Plan No. 272. “Not What I Have, but What I Do is My Kingdom”
An architect living in a western city has a wife who possesses excellent taste and marked talent in the matter of planning surroundings for homes, and her own little cottage is an example of what a woman with excellent taste can do.
Her husband had designed many houses in a good residence district, but as the owners lacked the taste necessary to add attractive surroundings, they did not present a pleasing appearance.
In order to assist her husband she volunteered to furnish plans for laying out and decorating the grounds free of charge, and in every case made a great improvement in the appearance of the place. So favorable was the impression created by her work that she was paid for her plans and her services which greatly assisted her husband’s business.
A couple of years later her husband was given a contract for designing all the houses to be built by a land company on a large tract, and she was given a contract for all the landscape gardening.
Just because she knew that almost every man on earth likes huckleberry pie, a woman started out on a capital of one dollar to help her husband to rise from a job in a cotton mill to a business of his own.
The husband went for a two-weeks, much needed, vacation and rest in the mountains, and on that very morning a colored boy came to the door with two pails, one filled with huckleberries, the other with blackberries, both of which he offered to sell for 25 cents.
She wanted the berries, but she couldn’t break that dollar, the last bit of money she had on earth, and the boy turned tearfully away. Just as he reached the gate, an idea struck her, and she called him back, paid him the quarter and took the berries. It was then ten minutes to 8 A. M.
At 11.30 she had sixteen delicious huckleberry and blackberry pies out of the oven and in a basket. Then she hurried over to the factory where her husband worked, and asked and received permission to stand at the exit of the cotton mill and offer her pies to the workmen as they came out at 12.
When they came out and saw those pies, and were told they could buy them at a low price, inside of ten minutes every pie was gone, and she went home with a good profit as the result of her first day’s pie-making. The next day she had pies for all the workmen, and her business grew so fast that at the end of the fourth day she wired her husband to come home and help her.
Today they own a big pie house that is making several thousand dollars a year, and it all came from the start the wife made on one dollar.
Establish a school in which, for a small weekly sum, you can teach little girls the art of cooking. Vacation is the best time to start this, when teachers and pupils are both at leisure. A large class should be easily formed for this purpose.
Those who cannot combine the teaching of cooking and sewing in the same school, will find a separate school a profitable occupation, or both together could be turned into a domestic housework school.
Anyone who has a house with a window fronting on the street, or near it, can start a little store in which most of the goods are home-made, and so show a large profit and make a good deal of money. It all depends on the enterprise of the storekeeper.
For one who lives in the country there is a profitable business in collecting names and addresses of residents in each rural community and selling them to the publishers of farm journals. They will pay well for these names. In the city it is an easy matter to find a market for the names.
Operating a folding, addressing and mailing bureau is a pleasant and profitable home business that will grow and make money for the person who owns it.
Print on a good, strong piece of cardboard a list of articles needed in the home from day to day, with the heading, “Lest We Forget,”—the housewife is to stick a pin in each article wanted on the list, which begins with apples and ends with yeastcake.
All around the sides of this list have spaces for ads. which the merchants will gladly pay for, as the list is consulted several times every day, and the names of advertisers become familiar to the entire household.
Distribute free of charge the cards to the housewives. Such a medium is valuable to the advertiser and will yield a good advertising solicitor a good living.
For this following plan we are indebted to the United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.
Fresh vegetables for an average family may be grown upon a large back yard or city lot.
The use of fresh vegetables conserves meats, grains, and other foods produced on farms.
The production of vegetables at home relieves transportation difficulties and solves the marketing problem.
The city home garden utilizes idle land and spare time for food production.
Thousands of acres of idle land that may be used for gardens are still available within the boundaries of our large cities.
Some of the problems that confront the city gardener are more difficult than those connected with the farm garden, and it is the object of this article to discuss these problems from a practical standpoint.
City Farming.
