Home Vegetable Gardening, F. F. Rockwell [popular novels .txt] 📗

out-of-doors. For practical work it serves to divide the garden

vegetables into two groups, though in planting, the special suggestions

in the following chapter should be consulted.

 

WHEN TO SOW OUTDOORS

 

Sow from the end of March to the beginning of May, or when plum and

peach trees bloom, the following:

 

Beet Cabbage Carrot Cauliflower

Celery Endive Kale Kohlrabi

Lettuce Onions Parsley Parsnip

Peas Radish Spinach Turnip

Water-cress

 

Sow from the beginning of May to the middle of June, or when apple

trees bloom, the following:

 

Beans Corn Cucumber Melon, musk

Melon, water Okra Pumpkin Squash

Tomato

 

Getting the seed to sprout, however, is only the first step in the

game; they must be provided with the means of immediately beginning to

grow. This means that they should not be left to germinate in loosely

packed soil, full of air spaces, ready to dry out at the first

opportunity, and to let the tiny seed roots be shriveled up and die.

The soil should touch the seed—be pressed close about it on all sides,

so that the first tiny tap root will issue immediately into congenial

surroundings where it can instantly take hold. Such conditions can be

found only in a seed-bed fine but light enough to pack, reasonably rich

and sufficiently moist, and where, in addition to this, the seed has

been properly planted.

 

METHODS OF PLANTING

 

The seed-bed, as it is called, is the surface prepared to receive the

seed, whether for a patch of radishes or an acre of onions. For crops

to be sown directly where they are to go, the chapter on Preparation of

the Soil takes us to this point, and as stated at the conclusion of

that chapter, the final preparation of the bed should be made only

immediately prior to its use.

 

Having, then, good seeds on hand and the soil properly prepared to

receive them, the only problem remaining is what way they shall be put

in. The different habits of growth characteristic of different plants

make it patent at the outset that there must be different methods of

planting, for very evidently a cabbage, which occupies but three or

four square feet of space and stays in one place to make a head, will

not require the same treatment as a winter squash, roaming all over the

garden and then escaping under the fence to hide some of its best fruit

in the tall grass outside.

 

The three systems of planting usually employed are known as “drills,”

“rows” and “hills.” I do not remember ever seeing a definition giving

the exact distinctions between them; and in horticultural writing they

seem to be used, to some extent at least, interchangeably. As a rule

“drills” refer to the growing of plants continuously in rows, such as

onions, carrots or spinach. “Rows” refer to the growing of plants at

fixed distances apart in the rows such as cabbage, or potatoes—the

cultivation, except hand weeding and hoeing, being all done in one

direction, as with drills. “Hills” refer to the growing of plants

usually at equal distances, four feet or more apart each way, with

cultivating done in both directions, as with melons and squashes. I

describe the different methods at length so that the reader may know

more definitely just what is meant by the special instructions given in

the following text.

 

SOWING THE SEED

 

If one observes the suggestions as to temperature just given, and the

following precautions in placing the seed within the soil, failure of

good seed to germinate is practically impossible. In the first place,

plant on a freshly prepared surface, always just before a rain

if possible, except in the case of very small seeds, when just after a

rain will be better. If the soil is at all dry, or likely to be

followed by a spell of hot, dry weather, always firm by using the back

of the hoe for small seed, or the ball of the foot for larger ones,

such as peas, beans or corn, to press the seed firmly and evenly into

the soil before covering. Then when the soil is covered in over the

seed, firm along the top of the row very lightly, just enough to mark

it and hold the soil in place.

 

The depth of the drill furrow in which the seed is to be sown will

depend (1) on the variety of vegetable, (2) on the season of planting,

and (3) on weather conditions. Remember that the seed must be supplied

with moisture both to germinate and to continue to exist after

germination; and also that it must have soil through which the air can

to some extent penetrate. Keeping these things in mind, common sense

dictates that seed planted in the spring, or during a wet spell of

weather, will not need to be put in as deeply as should the same seed

in summer or early autumn, or during a hot, dry spell.

 

The old general rule is, to cover seed planted under glass, where the

moisture can be controlled, to a depth of two or three times its

diameter; and out-of-doors, to four or five times. I should say these

depths were the minimums desirable. In other words, the smallest seed,

such as onion, carrot, lettuce, will go in one-quarter to one-half inch

deep. Beets, spinach, parsnips and other medium-sized seed one-half to

one inch deep, and peas, beans, corn, etc., two to four inches deep—

usually near the first figure.

 

After the seed is sown it is of course desirable to keep the ground

from baking or crusting on top, as it is likely to do after a morning

rain followed directly by hot sun. If the seed sprouts have not yet

reached the surface of the soil, rake very lightly across the rows with

an iron rake; if they have broken through, work as close as possible to

the row. The best implement I have ever seen for this purpose is the

disc attachment of the double wheel hoe—see Implements. An ordinarily

good garden loam, into which the desirable quantity of short manure has

been worked, will give little trouble by raking. In a clay soil, it

often will pay, on a small scale, to sift leaf mould, sphagnum moss, or

some other light porous covering, over the rows, especially for small

seed. The special seed-bed, for starting late cabbage or celery, may

easily be sheltered. In very hot, dry weather this method will be a

great help.

 

SETTING OUT PLANTS

 

The reader has not forgotten, of course, that plants as well as seeds

must go into the well managed garden. We have already mentioned the

hardening-off process to which they must be subjected before going into

the open ground. The flats should also be given a copious watering

several hours, or the day before, setting out. All being ready, with

your rows made straight and marked off at the correct distances, lift

out the plants with a trowel or transplanting fork, and tear or cut

them apart with a knife, keeping as much soil as possible with each

ball of roots. Distribute them at their positions, but not so many at a

time that any will dry out before you get them in place. Get down on

your hands and knees, and, straddling the row, proceed to “set.” With

the left hand, or a trowel or dibber if the ground is not soft, make a

hole large enough to take the roots and the better part of the stem,

place the plant in position and firm into place by bearing down with

the backs of the knuckles, on either side. Proceed so to the end of the

row, being careful to keep your toes from undoing your good work behind

you, and then finish the job by walking back over the row, still

further firming in each plant by pressing down the soil at either side

of the stem simultaneously with the balls of the feet. When all the

rows are completed, go over the surface with the iron rake, and you

will have a job thoroughly done and neatly finished.

 

If the weather and soil are exceptionally dry it may be necessary to

take the additional precautions, when planting, of putting a pint or so

of water in each hole (never on the surface) previous to planting; or

of puddling the roots in a thick mixture of rich soil and water. The

large leaves also should be trimmed back one-half. In the case of

plants that are too tall or succulent, this should be done in any case

—better a day or two previous to setting out.

 

AFTER-CARE

 

Transplanting should be done whenever possible in dull weather or

before rain—or even during it if you really would deserve the name of

gardener! If it must be done when the sun continues strong, shade the

plants from, say, ten to three o’clock, for a day or two, with half

sheets of old newspapers held in tent-shaped position over the plants

by stones or earth. If it is necessary to give water, do it toward

evening. If the plants have been properly set, however, only extreme

circumstances will render this necessary.

 

Keep a sharp lookout for cutworms, maggots or other enemies described

in Chapter XIII.

 

And above all, CULTIVATE.

 

Never let the soil become crusted, even if there is not a weed in

sight. Keep the soil loosened up, for that will keep things growing.