Evening star., 1947-06-29
Gardens During Vacation Time
Mulch, Spray and Pinching Suggested;
Long Absence Requires Planning
By w. H. Younqmon

The gardener who expects to be
away on vacation for week or two
has a problem entirely different
from that of the gardener who
spends his summers at the noun
tains, the lakes or the beaches. The
short-time vacationer must arrange
his garden for production through
out the summer and must do those
little things which will keep it in
condition while away. The summer
long vacationer ordinarily plans a
spring garden and then fall gar
den, and makes no pretense of hav-
ing flowers and vegetables while
away.
For the short vacation there are
several steps which will help to keep
the garden in condition so that 1t
will be functioning upon the return
Such a garden will need to be cul-
tivated carefully so as to remove all
weeds, and then mulched. The
mulching will serve to keep down
the weeds and conserve moisture
Both of these values are important
although the latter is of prime
Importance for the gardener who
expects to be away in late July
August or September, months ir
which there is oftentimes hot, dry
period that is hard for the plants.
In the vegetable garden the ten
dency is to use the coarser mulch
materials, such as cornstalks, weeds
grass clippings, partially rotted COM
post or straw. In the flower gar
den use less conspicuous mulches-
compost that Is fairly well rotted
peat moss, old sawdust and the like
1t will take a two-inch layer tt
conserve the moisture and check the
growth of weeds. The soil shoule
be stirred and left rough before ap.
plying a mulch. Also, if fertilizer |!
needed it should be applied frs
and cultivated into the soil.
A careful spraying is desirable tx
give the plants as much protection
as possible from insects and dis
eases. Sprays containing DDT hav,
relatively long-lasting quality tina
is helpful. DDT may be counted
upon to last for two weeks or more
Some Fall Crops to Plant.
II the vacationer expects to b
away in late July or August he ma.
want to plant some fall vegetable
crops before leaving. Sow the seed
of kale, endive, cabbage, broccoli
etc, crops that can be transplantet
to the garden later on. Garder
peas can be planted anytime aftel
the middle of August, but turnip!
should be sown sometime between
August l and IS. Lettuce can ge
into the ground at the same time
as the turnips.
All tall-growing plants should bt
carefully staked as heavy showers
and strong winds might blow down
unprotected plants. Dahlias, stakeo
tomatoes, fall Towering asters ano
many others need this protection.
The dahlias will need to be
pinched back before leaving or
the trip, although the dwarf kinds
are seldom given this attention
zinnias can we'll be pinched back
to remove flower buds and to stimu-
late branching. If the blossoms
are left there is a tendency for the
plants to stop Towering. This Is
true of many ANNALS.
For the gardener who is away all
summer, the handling of the garden
takes a bit more planning. In the
first place he will want to concen-
trate on having big show during
early spring months, when bulbs
pansies, iris and other spring bloom
ers will be given much emphasis
Little, if any, attention need be
given to the summer bloomers such
as roses, phlox, petunias, etc, fol
they will make their best showing