How to Plant a Garden

8/3/2019 How to Plant a Garden

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How To Plant A Garden

Things To Do To Complete Your GardenConsider these points in selecting your plot:

1. Locate the garden away from buildings and trees.

2. Have the garden where it is convenient to your house and to water.

3. The garden should be well drained but not droughty.

4. Locate the garden on the best soil available -- a sandy loam soil is

best.5. Protect the plot, whether large or small, with a good fence.

Size And Shape

First, think small. Don't bite off more than you can chew, or hoe. It's like starting out anexercise program by running five miles the first day. You get tired, sore and you quit. Likewise,if you plant a huge garden the first year, you'll curse, cuss and turn your sore back ongardening for good. So, if you're new to gardening, start off with a small garden. You canalways expand later if you can't get enough of those fresh, crispy vegetables. Choose alocation that receives as much sun as possible throughout the day. Northern gardenersshould insist on full sun.

Drainage

Next, examine the soil. Is it predominantly clay, sand or a sandy loam? The latter is the best.You can distinguish a sandy loam from the other two by giving it the squeeze test. If you cantake a handful of dirt and squeeze it in a ball then watch it crumble when you let go, you'vegot a sandy loam soil type. If you're stuck with a predominantly sandy or clay soil you canamend the soil with compost.

Vegetables will not grow well on poorly drained soil, even though supplied with adequatefertilizer. If your soil has a lot of clay or is poorly drained, make the beds high so they will drainquickly and the soil will warm up in the spring. You can reduce the size of the beds just beforeplanting.

Note: Check the plot after a rain to note the low areas, which should be drained or filled in. The soil in alow area may show poor production. In some instances you may use an area too wet for the spring

garden or a fall garden.

The Garden Plan

Make a garden plan and make the plan work. A good plan is a "must" for the beginnergardener. Your plan will include what vegetables to plant, which varieties to select, and theirlocations in the garden.

Unfortunately, critters (and children) may take a shine to your new garden. Rabbits, geeseand deer can be a problem. For the small garden, a wire mesh surround works well. This will


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discourage most critters and some people. I've seen people take chicken wire and staple it tothe top of their landscaping timbers on a raised bed to keep out geese and the like. Vandalscan also attack gardens, especially in conspicuous areas of a city, such as in a communitygarden.

Garden Practices

Every gardener wants to grow as many quality vegetables as possible with the least expense.To do this you must use good garden practices.

1. Prepare plot or rows during fall and winter for early spring planting.

2. Use fresh seeds of recommended varieties.

3. Make double-row plantings of beets, carrots, radish, mustard, lettuce, turnips, onions,

English peas, and spinach in the spring garden.4. Use adequate fertilizer.

5. Side dress plants with a nitrate fertilizer when the plants are 3 to 4 inches tall.

6. Prune and/or stake plants that require it, such as tomatoes, pole beans, sweet pepper,

and eggplant.

7. Water, mulch, and harvest regularly to keep plants producing.8. Cultivate when grass and weeds are small.

9. Grow two or more crops of certain vegetables on the same row at the same time.

10. Control pests.

11.Make at least two plantings of most vegetables for continuous production.

Soil

The better the condition of your soil, the better garden you will have! The best way is to add

decomposed organic material that is worked into the soil to improve its balance, texture andwater-holding capacity. Use aged manure, rotted leaves, peat moss, compost (the best!) orwhatever kind of organic material is available. Building good soil is the most important task agardener can do, and luckily there are all kinds of materials that will work. Ask your gardeningneighbors or a good local garden center what is the best and most plentiful organic material tobe found in your area, then really stock up. Soil is broadly defined as three types: clay, sandand loam. Most soils have some of each of these although one type often predominates. Claysoils have small particles that hold moisture and nutrients. They warm up and cool downslowly. Lighten heavy, compacted and poorly drained clay soils by the addition of compost orother organic material. Sandy soils have larger particles. They change temperature, are lightin texture, and drain water and nutrients quickly. Adding compost to sandy soil helps it hold

moisture and conserve nutrients. Loam is a soil type containing a combination of both types ofparticles, as well as plentiful decayed organic matter. It holds nutrients and moisture, yetdrains well. Although this soil occurs naturally in some areas, you will want to mimic nature inyour soil preparation by adding extra organic material to the soil you have to make it as closeto loam as possible.

