^y\,ew6 - 3-oumai
S"110" B ?? . .
Thursday, March 24, 1983
How Does Y our Garden Grow?
There Are Only Ei^ht Planting, Days Before Good Friday
By Sherry Matthews
Even with the wind and rain that
has plagued Hoke County for the
past couple of months, spring is
around the corner and with it
comes the all important decision of
whether to plant a garden.
"There is a lot of gardening go
ing on in this area," Hoke County
Agricultural Extension Chairman
Willie Featherstone said.
"I'm not sure if all these people
are gardening for the enjoyment or
for the economical reasons con
nected with growing your own
food, but they are planting,"
Featherstone added.
"1 garden for the pure enjoy
ment of it," Robert Gatlin said.
"The excitement of getting up
one morning and seeing a change
in what you've planted is a great
thrill," Gatlin added.
For Gatlin, gardening is just "a
hobby".
"Miracles happen everyday in a
garden and being able to witness
those types of miracles gives you a
good feeling inside," Gatlin said.
For many, planting a garden is
just a "tension release, but for
some it is a way to stretch the food
dollar," Featherstone said.
"It doesn't cost a great deal to
raise a garden if you don't plant
more than you need." the exten
sion agent added.
"Don't plant an acre just
because you have an acre. Plant
what you will use and leave the
rest," Featherstone said.
With so many Hoke County
residents planting gardens and
wanting to plant gardens,
Featherstone offered a few hints
on "how to make your garden
grow".
"I would recommend that any
gardener first take a soil sample,"
Featherstone said.
Although soil samples should
have been taken by now there is
still time, Featherstone added.
"We lake the soil samples given
to us and send them to the North
Carolina Department of
Agriculture for analysis. This is a
free service to anyone >*ho wants
or needs to take advantage of it,"
Featherstone said.
According to Featherstone, tak
ing soil samples helps you deter
mine a need for lime.
"Calcium is needed in most
plants and a soil sample will tell
you if there is a lack of calcium in
your garden," Featherstone said.
In a lot of plants, a lack of
calcium will lead to "blossom end
rot" but liming will prevent this,
Featherstone said.
Another helpful hint in having a
"garden to be proud of" is not to
plant too early, Featherstone said.
"There are cool season plants
like cabbage and broccoli which
should be planted while the soil is
still cool. People in the area are
planting these type of plants right
now," Featherstone said.
"Warm Season plants need to be
planted when the soil temperature
is up, otherwise the growth of the
plant may be stunted because of
cool nights," Featherstone added.
Another very important pari of
having a good garden is "being
sure to plant varieties" that have
been tested and are known to grow
well in the area, Featherstone said.
"It is good to try new varieties
but at the same time plant things
that you know will grow well in
your own garden," Featherstone
said.
"Also when planting your
garden be sure you buy good quali
ty seed," Featherstone added.
Tips For Success
Getting healthy plants is a must
if a garden is to be a success.
Featherstone said.
According to Featherstone,
there are many other ways to im
prove your garden:
?Mulching (putting out pine
&traw or some other type covering)
will help to conserve moisture,
reduce weeds, keep soil cool and
reduce erosion.
?Don't panic if you see one or
two insects in your garden. Spray
ing before checking out the situa
tion may cause you to kill insects
that are beneficial to a garden.
?Be sure to use "certified seed".
?Placing fertilizer to the side of
the plants and not directly on the
plant will help prevent burning of
the leaves.
?Apply fertilizer two or three
times. Don't put it all on at once.
All these things will help make
your garden more attractive and
productive, Featherstone said.
For a beginner, gardening may
seem expensive hut according to
Featherstone, if done right, a
garden will pay for itself.
"We would not be as active in
our garden if it didn't pay for
itself." Gatlin said.
Ciardening provides many
families with food and is a "wor
thy and enjoyable" hobby for all
who get involved, Gatlin said.
"If anyone wants to start a
garden and needs help they should
call us at the Extension Service,"
Featherstone said.
Home Garden Vegetable Planting Guide
toad or plants
Asparagus (crowns)
Bcana, snap
Beans, pole.
Beans, bush lima
Beans, pole lima
Beet
Broccoli
Amount
par parson
P* >??' Sugg?tM varistisa
planting
datas ?
10
'4 pound
?4 pound
^ pound
W pound
*4 packet
IS plants
Mary Washington. Princeville
Tenderette, Harvester, Astro. Roma (Flat)
Kentucky Wonder 191, Dade, Blue Lake
Fordhook 242, Henderson Bush. Early Thorogreen
King of the Garden, Sieva(small)
Ruby Queen, Early Wonder
DeCicco, Green Comet, Bravo, Green Duke
Nov. 15-Mar IS
Apr lS-July 15
April lS-July 1
May 1-July 1
May 1-June 15
Mar 1-Apr 1. July lS-Aug 15
Mar 1-15; July 15-Aug 15
Inchas Planting soil
dsptti lamf
(InchM) F?
Approi.
