The Washington herald., 1922-10-05
OWNERS OF HOMES
WANTED TO START
GARDENS FOR 1923
Improve Soil When Earth
Is Frozen, Experts
Advise.


urged to start next years gardens
now. by the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture.
North. South, East, West, autumn
Is best to begins aext years home
vn~ets BILE .,arden. Natrre is never
idle. even when the ground is hard
frozen. and our efforts should be d.
rected to aiding natural agencies.
The greatest good can be accom-
plished by improving the soil and
preparing 1t for growing bumper
crops Of potatoes. cabbage. to-
matoes. beans. beets and other
vegetables next season says the
United States Department of Agri-
culture.
At present many of our garden
crops are maturing and may be
cleaned off the land. In many parts
of the North IL is now too late to
plant anything on this vacant land
except rye, barley or some other
crop to improve the soil. Some of
the most successful gardeners fol-
low the practice OF sowing rye on
every foot of garden soil that be-
comes available. The roots of the
rye spread through the soil and
pick UP every choice bit of plant
food they can find. Next spring
when the ground is spaded or
plowed these same roots form a net
work of fbrous material which
quickly decays and forms new plant
food for the garden crops to feed
upon. Don't let IL get more than
two or three inches high next
spring before it is turned over.
Other crops will give the same re-
suits. but rye is one of the most
practical.
Frost Breaks Up Soils.
Spading or plowing clay soils in
the autumn and leaving them lying
in a rough state over winter is also
a good practice. Heavy soils are
broken up by the action of frost.
but care should be taken that they
do not wash away Sandy and ali
light soils are liable to wash or
blow away during the winter il left
loose or exposed and for this reason
should be kept covered either by a
green crop or by heavy coating or
manure
Nothing beats good stable manure
for improving the soil Of a garden.
Manure is good to plow und r in
the autumn and il is good as a top
dressing over the soil after plow-
ing. Manure prevents the washing
and ADDS fertility. As soon as the
crops are off. pillow the ground and
give II heavy coat of manure. The
remnants can be turned under in
the spring.
Clean up the garden AND burn all
old vines and rubbish which IL left
on the ground harbor insects and
diseases over winter. While there
is always need for adding organic
matter to the soil IL is usually best
TO burn all rubbish that may be sus-
pected of being a carrier of dis
case. This is especially true oI
melon and tomato vines. although
almost any garden crop will have
Its full share of diseases Clean up
the garden for the sake Of appear
ances. gathering all bean poles,
tomato stakes. etc. ana storing
them somewhere out of sight and.
IL possible. under shelter. ~
are not worth saving make kindIing
OF them and get new ones next
season.
May BE Planted Now.
4 number OF crops NAV be planted |
e
ard these viii furnish a supply of
green vegetables all the winter.
Even in the North Central section
spinach. kale and winter onions 1
Will remain in the ground with /
slight protection and give an early I.
crop in the sprine. In the South |
kale. spinach. onions. lettuce and /
several other crops will thrive dur
ing the winter. In the Gulf ard /
lower Atlantic Coast region Ber-
muda onions may be grown by
sowing the seed about the 1st of |
October and transplanting the seed
- ~ ia en- /
like too much trouble prepare a
piece of ground and sow the seed
In drills where they are to grow
and thin out some of them for
Young onions late in the winter. 81
Such crops as asparagus. rhubarb
and raspberries or any of the small
fruits should be gotten in condition
TO go through the winter. As soon
as frost comes the tops of the as
paragus should be moved off and
carried away or burned. Rhuharb
Will need little attention except to
see that the field mice are not
working at its roots Raspberries
and other small fruits may need a
little pruning or tying to stakes.
and a mulch of manure about their
roots will not only protect them
durlng the winter. but make them
strong and vigorous next spring.