Adding organic material benefits all soil types - sandy soil will hold more water and clay soilwill get more "friable" or loose and less compacted. Organic material will break down overtime, so add it continually to your garden. Add it before you plant each new crop as well as atthe end of the season. For new beds, add 3 to 4 inches of well-rotted material and turn it into


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the top 4 to 6 inches of soil, chopping it up and working it in until the soil texture is as crumblyand even as possible. (To make your own compost, "a gardener's gold," order our compostmaking brochure or inquire about compost making workshops or information at a good localgarden center or your local Master Gardener program.)

Don't concern yourself too much with the degree of acidity and alkalinity, or pH of your soil.Most common garden plants grow best when the soil is just slightly acid. If your soil is too

alkaline or acidic, you can use various materials to neutralize or acidify it. Consult a localnursery to see if there are any problems in your area's soil and follow their advice. Packetbacks will note if there are particular plants that have specific needs. Adding compost to anysoil will also improve its chemical and mineral balance.

If your soil seems rock hard with clay or very compacted, an excellent alternative is to buildraised beds or big bottomless boxes bordered with wood, cinder blocks, railroad ties, or othermaterials. This way you can bring in some good soil to give you excellent results in a smallspace. Concentrate on adding a lot of decomposed organic material to your raised beds, evenpurchasing some bags of planting mix to fill them, so you can plant right away and have goodcrops the first season. Then you can work on improving a larger area for your garden overtime. If gophers or moles are a problem in your area, the raised beds can be underwired withgalvanized 1/2 inch chicken wire or hardware cloth. Just tack the sheets of wire to the bottomof the bed boards after excavating soil, then fill the frame back in.

Another alternative if your soil is poor, or if you have limited sunny space, is to plant incontainers. There are all kinds to choose from; plastic or clay pots or wooden planters inmany shapes and sizes. In general get the biggest ones that are practical for you so yourplants will have plenty of root room, and because larger pots dry out more slowly. For goodsized plants like tomatoes or peppers or large flowers, depth should be 12 to 18 inches.Smaller plants like herbs, lettuce, and more compact flower varieties can grow in smaller pots.The most important things to remember when gardening in containers is that the soil mix musthave a good loose texture that will hold moisture and won't pack down over time. You can buy

many good brands of premixed planting mix from your local garden center to fill yourcontainers. Don't use your garden or yard soil as it will get too compacted for good rootgrowth and the moisture won't wet it evenly. Remember that you will be supplying all the foodand water to plants in containers since their roots aren't in the ground where they can reachfor nutrients and water in a larger area. Good moisture retention is critical, as is gooddrainage, so plan to fertilize and water all container plants very regularly.

Making The Garden Bed

Once you've decided on the size and location of your new garden, early spring weather hasarrived, and the soil is ready to work, the first outdoor task is to prepare the garden soil. Mark

out the garden area and using a digging fork, garden spade, shovel, or a rototiller, (convenientand fast, but not critically necessary), loosen the soil to a depth of 12 to 18 inches. If you livein an area where your soil is very dry, water first to make it easier to work, but make sure youdon't ever dig when the soil is too muddy. Turn over the soil 7 to 10 inches deep and break upthe clumps, removing rocks, branches and weeds. Mark out paths so you can make "beds"where plants are to grow. As noted above, two to three foot wide beds make ample plantingareas and they are not too wide to reach across from both sides to weed, water or harvest.Once you have worked up your soil, walk only on your paths so you don't compact the soiland lose the nice fluffy quality you are working to create in the planting areas.


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Fertilizing

Most vegetables are heavy feeders and require a soil well supplied with plant food andorganic matter. Do not attempt gardening without using fertilizer. Do not use fresh manureduring the growing season because it may burn young plants. Do not use fresh leaves exceptas mulch. Compost also works well as a side dressing material.

