
ASPARAGUS. Seed should be soaked 
24 hours before planting — and cov- 
ered 2’ deep in the garden. Thin 
young plants to 1” apart. Cultivate 
often. Set in permanent beds in 
spring. 
BUSH BEANS. Do not plant until 
danger of frost is past. Press soil 
firmly around seeds. Thin young 
plants to about 6” apart. Cultivate 
only before blooming and never when 
wet. Pick frequently. Make plantings 
every two weeks for supplies through- 
out the season. 
POLE BEANS. Plant about same time 
as Bush Beans. Poles 5’ to 8’ long 
should be driven into ground in rows 
about 4’ apart with spacing of 3’ in 
row. Run rows north and south. Plant 
5 to 8 beans around each pole, thin- 
ning to 4 plants later. Hoe frequently. 
Caution: To avoid spreading plant 
diseases, do not cultivate or pick 
when plants are wet. 
BEETS. Plant about same time as rad- 
ishes in deep, sandy loam. Have soil 
fine and loose and press down firmly 
around seed. When tops are 3” to 6” 
tall pull them and use for cooked 
greens, Continue this until roots stand 
6” apart. Plant every 10 days or so. 
BRUSSELS SPROUTS. Easy to grow 
wherever conditions are favorable for 
late cabbage, and requires same cul- 
ture. 
CABBAGE. Set out as soon as frost 
danger is past. Use plenty of good 
commercial fertilizer. Cultivate fre- 
quently, every 5 or 6 days until cab- 
bages are large. For winter storage, 
stand plants upright in cold cellar, 
with roots in sand. Slight freezing 
will not harm cabbage. 
CARROTS. Sow early and thinly—in 
light deep soil, preferably fertilized 
the previous season. Thin plants when 
about 2’ tall. Keep on cultivating 
frequently throughout season. 
CAULIFLOWER. Follow same methods 
as for cabbage except that heads 
must be protected from sunlight to 
assure the desirable white curd. 
Gather and tie the tops of leaves 
together loosely to shut off light. Do 
not cramp the heads. 
CHINESE CABBAGE. An easily raised 
_ Succession crop. Set out in rows 
which have been occupied by earlier 
vegetables. 
COLLARDS. Sow seed thickly in rich 
ground and transplant when about 4” 
high—or if plants are to remain where 
sown, spread the seed more thinly, 
and when young plants are well 
started, space them out to 2’ or 3’ 
apart in the row. 
CORN. Do not plant until all danger 
of frost is past. Be sure soil is well 
worked and dry—then drop 6 kernels 
of corn in a shallow hole made with 
the corner of the hoe. Cover each 
“hill” with about 1 of fine soil 
‘pressed down firmly. When 6” high, 
thin to three or four plants in each 
hill, Hoe often, but not deeply. 
CUCUMBER. The best soil is warm, 
sandy loam—preferably on a slight 
southward slope. Be sure all danger 
of frost is past, and that soil is fairly 
moist and loose. Plant 8 or 10 seeds 
to the hill. When 6” tall, thin to 3 in 
a hill. Take fruit as soon as it reaches 
picking stage. 
EGG PLANT. Requires continuous 
warm weather for best results. Seed 
should be started in a hot bed, as it 
is slow to germinate. Set plants in 
open ground when 2” tall and protect 
from hot sun when young. Be sure to 
keep young plants developing rap- 
idly. Cultivate freely, To produce 
large fruits, remove lateral branches 
so as to reduce number of fruits per 
plant. Spray to protect from potato 
bugs. 
ENDIVE. Sow at intervals for continu- 
ous supply. When well started, trans- 
plant or thin to 1’ apart. To blanch, 
tie outer leaves together over the cen- 
ter when plant is nearly grown. Just 
before killing frosts in fall, dig the 
plants, taking plenty of soil with 
roots—pack closely together and store 
in dark cellar for winter use. 
KALE or BORECOLE. Requires moist, 
well enriched soil. Pick leaves as 
wanted, or pull whole plant. Leaves 
are best after a frost. 
KOHLRABI. Sow early as possible in 
light, rich soil. When plants are in 
the third leaf, thin to 6” apart. Plant 
at intervals of 10 days for succession 
of bulbs until hot weather — after 
which they do not grow. Use while 
still young and tender, before skin 
hardens. 
LETTUCE. Sow as soon as ground can 
be worked—or for extra early crops 
start indoors and transplant when 
danger of heavy frost is over, Repeat 
sowing every 2 weeks to insure con- 
tinuous supply. For leaf lettuce, thin 
plants to 6” apart. For head lettuce, 
thin to 8” spacing, in rows 18” apart. 
Lettuce grows best and heads best in 
cool, moist weather. 
MUSKMELON. Requires long season 
to develop and is easily injured by 
frost, or even by cool weather. Before 
planting, spade in liberal forkful of 
well rotted manure in each hill. Thin 
plants to 4 per hill after third leaf 
develops, and train vines in different 
directions. Cultivate as long as pos- 
sible. On moist ground use shingles 
to hold melons off ground to prevent 
rotting. 
