THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 



217 



The Vegetable Garden in Winter 



As the harvesting season draws to a close and the inactive period 

 of Winter approaches, some very important things can be done in 

 the garden to insure maximum results the next year. The best possible 

 program at this time is as follovrs: 1 . Harvest everything that can be 

 used either fresh, pickled or preserved. This includes green Tomatoes, 

 immature Squash, small, late-sown Carrots and Beets, etc. 2. Pull 

 up, rake together and remove all dead vines, haulms, stubble, etc. 

 All that is free from disease and not too woody should go on the com- 

 post pile or first into the chicken yard or pig-pen if there is one. Any- 

 thing that may be infested with disease spores or insect eggs should be 

 burnt at once. 3. Spade up, plow, or even simply harrow or cultivate 

 the whole garden, turning under any manure that you may hav» 

 available. 4. Sow on the rough surface a cover crop and rake well to 

 cover the seed. Such a mixture as Rye and Vetch, that will live over 

 Winter and make added growth until plowed under in the Spring, is 

 best. Red or Alsike Clover is good, and where there is time for con- 

 siderable Fall growth Field Peas and Oats, or either one alone, is satis- 

 factory. 



Whatever you use, the aim is to get the ground covered with a 

 crop that will (a) keep the soil from washing during the Winter; (b) 

 add humus and plant food when plowed under; and (c) smother out 

 weeds or prevent them from becoming established. Consequently, if 

 the above program cannot be carried out, it is better to leave most of 

 the vegetable stubble or even a crop of weeds standing than to clear 

 away every ^'^estige of plant life and leave the soil bare and empty over 

 Winter. 



Every bxt of leaf, stem and root tissue turned under to rot, adds 

 not only the plant food it took from the soil, but also a good deal that 

 it secured from the air; in short it is real "green manure.'' Again, the 

 extra stirring that it gets when a Winter cover crop is sown benefits 

 the soil, and if some commercial fertilizer, a dressing of lime or wood 

 ashes, or an application of manure can be worked in at the same time, 

 so much the better. The manure can, however, be applied at your 

 leisure during the Winter to be plowed under with the cover crop; and 

 an especially good time to lime the soil is just after such a plowing and 

 before the ground is harrowed or raked. 



