Voui T^Lt^t Step± 



to garden success 



In preparing the soil, drive the spade or spading 

 fork straight doivn full length with your foot. 



* Preparing the soil 



A rich sandy loam is well adapted to gardening. 

 Other kinds of soil are suitable, but stiff clays need 

 plenty of fibrous material and must be thoroughly 

 broken up. Sandy soils generally need additional 

 fertilizing. 



For general use, where well-rotted stable manure 

 is not available, a commercial fertilizer containing 

 4 per cent nitrates, 12 per cent phosphate, and 4 to 6 

 per cent potash is usually best. Apply at the rate of 

 about 3 to 5 lbs. per 100 sq. ft. 



Work the soil deeply and make the top 3 or 4 inches 

 as fine and loose as possible. Much weed killing can 

 be done by hoeing or raking just before planting. 

 Do not work clay soils when they are wet enough to 

 stick to rake or hoe. 



* Plantirig 



At time of planting seed in the open ground, the 

 soil should be moist but never wet. To retain mois- 

 ture after planting, cover seed immediately with fine. 

 freshly prepared earth and press it down firml\- and 

 smoothly. This firming of the soil brings the parti- 

 cles of earth into close contact with seeds, prevents 

 drying out, and speeds growth. 



Plant at a time when the atmospheric and soil 

 temperatures are most favorable for germination of 

 the kind of seed to be sown. The best temperature 

 for each kind may be learned from study of the cul- 

 tural directions and zonal charts found in this 

 Guide. 



The proper depth for covering seed varies with the 

 dift'erent kinds of seeds and conditions of soil. This 

 can be learned best through practical experience. 



When planting seed, the soil must be loose and 

 soft so that the tender stems of seedlings can easily 

 push through, and the young roots quickly find plant 

 food. This is usually secured by careful preparation 

 of the soil and by not planting fine seeds when the 

 ground is wet. 



Use the back of the rake to help break up clods; use 

 the tooth-side to make the soil fine and smooth. 



* Starting plants indoors 



Seedling plants may be grown successfully in spring 

 in shallow boxes or pots of soil placed in south or east 

 windows. The preparation of the seed box is simple 

 but it needs care. Whether it is a cigar box or larger 

 "flat," holes should be bored in the bottom— about 

 six inches apart in larger boxes and about three 

 inches apart in one of cigar box size. Over the bot- 

 tom of the box spread a layer of sphagnum or peat 

 moss, or small pebbles, then coarser soil, and last 

 of all finely sifted garden soil, or a mixture of 

 builders' sand and fine soil. 



Firm the soil and sow the seed thinly. The gen- 

 eral rule for depth of planting is about four times the 

 diameter of the seed. Thin sowing is economy. The 

 tiny plants crowd each other when planted too thickly. 



