 but if it is to be buried in trenches in the garden, 

 leave the root and leaves on, and store it root end up. 



Trim off all the damaged foliage on the celery, 

 also the outer stalks. Pack closely when storing, 

 and do not shake off all the soil from the roots. 

 Keep the roots moist, but the tops dry. 



Throw onions in rows where they have been grow- 

 ing and leave them there for several days to cure. 

 A better way to cure them, however, is to spread 

 them out in an open shed, where they will be pro- 

 tected from the rain and shaded from the sun. 

 When the tops are dead, trim off and store. 



PROPER TIME TO GATHER 



Beet, cabbage, and carrot. Before freezing. 

 While a slight amount of frost will not be injurious, 

 it is better to gather these vegetables before freez- 

 ing weather. Do not handle any while frozen. 



Celery. Before freezing; or earth to tops and 

 cover with strawy manure. Store before hard 

 freezing. 



Kale. Tall kinds are the best for winter use. 

 They are improved by frost, are perfectly hardy, 

 can remain in the ground all winter, and be gathered 

 for use when not buried by snow. 



Onion. As soon as tops die. 



Parsley. Dig and plant in coldframes. 



Parsnip. Dig a supply before the ground freezes. 

 The remainder can winter in the garden. 



Potato. Dig as soon as the tops die and transfer 

 from soil to storage as quickly as possible. Expos- 

 ure to light injures quality. 



Radish, winter. Before freezing. 



Turnip. Before freezing. 



Corn. Late plantings, ready by frost; leave 

 stalks standing. The ears will remain in an eat- 

 able condition for several weeks. 



Cucumber. Gather before frost. If kept in a 

 cool, dark place will remain in good condition for 

 several weeks. 



Egg plant. If not bruised will last four or five 

 weeks. 



Pepper. If gathered before frost will keep for 

 four or five weeks, but eventually withers and dries. 



Squash. Gather before frost. Is best if kept 

 in unused room in the dwelling, with a temperature 

 of from forty to fifty degrees. 



Tomato. Store in a cool and dark place; all 

 except very immature fruit will ripen and keep 

 from six to eight weeks — sometimes longer. 



Pennsylvania. J. Lukens Kayan. 



March Sowing in the Fall 



THE sensible gardener will save himself work 

 in the raw, uncertain March weather by 

 sowing seed in the fall, when it is a pleasure to be 

 outdoors. Fresh vegetables will also be assured 

 during May and June, before the spring sown 

 vegetables reach an edible size. The last week in 



October is a satisfactory time for the fall sowing of 

 vegetable seeds, the best results being obtained 

 from carrots, celery, parsnips, chard, lettuce and 

 American cress. We found carrots and celery the 

 surest crops. 



Fall planting will also save some of the April 

 rush and will prevent one of the blunders made 

 by so many amateurs, who are so eager to sow their 

 early seeds that they dig the ground before it is 

 dry enough to be worked. 



Our fall sown patch was planted deeper than 

 spring sowings usually are, and was covered with a 

 thick mulch of straw and manure as soon as the 

 ground froze. This was removed by degrees — 

 about half the middle of March and the remainder 

 two weeks later. After planting, the ground was 

 well pounded with the hoe above the seeds, and 

 trenches made with the wheel-hoe beside the rows 

 to prevent water from standing during the winter. 

 Eighteen inches is a good distance to allow between 

 the rows; if closer, it is difficult to cultivate and if 

 farther apart more mulching material is required. 



Plant and roots of Hollow Crown parsnips, sown 

 in the fall, measured thirty-one inches the third week 

 in June. The following week the celery was trans- 

 planted, having reached a length of about twelve 

 inches, including the root. Danvers carrots were 

 eaten the same week, and the whole planting pulled 

 up the second week in July, the roots being five 

 inches in length and six inches in circumference. 

 American cress formed thick, vigorous plants, six 

 inches in height, by the middle of June. The chard 

 leaves were of good size, with stems a half inch 

 thick, when the early April planting was only fit 

 for greens. Lettuce made the best record. Grand 

 Rapids and Half Century were the most satisfactory 

 out of five varieties planted, showing above the 

 ground March 31st. Young heads of fine quality 

 were used the middle of May; full sized heads were 

 picked a month later, a few days ahead of the 

 spring sown crop. 



Fall sown radishes germinated the same season 

 but of course perished with the cold weather. 

 Only one came up in the spring. This was eaten 

 the second week in May.. Perhaps a still later 

 (November) sowing of radishes would be more 

 likely to lie dormant till spring. 



FALL SOWN FLOWERS 



Many flowers give equally good results if started in 

 the fall. Poppies, sowed in September and mulched 

 for the winter, bloomed in May, a month before the 

 spring sown poppies were in flower. Fall sown 

 cornflowers bloomed in the same way. Sweet peas 

 flowered in June, when spring planted ones were 

 only budding. Pansies are among the best flowers 

 for this purpose, if they can be started in time to 

 make a growth of two inches before cold weather 

 checks them. With protection they will give bloom 

 very early in the spring. 



New York. I. M. Angell. 



Beets, cabbage, carrot, celery, etc., should be gathered before freezing and stored in a frostproof place for winter use 



