M TIMELY REMINDER FOR MPRIL 
“In April the gardener sees the resurrection again ” 
Herein are listed the seasonal activities for the complete 
garden. Details of how to do each item may be found in 
the current or back issues of The Garden Magazine 
—it is manifestly impossible to make each number of 
the magazine a complete manual of practice. Ref¬ 
erences to back numbers may be looked up in the 
index to each completed volume (sent gratis upon 
request). The Service Department will also be 
glad to cite references to any special topic if 
asked for by mail, and also to send personal 
replies to specific questions; a stamped, ad¬ 
dressed envelope being enclosed. 
Copyright, 1923 , Doubleday, Page Sr Co. 
When referring to the time for outdoor work of any 
sort New York City (latitude 40 ) at sea level in a 
normal season is taken as standard; but at best dates 
can only be approximate. Roughly, the season ad¬ 
vances northward fifteen miles a day. Thus Albany, 
which is one hundred and fifty miles from New 
York, would be about ten days later, and Phila¬ 
delphia, which is ninety miles southwest, about 
a week earlier. Also allow four days for each 
degree of latitude, for each five degrees of 
longitude, and for each four hundred feet 
of altitude. 
B E READY to get all the fun possible from your gardening 
now that occasional warm days lure you outdoors full of 
frenzy to grub in the ground and full of joy at finding green 
things poking inquisitive noses up here and there in garden 
and border. A free mind makes a happy gardener and in¬ 
advertent irritation is often avoided by being sure that everything need¬ 
ful for success is already planned for or safely on hand. Check up your 
seed lists, and replenish, if need be, your stock of sundries—order bor- 
deaux, slugshot, melrosine, nitrate of soda, bonemeal, or whatever the 
on-coming season is apt to require. Procrastination never pays and 
preparedness does—buy quickly and buy the best. 
Vegetable Garden 
Plow or spade the earliest piece of ground as soon as it can be done 
without the soil adhering to the tools; when it will crumble nicely 
with raking, plant the hardiest of the vegetables as suggested in 
last month’s Reminder; viz: Swiss Chard, Onions, Turnips, Kohl¬ 
rabi, Carrots, Beets, Smooth Peas, Salsify, Spinach. They will 
survive any belated frost and snow. Use a good seeding machine 
if your plantings are of any proportions. It saves both time and 
seed. 
About a week or ten days later (as circumstances permit) these early 
plantings to be followed with plants of Lettuce, Beets, early 
Cauliflower, Cabbage, etc. from the frames after being thoroughly 
hardened off. 
Plant for convenience in cultivating, which will mean a good deal 
in personal comfort before next fall. Standardize the width 
between rows, and so save time making adjustments on the 
cultivators when cultivating. Group together all early maturing 
vegetables, so that the ground may be used for another crop. 
Crops that occupy the ground all season should be arranged to¬ 
gether. 
Early Potatoes to be planted. Treat with formalin solution for scab 
(one pint commercial formaldehyde to forty gallons of water). 
Don’t omit this; it is no longer an experiment. 
Vegetable roots may be set out (Asparagus, Rhubarb, Sea-kale, 
Chives, Horse-radish, etc.) Onions and Leeks, started indoors 
for exhibition, may be planted out. 
Asparagus beds to be lightly forked over, and hilled up. 
Succession plantings of Peas, Spinach, etc. to be made as earlier 
plantings break the ground. 
Small sowings of herbs such as Thyme, Sage, Marjoram, Dill, etc. 
may be made. 
Tomatoes, Egg-plants, Peppers, Muskmelons, and other tender 
plants may be still sown in the hotbed; Sweet Potatoes, put in to 
sprout and planted out next month; and a few Cucumber seeds 
for an early crop to utilize all the frame space when the other 
plants are set out. 
Lima Beans, Squash, and the tender vegetables mentioned above 
may be started in dirt bands, or paper pots for setting out later. 
Flower Garden and Grounds 
If not already done, uncover Roses, examine for scale, and if found, 
spray. When the buds begin to swell, prune back the Hvbrid- 
perpetuals to three eyes, remove all weak wood on the Teas, and 
cut them back one third. 
Plant all deciduous nursery stock as soon as possible. Two essentials 
for success are planting as soon as received, and putting into well 
prepared soil. Should the ground not be ready to receive them,, 
heel-in and water well until they can be set out. 
Stake or wire all newly planted trees, to prevent swaying by high winds. 
Water all newly planted material at frequent intervals if the- 
ground appears at all dry, and winds are prevalent. 
Replant and rearrange Perennials as the new growths show through 
the ground to distinguish them. Give all perennial beds an ap¬ 
plication of ground bone, and point over the surface to incorporate 
it with the soil, but be careful not to injure dormant crowns. 
Compost the winter protective materials as removed; they make 
fine summer mulch when decomposed. 
Vacant flowerbeds intended for bedding plants to be dug and got 
ready for summer occupants. Uncover beds of bulbs and rake- 
over the surface soil to keep weeds in check. 
Finish pruning late flowering shrubs. Prune and tie up vines on walls,, 
arbors, and trellises. 
Sweet-peas to be sown outdoors as soon as possible, so they may root 
deeply before hot weather overtakes them. Plant out those that 
have been started under glass. 
Asters, and Stocks are very successful from sowings made outdoors 
this month; and sowings may be made of such Annuals as do not 
transplant very well; e. g., Mignonette, Alyssum, Poppy, Hun- 
nemania, Eschscholtzia, Lavatera rosea, Lupinus, as well as 
Candytuft, Nasturtium, Centaurea, Marigold. 
Plant Gladiolus for early flowering. 
The Lawn and Walks 
Clean the lawn of weeds, filling holes thus made with good soil, and 
reseeding. As soon as the grass is long enough to reach the blades 
of the machine it should be cut. Promote a strong root growth of 
grass by mowing frequently, but never cut extremely close. 
Roll light soils where hand machines are used for mowing; but where 
heavy horse or power machines with a big roller are in use, enough 
rolling is done while mowing, and particularly or. heavy soils 
inclined to pack and become hard. 
As soon as the mud has dried up sufficiently, attend to roads, drives, 
and walks. Keep the original edges of these as much as possible. 
Use the scuffle hoe for weeds on the drive, or a good weed-killer 
if it can be applied without injuring the edges of the adjoining 
lawn. Repair ragged edges of turf by inserting pieces of sod, or by- 
adding soil and seeding down. 
Frames and Hotbeds 
Useful as these simple structures are for raising early plants for setting 
outdoors weeks ahead of the time they would otherwise be ob¬ 
tained, they become indispensable as an adjunct to the greenhouse 
for hardening off stock prior to planting out. 
Harden all early planted material by giving plenty of ventilation on 
all favorable occasions. With longer days and more sun power, 
water will be required in greater quantity. Water thoroughly, 
too, avoiding the “little and often” plan which dampens the sur¬ 
face soil, whilst the roots of the little plants underneath are dry. 
Provide plenty of covering when a cold night is expected. Weeks of 
hard work can be undone by one belated cold spell. 
104 
