Chapter XI Seasonal Reminders
The author assumes that a person who is intelligent enough to make a garden, does not need an arbitrary calendar of operations. Too exact advice is misleading and unpractical. Most of the older gardening books were arranged wholly on the calendar method—giving specific directions for each month in the year. We have now accumulated sufficient fact and experience, however, to enable us to state principles; and these principles can be applied anywhere,—when supplemented by good judgment,—whereas mere rules are arbitrary and generally useless for any other condition than that for which they were specifically made. The regions of gardening experience have expanded enormously within the past fifty and seventy-five years. Seasons and conditions vary so much in different years and different places that no hard and fast advice can be given for the performing of gardening operations, yet brief hints for the proper work of the various months may be useful as suggestions and reminders.
The Monthly Reminders are compiled from files of the “American Garden” of some years back, when the author had editorial charge of that magazine. The advice for the North (pages 504 to 516) was written by T. Greiner, La Salle, N.Y. well known as a gardener and author. That for the South (pages 516 to 526) was made by H.W. Smith, Baton Rouge, La., for the first nine months, and it was extended for “Garden-Making” to the months of October, November, and December by F.H. Burnette, Horticulturist of the Louisiana Experiment Station.
KITCHEN-GARDEN PLANTING TABLE
A GUIDE TO THE PROPER TIMES FOR SOWING OF VARIOUS SEEDS IN ORDER TO OBTAIN CONTINUOUS SUCCESSION OF CROPS
Explanation of Signs Used In the Table.
(0)To be sown in open ground without transplanting. Plants have to be thinned out, given proper distance.
(1) Sow in seed bed in the garden, and transplant thence to permanent place.
(2) Make two sowings in open ground during the month.
(3) Make three sowings in open ground during the month.
(4) Start in greenhouse or hot-bed, and plant out so soon as the ground is in good shape, and weather permits.
(5) Sow in open ground as soon as it can be worked.
(6) To be grown only in hot-bed or greenhouse.
(7) Sow in cold frame, keep plants there over winter with a little protection; plant out in spring as soon as the ground can be worked.
(8) To be sown in open ground, and protected with litter over winter.
(9) Plant in frame. When cold weather sets in, cover with sash and straw mats. Plants will be ready for use in December and January.
(10) Plant in cellar, barn or under benches in greenhouse.
(11) Plant outdoors on prepared beds.
(12) Sow every week in greenhouse or frame, to have a good succession.
VEGETABLES IN THE KITCHEN GARDEN
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Artichoke, American | - | - | - | (0) | (0) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Artichoke,French | - | (4) | - | (1) | (1) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Beans, Bush | (6) | (6) | (6) | (0) | (2) | (2) | (2) | (0) | - | - | - | - |
| Beans, Pole and Lima | - | - | - | - | (0) | (0) | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Beets | - | - | (4) | (4) | (0) | (0) | (0) | (0) | - | - | - | - |
| Borecole, Kale | - | - | - | - | (1) | (1) | (1) | - | - | - | - | - |
| Broccoli | - | (4) | (4) | (1) | (1) | (1) | - | - | (7) | (7) | - | - |
| Brussels Sprouts | - | - | - | - | (1) | (1) | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Cabbage, all sorts | - | (4) | (4) | (1) | (1) | (1) | - | - | (7) | (7) | - | - |
| Cardoon | - | (4) | (4) | (1) | (1) | (1) | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Carrot | (6) | (6) | (5) | (0) | (0) | (0) | (0) | - | - | - | - | - |
| Cauliflower | (6) | (4) | (4) | (1) | (1) | (1) | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Celeriac | - | (4) | (4) | (1) | (1) | (1) | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Celery | - | (4) | (4) | (1) | (1) | (1) | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Chicory | - | - | (5) | (0) | (0) | (0) | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Collards | - | - | - | - | - | - | (0) | (0) | (0) | - | - | - |
| Corn, field | - | - | - | (0) | (0) | (0) | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Corn, Sweet | - | - | - | (2) | (2) | (2) | (2) | (0) | - | - | - | - |
| Corn, Pop | - | - | - | (0) | (0) | (0) | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Corn, Salad | - | - | (5) | (0) | (0) | (0) | - | - | (8) | - | - | - |
| Cress | (12) | (12) | (12) | (12) | (0) | (0) | - | - | (12) | (12) | (12) | (12) |
| Cucumber | (6) | (6) | (6) | (4) | (0) | (0) | - | (6) | (6) | - | - | - |
| Egg Plants | - | (6) | (4) | (1) | (1) | (1) | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Endive | - | - | - | (1) | (1) | (1) | (1) | - | - | - | - | - |
| Kohlrabi | (6) | (6) | (4) | (1) | (1) | (1) | (1) | - | - | - | - | - |
| Leek | - | (4) | (4) | (1) | (1) | (1) | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Lettuce | (6) | (4) | (4) | (1) | (2) | (2) | (2) | (0) | (9) | (9) | (7) | - |
| Mangel | - | - | (5) | (0) | (0) | (0) | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Melon | (6) | (6) | (6) | (4) | (0) | (0) | (9) | (6) | - | - | - | - |
| Mushroom | (10) | (10) | (11) | - | - | - | - | (11) | (10) | (10) | (10) | (10) |
| Mustard | (12) | (12) | (12) | (0) | (0) | (0) | - | (0) | (0) | (12) | (12) | (12) |
| Nasturtium | - | - | - | (0) | (0) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Okra | - | - | (4) | (4) | (2) | (2) | (2) | - | - | - | - | - |
| Onion | - | (4) | (4) | (1) | (1) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Parsnips | - | - | (5) | (0) | (0) | (0) | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Parsley | (6) | (6) | (4) | (0) | (0) | (0) | (0) | - | - | - | - | - |
| Peas | - | - | (5) | (2) | (2) | (2) | (2) | (0) | - | (0) | - | - |
| Pepper | - | (4) | (4) | (4) | (1) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Potatoes | - | - | - | (0) | (0) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Pumpkin | - | - | - | (4) | (0) | (0) | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Radish | (12) | (12) | (12) | (3) | (3) | (3) | - | - | (9) | (9) | - | - |
| Rutabaga | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | (0) | (0) | - | - | - |
| Salsify | - | - | (5) | (0) | - | - | - | (0) | (0) | - | - | - |
| Seakale | - | - | (5) | (0) | (0) | (0) | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Spinach | - | - | (5) | (0) | (0) | - | - | - | (2) | (8) | - | - |
| Squash | - | - | (4) | (4) | (0) | (0) | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Tomato | (6) | (6) | (4) | (1) | (1) | (1) | - | (6) | (6) | (6) | - | - |
| Turnips | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | (0) | (0) | - | - | - |
N.B.—For last planting of Beans, Sweet Corn, Kohlrabi, Peas and Radishes, or even Tomatoes, take the earliest varieties, just the same as are used for first planting.
—The late sowings of Salsify are intended to remain undisturbed over winter. Roots from these sowings will, the next year, attain a size double that usually seen.