The problems that confront the city gardener are vastly greater than those of the farmer, who is free to select the choicest plat of ground upon the farm for his vegetable garden. The city-lot or back-yard garden as a rule offers little choice of soil or location. The available land is often shaded a part of the day, and the soil frequently consists of hard clay or is covered to a depth of several inches with cinders, broken stone, or other materials unfit for growing plants. The city gardener is usually handicapped by lack of practical experience and for want of suitable tools with which to do the work. Hand methods must be employed for the most part, and numerous local difficulties must be overcome. It is possible, however, to grow certain kinds of vegetables under very adverse conditions, and the results obtained by many city gardeners are truly remarkable.
The many thousands of city gardens have played an important part in providing a substantial increase in the food supply of the country. It is essential that the work so well started should continue and that the many thousands of acres of unoccupied land in and around our cities be utilized for food production. The experimental stage of city gardening has been passed, and, in the language of one of the State workers, “the city garden movement will not have achieved its full purpose until all suitable lands are utilized and every family table is fully supplied.”
Fig. 1.—Small back-yard gardens in a residence section of Washington, D. C.
The city back-yard or vacant-lot garden provides a supply of vegetables at home without transportation or handling costs. Vegetables from the home garden are fresher and more palatable than those brought from a distance. Many persons who work in offices, stores, and factories have time mornings and evenings that may well be devoted to the cultivation of a garden, thus utilizing spare time and idle land for food production. The home vegetable garden should be a family interest and all members of the family who are able to do so should take part in its cultivation. There is no better form of outdoor exercise than moderate working in the home garden, and few lines of recreational work will give greater returns for the time employed. (Fig. 1.)
There are three general types of city vegetable gardens: Back-yard gardens, vacant-lot gardens, and community gardens. In locating the home garden the back yard or the ground surrounding the dwelling should be given first consideration, because of the convenience both in working the garden and in gathering the products as wanted for use. If the grounds around the dwelling are too small or too densely shaded or if the soil is of such a character that vegetables can not be grown successfully upon it, the use of a vacant lot in the neighborhood is recommended. (Fig. 2.) Community gardens located in the outskirts of the city, where a tract of land can be secured, are adapted for the use of families living in apartment houses; also for shopworkers and those employed by large manufacturing concerns. There is a distinct advantage in having the garden located near the home, as much of the work of tending it may be done during spare moments, and the garden can be protected from theft or from injury by stray animals.
Fig. 2.—A vacant-lot garden on one of the principal residence streets of Washington, D. C.
Do not locate the garden on land upon which the sun does not shine for at least five hours each bright day. Do not locate the garden on soil where the rock is but a few inches below the surface and where there is insufficient moisture. Do not attempt to grow a garden where a fill has been made with cinders, broken bricks, or rock, or where the original soil has been buried with materials upon which weeds will not grow. If weeds grow rank and vigorous it is a sure sign that the soil is good. Do not plant a garden under or near large trees that will steal all the moisture and plant food from the crops. The maples and the oaks are the kinds of trees that are most injurious to crops planted near them. Do not plant a garden on low land where the crops are reasonably sure to be lost from overflow. Failure to observe one or more of the above precautions has resulted in disappointment on the part of many gardeners.
Where there is any choice in the selection of a garden location the following points should be considered. The land should be level or gently sloping toward the south or southeast. The drainage should be good, but the land should not be so steep as to wash during rains. The location should be higher than adjoining land, in order to safeguard against frost, as frost does most damage on the lower levels. The ideal soil is a dark sandy loam with a rather retentive subsoil. The soil should be deep and break up loose and mellow when plowed or spaded. Plenty of organic matter or rotted manure should be present in the soil, in order to give it the power to retain large quantities of moisture and to carry the crops through periods of drought.
Fig. 3.—Long straight rows of vegetables which add attractiveness to a garden and lessen the labor of cultivation. Note how this garden has produced these results.
The ideal garden spot is seldom found, but it is often possible to choose a location that embodies a number of the more important conditions and then supply others. The difficulties of the first season are greater than those of subsequent years, and a garden plat if properly handled will improve with each season’s cultivation.