Now add a layer of 3 or 4 inches of well-rotted organic material to the beds and turn it in untilit is as crumbly and even as possible. At the same time you can incorporate other fertilizers.Especially in new gardens, the organic material you've added won't supply enough nitrogensoon enough to feed your first plantings. Follow fertilizer package instructions and work in wellto the top 4 to 6 inches of soil of the bed so it will be available to the shallow feeder roots ofyoung seedlings. Finally, smooth the surface of the soil with a rake to make a fine-texturedseed bed. The goal is to have finer soil on the top and coarser down below, providing for goodwater percolation and drainage.

Although it may still be too chilly to plant your warm weather crops in early spring, go aheadand prepare the soil for them at the same time you are digging and fertilizing the other bedsand getting ready to plant your cool season varieties. This will give you a head start and will

also let some early weeds germinate which can be scraped off with the rake when you areready to plant. This will result in less weeds to come up later with your summer sowings.

The three nutrients used most by your plants are the so-called macronutrients, Nitrogen (N),Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K). Nitrogen stimulates green leaf growth and form'sproteins and chlorophyll. Phosphorus contributes to root, flower and fruit development, as wellas disease resistance. Potassium promotes stem and root growth and the synthesis ofproteins. Well-made compost will supply most of these needs. You can also add slow actingsoil feeders such as bone meal and cottonseed or blood meal, or use commercial granulatedfertilizers in preparing the soil for planting. Be sure to follow directions for amounts to add;more is not necessarily better.

It will pay to use a balanced commercial fertilizer in the rows 10 days to 14 days beforeplanting. This type of fertilizer (13-13-13 or 8-8-8) contains the three basic materialsnecessary for plant growth -- nitrogen, phosphorous, and potash.

Use a balanced fertilizer such as 13-13-13 at the rate of 3 to 5 pounds per 100 feet of row.Spread it over the row and mix it 4 to 5 inches deep. The exact amount to use for eachvegetable is determined by the kind of vegetable grown. Leafy vegetables usually requiremore fertilizer than pod vegetables.

Preparing The Rows

Preparation of the spring garden should start in the fall or winter before. The first step is toclean out the plot. Remove all grass, weeds, vines, and plant stubble. Spread the usual fallapplication of barnyard manure or compost over the plot and hoe under.

How will you arrange the plants in your garden? For many vegetables, we recommendplanting in wide rows or beds. Planting beds 3 feet wide are easy to reach into from eitherside. Make wide enough walking paths so you can move around the plants easily to water,weed and harvest. Some crops, like corn and potatoes are often planted in blocks. Plant cornin a block with at least 4 rows side by side rather than one long row because it is pollinated by


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the wind rather than by flying insects. When the tassel at the top of each plant is full of pollen,the wind must shake down showers of it to fall on the silks emerging from each tiny ear or youwon't get well-filled out, plump ears. Sprawling plants like melons and squash are sown inwell-enriched, slightly mounded planting circles called "hills" with about 4-6 feet of spacebetween each hill for the vines to grow into.

If you make the rows by midwinter, the winter weather will help in having a loose soil for early

spring planting. When planting time comes in the early spring, all that will be necessary beforeplanting is to "freshen up" the top of the rows for planting small seeds. If rows are too lowafter the winter rains, remake them and allow time to settle before planting.

Cultivation

The chief purpose of cultivation is to keep down weeds and grass. Cultivate shallow and asoften as needed. There is no set time to do this job, but the best time is while the grass andweeds are small.

Seeds

Select seed varieties that do well in your area and plant fresh seeds each year. Seeds morethan one year old, bought or home-saved, should be tested before planting. If you're unsureof the quality of your seeds, do a germination test before using them. Place 10 to 20 seedsfrom a packet between moist pieces of paper towels inside a plastic bag. Place the bag in awarm location (70 to 90 degrees F). If more than half the seeds germinate within a week ortwo then you can be assured that the seeds are good. Buy seeds from a reliable seed dealerand get enough for at least two plantings. Getting your seeds early will insure your getting thevarieties you want.

Now you have laid out the soil in your garden site with delineated walking paths and plantingbeds that have a fine, smooth surface. The soil is loosened down deep so the plant roots will

be able to extend easily in all directions to find nutrients, and water will percolate down well.The top surface of the soil is very fine and flat so tiny seeds won't fall down in between clodswhere they will be buried too deeply to germinate.

