How? When? 



HOME GARDENING GUIDE 



Where? Why? 



Vegetable Seed Culture 



There's no end to the science of vegetable gardening — nor to the books that have 

 been written about this fascinating subject. But if you haven't the time to read 

 all the books, then try the brief paragraphs that follow. Here are the fundamental 

 facts — the things every vegetable gardener should know — AND DO! 



ASPARAGUS 



Soak seed 24 hrs. before planting. Sow- 

 in loose, rich, moist soil after weather 

 warms up. Thin to stand 6" apart. In 

 early spring, set in permanent position, 

 24" apart, in rows 20" apart. Set in hole 

 so that crown is 8" below surface, but 

 only cover tips with 3" of soil. As plants 

 grow, fill in until level. Don't cut first 

 year after setting. 



SNAP BEANS 



Don't plant until the weather is warm and 

 settled. 



Sow beans in bottom of 3" to 4" furrow, 

 24" between rows, but do not fill in with 

 more than \Vz" of soil over seeds. Thin to 

 stand 4" to 6" apart in row. Bean seed- 

 lings are likely to be slowed up pushing 

 through heavy soil. In such soils, cover 

 seeds with mixture of half sand and half 

 soil, or sand and peat or any other loose, 

 light material that will allow seedlings 

 to break through easily. 

 Make successive sowings every 2-3 

 weeks. Don't cultivate beans when wet: 

 this may spread disease. 



BUSH LIMA BEANS 



Plant two weeks later than bush snap 

 beans, when soil is warm. Space rows 

 24" apart; otherwise follow instructions 

 for snap beans. 



POLE BEANS and POLE LIMAS 



Both these should be planted two weeks 

 after bush beans. Rough poles set 3 feet 

 apart should be used. Anchor well, as 

 heavy beanvines blow over easily. Some- 

 times three poles set to form a tepee are 

 used and several seeds planted around 

 each tepee. 



SPECIAL NOTE ON ALL BEANS- 

 — Two scientific facts about beans will 

 help produce better crops. First, being 

 legumes, they should be inoculated with 

 special legume culture listed in supply 

 section. This enables plants to manufac- 

 ture their own nitrogen from the air. 

 Second, bud drop of the tiny flowers (even 

 before they can be easily seen) cuts the 

 early set of pods. By spraying with a fruit 

 setting spray these buds are held on and 

 the early crop increased by as much as 



100 per cent. 



BEETS 



Each "seed" is a fruit with several true 

 seeds. No matter how thinly beets are 

 sown, they will need thinning. Plant as 

 soon as ground can be worked in spring, 

 thin gradually (use thinnings as greens) 

 until roots stand 3" apart. Make three 

 sowings, one early, one three weeks lat- 

 er and one 60 days before fall. 



BRUSSELS SPROUTS 



Grow like late cabbage, but don't use 



until after heads have matured. 



CARROTS 



Pick carrots when they are the size of 

 your little finger for sweetest flavor. They 

 can also be left to grow to maturity for 

 storage. When harvesting always remove 

 alternate carrots to give space to the re- 

 maining ones. 



EARLY CABBAGE — COLLARDS 



Start plants inside. Set out 12" x 24" as 

 soon as weather is settled. Dusting with 

 D.D.T. is safe if outer leaves are discard- 

 ed, since plant grows from the inside 



out LATE CABBAGE 



Direct-seed four months before crop is 

 wanted. Or start plants indoors 30 days 

 before needed, transplanting outdoors 90 

 days before frost. Don't water freely when 

 heads are nearly filled, as this promotes 

 splitting; irrigate only enough to keep 

 plants growing well. 



CELERY 



Start in hotbed 60 days before needed. 

 In setting outdoors, don't get soil in or 

 over crown. Set 7" to 12" apart. Soil 

 must be rich, moist and loose. As soon 

 as plants have grown to 14" to 15" tall, 

 set 12" boards on both sides of row and 

 hold in place with earth. Or 4" drain tile 

 can be used to blanch individual stalks. 

 Celery must have warm, settled weather: 

 if chilled, plants are likely to go to seed. 



CHINESE CABBAGE 



Must never be grown as a spring crop 

 since it will only go to seed. Plant after 

 June 15, as days are getting shorter, then 

 it will head. An excellent succession 

 crop to follow early peas. 



ONIONS, Green Bunching 



