How? When? 



HOME GARDENING GUIDE 



Where? Why? 



Cultivation and Weeding 



Frequent, shallow ciiltivation or hoeing is 

 best. It requires less effort and gives bet- 

 ter results. Never let the weeds get a 

 start. They rob the plants of food and 

 moisture. 



Cultivate after each rain or soaking, as 



seen as soil is dry enough, and as often 

 betv/een as necessary to keep v/eeds un- 

 der control. 



1. "Destroy them young" should be the 

 first principle in ccntroiling weeds. V/eeds 

 rob the soil of moisture and food. Worst 

 of all, if allowed to grow, they shade the 

 crops that require six hours of full sun- 

 shine to grow normally. Plan to spend half 

 an hour a day hoeing weeds and the 

 average garden can be kept up v/ithout 

 difficulty. 



2. Keep the soil from caking or cracking 



because v/hen rain ccmes, it cannot pene- 

 trate tiie hard surface and may run off 

 and be lost. A prong cultivator v/ill leave 

 the surface loose and ready to absorb rain. 



3. Air is vital to plant growth: stir the soil 

 as seen as the ground is dry enough after 

 a rain or after v/atering. This also saves 

 moisture. Use the hoe and save the hose. 



4. When cultivating stay as far away from 

 the plants as you can to avoid packing 

 the soil around the roots. 



Harvesting 



The big advantage the home gardener has 

 over the commercial grower is that he can 

 pick his vegetables one minute and have 

 them in the kitchen the next. All vegeta- 

 bles are better if left on the plant until 

 ready to serve. Sv^reet corn in particular 

 loses sv;-eetness every minute it is off the 

 stalk. Pick only what vegetables you can 

 use right av/ay and not until you are 

 ready to use them. 



Most vegetables, particularly summer 

 squash, sweet com, cucumbers, carrots, 

 beets, peas and string beans, should be 

 used much younger than usually harvested 

 by the commercial growers. Learn the 

 "feel" of an ear of corn that is ready to 

 pick. The tip of the ear v/ill feel full and 

 the silks should be turning brown, 



Muskmelons do not get sv/eeter after pick- 

 ing. For full flavor leave them on the vine 

 until a crack appears all around the point 

 of attachment between the stem and melon. 

 The free end should feel definitely soft 

 y/hen the melon is ready. 

 Avoid harvesting beans while the plants 

 are wet with dew or rain, as moisture 

 spreads disease. 



Cover crops-rafter vegetables 

 ••to improve your soil 



Save and improve your soil and plant food 

 supply by grov/ing cover crops. After a 

 row of vegetables has been harvested (if 

 you aren't planting a succession crop in 

 this spot) sow some quick-growing plant 

 that vnll take up any excess fertilizers and 

 store them in its tissues. Plow under that 

 plant just before the next crop gees in, 

 and decay will release that plant food 

 just in time to do the most good. Also, 

 the rotting vegetable matter produces hu- 

 mus, v/ithout v/hich good crops cannot be 

 grown. Ask us for advice on cover crops 

 for the garden. 



Ask us also how to control root 

 maggots that harm cabbage, Brus- 

 sels sprouts, onions, radishes, and 

 turnips — also hov/ to guard against 

 the carrot rust fly. 

 For insecticides always see the 

 seedsman! 



ENDIVE, Full Heart 



SQUASH, 

 White Bush Scallop 



These Vegetables STORE Well 



Beets, Carrots, Turnips, Winter Radishes — 

 Do not wash. Pack in loose moist sand cr 

 fine moist soil. Store in unhealed cellar, or 

 in ventilated room away from heat. 



Cabbage — Roughly trim heads, cut off 

 roots. Store in temperature of 40 to 60°, 

 with high humidity or cover heads with 

 moist soil or sand. 



Celery, Kale, Chinese Cabbage, Endive. 

 Leeks — Store in trenches outdoors or in 

 boxes of soil in basement. Outdoors must 

 be covered v/ith strav/ to prevent freezing. 



Squash, Pumpkins — Harvest as they ma- 

 ture, leaving 3 or 4" of stem. Cure for a 

 few days at 80 to 85°. Store in dry place. 

 Peas, Beans — May be picked off plants or 

 the v/hoie plant pulled and placed in dry 

 airy place to cure. After thoroughly dried, 

 shell, clean, sort and store in jars or cans 

 in cool, dry, dark place. 



Onions — Pull as soon as m.ost of the tops 

 fail over. Place in racks or spread out on 

 dry wooden floors — or hang in dry airy 

 place. Store in dry v/ell-ventilated place at 

 a temperature just above freezing. 



Parsnips, Salsify, Horseradish — Not injured 

 by freezing, and may be left in the gar- 

 den, or stored in moist soil or sand in 

 cool building. 



Potatoes — Should be kept in slatted bins 

 for ventilation and left uncovered. Protect 

 from strong light. Keep longer at 36 to 40°, 

 but cook better if stored at higher tempera- 

 ture. 



Sweet Potatoes — Dig as they mature or 

 after first killing frost. Sort them as dug, 

 and place in crates. Cure for two weeks at 

 80 to 85 °F. before storing. Best storage 

 temperature 50 to 55°. 



ONION SET 



RADISH 

 Sarly Scarlet Globe 



ITJSH BEANS, 



Tendergreen 



PEPPER, 



Long Red Cayenne 



PEAS 

 Alderman 

 (dark podded Telep] 



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