
whe CPN Pt emcee) Where? Why? 
SWEET CORN 
For the home gardener, the simplest way 
to plant sweet corn is in rows or drills, 
not in hills. Space the rows 36” apart, 
and plant a seed about every 3’, Thin 
stalks to stand 9’’ to 12’ apart in row. The 
drill should be 3” to 4’ deep, but don’t 
cover seed with more than 1” of soil. 
The drill or furrow can be filled in as 
the plants grow to anchor them against 
the wind. 
Removing suckers has been _ standard 
practice. with practically all growers. 
Now, experiments prove that removing 
suckers merely takes away extra food- 
producing leaves and so hurts rather 
than helps growth. Also, suckering oft- 
en disturbs roots enough to injure plant. 
Always plant corn in several short rows 
side by side rather than one long row. 
Corn is pollinated by wind and rows 
side-by-side mean that all the stalks can 
be reached by the pollen. Many home 
gardeners, on reading newspaper ac- 
counts of corn de-tasseling, assume that 
this is necessary to set ears. On the con- 
trary, removing tassels may cut the crop 
seriously. Detasseling is only done 
where hybrid corn is raised for seed pur- 
poses. The more pollen that flies, the 
better the set of kernels. So don’t de- 
tassel sweet corn in the home garden. 
If weeds are under control, stop cultiva- 
ting. If weeds are bad late in the season, 
work the soil as shallow as possible to 
avoid injuring surface feeder roots. 
CUCUMBERS 
Sandy soils with plenty of compost are 
best. Roots have difficulty on heavy soils. 
Plant 8 to 10 seeds in a “‘hill’, When 
vine is 6” long, thin to three strongest 
plants. Keep fruits picked to promote con- 
tinuous fruiting. If compost isn't available, 
feed with commercial fertilizers, Use plenty 
of moisture: cucumbers are 90 per cent 
water. 
EGGPLANT 
Start seed indoors 8 weeks before plants 
are needed. Set out after weather is warm 
and settled. Feed and water liberally as 
Eggplant needs to be kept growing rapid- 
ly to produce well. D.D.T. will control 
pests that until now made this a tricky 
crop to grow. 
ENDIVE 
Strictly a cool-weather crop: gets bitter at 
temperatures much above 80 degrees. 
Plant very early and again in mid-July. 
Use last planting as late fall salad crop, 
and store surplus in cold frame or cellar 
by digging each plant with ball of soil. 
Space 12” apart in rows 18” apart. Feed 
liberally for bigger, crisper heads, 
KALE 
Grow like Brussels Sprouts. 
KOHLRABI 
Wants rich soil. Plant early in spring 
6" apart in row. Must be used when 
young: woody when old. Make second 
planting three weeks later, and again aft- 
er mid-July. 
MUSKMELON 
Plant 8 to 10 seeds to a hill after weather 
is warm. If grown in cool weather or 
White Bush Scallop \ 
where nights are cold, will not bear 
well and melons will have poor flavor. 
Melons love plenty of compost or well- 
rotted manure. When vines begin to run, 
thin three plants to a hill. In damp soil 
mulch with clean straw or raise each fruit 
on a shingle to keep from rotting. 
OKRA 
Plant on rich soil when weather is hot 
and settled, spaced 36’’ x 15’’, Pods mature 
rapidly and must be picked or they will 
be inedible, 
ONIONS 
Sets produce sooner than seeds. Set 1” 
apart and pull every other set for use as 
green onions. Again pull every other on- 
ion, leaving balance of sets to mature as 
dry onions. 
From seed, onions have better flavor. 
Green onions can be grown in about 60 
days from seed. Use thinnings for green 
onions, leaving 4’’ apart for globe types 
and 6” for the big Spanish types to mature 
for dry onions. Latter can also be started 
indoors for largest bulbs and can be set 
out 6” apart after frost danger has passed. 
All onions need liberal feeding and water- 
oe PARSLEY 
Seed germinates slowly; soak over night. 
Sow early as seed germinates poorly in 
hot weather. Space plants 6’ apart. 
Plain parsley has best true parsley flav- 
or: curly sorts better for garnishing. If 
leaves are cut off when plant is 3” tall, 
curly sorts will have better curl. 
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“BUSH B 
Tendergreen 