On account of the wide variety of local conditions that must be met, no definite plan can be given for a garden. A plan should be drawn on paper and the location of each crop decided upon. As a general rule, the rows should run north and south, but it is more important to have the rows run the long way of the garden for convenience in cultivating. Figure 3 shows a well-planned garden.
It is essential that the garden be so arranged that the tall-growing crops will not shade the smaller ones.
With the location of the garden settled, the first step is the preparation of the soil. First, remove anything that would interfere with the plowing or spading of the soil. If the location is the home back yard it is assumed that the ground is free from débris and ready to be broken up. If the garden is to be located on a vacant lot it is probable that there will be stones, broken bricks, tin cans, and other trash to be gotten rid of. If the quantity of trash is not too great it should be hauled to some dump, but if there is so much of it as to make its removal expensive it may be piled on one side or one end of the lot. In some cases stone fences have been built along the outside of lots from the stones that were scattered over the ground. This cleaning-up process requires considerable work and should be done whenever the weather will permit prior to preparation for planting.
The next step in the garden-making process will be to plow or spade the ground. If the land is in sod it should be turned in the fall so that the sods will rot. Heavy clay soils should be turned up loosely and allowed to lie exposed to the freezing and thawing of the winter months. In all cases manure should be turned under if it can be secured. If the surface soil is so hard that it can not be spaded or plowed to advantage a pick or mattock should be used and the ground broken to a depth of 8 or 10 inches. Plenty of manure is about the only thing that will bring a soil of this character into condition. The supply of manure in cities is now quite limited, and the city gardener should make arrangements early in the season to get what he needs. It is assumed that the average back-yard garden is about 30 by 60 feet in size. About 1 ton or one 2-horse load of stable manure can be spaded into the soil of a plat of this size each year. On soil which has not been worked before and which is especially heavy and wanting in organic matter a larger quantity of manure can be used. Street sweepings are not desirable, as they frequently contain considerable oil. Sawdust and planing-mill shavings should not be used on garden land. Leaves may be mixed with heavy soils, but it is best to have them fairly well rotted before they are applied to the land. Early breaking and exposure to frost is the best method of getting land that has not been under cultivation for a number of years in shape for planting. Sandy soils do not benefit by freezing and thawing as do the heavy clay soils, and in all cases precautions must be taken so that the soil will not wash away during heavy rains. It is a very good plan to plow or spade the land in the autumn, sow rye upon it, and then turn the rye under early in the spring.
In regions where the soil is very sandy it is often necessary to keep the surface covered with coarse manure or with some material to prevent it from blowing away. If this precaution is not taken the entire surface soil will be blown off to the depth of the plowing. In the spring the coarser part of the covering should be raked off or turned under before pulverizing and fitting the surface for planting.
Nothing is gained by working the land before it is sufficiently dry in the spring. In sections where the ground freezes hard during winter no harm will be done by plowing it in the fall or during the early winter when quite wet, as the freezing will correct any injury, but land that is worked when too wet in the spring will be injured for the entire season. The usual test is to press a small quantity of the soil in the palm of the hand. If it is too wet for working it will adhere in a solid mass and retain the imprint of the hand, but if dry enough to work it will crumble apart of itself.
When the test shows its fitness for working, land which was plowed or spaded in the fall should be thoroughly harrowed, raked, hoed, or forked over to a depth of 4 or 5 inches, in order to fit it for planting. The more carefully this part of the work is done the easier it will be to care for the crops during the growing season. Land which was not worked in the fall should be plowed or spaded as soon as it dries out sufficiently in the spring, and the top should be thoroughly fitted, as suggested above.
Gardeners frequently ask whether it is advisable to use coal and wood ashes on garden soils. The use of coal ashes on heavy clay soils will tend to lighten them, but the ashes should be screened before they are applied, in order to remove any clinkers or cinders. They should then be spread evenly upon the land and thoroughly mixed with it. Coal ashes have little value as a fertilizer, their use being mainly to loosen the soil and make it more workable.
