Chapter LVIII: Some Hints on Growing Vegetables

MARY FRANCES repeated to Eleanor some of the lessons which Billy had given her on growing vegetables.

She had a little book in which she had taken notes.

“Billy told me,” she said, “that when he was little, he used to wonder why things wouldn’t grow if they were just ‘stuck down’ in the ground. You see, he didn’t know that the making of the beds was the most important matter of all.”

“Why, I’ve heard people say that anything would grow if planted by certain people—that they ‘had luck,’” Eleanor stated.

“If you had watched those very people,” Mary Frances replied wisely, “you would probably have seen that they loosened up the soil before they ‘stuck’ the plant down.”

“I imagine that’s true,” agreed Eleanor.

“Well,” Mary Frances continued, opening her book, “as you know, in getting the outdoor beds ready, you—

(1) Dig deep to loosen the soil;
(2) Spread over it well-rotted manure;
(3) Dig and turn the soil over again;
(4) Rake the top soil fine and level.

It is a good plan to spread leaves and manure over the
ground in the Fall and dig them in in the Spring to
make the soil rich and crumbly, or friable.

Did you ever think how many different parts of plants
are used for food?

We eat the _roots_ of some vegetables; such as beets,
carrots, radishes, turnips.

Of others we use the _leaves_; such as lettuce, celery,
cabbage, spinach, parsley.

Of others, the seeds; as beans, peas, corn.

Of others, the fruit; as peppers, melons, tomatoes.

THE EARLIEST VEGETABLES TO PLANT

The following vegetable seeds are not very delicate,
and can stand a good deal of frost.

Plant as soon as the ground is warm, about the first of
April.

_Peas_ { The new early “Lactonia” peas are to be
{recommended, because it is not necessary to
Plant seeds 2 inches {use brush for them to climb upon. Buy one
apart, 2 inches deep, {pint. Sow peas every week for a month to have
1½ feet between {them ripen from time to time
rows. {(“successively”).

{ “All Heart” is very delicious. Remember that
{lettuce will be much more tender and crisp if
_Lettuce_ {grown very quickly in beds rich in manure.
{Over it, a shade frame should be used in
Plant seeds ½ inch {mid-summer and hot weather.
deep, broadcast, or 3 { In transplanting to rows from the hotbed,
inches apart, in rows 1 {put plants 6 inches apart.
foot apart. { Cos, or Romaine, or Celery Lettuce is very
{easily grown. The heavy ribs of the leaves
{are crisp and good. It grows quite well in
{hot weather.

_Onions_ {
{ Buy yellow onion sets—one pint. It takes two
Cover the onion with {years to raise onions from seeds. When ready
soil. Leave 2 inches {to pull, take every other one or so, leaving
between onions; 6 inches{the smallest to grow larger.
between rows. {

_Radishes_ { The best are the little red globe shape.
{Sow some in early Spring in hotbed. Sow every
½ inch deep, about 2 {week to have “successive,” crops. They will
inches apart. Rows 1 {be ready in about four weeks. Radishes like
foot apart, or {a sprinkling of lime in the soil.
broadcast.
{ Buy five-cent package of Crosby’s
_Beets_ {“Egyptian.” Seeds may be sowed thick, for
{not all germinate. Thin the rows by pulling
Seeds 1 inch deep, 2 {the weakest plants. The young leaves may be
inches apart, in rows 1 {cooked as “greens.” Never cut the tops off of
foot apart. {beets when cooking. Cut off only the leaves.
{Beets may be sowed again in June for a late
{crop.

THE SECOND EARLY VEGETABLES TO PLANT

(About ten days after the first)

{ Buy one package “Sutton’s Red Intermediate.”
_Carrots_ {Carrots do not like new rich soil.
{ Radishes may be sowed between the rows; for
Sow ½ inch deep, 3 {they will be pulled before the carrots need much
inches apart, in {room. Sow carrots rather thick, and thin out
rows 1½ feet apart. {weak plants.

{ Buy one package “Prizetaker Leeks.” Sow in
_Leeks_ {March or April, and when they are about half a
{foot high, transplant to deep, rich soil, 6 inches
Sow seeds 1 inch {apart, in rows 1 foot apart. Plant deep, to
deep, 2 inches {“blanch,” or whiten the tops.
apart, in rows 1 { Leeks may be sowed in September and transplanted
foot apart. {in the Spring.

{ Buy one package “Dwarf Perfection” or “Moss
{Curly.” Soak seed over night in water. Parsley
_Parsley_ {may be broadcast if space is limited. Add an
{equal quantity of sand to the seeds to help
Sow ½ inch deep, {sowing. Throw sand and seeds over the seed bed.
about 4 inches {Cover by using a toy rake. When 4 inches high,
apart, in rows 1 {it may be transplanted to rows. “Winters over”
foot apart. {in cold frame, and in some localities outdoors, if
{covered with leaves.

_Thyme_ and _Sweet { Buy one package each. Broadcast and rake
Basil_ {in the seeds. Sweet Basil grows tall. Thyme
{only about four inches high.
Broadcast.