Now it is time to put the seeds in the ground, or "sow" them. You can sow seeds in rows in thebeds or broadcast them in a wide swath covering the whole bed. To sow seeds in rows, firstread the packet backs of the individual varieties to get an idea of how far apart rows shouldbe and how far apart seeds should be spaced in the rows. Make shallow furrows in the soilabout 1/2 inch deep and a few inches apart using a stick or the handle of a rake or hoe. Thenempty some seeds from the packet into the palm of your hand, and closing the palm gently,turn your hand over and let the seeds fall out slowly, using your thumb and forefinger to directthem into the furrow. This is a little quicker than picking up each seed and dropping it in one ata time. Never put all the seed in your hand at once in case of accidents or mistakes.

Move slowly along the path and try to sow the seed as thinly as possible. Don't worry if itseems like you're dropping too many, this is a learned skill and you'll get better with practice.Then pull in the soil from the sides of the furrow and crumble it in to cover the seeds.Generally you should cover relative to the thickness of the seed; tiny seeds should becovered very lightly, larger seeds more thickly. Packet backs tell you how deep to plant seedand also tell you which seeds should have the soil firmed over them because they needespecially good soil contact. (Beets and chard are two examples of irregularly shaped seeds


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that need firm soil contact for good germination.)

With great big seeds like peas, beans and corn, you use a different sowing method. It iseasier to place them on the soil first to space them, then poke them into the soil, filling in thepoke holes as you go by smoothing the soil in the bed with your hand to level it out. Somepacket backs recommend sowing seeds in the entire wide bed instead of in single rows. Thisworks very well for root vegetables such as beets and carrots, and salad crops and greens

because you can take advantage of planting space if you don't have to leave walking pathsbetween each row. Also as you harvest each plant, the leaves of the ones next to it will growand fill in the space, shading the soil from drying by the sun. Note: Be sure to mark each row orbed with the name of the plant sown there and the date.

Cover freshly sown seeds with fine soil or use prepared soil mix for a more water-retentivematerial. To cover seeds sown in a bed, sprinkle the soil lightly over them about 1/4 to 1 inchdeep according to the thickness of the seed. Consult packet backs for specifics. Water gentlyand carefully with a fine spray at this stage to avoid washing the little seeds from their soilbed. Seeds need even and constant moisture to germinate and the topmost layer of the soilbed may dry out if there are no rains and the weather warms up in the day. Check the surfaceof the bed carefully every day to see if it is evenly moist until the seeds are all germinated and

growing well; it really pays to give extra attention to this vulnerable germination period.

In dry hot climates you will probably need to water twice a day. It is best to sprinkle after thesun is up in the morning and not too late in the evening to keep water from over-chillingseedlings at night. Use a hose attachment with a fine spray or a gentle sprinkler to irrigateseed beds. Tiny seeds that are sown close to the surface, like carrots, are especiallysusceptible to germination problems if the top inches of soil are not kept evenly moist.

You'll always start by sowing many more seeds you actually plan to let mature. This isbecause not every seed germinates even in ideal conditions, and you want extra seedlings"for insurance" to cover inevitable and ordinary losses to inclement weather or pests likeinsects, deer, birds or rodents. Also, you'll be choosing only the best and healthiest plants to

grow to harvest; this important process of selection is called "thinning out" and is a veryimportant part of successful gardening. Many customers ask how to store leftover unusedseeds. Most varieties will keep easily for the next growing season provided they are kept cooland dry. Never leave seed packets outside in the garden or in an unheated garden shed orgarage, because high humidity and dampness will ruin them. A sealed mason jar or ziplockbag is an ideal storage container. Keep seeds in your coolest room, or better still, in arefrigerator and plan to use them the next season.