Wood ashes that are produced by the burning of hard woods, such as oak and hickory, frequently contain as much as 7 per cent of potash and also a little lime and for this reason are a valuable fertilizer. Wood ashes produced by the burning of pine and other soft woods and hardwood ashes that have been exposed to the weather and have had their potash leached from them have comparatively little value as a fertilizer. Not more than 50 pounds of reasonably dry unleached hardwood ashes should be applied to a plat of ground 30 by 60 feet in size, and these should be well mixed with the soil.
An application of about 12 pecks of hydrated or air-slaked lime to a plat of land 30 by 60 feet in size is advisable in most cases, but there are certain soils that do not need lime. Lime has the effect of loosening and pulverizing heavy clay soils. It also has the effect of sweetening poorly drained soils and those that have a tendency to be sour. It is poor policy, however, to endeavor to remedy conditions resulting from lack of drainage by the application of lime without first providing suitable drainage and removing the cause of the sourness of the soil. Lime should always be applied to the surface soil and not turned under. It should not be applied to land that is to be planted to Irish potatoes, on account of the tendency of the tubers to become infested with scab where lime is present. Perhaps the best method of applying lime to the remainder of the garden is to scatter it over the surface after plowing and before the land is harrowed and fitted for cultivation in the spring. (Fig. 4.) One application each year is sufficient, and much larger quantities may be applied on heavy clay soils than on light or sandy soils. Lime should never under any circumstances be mixed with commercial fertilizer or with manure, as it liberates the nitrogen contained in them.
The use of barnyard manure on garden land has already been mentioned, but too much stress can not be placed upon this important point. The most successful commercial gardeners not only follow the practice of plowing or spading under large quantities of manure, but they stack up manure to rot and apply the rotted manure as a top-dressing when fitting the land for planting. Beans, tomatoes, and Irish potatoes may be injured by the use of too much manure, but it is practically impossible to have the land too rich for most garden crops.
Poultry and pigeon manures are excellent fertilizers for the garden but must be used sparingly, as they are very strong and are liable to burn the crops. These manures should be kept under shelter until used and then should be well mixed with the soil, care being taken that no lumps of the manure come in direct contact with the seeds. Not more than 200 pounds of poultry or pigeon manure should be applied to a garden plat 30 by 60 feet in size.
Fig. 4.—Applying lime to a garden after plowing and before harrowing.
Sheep manure is sold by florists and seedsmen and is an excellent fertilizer for garden crops. Like poultry manure, it is very strong and should be used sparingly. A little pulverized sheep manure sprinkled along the rows and worked into the soil will give the plants a vigorous growth.
The use of commercial fertilizers is advisable, especially where plenty of stable or barnyard manure can not be procured. As a rule, fertilizers should be sown broadcast and thoroughly harrowed or raked into the upper 3 inches of soil. Where applied underneath the rows the fertilizer should be well mixed with the soil before the seeds are planted. Great care must be taken in the use of commercial fertilizers in a small garden, as there is always a tendency to use too much and do more injury than good. From 40 to 60 pounds of a standard fertilizer, such as is used by truck gardeners, may be applied to a plot of ground 30 by 60 feet in size.
Commercial fertilizers may be used in very moderate quantities as a side dressing for most growing crops. Nitrate of soda is frequently used in this manner, especially with crops that are grown for their leaf and stem development rather than for fruit. Where used as a side dressing it is best to apply the fertilizer a short distance from the plants but where the small feeder roots will reach it. The fertilizer should be worked into the soil immediately.
It should be remembered that the best results are obtained by the use of commercial fertilizers where there is plenty of manure or organic matter in the soil. All sods and weeds and the remains of garden plants that are not infected with disease should be turned under or composted in one corner of the garden, in order to form material with which to enrich the soil.
Elaborate or expensive tools are not necessary for the cultivation of a small garden; in fact, a spade or spading fork, a hoe, a steel rake, and a line with two stakes to fasten it to are all that are required. A garden trowel and a watering can may be added to advantage but are not absolutely necessary. A wheelbarrow, wheel cultivator, and seed drill are desirable for the larger gardens and might be procured and used jointly by several gardeners in a neighborhood. After the soil is broken and in shape for planting, the hoe and the steel rake are the important tools for a small garden.
