THE MONTH'S REMINDER, MAY, 1918 



The purpose of the Reminder is to call to your attention the things which should be thought about or done during the next few weeks. For full 

 details as to how to do the different things suggested, see the current or back issues of The Garden Magazine. {An index of contents is prepared for 

 each completed volume, and is sent gratis on request. The Readers' Service Department will also cite references on any special topic if asked — - 

 that's its job.) To get the full benefit of this, check off with a pencil, in the square □ provided for that purpose before each paragraph, the items that 

 apply to your own case, and use the page as a reference list. 



THIS is the month of all months 

 when the inexperienced gardener is 

 likely to be caught "ofF guard." There 

 is a tendency to "let up" after the 

 first strenuous weeks of the spring drive. 

 Work in the garden net only accumulates, if 

 put off, but actually grows. A two-hour job 

 of weeding on Monday becomes a four-hour 

 task by Saturday, and so on. 



d^ = Keep all crops growing now because the 

 first few weeks of growth determine the kind of 

 crop that you will harvest. 



Nursing the Baby Crops 



f^ET after the weeding early, using the 

 ^-* wheel hoe or weeding rake not later 

 than three or four days after planting, at 

 the most. □ Take out the weeds in the 

 rows as soon as the vegetable seeds sprout 

 enough to mark them, taking care to break 

 every square inch of surface. Q Thin plants 

 promptly when the first or second true leaf 

 appears — don't delay. 



□ Cultivate frequently for rapid growth 

 as plants need air as well as moisture. With 

 the wheel hoe or garden rake loosen up the 

 soil between the rows to establish the "dust 

 mulch" and get as near the rows as possible. 

 Use high side guards on the tool to prevent 

 soil from falling on the little seedlings. 



D Don't rush late plantings 1 . Remember 

 that we cannot afford to waste seeds this year. 

 Make every one count. Do not plant tender 

 crops such as beans, lima beans, sweet corn, 

 tomatoes, etc., until the danger of late frost 

 has passed. 



Vegetables to Plant Now 



tpARLY this month sow succession crops 

 *-^ of □ beets, □ carrots, □ cress, □ kohl- 

 rabi, □ lettuce, □ peas, □ potatoes, □ mus- 

 tard, D radish, D spinach, and Q turnips. 

 After all danger from late frost and not before; 

 D beans, D lima beans, □ corn, D cu- 

 cumbers, □ melons, D martinias, □ okra, 

 D pumpkin, □ squash; also Q egg-plant, □ 

 melon and □ tomato plants from under glass. 

 See the succession planting table "to keep the 

 pot a boiling" on page 192. 



□ Sow lima beans "eye-down" for this 

 reason: — The two halves of the bean are 

 really the first pair of seedling leaves. Because 

 of their size, they often find it difficult to reach 

 the surface, unless planted "eye-down. 



Prepare for the Cussed Cut-Worm 



I^HE way to handle the pernicious cut- 

 ■*■ worm is to □ scatter a poisoned bait on 

 the ground a few days before setting out 

 tender plants, or just as sprouting seeds are 

 coming through the soil. Cut-worm "food" 

 can be bought ready prepared, or it can be 

 made according to the following formula: 

 One pound of wheat bran or corn meal, one 

 ounce of white arsenate or paris green, one- 

 half cup of molasses, the juice of half a lemon 

 and two pints of water. Distribute in small 

 particles where wanted. 



□ Brush peas and put in poles for □ beans 

 and □ tomatoes before the plants get a start. 

 To make pea brush look neat pile with butts 

 all one way and press down with boards or 

 heavy weights two or three weeks before 

 using. 



□ Stimulate strong growth with nitrate of 

 soda at this time or use sheep or chicken 

 manure, placing it along the rows or around 

 the hills. 



□ Time for spraying is here, so get your 

 supplies on hand and put apparatus in good 

 order. (See pages 187 to. 191.) 



For the Flower Garden 



A/TAKE a seed bed in a sheltered place, 

 ■*-» A and -away from the drip of the eaves of 

 buildings, for the early starting of the more 

 tender flowers. This is much more satisfactory 

 than sowing in the open where the plants are 

 to remain. 



C<OW out of doors, □ annuals, and the 

 *^ D tenderer biennials, and D perennials. 

 These include African Daisy, Ageratum, Sweet 

 Alyssum, Snapdragon, Aster, Balsam, Calen- 

 dula, Candytuft, Celosia, Cosmos, Dianthus, 

 Gypsophila, Morning Glory, Japanese Hop, 

 Larkspur, Lobelia, Marigold, Mignonette, 

 Myosotis, Nasturtium, Pansy, Petunia, Poppy, 

 Salpiglossis, Phlox, Sunflower, Verbena, and 

 Zinnia. 