Times For Seed Germination In Warm Moist Soil

Plants Days

Beans 5 to 10

Beets 7 to 10

Cabbage 5 to 10

Carrots 12 to 18

Cauliflower 5 to 10

Corn 5 to 8


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Cucumber 6 to 10

Endive 5 to 10

Lettuce 6 to 8

Onion 7 to 10

Peas 6 to 10

Parsnips 10 to 20

Parsley 15 to 21

Pepper 9 to 14

Radish 3 to 6

Spinach 7 to 12

Salsify 7 to 12

Tomato 7 to 12

Turnip 4 to 8

Plants

Seed boxes are used for growing early plants while you wait for good weather for plantingoutdoors. You can start plants such as tomato, pepper, and eggplant from seeds planted insmall wooden boxes. Grow the plants for 7 to 8 weeks in the seed box and then set them inthe open. You want to set only the healthy, strong plants.

Mulches

Are the weeds growing just as fast, or even faster, than your vegetables in the garden?

Weeds can make the vegetable garden an unsightly place to visit and will reduce the qualityand quantity of your harvest.

Mulching is an option to routine cultivation and hand pulling of these volunteer plants.Mulching involves covering the soil around the vegetables so that light cannot reach the soilsurface. When done correctly, this eliminates all but the most persistent weeds.

Many different materials can be used around vegetables. Black plastic is most effectivearound large and widely spaced plants, such as squashes, tomatoes, eggplant and peppers.And these crops really benefit from the weed control and extra warmth the black plasticprovides. However, black plastic also provides an ideal environment for slugs. During wetgrowing seasons, these pests can present problems almost equal to that caused by weeds.

Organic alternatives to plastic mulch include herbicide-free grass clippings, weed-free strawor the white pages of the newspaper. Organic mulches help moderate soil temperature,reduce evaporation from the soil, and can be incorporated into the soil or placed in thecompost pile at the end of the season as a source of organic matter. Because of their soilimproving capability, organic mulches are recommended. Grass clippings and straw can beplaced around all established plants easily and quickly. Newspaper sections must beanchored to the soil with rocks or soil to hold it in place.

For best results, remove all weeds from the garden prior to mulching. Thoroughly irrigate the


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garden prior to putting the mulch in place or time its placement after a soaking rain. If yourchoice is black plastic, cut slits in the sheeting to allow for air and water movement into thesoil. Carefully anchor the plastic to the soil prior to planting the garden area. Grass clippingsand straw will need to be spread at least 2 inches thick to be effective. And, these mulcheswill need to be replenished during the season as they decay.

IrrigationThere is no set time to water the garden. Just be sure the leaves are dry when the sun goesdown. If you row water, drip irrigate, or flood the garden, it can be watered at any time. If yousprinkle, be sure to turn off the water at least 2 hours before sundown. Apply at least 1 inch ofwater per week when it doesn't rain.

Insects

Watch for insect infestation. If things are properly spaced in your garden, insects shouldn't bea big problem. If you do see evidence of chewing on plants, especially things like cabbage,don't wait to fight back. Identify the insect causing the damage and choose an insecticide or

insecticidal soap that will control that specific insect. Proper spacing, weeding and fertilizing isa good way to prevent disease and insect infestation without having to resort to harmfulinsecticides.

Crop Rotation

To reduce the likelihood of plant diseases becoming a problem in your vegetable garden, donot grow the same crop in the same area of your garden each year. Rotate the crops byfamily and not by individual vegetable. Plant related crops (crops in the same family) in thesame place only once every three or four years. For example, follow your tomatoes with peasor pole beans, followed by trellised cucumbers or squashes the second year, sunflowers the

third year, and then back to tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, potato, or tomatillo.

Harvesting Vegetables

One of the major benefits of growing your own vegetables is being able to harvest them whenthey're fully ripe and at their peak of freshness. In general, the best time to harvest is in themorning just after the foliage has dried. The plant has just had the night to recover from heatand water stresses common during summer days. Fruits and vegetables will be at their topquality then. Cooler temperatures in the morning also make the job less stressful for thegardener. Once harvested, don't let vegetables sit in the sun. Move them indoors as quicklyas possible.

Know Your Vegetables

Vegetables may be classified by their resistance to frosts and cold. By knowing this, you cantell what and when to plant for best production. The four general groups of vegetables arehardy, half hardy, tender, and very tender.