Fig. 5.—Window box for starting early plants in the house.
A comparatively small quantity of seeds is required for planting the average city garden, but these should be procured in ample time and should be of the highest quality obtainable. The best are the cheapest in the long run. Garden seeds should not be wasted; only enough should be planted to insure a perfect stand. Any seeds that are left over should be stored in a ventilated tin or glass container, to protect them from mice until needed for later planting. The particular variety of any crop to plant will depend upon local conditions. There are usually experienced persons in each community who can be relied upon for advice as to the best varieties to plant in that section. A number of the seed houses are now offering special garden-seed collections adapted to various conditions and sizes of gardens.
Half the pleasure and profit of a garden is derived from having something to use just as early in the spring as possible. In many cities and towns last year the local greenhouse men grew thousands of plants which were sold to home gardeners at very reasonable prices. It often happens, however, that home gardeners do not have the opportunity to purchase well-grown plants, so they must start their own supply of early plants in the house or in a hotbed if they desire to have their crops mature early. Among the garden crops that may be started to advantage in this manner are tomatoes, early cabbage, peppers, eggplant, and lettuce. Even cucumbers, melons, beets, snap beans, Lima beans, and sweet corn may be started indoors by using flowerpots, paper bands, or berry boxes to hold the soil.
Fig. 6.—Starting early plants; preparing the seed box.
Where just a few tomato and cabbage plants are desired, the seeds may be sown in a cigar box or in a shallow tin pan with a few holes punched in the bottom for drainage. A very good plan is to secure a soap box and saw off about 3 inches of the bottom portion to form a tray. If the top has been saved, it can be nailed on and the box again sawed, forming a second tray. This will leave about 3 inches of the middle of the box upon which a piece of wire netting may be tacked to form a sieve for screening the soil used in the trays. Any shallow box (fig. 5) that may be fitted into the window of a living room where there is a reasonable amount of sunlight will answer for starting early plants.
After filling the trays with sifted soil, smooth off even with the top and slightly firm down the soil in the trays by means of a small piece of board. Use the edge of a ruler or strip of thin board (fig. 6) to form little grooves or furrows in the soil in which to plant the seeds. These little rows should be about 2 inches apart and one-fourth inch deep. Scatter the seeds of tomatoes, early cabbage, peppers, and eggplant, as shown in figure 7, very thinly in the rows and cover them by sifting a small quantity of soil over the entire surface. Smooth the top of the soil gently and water very lightly.
The box should then be placed where the temperature will remain at about 70° F. If conditions are kept right, the seedlings will appear in five to eight days after the seed is planted. From this time on the plants will need constant care, especially as regards watering. Owing to the fact that the light from a window comes from one side only, the seedlings will draw toward the glass, and the box should be turned each day, so as to keep the plants from growing crooked. Just as soon as the little plants are large enough to handle they should be transplanted to other boxes and given 2 or 3 inches of space in each direction.
Fig. 7.—Starting early plants; sowing seed in the window box.
Where the required number of plants is too great for growing in window boxes, a hotbed or cold frame may be provided. The usual method of constructing a hotbed is to first dig a shallow pit 8 to 18 inches deep, according to locality, and pack it full of fermenting stable manure. The manure before being placed in the pit should be turned over once or twice in a pile, in order to insure even heating. It may then be packed into the hotbed pit and tramped uniformly. Standard hotbed sash are 3 feet in width and 6 feet in length, and the size of the bed should be made to suit the number of sash employed. A framework of boards 18 to 24 inches high at the back and about 12 inches high in front is placed over the manure-filled pit to support the sash. (Fig. 8.)
About 3 or 4 inches of fine garden loam is spread evenly over the manure and the bed allowed to stand four or five days to warm up before any seed is sown. At first the temperature of the bed will run rather high, and it is best to delay planting the seeds in it until it begins to decline. This can best be determined by placing a cheap thermometer, with the bulb about 3 inches below the surface of the soil, and watching it until the temperature falls below 85° F. before planting the seeds.