{ Sow broadcast in March in flats (shadow boxes)
{in hotbed, or under glass. When 2 or 3 inches
{high, thin out. When ground is really warm, set
{out 15 inches apart in rows 2 feet apart. Children
_Peppers_ {will not need more than half a dozen plants of
{large sweet peppers. Buy “Chinese Giant.”
{ Little red peppers are particularly pretty in the
{garden, and are useful for flavoring soup—use
{only a half or a quarter of one, though. Buy
{“Small Chili” or “Red Cherry.”

{ Sow about a dozen seeds in late March or early
{April in strawberry box filled with rich soil, and
{place under glass. Some warm day in May, make
{a hill about eight inches high, and after tearing
_Cucumbers_ {off the bottom of the box, plant it in the hill.
{After a few days, thin out the weakest plants,
{leaving three or four standing. Two or three moth
{balls in the ground, when the leaves come
{through, will keep bugs away.

{ Sugar Corn takes up so much room in the
{garden that only a very few hills should be planted
{by a child. When the weather is very warm,
{make little hills 3 feet apart. Drop 6 corn kernels
_Corn_ {a little distance apart into the hole. Cover with
{about an inch of soil. Shallow cultivation helps.
{Buy one package “Stabler’s Early” for early
{corn; one package “Stowell’s Evergreen” for
{later crops.

{ _Lima Beans._ Buy “Bush Limas,” because it
{will not be necessary to set poles for them to
{climb upon. Wood ashes mixed with the soil
_Beans_ {helps them grow. They do not like damp, heavy
{soil. Do not plant before warm weather, because
2 inches deep, 6 {beans are tender. Plant in _warm_ weather,
inches apart, in {edgewise, with the “eye” down.
rows 18 inches { _String Beans._ Buy “Stringless Green Pod.”
apart {Plant every week after all danger of frost is past,
{2 inches deep, 6 inches apart, in rows 18 inches or
{2 feet apart.

{ It is best for the small gardener to buy the
{plants and set them out in rows when the weather
{is really warm. “Earliana” is the best early
{variety.
{ “Ponderosa” is the best later variety. If you
{sow seeds, start them under glass in March or
{even earlier. When plants are about 3 inches high,
_Tomatoes_ {transplant to strawberry boxes. Break bottom of
{box and transplant box into the open ground
Plants, 2 feet {when it is really warm. Tomatoes need supports
apart, in rows {to rest or climb upon. The simplest support is
3 feet apart {a stake driven down near them, to which the
{stems are tied as they grow. Stakes driven at
{intervals with heavy cords running from one to
{the other make another good support; but the
{best is a slat frame.
{ If grown from seeds, they will not be ready for
{about 18 weeks.

{ _White Potatoes._ It is best for children not to
{attempt to grow more than one plant of potatoes,
{but they may be interested to know that white
{potatoes are grown from the “eye,” cut in a large
{square-shaped piece of the potatoes. The potatoes
{form on the roots of the bush, and are dug
_Potatoes_ {and stored in the Fall.
{ _Sweet Potatoes_ grow on the roots of a very
{pretty vine which trails over the ground. To get
{the young plants, some sweet potatoes are grown in
{hotbeds, and the vines are transplanted in hot
{weather to open ground.

In transplanting, always press with your fingers the
soil firmly down around the roots.

FERTILIZERS

As you know, in order to make good and rapid growth,
plants need the right kind of food. Manure is the
best fertilizer. In manure almost every kind of plant
food is supplied, but there are chemical foods which
stimulate growth and are easily applied. If it is
impossible to obtain manure, use decayed vegetables and
leaves, and _Commercial Fertilizer_, which is made up
of the mineral or chemical food needed by plants. Do
not use too much, for it is very heating and may burn
the roots of young plants. Never let the roots come
into direct contact with the powder—always sprinkle
some earth over it after throwing a small quantity
(about two tablespoonfuls) in a hole.

_Bone meal_ or Ground Bone is another excellent food.
If sprinkled on the ground and dug in around the roots
of roses, it will give them a good food supply.

_Nitrate of Soda_ is a very stimulating food for
_vegetables_. Use 1 tablespoonful in 4 quarts of water
in the sprinkler. Do not use until the plants are
at least 3 inches high, and only once in two weeks.
Sprinkle ground near roots—do not sprinkle leaves.

_Cow Manure_ and _Sheep Manure_ may be purchased in
powdered form for use in a small garden, and in this
form are most easily managed by little folks.

Powdered Sheep Manure dug in around the roots of roses
once a month assures a wealth of bloom.

INSECTICIDES

All plants will be attacked by insects.

One of the best insecticides for children to use,
because it is not poisonous to human beings, is Slug
Shot, a patent preparation, which will kill worms and
many other biting insects. It is inexpensive and need
be dusted but lightly on foliage which is bitten.

Tobacco tea made by throwing boiling water over tobacco
stems, and letting it cool, is used for aphides (Plant
lice).

For other insecticides, see Chapter XXIX.

In the following blank pages, write down your own
experience in gardening; for example,

-----------------+---------------+---------------------------------
NAME. | DATES. | REMARKS.
-----------------+---------------+---------------------------------
_Sweet Peas._ |Plant in the | Plant in deep drills, in rich
(Improved Early | _Autumn_, or | earth. Give them a wire
Spencer.) | early Spring. | frame to climb upon. Never
Pink, lavender, | | water at night, as the dampness
white. | | causes them to mildew.
| | Pick blossoms daily.
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