The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1921-02-09

Use Fertilizer In the Garden
Nearly every garden needs the
addition of plant food for the bet
ter growth of its vegetables. Most
garden crops are heavy feeders and
must be supplied with the needed
food elements IL they are to pro-
duce we'll. Stable and barnyard
manures are the best fertilizers we
can put on our gardens. as they
not only supply plant food to the
soil but they help 1t to retain both
moisture and heat.
Commercial fertilizers, which are
now being used in increasing
amounts, are purely and simply
concentrated plant foods. They
add nothing of practical value to
the soil, but they are very useful
in quickly feeding the plants and
in producing a rapidity of growth
and fruitage in the garden. This
latter fact is always important in
garden work with. the aid of COM
mereial fertilizers, a gardener is
enabled to harvest several crops
from the same piece of ground in
one season. Rapidly of growth in
vegetables secures crispness of
product and makes the crop more
palatable, which are very much de-
sired results.
The three plant food elements
generally deficient in our garden
soils are nitrogen, potash and
phosphoric acid; Of these three,
nitrogen is the more readily lost to
the soil through teaching. Nitrogen
gives plant strength of. stem, a
good stand, and increases leaf
growth. Crops such as Swiss chard
celery, lettuce, cabbage, spinach,
kale, etc.. that are used either for
their stems or leaves. should have
an abundance of heterogeneous ferti-
lizer. Potash is useful to the root
crops as carrots. turnips, beets,
radishes and parsnips. Phosphoic
acid is essential in fastening crops
that are slow in maturing
Nitrogen is generally applied in
the form of nitrate of soda. The
to be applied will depend
upon the kind of crop raised and
the type of soil being used. No
rule can be given for the amount
to be used or the frequency of its
This amount will vary
all the way from 100 to $50 pounds
to the acre. Nitrate of soda may
be applied alone or mixed with
other fertilizers. 1t may be used as
a top dressing or it may be mixed
with the soil in the bottom of the
row at planting time.
Potash is generally used in, the
form of muriate of potash and is
both to sandy soils and to
stiff muck lands. Sulphate of pot
ash is often used for potatoes, and
kainit. II 1t can be obtained, for +
asparagus.
Phosphoric acid is supplied in the
'orm of rock phosphate, genearlly
with ~ to IS per cent available
acid. Bone tankage and
steamed animal bone are sometimes
Used. More importance is being at
ached to the use of phosphoric acid
IS a garden fertilizer than ever be-
ore.
Lime is another fertilizer that is
ometimes very useful to our gar
lens. Whenever the garden soil is
90 acid. lime shoull be added to
orrect the trouble. A slightly aka
Inc soil will always produce the
est results In garden work. Lime
ct only neutralizes any acidity Of
he soil but 1t impoves the mechani- |
al texture of the soil. helps decom- /
osition OF humus and strengthens {
II plant growth. 1t is an excel
mt preventive of club-root in cab
age and other closely allied crops.
should always be applied alone,
ever with another fertilizer or {
it'll manure. The lime should be q
over the garden space 1
seding 1t and then lightly harraw- I
! In. {
egetable and Flower Combinations P
A few packets Of nower seeds. S
anted at the ends Of rows with 4
getable plants OF similar size, win v
cid wonderful crop Of lowers to s.
!