If glazed sash are not available for covering the hotbed, heavy muslin may be used instead; the glass, however, makes the most desirable form of covering. Care must be taken to give the bed sufficient ventilation to prevent overheating; as it is liable to heat up rapidly when the sun shines full upon the glass. Watering should be done during the early part of the day and the bed given enough air so that the plants will dry off before night. The bed should be closed before evening, in order to conserve enough heat to carry it through the night in good condition. If the weather should turn severely cold, a covering of straw, blankets, or canvas may be thrown over the bed to protect it.
Fig. 8.—Preparation of a sash-covered frame for starting early plants.
A cold frame is constructed in exactly the same manner as a hotbed, with the exception that no manure is placed beneath it to supply heat.
Before the plants are set in the garden, either from the hotbed or the cold-frame they should be gradually hardened to outside conditions by giving them more ventilation each day. Finally, remove the sash entirely on bright days and replace them for the night. The aim should be to produce strong, healthy plants that will make a quick start when placed in the garden.
The accompanying planting tables, together with the frost-zone maps (figs. 9 and 10), are based upon records of the United States Weather Bureau covering a period of 20 years and are intended to serve as a guide for determining the earliest dates that the various garden crops may be planted in the spring; also the latest dates that it will be safe to plant certain crops and have them mature before the first killing frost in the autumn. It should be borne in mind that there is a difference of several days in the frost occurrence within each zone; this is due to differences in altitude and latitude, and also to the proximity of bodies of water and large tracts of timber.
EARLIEST PLANTING DATES
Earliest safe dates for planting vegetables in the open in the zones shown in figure 9
| Crop | Zone A | Zone B | Zone C | Zone D | Zone E | Zone F | Zone G | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bean | { | Lima | Mar. 1 to 15 | Mar. 15 to Apr. 1 | Apr. 1 to 15 | May 1 to 15 | May 15 to June 1 | May 15 to June 15 | ... |
| Snap | Feb. 15 to Mar. 1 | Mar. 1 to 15 | Mar. 15 to 30 | Apr. 1 to May 1 | May 1 to 15 | May 15 to June 1 | May 15 to June 15. | ||
| Beet | Feb. 1 to 15 | Feb. 15 to Mar. 1 | Mar. 1 to 15 | Mar. 15 to Apr. 15 | Apr. 15 to May 1 | May 1 to 15 | May 15 to June 1. | ||
| Brussels sprouts | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. | ||
| Cabbage | Jan. 1 to Feb. 1 | Jan. 15 to Feb. 15 | Feb. 15 to Mar. 1 | Mar. 1 to 15 | Mar. 15 to Apr. 15 | Apr. 15 to May 1 | May 1 to May 15. | ||
| Carrot | Feb. 1 to 15 | Feb. 15 to Mar. 1 | Mar. 1 to 15 | Mar. 15 to Apr. 15 | Apr. 15 to May 1 | May 1 to 15 | May 1 to June 1. | ||
| Cauliflower | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. | ||
| Celery | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. | ||
| Chard | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. | ||
| Collard | Jan. 1 to Feb. 1 | Feb. 1 to 15 | Feb. 15 to Mar. 1 | Mar. 1 to 15 | Mar. 15 to Apr. 15 | ... | ... | ||
| Corn, sweet | Feb. 15 to Mar. 1 | Mar. 1 to 15. | Mar. 15 to Apr. 1 | Apr. 1 to May 1 | Apr. 15 to May 15 | May 1 to June 1 | May 15 to June 15. | ||