OKRA or GUMBO. Do not plant until 
ground is warm, as this is a tender, 
hot weather plant. Pick pods before 
they develop woody fibres. 
ONION SETS. Onion sets used instead 
of seeds will produce earlier crops of 
green onions or large bulbs. Plant 
sets right side up and cover with 
garden rake; then firm the soil well 
over the sets. 
ONION. Plant as soon as soil can be 
prepared. For best yield, plant on 
very fertile land —fall plowed, and 
thoroughly fertilized. When plants are 
a few inches tall, thin to prevent 
crowding—using the plants removed 
as green onions. Those left to become 
fully ripe can be stored for winter. 
Cultivate and handweed crop every 
2 weeks during summer. 
PARSLEY. Does best in rich, mellow 
loam. Seed is slow to germinate, and 
is helped by soaking in warm water 
over night before planting. Sow early 
and not too deeply. When curled 
varieties are about 3” tall, cut off all 
leaves. The new growth will be 
brighter and better curled. 
PARSNIP, Plant in rich, sandy loam, 
thoroughly pulverized. Seed requires 
plenty of moisture for germination 
and should be sown early. Dig after 
a killing frost. Freezing improves 
Parsnips, so some can be left in the 
ground all winter and used in spring. 
For storage, bury in dry sand. 
PEAS. For early crop, plant in light, 
rich soil. For general crop, a rich 
loam or clay soil is best. Plant at 
2-weeks intervals for continuous sup- 
ply. Soak seeds in water the night 
before planting. Peas need moderate 
temperature, plenty of moisture. Light 
frosts do not injure them so they may 
be planted early in spring. Varieties 
more than 1/4’ tall should be staked 
when 4” to 6” tall. 
For increased yield, INOCULATE! 
Garden peas, like all legume crops, 
almost always benefit by inoculation. 
Quantity and quality of the crop are 
increased when the beneficial nitro- 
gen-fixing bacteria are present in suf- 
ficient numbers. 
PEPPERS. Warm, mellow soil in shel- 
tered location is best. Start under 
glass. Cultivate regularly, drawing 
soil up around stems, When plants 
are 7" to 8” tall, hoe in light dressing 
of commercial fertilizer. Do not plant 
hot peppers near sweet; they are apt 
to cross. 
PUMPKIN. Cultivate. practically the 
same as melons or cucumbers. 
RADISH. Soil should be light, quick 
and rich to ensure rapid growth. Slow 
growth makes the flavor too strong. 
Sow as early as ground can be 
worked, as Radishes are very hardy. 
Make successive sowings up to hot 
weather. When in the third leaf, thin 
to 3" apart. Pull promptly when ma- 
ture. The secret of crisp, delicious 
radishes is quick growth and prompt 
picking. 
RHUBARB. Sow in cold frame in 
spring and transplant into rows as 
soon as plants are large enough. In 
fall or the following spring transplant 
to permanent location in rows 3’ to 5’ 
apart each way. Stalks should not be 
taken for use the first year. 
SPINACH. Plant very early in spring 
—or start seed in fall (giving it pro- 
tection by 3” of straw over the win- 
ter) and enjoy an early spring crop. 
Cut all spinach before hot weather as 
it doesn’t do well in extreme heat. 
Sow again in August or September 
for fall crop. Spinach should be gath- 
ered before the flower spike appears. 
Vegetable Cultural Directions 
SQUASH. Plant about same time as 
corn—and in hills. Does best in rich, 
sandy loam, and is helped by fertiliz- 
ing the hills. When in the third leaf, 
thin to 4 plants per hill. Cover every - 
fourth joint with earth to encourage 
extra root formation. Bush varieties 
may be planted in hills 3’ to 4’ apart. 
SWISS CHARD. Requires about same 
treatment as beets. Cultivate fre- 
quently. Leaves may be gathered 
during summer and fall. New ones 
will grow quickly. 
TOMATOES. Do best in sandy, well 
pulverized loam, Sow seed in hotbed 
or indoors. When plants are about 2” 
high, set out, 3” apart, in boxes or 
pots—later transplant into the garden. 
Or keep in flats until all danger of 
frost is past, and then set plants out 
directly into the garden. Water around 
the roots of the plants when setting 
them out, if ground is dry. Cultivate 
frequently until plants shade the 
ground. Remove all but the two or 
three strongest branches. Study meth- 
ods of staking and training vines and 
adopt the one best suited to your 
situation. 
TURNIPS. For summer greens or roots, 
sow as early as radishes and lettuce. 
Thin out when plants are 1” high. 
Sow again in summer for fall and 
winter use. Turnips do best when 
most of their growth is made in 
autumn or early spring. Should be 
grown rapidly for best flavor and 
texture. 
WATERMELON. Requires about same 
culture as Muskmelon, except the 
vines need more room, Fertilize each 
hill liberally and cultivate thoroughly. 

Conserve 
transportation 
Your home vegetable garden 
helps to conserve vital war 
transportation. Vegetables 
that must be hauled hundreds 
of miles use freight cars and 
trucks that are badly needed 
for defense transportation. In 
our all-out war effort, your 
home garden is a valuable 
aid to the nation's production 
and distribution. 
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