Plant the following bulbs. D Anemone, 

 Tuberous Begonias, Caladium, Calla, Dahlia, 

 Gladiolus, Tuberose, Zephyranthes and Can- 

 na; also Emerald-vine, Madeira-vine and 

 Cinnamon-vine, fine climbers for quick re- 

 sults. All these things are more or less 

 tender with the exception of the Gladiolus 

 which can be planted at any time now. □ To 

 have a continuous supply of those make 

 plantings every two weeks until the middle of 

 June. 



Hardy plants to go out the first part of this 

 month are □ Ageratum, Sweet Alyssum, 

 Aster, Geranium, Lobelia, Petunia, Phlox 

 Drummondi, Verbena, and Vinca. The 

 tenderer plants which should not be set out 

 until after danger of frost is over include 

 □ Alternanthera, Begonia, Coleus, Heliotrope, 

 and Salvia. 



Flowers also need cultivation just like the 

 vegetables. The same rules apply in both 

 cases. 



Transplant if necessary. □ It is not yet 

 too late to take up and re-plant perennials 

 that have been growing in one place for 

 several years and beginning to "run <3ut." 

 Wait until the flowering period is over before 

 shifting early flowering perennials. This is 

 discussed in detail on another page of this 

 issue. 



Thinning out the flower stalks and removing 

 some of the buds on those remaining will give 

 bigger and better flowers with almost every 

 plant; also give a top dressing of nitrate of 

 soda just as the buds are beginning to form 

 to push development. 



Prepare ground for the planting of summer 

 bulbs, using thoroughly rotted manure, or 

 better still, humus, sand, and a little bone 

 dust. □ Do not plant, however, until the 

 end of the month. 



Under Glass 



X^MPTY the greenhouse as soon as possible, 

 putting into the frames □ everything 

 that needs to be hardened off before planting 

 outside. □ Give abundant ventilation to 

 whatever remains. Utilize the cleared space 

 for growing tender things such as □ cucum- 



182 



bers and □ tomatoes; or for planting D beans 

 or some other crop to be "forced" for extra 

 early results. 



D Spray or fumigate every week to keep 

 the green aphis and other greenhouse pests 

 in check. 



To get extra early tomato plants, □ pot up 

 the desired quantity in five-inch pots. 



When warm weather arrives leave the sash 

 ofF the frames more and more, and give an 

 abundance of water. It is hardly possible to' 

 over-water from now on. 



□ Harden off the tender things. Don't set 

 pots in the open until they have had a few 

 nights in the coldframes without any cover- 

 ing. When first taken from the greenhouse 

 they should be plunged to prevent wilting. 



Around the Lawn, Walks and Drives 



HpHE sooner you re-seed and re-sod spots 

 ■*■ which will not "come back" the better. 

 D Patch up the centre by a thorough forking 

 and a dressing of bone dust. Sow generously 

 a high quality grass seed; the cheap mixtures 

 contain weed seeds and frequently too much 

 clover. Sods are better for mending edges, 

 slopes or banks. 



Top dress the lawn, but be careful. □ Fine 

 ground bone is very satisfactory. □ A very 

 light application of nitrateof soda, andrepeated 

 after two weeks, stimulates growth and 

 gives a dark color. Humus is beneficial. 



Provide for summer drought. Modern under- 

 ground or out-of-sight systems of irrigation 

 placed along the edges of the lawn will 

 assure its fresh and green appearance 

 throughout the year. Portable systems, 

 useful for both lawn and garden, can be 

 purchased at very reasonable prices. □ Why 

 not investigate? 



Put earth roads and paths into shape before 

 they become thoroughly dried out and hard. 

 D "Make good" all walks and drives, 

 beginning systematically to build up a little 

 at a time. □ Cinders make paths and drives 

 both permanent and satisfactory. D Drain 

 where necessary. 



Personal Flowers and House Plants 



PLANT potted Roses now for bloom next 

 month. D Spray now for perfect 

 flowers in June. □ Watch out for green 

 aphids and other Rose bush troubles. □ Any 

 neglected pruning must of necessity be done 

 now, removing from a half to two-thirds of 

 last year's growth. Bear in mind that the 

 blooms of the Roses are borne on the new 

 wood of this year, and prune accordingly as 

 was illustrated in the March issue. 



Move from the house to the veranda any 

 □ decorative or □ house plants that are well 

 through blooming, or to some other sheltered 

 place where they can be looked after and not 

 be in danger of getting caught by late frosts. 



D Cuttings of any of your favorite plants 

 started now will give good, strong pot plants 

 for bloom next fall and winter. 



Insuring the Orchard 



HPHIS is the month for orchard spraying. 

 ■■■ Spray just before the buds open and again 

 after the blossoms fall. There is more to it 

 than can be given here; but read the articles on 

 pages inclusive 187 to 191, and get aroused 

 for the campaign. 



