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WHEN IS THE PROPER TIME TO PLANT VEGETABLES?
The proper time to plant the different kinds of vegetables depends upon
their relative hardiness or tenderness, or susceptibility to damage by
frost, and upon their climatic preferences. Relatively hardy vegetables
may be planted as soon as the soil can be prepared in spring, or as
early as the first of April in the warmer portions of Pennsylvania, or
about April 15 in the central part of this State. Among these are
onions, peas, early potatoes, spinach, parsley, turnips, lettuce and
cabbage plants, beets, carrots, Swiss chard, mustard, parsnips, and
radishes.
Beans, sweet corn, New Zealand spinach, squash, and pumpkin may be seeded
slightly before all danger of frost is past, but not so much earlier
that seedlings are above ground before the last frost is likely to
occur. In central Pennsylvania this is about May 10.
Tomato, pepper, sweet potato, and eggplant plants should not be set out
until danger of frost is past, or about May 15 in most of Pennsylvania.
Spring planting dates vary considerably in Pennsylvania, mainly because
of differences in elevation and distance from large bodies of water.
Extremes vary from nearly two weeks earlier to two weeks later than the
dates shown in the garden plan elsewhere in this publication. Similarly,
fall planting dates, which vary because of the date of the first killing
frost in the fall, must be earlier if frost is early, as at high
elevations in the north central part of the State, or later in the
southeastern portion. IS WATERING OR IRRIGATION
PRACTICABLE? Light sprinkling, as is done
frequently by means of a hose, is at best a waste of water and may cause
a hard crust to form on the surface of the ground. If watering is done,
enough should be applied to soak the soil to a depth of eight inches, or
to be equivalent to a good rain.
In towns or suburban areas in which water supplies already are drawn upon
heavily by war industries, first consideration should be given to
maintaining the organic content of the soil, the use of surface mulches,
and other methods of conserving moisture in the soil. Where supplies are
adequate, or streams and springs can be drawn upon, proper watering
produces favorable results, especially on leafy vegetables with shallow
root systems, such as celery, spinach, and cabbage, or on root crops. |
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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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