Vegetables in the hardy group can withstand hard frosts and can be planted 2 to 3 weeksbefore the last killing frost in the spring or as soon as the soil can be prepared. The half-hardy


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group contains vegetables that can withstand light frosts. The seeds will germinate at lowtemperatures. These vegetables are planted about the time of the last killing frost.

Seeds of cool season plants can sprout or "germinate" when the soil is still cool; you don'thave to wait until the nights warm up and they can handle some spring frosts. It is time toprepare the garden for planting cool season crops in your area when the soil is "ready towork". This means in early spring when the earth is no longer frozen in northern climates, and

in milder areas when heavy spring rains have subsided and soil is no longer muddy orsodden. Crops that are best started in the earliest spring weather are all the leafy greens andsalads such as lettuce, spinach, chard and oriental greens, and the brassica family whichincludes broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and kale.

Radishes, peas and turnips can be planted in cool weather too. A few weeks later, plant rootcrops like carrots and beets. All these vegetables not only germinate and grow best when thesoil is still cool, but they give the best tasting harvests if they can make their growth before theweather gets too hot.

There are also some vegetables that can be planted in both cool and warm seasons, such aschard and beets; you can sow them in spring for summer harvests, then again in late summer.

There are some warm season, heat loving plants like tomatoes, eggplants and peppers thatwill always need to be started from seeds in containers indoors instead of planting the seedsoutside in the garden. This is because they require a very long growing season.

Warm Season Crops

Tender Very Tender

Beans (snap) Beans (lima)

Corn (sweet) Cucumbers

New ZealandSpinach

Cantaloupe

Tomatoes Eggplant

Pepper

Pumpkin

Squash

Sweetpotato

Watermelon

Okra

Cool Season Crops

Hardy Half hardy

Asparagus Artichoke

Brussels sprouts Beets


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Broccoli Carrots

Cabbage Cauliflower

Chinese Cabbage Celery

Collards Endive

Garlic Lettuce

Kale Parsnip

Kohlrabi Potato, Irish

Mustard Salsify

Onion Swiss Chard

Parsley

Peas (English)

Radish

Rutabaga

Spinach

Turnips

Vegetables And How To Grow Them

Asparagus variety--Mary Washington. Plant crowns or roots in winter or early spring,setting roots 18 inches apart in 3 1/2- to 4-foot rows. Use plenty of well-composted organicmatter. Open trench in rows 6 inches deep and 12 inches wide. Spread roots carefully, thenfill in over each crown with 3 to 4 inches of loose, fertile soil. Cultivation must be shallow.

Do not cut asparagus for table use the first spring, though you may expect a light cutting thesecond year. Cut for 4 to 5 weeks, then let stalks grow. After frost each fall, cut tops, removethem from garden, and burn. Cover beds with 3 to 4 inches of barnyard manure in late fall.

Beans, bush snap. This vegetable will produce in 55 days. Make plantings every 10 days to2 weeks from March to May and one fall planting in August. Distance between rows should be24 to 36 inches. Plant seed in continuous row with seeds 2 inches apart in row. Cover seeds1 inch deep. Dust for bean beetles. Do not cultivate or pick beans when plants are wet.

Beans, pole snap. Make at least three plantings from April to August. Space rows 3 to 4 feetapart. Drop seeds three per hill in hills 18 inches apart or plant in continuous drill with seeds 6to 8 inches apart.

Provide poles or wire and string for vines before they begin to climb.Beans, bush lima. Make a planting every 4 to 5 weeks from April to August. Plant asrecommended for bush snap beans.

Beans, pole lima. Make at least two plantings from April to mid-July. Plant, thin, and supportas for pole snap bean.

Beets. Plant any time from February to April for spring crop, in late August or September forfall crop. Rows should be 24 to 36 inches apart. You can use double rows 10 inches apart,with each double row 36 inches apart, if space is limited. You can also do this with carrots,


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lettuce, onions, radishes, English peas, and other early crops.

In planting beets, open a shallow drill (trench), sow two or three seeds to each inch of row,and cover 1/2 inch deep. When plants are 3 inches tall, thin to a spacing of 4 inches. Plantsremoved can be reset if they are needed.