| Cucumber | Mar. 1 to 15 | Mar. 15 to Apr. 1 | Apr. 1 to 15 | Apr. 15 to May 1 | May 1 to June 1 | May 15 to June 15 | June 1 to 15. | ||
| Eggplant | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. | ... | ||
| Kale | Jan. 1 to Feb. 1 | Feb. 1 to 15 | Feb. 15 to Mar. 1 | Mar. 1 to 15 | Mar. 15 to Apr. 15 | Apr. 15 to May 1 | May 1 to 15. | ||
| Kohl-rabi | Feb. 1 to 15 | Feb. 15 to Mar. 1 | Mar. 1 to 15 | Mar. 15 to Apr. 1 | Apr. 1 to May 1 | May 1 to 15 | May 15 to June 1. | ||
| Lettuce | { | Head | do. | do. | do. | Mar. 15 to Apr. 15 | do. | do. | do. |
| Leaf | Jan. 1 to Feb. 1 | Feb. 1 to 15 | Feb. 15 to Mar. 1 | Mar. 1 to 15 | Mar. 15 to Apr. 15 | Apr. 15 to May 1 | May 1 to May 15. | ||
| Melons | Mar. 1 to 15 | Mar. 15 to Apr. 1 | Apr. 1 to 15 | Apr. 15 to May 1 | May 1 to June 1 | June 1 to 15 | ... | ||
| Okra, or gumbo | Feb. 15 to Mar. 1 | Mar. 1 to Mar. 15 | Mar. 15 to 30 | do. | May 1 to 15 | May 15 to June 1 | ... | ||
| Onion sets | Jan. 1 to Feb. 1 | Feb. 1 to 15 | Feb. 15 to Mar. 1 | Mar. 1 to 15 | Mar. 15 to Apr. 15 | Apr. 1 to May 1 | May 1 to 15. | ||
| Parsley | Feb. 1 to 15 | Feb. 15 to Mar. 1 | Mar. 1 to 15 | Mar. 15 to Apr. 1 | Apr. 1 to May 1 | May 1 to 15 | May 15 to June 1. | ||
| Parsnip | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. | ||
| Peas | { | Smooth | Jan. 1 to Feb. 1 | Feb. 1 to 15 | Feb. 15 to Mar. 1 | Mar. 1 to 15 | Mar. 15 to Apr. 15 | Apr. 15 to May 1 | May 1 to June 1. |
| Wrinkled | Feb. 1 to 15 | Feb. 15 to Mar. 1 | Mar. 1 to 15 | Mar. 15 to Apr. 1 | Apr. 1 to May 1 | May 1 to 15 | May 15 to June 1. | ||
| Peppers | Mar. 1 to 15 | Mar. 15 to Apr. 1 | Apr. 1 to 15 | Apr. 15 to May 1 | May 1 to June 1 | June 1 to 15 | ... | ||
| Potatoes | { | Irish | Jan. 1 to Feb. 1 | Feb. 1 to 15 | Feb. 15 to Mar. 1 | Mar. 1 to 15 | Mar. 15 to Apr. 15 | Apr. 15 to May 1 | May 1 to June 1. |
| Sweet | Mar. 1 to 15. | Mar. 15 to Apr. 1 | Apr. 1 to 15. | Apr. 15 to May 1 | May 1 to June 1 | June 1 to 15 | ... | ||
| Pumpkin | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. | ... | ||
| Radish | Jan. 1 to Feb. 1 | Feb. 1 to 15 | Feb. 15 to Mar. 1 | Mar. 1 to 15 | Mar. 15 to Apr. 15 | Apr. 15 to May 1 | May 1 to 15. | ||
| Salsify | Feb. 1 to 15 | Feb. 15 to Mar. 1 | Mar. 1 to 15. | Mar. 15 to Apr. 15 | Apr. 15 to May 1 | May 1 to 15 | May 15 to June 1. | ||
| Spinach | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. | ||
| Squash | Mar. 1 to 15 | Mar. 15 to Apr. 1 | Apr. 1 to 15 | Apr. 15 to May 1 | May 1 to June 1 | June 1 to 15 | ... | ||
| Tomato | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. | May 15 to June 15 | June 1 to 15. | ||
| Turnip | Jan. 1 to Feb. 1 | Feb. 1 to 15 | Feb. 15 to Mar. 1 | Mar. 1 to 15 | Mar. 15 to Apr. 15 | Apr. 15 to May 1 | May 1 to 15. | ||
Owing to the varied character of the Rocky Mountain and Pacific coast regions, it is not practicable to present the planting information in zone form, as there may be a very great difference in the dates of killing frosts in the same general locality on account of elevation. Gardeners on the Pacific coast should be guided by the experience of competent persons in their own neighborhood. The coast region of Oregon and Washington is so influenced by ocean currents that a separate map would have to be designed to meet its requirements. Sufficient data upon which to base a map for this region are not at hand.
