Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1922-03-09
WHEN AND HOW
TO PLANT CROPS
U. S. Department of Agriculture
Gives Advice to the Home
Gardeners.
DIVIDED into FOUR GROUPS
First Vegetables That Will Withstand
Frost; Second, semi-Hardy Crops;
Third, Those Easily Killed;
Fourth, Heat-Loving Plants.

Common garden crops are divided
by the United States Department of
Agriculture into four groups as re-
CARDS the time of planting them in the
open ground.
The first group includes the vege-
tables that will withstand consider
able frost and which may be planted
two or three weeks before the danger
of frost is past in the spring. The
second group, or Semi-hardy crops, may
be planted a few days before, or about
the time that the last killing frost is
likely to occur. The third group, those
easily killed by frost, should not be
planted until all danger of frost is
over The fourth group, the. heat-lov
ing plants, should never be planted in
the open until both the soil and the air
are thoroughly warm. ..
Among the crops of the first group
that may be planted before frOsts are
past-are Irish potatoes, smooth peas,
onion sets, cabbage plants, .kale, tur-
nips, beets, lettuce, and mustard. They
may be planted early because they re-
qure some time to come up. While
the young plants are injured by frost,
by the time they sprout and come to
the surface, frost danger is likely to
be past.
Don't Follow Moon Rule.
Some gardeners formerly believed in
planting Irish potatoes and certain
other garden crops according to the
signs of the moon. No one seems to
know how the old moon theory origi
mated, but it seems to date back to
prehistoric times and probably was
based upon the method of keeping
time by moons rather than by months.
There is no definite experimental data
to show that the moon has any influ-
ence one way or the other upon plant
growth, and experienced gardeners pre-
fer to plant their potatoes at time
when the weather and soil conditions
are right rather than according to the
phase of the moon. Experience has
shown that the point of most impOr-
lance is to have the land in tirst-class.
condition for planting, then proceed to
plant as soon as weather conditions
permit.
The dwarf or smooth varieties of
English peas may be planted about
the same time as Irish potatoes, or
Just as soon as the ground is dry
enough to work in the early spring.
Here again soil preparation is impor-
tant, and the ground should be made
fine and mellow before planting.
Opinions differ as to the depth to
which the seed peas should be COW
cred. Some authorities claim they
should be covered as much as inches,
while others maintain that 2 or 3
inches Is sufficient. Much will de-
pend, however, upon the character Of
the soil In which the crop is planted.
If the soil is light sandy loan and
inclined to dry out quickly, the peas
should - covered 3 to 4 inches. But
IL the soil is rather heavy and inclined
to pack. closely, they should not be
covered more than 1 to- 2 inches. The
coats should not be planted until about
TWO weeks after the smooth varieties.
They are just little more susceptible
to injury from frost and will mature
about as early If planted when the
ground has slightly warmed.
When to Take Chances.
In the case of certain garden crops,