How and what to grow in a kitchen garden of one acreDarlington, E. D.
Science
How and what to grow in a kitchen garden of one acre
Darlington, E. D.
Kitchen gardens; Vegetable gardening
This is a quick-growing green, and very hardy, making it valuable for
early spring and late fall growing. It cannot be raised during summer,
on account of its running immediately to seed without making many
leaves. It can be sown as soon as the ground can be worked in the
spring, and will be ready for use in a few weeks; about three sowings
may be made, two weeks apart, or more, if the season is longer, though
it will hardly be good if planted after the middle of May. The whole
plant is cut off even with the ground, at any time before it starts to
run to seed, the leaves and stems being used as boiled greens. Large
sowings should be made in October, of the hardy variety, as it can be
cut throughout the winter; a later sowing may be made the first of
November, and lightly covered with litter when the ground has been
frozen hard; this covering should be raked off early in the spring, and
it will complete its growth before the first spring planting is ready
for use.
VARIETIES OF SPINACH.
NEW THICK-LEAVED ROUND.--This variety produces large, thick, dark
green leaves, somewhat crumpled. It possesses the valuable quality of
standing for some time after attaining its growth, before running to
seed.
[Illustration: NEW LONG-STANDING SPINACH.]
THE NORFOLK SAVOY LEAVED.--The leaves of this kind are wrinkled like a
Savoy cabbage. It makes a large bunch of succulent leaves, producing
more weight of leaves than any other variety, and is more hardy than
any of the other kinds.
NEW LONG STANDING.--This is one of the best varieties for spring
sowing, as it stands longer than any other before running to seed. The
leaves are thick, fleshy and crumpled like the Norfolk Savoy Leaved.
SQUASHES.
Hills should be made for the culture of these, in the same manner and
at the same time as described for cucumbers, cantaloupes, etc. These
hills should be at some distance from the vines above mentioned, as
there is danger of the pollen mixing and spoiling the melons, etc.
There are some localities where the winter squashes do not do well or
are difficult of cultivation; but the small summer squashes are of
easy culture in any locality, though of finer quality on a warm sunny
slope than elsewhere. The only trouble in growing them is to protect
them from the ravages of the Striped Squash Bug while young, for which
purpose I use slug shot, dusted on the leaves early in the morning,
while the dew is still on them.
The vines should be allowed plenty of room to run, at least four feet
on every side. The vines soon cover the ground and prevent using the
cultivator; but the large leaves so shade the soil that few weeds grow,
and where they rear their heads above the vines they can be cut out
with hand hoes or pulled out after a rain, by hand.
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