Cabbage. Buy healthy plants for spring planting. Set in rows 24 to 36 inches apart, spacingplants 12 inches apart in row. May be planted from January to April. Feed cabbage plenty ofnitrogen. Side dress with 1 pound ammonium nitrate to each 100 feet of row when plants arewell established.

Carrots. Plant spring crop from February through April; fall crop in August, September, andearly October. Sow seed, placing four to six seeds to the inch. A few radish seeds mixed withcarrots in seed row will mark row and help carrot seedlings through ground. Thin carrots tostand 2 inches apart.

Chard, Swiss. Plant like beets, but thin plants to 12-inch spacing when 3 inches tall.

Collards. Sow seed in spring or fall. Thin to 15-inch spacing. Fertilize with ammonium nitrateas for cabbage.

Corn, sweet. Do not save seed. Make at least four plantings, beginning in March. Plant 2 to 3weeks apart. Plant three seeds to a hill 12 inches apart and thin to one stalk per hill. Fertilizeheavily. Do not pull suckers.

Cucumbers. Plant seed in continuous drill with seeds 9 to 12 inches apart. Water if possiblein dry weather. Pick regularly.

Eggplant. Sow seed in seedbox or hotbed in January or February. Set in garden after dangerof frost is past, spacing plants 18 to 24 inches apart.

Lettuce, head. Plant in January or February in seedbox, if necessary. Transplant or thinplants to spacing of 12 inches. Lettuce needs rich soil.

Lettuce, leaf. Sow in January, February, March, or April. Thin to 4-inch spacing. Make fallplanting in August or September.

Mustard. Sow every 3 or 4 weeks in February, March, and April and again in August andSeptember. Thin plants to 1-inch spacing. Eat plants pulled in thinning.

Okra. Plant after danger of frost is past, sowing seed thick enough to assure a stand. Leaveplants 18 inches apart. One planting will bear until frost.

Onion. Buy plants or sets or get sets of multipliers from your neighbors. Plant in garden inearly spring, spacing onion plants or sets 3 inches apart. Thin those to store to 6 inches apart,eating green onions that are removed. Use rich soil for onions. Cultivate often and shallow.Pull to store when tops die down.

Peas, English. Plant several varieties from January to April. Sow seed 1 inch apart in doublerows 12 inches apart and place support of brush, wire, or string, between each double row.

Pepper, hot. Plant seed in January or February in seedbox or hotbed. Set plants 2 feet apartin row after danger of frost is past. Six to 12 plants are enough.

Peppers, sweet. Cultivate same as for hot pepper. May need to stake large plants. Stake liketomatoes.

Potato, Irish. Plant spring crop in January, February, and March, and fall crop in August. Cut


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seed pieces with two eyes, the size of an egg or larger, and plant 6 inches deep 12 inchesapart. Use potatoes from spring crop for fall crop, sprouting seed in July under moist sacks,straw, or soil. Plant 5 to 6 inches deep in August.

Radish. Plant 10 to 15 feet of row every 2 weeks in February, March, and April, also inSeptember and October. Sow seed 1/2 of an inch apart and 1/2 of an inch deep. Thin to 2inches.

Spinach. Plant any time in winter between October and March. Sow 1 inch deep and thinplants to 3 inches apart. Use ammonium nitrate as side dressing when plants are 2 inchestall.

Squash. Sow two to three seed in hills 36 inches apart. Thin to one plant after the danger offrost is past.

Tomato. Sow seed in seedbox or hotbed in February or March. Transplant to plant boxes orcold frame when 2 to 3 inches high. Set plants in open garden after danger of frost is past.Set plants in rows 3 to 4 feet apart with plants 18 to 36 inches apart in row. Prune early cropto one or two stems and tie to a 5-foot stake. Do not prune the fall crop as heavily. Sow seedin June for fall crop. Mulch tomatoes in June.

Turnip and tendergreen. Plant February to April and for fall garden in September. Sow seed1/2-inch deep in rows or broadcast over wide bed.

Watermelon. Plant seeds in April and May, six to eight seed in hill, 6 feet apart in rows 10 feetapart. Thin plants to two to hill.