In zones A, B, C, and parts of zone D of the eastern United States, cabbage, turnips, spinach, kale, collards, and certain varieties of onions may be grown in the open ground throughout the winter. In certain parts of zone E spinach and kale may be grown all winter. In zone F such crops as sweet potatoes, melons, eggplants, and peppers should be planted only under the most favorable conditions, as the season is sometimes too short for their full development under adverse conditions.
Garden plants are divided into about four more or less distinct groups.
Early cabbage plants, kale, onion sets, smooth peas, Irish potatoes, and radishes may be planted two weeks before the average date of the last killing frost.
Beets, Swiss chard, carrots, lettuce, wrinkled peas, cauliflower, spinach, and sweet corn may be planted about the date of the last killing frost.
LATEST PLANTING DATES
Latest safe dates for planting vegetables for the fall garden in the
zones[9] shown in figure 9
| Crop | Zone C | Zone D | Zone E | Zone F | Zone G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bean: | |||||
| Pole Lima | Sept. 15 | Aug. 1 | July 15 | July 1 | ... |
| Snap | do. | Sept. 1 | Aug. 15 | Aug. 1 | July 15 |
| Beet | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. |
| Cabbage | Sept. 1 | Aug. 15 | July 15 | July 1 | June 15 |
| Carrot | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. |
| Cauliflower | do. | do. | do. | do. | do. |
| Celery | Oct. 1 | Sept. 1 | Aug. 1 | do. | May 15 |
| Chard, Swiss | Sept. 15 | do. | Aug. 15 | Aug. 1 | July 15 |
| Corn, sweet | Aug. 15 | Aug. 1 | July 15 | July 1 | June 15 |
| Cucumber | do. | do. | do. | do. | ... |
| Eggplant | July 15 | July 1 | June 15 | June 1 | ... |
| Kale | Nov. 1 | Oct. 1 | Sept. 15 | Sept. 1 | Aug. 15 |
| Lettuce | do. | Oct. 15 | Oct. 1 | Sept. 15 | Sept. 1 |
| Melons: | |||||
| Muskmelon | June 15 | June 1 | May 15 | May 1 | ... |
| Watermelon | July 1 | July 1 | June 15 | ... | ... |
| Okra | July 15 | do. | do. | June 1 | ... |
| Onion sets | do. | do. | do. | do. | May 15 |
| Parsley | Nov. 1 | Oct. 1 | Sept. 1 | Aug. 1 | July 1 |
| Parsnip | ... | ... | May 15 | May 1 | Apr. 15 |
| Pea | Nov. 1 | Oct. 1 | Sept. 1 | Aug. 1 | July 15 |
| Peppers | July 15 | July 1 | June 15 | June 1 | ... |
| Potatoes: | |||||
| Irish | Aug. 15 | Aug. 1 | July 15 | July 1 | June 15 |
| Sweet | do. | July 15 | June 15 | May 1 | ... |
| Radish | Oct. 15 | Oct. 1 | Sept. 15 | Sept. 1 | Aug. 15 |
| Salsify | June 15 | June 1 | May 15 | May 1 | Apr. 15 |
| Spinach | Oct. 5 | Oct. 1 | Sept. 1 | Aug. 15 | Aug. 1 |
| Squash: | |||||
| Bush | Aug. 15 | Aug.1 | July 15 | July 1 | June 15 |
| Vine | July 15 | July 1 | June 15 | June 1 | ... |
| Tomato | Aug. 15 | July 15 | July 1 | June 15 | ... |
| Turnip | Oct. 15 | Oct. 1 | Sept. 1 | Aug. 1 | July 15 |