60
1.0
10
15
15
0.5
0.5
100
100
70'
70*
1,600
9,000
Days
to
maturity I
2 years
50-56
65-70
65-80
75-96
S5-60
70-80
Brussel sprouts
Cabbage (plants)
Cantaloupe
Carrot
Cauliflower
Collarda
Com, sweet
25 plants Long Island Improved, Jade Cross Hybrid
25 plants Round Dutch, Early Jersey Wakefield
12 plants Claaaic, PMR 45. Burpee Hybrid, Ambrosia
*4 packet Danvers Half Long, Spartan Bonus
25 plants Early Snowball "A"
25 plants Vates, Morris' Improved Heading. Carolina
1 packet Silver Queen, Earliking, Senneca Chief. White Delight
July 1-15
Feb. 1-Apr 1. Aug 1-15
Apr. 20-June 1
Feb. 15-Mar. 1; July 1-15
Mar. 1-15; July 1-Aug. 1
July 15-Aug. 15
April 15-June 1
0.5
0.5
10
0.25
0.5
0.5
1.5
9.000
9,000
1,000
23,000
10,000
8,000
150
90-100
70-80
85-99
85-95
55-65
60-100
85-90
Chinese cabbage v? packet Michihli, Hybrid G
Cucumber, pickling % packet Carolina. Calypso, Liberty (mountains)
Cucumber, slicing *4 packet Poinsett. Sweet Slice, Marketmore (mountains)
Eggplant (plants) 2 plants Florida Highbush, Special Hibush
Kale bounce Green Curled Scotch, Siberian, Vates
Kohl-rabi "4 ounce White Vienna, Grand Duke Hybrid
Lettuce, leaf '4 packet Grand Rapids, Salad Bowl, Buttercrunch
Lettuce, head
Mustard
Onion (seed)
Onion (sets or plants)
Okra
Pea* (edible- podded)
Peas, garden
Peas, Southern
15 plants
'4 ounce
?4 ounce
50
W packet
W pound
H pound
H pound
Great Lakes, Ithaca
Southern Giant Curled, Tendergreen
Yellow Danvers, San Joaquin
Ebenezer, Excel), Early Grano
Clemson Spineless. Emerald, Lee
Sugar Snap. Mammoth Melting Sugar. Snowbird
Wando, Green Arrow. Freezonian
Dixilee, Mississippi Silver, Colossus
Mar 15- April 1. Aug. 1-15
Apr. 20- May 15; Aug. 1-15
Apr 20-May 15; Aug. 1-15
May 1-31
Mar. 1-Apr. 1; Aug 15-Sept.l
Mar 1- April 15. Aug. 1-Sept.l
Mar. 1-Apr 1; Aug. 1-Sept.l
Feb. 15-Mar. 15; Aug 15-Sept. 1
Mar. 1-Apr l.Aug 1-Sept 15
Jan. 15-Mar 31-Sept 1-30
Feb. 1-Mar 15; Sept. 1-15
May 1-31
Jan. 1-Mar 1
Jan. 1-Mar 1
May 1-July 1
0.5
1.0
1.0
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.25
9,500
1,000
1,000
6,000
10,000
8,000
25,000
0.25
0.5
0.5
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
25,000
15,000
9,500
500
200*
200?
12S
75-85
40-50
40-50
80-85
40-50
50-60
40-50
70-85
30-40
130-150
60-80
60-70
60-70
65-70
55-65
Pepper, sweet (planta)
Pepper, hot (plants)
Potato, Irish
Potato, sweet
Pumpkin
Radish
Rutabaga
4 plants California Wonder. Yolo Wonder, Pimento
2 planta Red Chili, Cayenne, Hungarian Yellow Wax
10 pounds Kennebec, Atlantic, Pungo, Superior
75 plants Porto Rico 198, Jewel, Pope
W packet Big Jumbo. Howden's Field. Spookie (small)
% packet Early Scarlet Globe, Cherry Belle
'4 packet American Purple Top. Laurentian
May 1-31
May 1-31
Feb. 15-April 1
May 15-June 15
April 15- May 15
Feb 1-Apr. 1; Aug. 15-Sept.l5
Feb. 1-Apr. 1; July 1-Aug. 1
0.5
0.5
5.0
1.5
0.5
0.5
65
65
40
70
70
45
60
4.500
4,500
110
2,000
12,000
75-80
75-80
95-120
95-125
115-120
25-30
70-80
Spinach
Squash, summer
Swiss chard
Tomato (plants)
Turnip
Watermelon
?* packet Hybrid 7, Dark Grsen Bloomsdaie
?4 packet Seneca Prolific {yellow). Zucchini Elite (green)
'4 packet Lucullus
15 plants Whopper (VFN) . Mt. Pride. Marion, Better Boy (VFN)
U ounce Purple Top White Globe. Just Right
'4 ounce Congo. Sweet Princess, Sugar Baby (small)
Feb. 15-Mar. 15; Aug 1-15
Apr. lS-Bayl5
Mar. I5-May 1
Apr. 20-July 15
Feb. 1-Apr. 15; Aug. 1-31
Apr 15-June 1
6
24
6
18
2
60
0.5
1.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
1.5
45
60
50
60
60
70
2,800
300
1.600
10.000
13,000
250'
50-60
50-60
60-70
75-85
55-60
90-100
Writer" Fa'li' lnPr.r,^?" "n ".*? lo"" '? Western N.C plant 10 to 20 days la tar in Spring .nd 10 to 20 day,
eartier in rail In e.asi*m N. C. plant 7 to 14 days earlier in Spring and 7 to Tt days later in Fall.
. . . ; J V
Cabbage Patch
Rows of newly planted cabbage await a little sunshine to help them grow
Ready To Roll
The tractor stands ready to d<> its duty, whether it he hauling mulch to the garden or harvesting the vegetables
that will soon he ready.