Milford chronicle., 1922-06-09
FROM COLDFRAME
TO YOUR GARDEN
Plants Should Be Accustomed to
the Outside Conditions
Before Setting.
PROTECTION may Be NEEDED
Boxes or Small Boards Will Save From
Sun, Wind and Frost-Water Be-
fore Transplanting-carry Con-
tainers to Place for Planting.


It is assumed that the wide-awakI
gardener has been busy long before
the weather is warm enough to SOW
any seeds in the open ground; th&
a window box or hOtbed has been pro
vided, and that a supply Of plants o,
tomatoes, peppers, early cabbage, ant
eggplant are under way to set in thu
garden as soon as danger of frost il
past.
If plenty of south window space il
available, the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture advises that sucl
crops as snap beans, cucumbers, musk
melons, and even sweet corn may bi
started in flower pots, paper bands Of
berry boxes filed with good soil, ant
they will be of considerable size b!
the time the air is warm enough Il
plant them outdoors. Plants tina
grow in the house or in the hOtbet
must be hardened or adapted to outdoor
conditions before they are set in thl
open ground. This is accomplished
by gradually exposing them to the
open air during the warmer part o.
the day and later at night, care being
taken that they are not caught by
sudden cold snap.
Hardening Early Plants.
When the plants are grown in boXe.
or trays, the boxes may be carried into
the open each day and the plants al
lowed to become gradually accustomed
to the outdoor conditions. If they are
in a hOtbed or coldframe, the sash Ol
other cover is lifted off during the day
and replaced at night. Later the COW
ering is left off entirely; however, il
should be kept close at hand to be put
on at any time that the weather should
turn cold.
Plants set in the open ground may
be protected from frost by turning
small boxes over them and covering
the boxes with a little earth. Old
berry boxes are sometimes used for
this purpose, but should be covered
completely with soil, as the plants will
freeze just as readily underneath the
exposed boxes as if left in the open
without any cover whatever. A good
method Of protecting plants is by set
ting a common roofing shingle or
small piece of board at an angle over
each plant. These shingles can be set
on the side to protect the plants from
the sun during the daytime, or they
may be placed on the opposite side in
order to protect the plants from the
wind and allow the sunshine to reach
them.
In some cases gardeners have pro-
vided small frames, on the top Of
which are fitted single panes of glass,
and one of these frames is set over
each plant or hill to protect it. The
glass should be so arranged that it
can be partially removed during the
warmer part Of the dey in order to
prevent the temperature becoming too
high inside the frame These prOtec-
tors give good results when used over
hills of cucumbers, muskmelons and
summer squashes, as well as over
plants of sweet pepper, eggplant and
tomatoes.
Points to Remember.
There are a few points in connection
with the transplanting Of homegrown
plants to the garden that are worthy
Of special attention. In the first place,
the plants to be transplanted should
be watered a few hours before they
are to be handled; this will cause the
=--'.
dirt to adhere to the roots and give |
them a better start when they are
planted out. If the plants are grown
in flower pots, in paper bands, or
berry boxes, they should be carried to
the garden in their containers. Pot
grown plants should be lOosened by |
inverting them gently and knocking
the edge Of the pot on something solid.
The plants then are set with the ball |
Of earth adhering to their roots. .
If the plants have been grown in pa
per bands or berry boxes, the sides
of the bands or boxes should be slit
with knife and removed as the plants
are set. Where the plants are grown
in trays or in & hotbed knife should |
be run between the rows, cutting the