M TIMELY RE MINDER FOR M A Y 
“All the garde tier has against May is that it has but thirty-one days” 
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 & 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. 
rpTS|IHERE is no pleasanter time in all the gardener’s year than the 
f re sh and joyous month of May when the whole earth seems 
happily conspiring to aid his efforts. Early planted seeds show 
rapid promise of maturity, and in flowerbed and border familiar 
perennials daily reappear and take on sturdiness. There is 
plenty to be done and no time at all for sluggishness, but the genuine 
gardener is never a sluggard—least of all in spring tide when working 
out-of-doors is the most alluring of occupations. 
About the Grounds 
Any patching of the lawns to be completed at once and don’t wait too 
long before cutting grass. Planting of deciduous stock to be com¬ 
pleted and evergreens moved before growth starts. Apply a good 
mulch after thoroughly watering late planted stock. 
Late in the month spray for the elm-leaf beetle, using an arsenate. 
Before the leaves expand destroy caterpillar nests on the trees by means 
of a kerosene torch. After the caterpillars have hatched they must 
be poisoned by spraying the leaves with an arsenate. 
Prune all early flowering shrubs as soon as they are through flowering. 
Hydrangeas to be watered with alum water if blue flowers are required, 
though the effect may not develop till next year. 
Fruit Garden 
Many of the small fruits may yet be planted, but not with the same 
prospect of good crops as assured by earlier planting. 
Keep hoe and cultivator constantly at work not only to check weeds 
but to loosen and aerate the soil. 
Give the Strawberry patch an application of fertilizer, raking it in, and 
spread a mulch of straw or lawn clippings to keep the fruit clean. 
A sharp lookout should be kept for currant worm which soon strips the 
leaves off the bushes. Hellebore powder applied with bellows 
early in the morning while the leaves are yet wet with dew is ef¬ 
fective, or arsenates. 
Spray fruit trees (i) as the buds swell, (2) when the blossoms show pink, 
and (3) as the last of the petals are falling. Use lime-sulphur 1-40; 
lead arsenate 1-20; nicotine (as Black Leaf 40) 1 pint to 100 gal¬ 
lons water, for scale, codling moth, and aphis, respectively. 
Mildew on Gooseberries is controlled by the sulphide of potassium. 
Sow cover crops in the orchard where intercropping with vegetables or 
other things is not done; these to be plowed under when a good 
stand is obtained. If this is not practical, mulch round the trees 
with leaves, lawn clippings, grass weeds, previously scattering 4 
or 5 lbs. of acid phosphate around each large tree as far as the 
spread of the branches. 
Vegetable Garden 
Light and frequent cultivation of early planted crops now breaking 
through the soil not only prevents the weeds from getting ahead 
but prevents loss of much needed moisture by arresting the capil¬ 
lary ascent of water when it meets the layer of well worked surface 
soil. 
Thin out young vegetable seedlings as soon as the second true leaves 
show. Overcrowding is detrimental. 
Underground worms which attack such root crops as Beets, Radishes, 
etc., may be controlled by lime, soot, or tobacco dust scattered 
over the ground before planting, lightly raked in. 
Keep the asparagus bed clear of weeds. 
Cut off seed pods of Rhubarb plants. If seeding is persistent, the roots 
need moving, so make a note for future use. 
Get in poles for Tomatoes (or, if trellises are used, get them into place) 
prior to setting out the plants after all danger of killing frosts is 
past. 
Harden off and set out late in the month Egg-plants, Peppers, Musk- 
melons, Watermelons, and Cucumbers. Weather and local 
conditions must be the guide if you do not use protectors. Seed 
may now be planted in drills or hills. On light soils planting in 
rows on level ground is satisfactory. Rich ground is essential. 
Well rotted manure, pulverized sheep manure, and ground bone, 
are excellent supplements to good natural soil. 
Lettuce to be sown every two weeks to keep up a regular supply. After 
the middle of the month sow the Crisp-head varieties like Iceberg 
and New York (see pages 116-118 April, 1922, Garden Magazine). 
String Beans to be sown regularly every two weeks. All sorts of Pole 
Beans may be planted now. Set the poles first, using manure 
and fertilizer in the hill. 
Several sowings of Peas to be made during the month, making drills 
deeper than for the earlier sowings. 
Make succession sowings of Beets and Carrots. 
Endive to be sown in small quantities at frequent intervals to maintain 
regular supply. 
Corn to be sown as soon as the ground is fit and plant successions at 
short intervals. Try planting one row each of an early, midsea¬ 
son, and late kind at one time. 
Early Celery to be planted out. Seed of late Celery for winter use to 
be sown at once, if not already done; also Celeriac which requires 
a long season of growth. 
Make up a seed bed outdoors and sow such Brassicas as Late Cabbage, 
Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, Kale, etc. 
Chicory, or French Endive, to be sown to secure roots for forcing next 
winter. 
Sow Okra when the ground becomes really warmed. 
As insect and other pests will soon become active, see that supplies of 
necessary spraying materials are on hand. 
Flower Garden 
Perennials still to be shifted or thinned out to be attended to at once. 
Where early plants are not available from greenhouse or hotbed, 
all kinds may be sown in the open ground for blooming in July. 
Lupines, Candytuft, Calendulas, Nasturtiums, Eschscholtzias, 
Lavatera, etc. are better sown where they are to flower, and 
thinned. Others may be sown in prepared beds, and transferred as 
occasion requires. 
Portulaca, Petunia, and Nicotiana are slow to germinate in open 
ground, hence allow plenty of time. The more hardy things may 
be sown early in the month; and the tender ones toward the end. 
Achillea cut to the ground when it has finished flowering, will give a 
second crop of bloom late in the season. 
Delphiniums to be kept staked up; remove all seed pods, and feed fre¬ 
quently with liquid manure. 
Iris need an abundance of water after flowering. 
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