Distance Between Plants In Row

Plants Inches

Asparagus 18

Beans bush, snap 3 to 6

Pole, snap 4 to12

Bush, lima 3 to 6

Pole, lima 4 to12

Beets 2

Chinese cabbage 12

Cabbage 18

Carrots 2 to 3

Collards 8 to 18

Corn 12

Cucumbers 12 to 18


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Lettuce, leaf 4 to 8

Lettuce, head 12

Mustard 2

Okra 12 to 18

Onions 3 to 4

Parsley 4 to 6

Peas, English 2

Peas, field 4 to 6

Pepper 24

Potato, Irish 12

Potato, sweet 12

Radish 2

Spinach 4

Squash 36

Tendergreens 2

Tomatoes 18 to 36

Watermelon 4 feet to 6 feet

Fall GardeningGarden plots that were too wet for the spring garden may be just right for a fall garden. Thefall garden should be located on soil that is loose, holds some moisture, and contains someorganic matter or plant food.

Fall Planting List

Beans, bush snap Mustard

Beans, bush lima Onion sets

Beans, pole snap Parsley

Beans, pole lima Potato, Irish

Broccoli Radish

Carrots Rutabaga

Chard, Swiss Spinach

Chinese cabbage Tendergreens

Kale Tomatoes

Lettuce, leaf Turnips


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Lettuce, head Rape

Tomatoes and beans will bear until frost as will okra, pepper, and eggplant (carry-overs fromthe summer garden). You can have fresh leafy vegetables from the garden until January.

Planting the Fall Garden

Moisture is most important in fall gardening. To get a quick stand of plants during a droughtyperiod, practice these points:

1. Cultivate the row thoroughly and open deep- seed drill, 4 to 5 inches deep.

2. Fill drill with water.

3. Sow seeds twice as thick as for spring planting.

4. Cover seeds with dry soil and do not water again until plants are up, unless you can

use some covering, such as straw, on top of the row to prevent baking of the soil.5. Use hoe or rake to press soil over seeds.

Useful Garden Tables

Fertilizer 2 Cupfuls Weigh Approximately

Superphosphate 1 pound

Muriate of potash 1 pound

Limestone 1 1/4 pounds

Mixed fertilizer (e.g.,13-13-13) 1 pound

Cottonseed meal 3/4 pound

Nitrate of soda 1 3/4 pounds

Ammonium nitrate 3/4 pound

Sulfate of ammonia 3/4 pound

One bushel of moist manure (loose) weighs about 30 pounds

One bushel of leaves or straw (packed) weighsabout

12-15 pounds

Example: If you want to weigh out 5 pounds of13-13-13 fertilizer, by

looking in the label you will find 1 pint (2 cupfuls) weighsapproximately 1 pound, so you would measure out 10 level cupfuls.For 5 pounds of nitrate of soda, you would measure out 8 cupfuls.

The Average Life In Years For Vegetable SeedsNote:Some seeds are known to survive much longer.


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Vegetable Years Vegetable Years Vegetable Years

Asparagus 3 Collards 3 Radish 4

Bush Lima beans 3 Eggplant 4 Spinach 3

Pole Lima beans 3 Lettuce 6 Squash (Summer) 4

Snap Beans 3 Mustard 3 Squash (Winter) 4

Beets 4 Okra 1 Sweet Corn 3

Broccoli 5 Parsley 1 Swiss Chard 4

Cabbage 4 Onions 1 Tomato 3

Carrots 3 Peas 3 Turnip 4

Cauliflower 4 Peppers 2 Watermelon 5

Cucumber 5 Pumpkin 4 New Zealand Spinach 3

Fresh Vegetables Needed To Can One Quart Amount

Beans, lima in pod 4 -5 lb

Beans, snap 1 1/2 lb

Beets, without tops 2 1/2-3 lb

Carrots, without tops 2 1/2-3 lb

Corn, sweet, in husks 6-16 ears

Okra 1 1/2 lb

Peas, green, in pod 2-2 1/2 lbSpinach or greens 2-3 lb

Squash, summer 2-2 1/2 lb

Example: It would take 1 1/2 to 2 pounds ofgreen snap beans to can one quart.

Documents

How to Plant a Garden