TIMELY REMINDER FOR MUGUST 
“ The good garden food continues and next year’s plans begin to form” 
Copyright, 1923, Doubleday, Page Sr Co. 
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- 0 
dressed envelope being enclosed. 
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. 
LREADY the thoughts of the tireless gardener are turning 
toward fall in eager anticipation of the opportunity it gives for 
many sorts of planting—trees, shrubs, perennials can all be 
set out very soon, thus gaining time to root themselves firmly 
before frost with its fatal propensity for “heaving”. Bulbs, too, 
must needs be autumn planted—the Snowdrops, Scillas, Crocus, 
Daffodils, Tulips, and their kin which give to spring its final poignant 
glory. Gardening may have its slack moments but never periods of 
boredom and this planning from season to season is the most joyful of 
will-o-the-wisp’s to follow. 
Bulbs and Flower Seeds for Next Year 
Bulb orders to be placed and preparations made for planting. Early 
ordering ensures getting just what is needed. Bulbs need good 
soil in well dug beds. Poor condition gives poor results. For 
showy beds for display purposes, use Hyacinths, Tulips, and 
Narcissus; for naturalizing, Narcissus, Crocus, Lily-of-the-valley, 
Trilliums. For cut flowers, Darwin Tulips, various Narcissus, 
and all the hardy Lilies; and don’t forget the Regal Lily—it’s 
hardy, grows on average soils, dislikes heavy feeding, and flowers 
freely in June. 
Seeds of perennials may still be sown; and if saving your own, sow as 
soon as available, the earlier the better. Best to sow in coldframe 
where protection may be given during germination. 
Sow Pansies, English Daisies, Forget-me-nots, Canterbury-bells, etc. 
Time to move evergreens; also certain herbaceous plants, such as Iris, 
Oriental Poppy, Madonna Lilies—even Peonies. 
Keep flowerbeds neat and tidy by gathering seed-pods as they form. 
Window boxes, hanging baskets, vases, etc., will be benefited by top¬ 
dressing with good loam and commercial fertilizer. 
Red spider on the evergreens makes them look “rusty.” Standard 
spraying preparations (solution or dust) are effective, and don’t 
overlook the effectiveness of water applied under pressure through 
the hose. 
In the Vegetable Garden 
Hoe all crops and keep down weeds. Herbs in flower to be cut and 
dried in shady place for winter use. 
Onions to be harvested when tops turn yellow and fall down. Best 
dried by placing them in a dry shed in thin layers or on boards in 
a coldframe with the sash elevated above them to keep off rain. 
Rutabagas sown last month to be thinned. 
Sow up to end of month the various soft varieties of Turnip, such as 
Strap Leaf, White Globe, etc. 
Last sowing of String Beans to be made by middle of month, using an 
early maturing variety. Several short rows planted close together 
may be protected from frost readily. 
Lettuce sown now will afford a salad until late in the fall if protected 
from early frosts. 
Spinach to be sown in succession for this year, also for wintering over 
outdoors; and Shallots. 
Celery still to be planted and early varieties to be blanched; also plant 
Cardoons. Beets and Carrots to be sown for winter use. Tom¬ 
atoes to be kept well tied and disbudded. Dig Potatoes as ready. 
Artichokes to be sown for next year’s supply if there is a coldframe in 
which to winter them. They do best in pots and should be in the 
six-inch size by the time it is necessary to give frames protection. 
Late Cabbage to be well watered to prevent club-root. Spray with 
arsenate of lead (absolutely no danger, if done early before the 
head forms) to check cabbage worm. 
Chinese Petsai (Chinese Cabbage, or Chinese Lettuce) to be sown for 
fall use as salad or as greens. It is as easily grown as Lettuce and 
matures in from 80 to 90 days. 
Melons leaving the stem when thoroughly matured are over ripe at the 
flower end. Pick fruit at first sign of separation from the stem; 
place in high temperature for several hours (greenhouse or frame) 
turning once or twice. The flesh will ripen evenly to the outer 
rind giving practically no waste. Put the ripened fruit on cellar' 
floor to cool, then chill with ice. 
Ground not required for late crops, to be spaded and sown with some 
cover crops; say Vetch or Rye, or a mixture of both. It adds 
fertility to the soil, prevents erosion during the winter, and greatly 
increases the moisture holding capacity. 
In the Fruit Garden 
Strawberries, bigger and better than ever before, by getting the new 
bed planted early! Pot-grown plants give best results, though 
they do cost a little more. Runners from the old bed may be 
taken up and planted with satisfactory results, and better still if 
they were pegged down into pots last month. Give good soil; 
use plenty of manure and fertilizer. There will be no visible 
immediate returns; but, next June —ah! A mixture of dried 
blood, or guano and fine bonemeal, with two to four parts humus 
may be worked into the hills. Keep the ground hoed and run¬ 
ners pinched off. 
Summer pruning of fruit trees to be continued during the early part of 
the month—thin fruit as circumstances warrant. Better less 
quantity and greater quality of Peaches, Plums, Apples, Pears, or 
Grapes. Get up your nerve, sharpen your knife, and thin half the 
set! It’s hard to do it, but it actually pays. 
Cut away old Raspberry and Blackberry canes that have fruited and 
thin out the new shoots to three or four to each hill or plant. 
Tied to stakes and topped when four or five feet high, they will 
make strong canes for fruiting next year. 
Gooseberries and Currants to be layered; or take cuttings six to eight 
inches long, planting up to the terminal bud. 
Continue to spray for brown rot on Plums and Peaches. 
The Roses 
Climbing Roses and Vines to be looked over and tied to trellis or 
trained into position; and do not allow them to suffer for want of 
water; bonemeal worked around them will show results next year. 
Rose beds to be cultivated and watered to prepare for the fall bloom. 
If orange rust proves troublesome, pick off affected leaves and 
burn them. Spray with a copper preparation and give general 
good care. If the disease reappears year after year, remake 
the beds with fresh plants, which may be done in November. 
Cuttings taken from firm growths and put into gritty soil in frames will 
root well. Growths that have just borne flowers are best. Cut 
into lengths six inches long, retaining the leaves on the upper half; 
insert in frames two inches apart both ways. 
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