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CAN FERTILIZER BE APPLIED NEAR THE SEEDS OR PLANTS?
A part of the Victory Garden fertilizer may be applied near the row in
which the seeds or plants are to be planted, for quick effect. Open a
drill or trench two or three inches deep and two inches away from the
line where the row of plants is to be located. Distribute the fertilizer
along the bottom of this trench at the rate of a pound to 50 feet of
row. Cover the fertilizer, and plant seeds and plants in the row, two
inches away from the fertilizer.
Fertilizer may be applied also in water by mixing a teacupful in a
12-quart sprinkling can full of water, and pouring a teacupful of the
mixture on the roots of plants as they are being set in the
transplanting holes, covering the roots with soil immediately without
packing. The mixture may be applied to seeds as they are sown at the
rate of a teacupful to each foot of row just before the seeds are
covered with soil. IS ORGANIC MATTER NEEDED AND HOW IS
IT SUPPLIED? The effectiveness of fertilizer is
increased greatly by the presence of organic matter in the soil. The
chief sources available to Victory gardeners are composts of leaves,
straw, grass clippings, or vegetable plant refuse which does not harbor
diseases. Manures are the most valuable source, if available. Leaf mold,
ground peat moss, the commercial humus are effective but may be
relatively expensive. Crop residues and green manures, or plants such as
rye or domestic rye grass, grown for the purpose of plowing or spading
into the soil are cheap, very valuable sources of organic matter.
WHEN AND HOW SHOULD SOIL BE PREPARED FOR PLANTING?
Soil should be prepared for planting by spading or plowing deeply (8 to
10 inches) turning under any manures, green manures, lime or fertilizer,
and raking or harrowing to firm and level the soil and to break up
clods. This should be done as early in the spring as the soil is dry
enough, which can be judged by packing a handful, then crumbling it. If
the soil packs enough to hold its shape, but crumbles readily without
smearing at all, it is in excellent condition to prepare for planting.
HOW IS A GARDEN PLANNED? Garden plans should be
drawn on paper, indicating the location of each kind of vegetable,
arranged so that planting can be done row by row at the proper time for
each kind. Vegetables should be planted in rows extending through the
garden, for convenience in all tillage operations.
The kinds of vegetables and the amount of each are determined by the
class of soil, the size of the garden, family preferences, yield of food
in proportion to the space required, and above all, at this time, by the
nutritional needs of the family. A table of the nutrient content of
vegetables which may be grown successfully on most soil types in
Pennsylvania is included in this publication, (pages
30-32) and sample plans also are presented.
These are to be considered as simply illustrations of the method of
planting a garden, rather than recommended plans for all Victory
gardeners. Other suggested plans for gardens from 11 by 15 feet up to
those in which the entire vegetable supply can be grown for a family of
any number and age of members may be obtained from your local Victory
Garden Committee. |
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click for larger photo
Victory Gardens
Handbook of the
Victory Garden Committee
War Services, Pennsylvania
State Council of Defense
April, 1944
TABLE OF CONTENTS
page v
page vi
page vii
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