| The first thing in garden making is the | | | | garden spot. The line gives an accurate and |
| selection of a spot. Without a choice, it | | | | straight course to follow. Cut the edges with |
| means simply doing the best one can with | | | | the spade all along the line. If the area is |
| conditions. With space limited it resolves | | | | a small one, say four feet by eighteen or |
| itself into no garden, or a box garden. | | | | twenty, this is an easy matter. Such a narrow |
| Surely a box garden is better than nothing at | | | | strip may be marked off like a checkerboard, |
| all. | | | | the sod cut through with the spade, and |
| | | | easily removed. This could be done in two |
| But we will now suppose that it is possible | | | | long strips cut lengthwise of the strip. When |
| to really choose just the right site for the | | | | the turf is cut through, roll it right up |
| garden. What shall be chosen? The greatest | | | | like a roll of carpet. |
| determining factor is the sun. No one would | | | | |
| have a north corner, unless it were | | | | But suppose the garden plot is large. Then |
| absolutely forced upon him; because, while | | | | divide this up into strips a foot wide and |
| north corners do for ferns, certain wild | | | | take off the sod as before. What shall be |
| flowers, and begonias, they are of little use | | | | done with the sod? Do not throw it away for |
| as spots for a general garden. | | | | it is full of richness, although not quite in |
| | | | available form. So pack the sod grass side |
| If possible, choose the ideal spot a southern | | | | down one square on another. Leave it to rot |
| exposure. Here the sun lies warm all day | | | | and to weather. When rotted it makes a fine |
| long. When the garden is thus located the | | | | fertilizer. Such a pile of rotting vegetable |
| rows of vegetables and flowers should run | | | | matter is called a compost pile. All through |
| north and south. Thus placed, the plants | | | | the summer add any old green vegetable matter |
| receive the sun's rays all the morning on the | | | | to this. In the fall put the autumn leaves |
| eastern side, and all the afternoon on the | | | | on. A fine lot of goodness is being fixed for |
| western side. One ought not to have any | | | | another season. |
| lopsided plants with such an arrangement. | | | | |
| | | | Even when the garden is large enough to |
| Suppose the garden faces southeast. In this | | | | plough, I would pick out the largest pieces |
| case the western sun is out of the problem. | | | | of sod rather than have them turned under. Go |
| In order to get the best distribution of | | | | over the ploughed space, pick out the pieces |
| sunlight run the rows northwest and | | | | of sod, shake them well and pack them up in a |
| southeast. | | | | compost heap. |
| | | | |
| The idea is to get the most sunlight as | | | | Mere spading of the ground is not sufficient. |
| evenly distributed as possible for the | | | | The soil is still left in lumps. Always as |
| longest period of time. From the lopsided | | | | one spades one should break up the big lumps. |
| growth of window plants it is easy enough to | | | | But even so the ground is in no shape for |
| see the effect on plants of poorly | | | | planting. Ground must be very fine indeed to |
| distributed light. So if you use a little | | | | plant in, because seeds can get very close |
| diagram remembering that you wish the sun to | | | | indeed to fine particles of soil. But the |
| shine part of the day on one side of the | | | | large lumps leave large spaces which no tiny |
| plants and part on the other, you can juggle | | | | root hair can penetrate. A seed is left |
| out any situation. The southern exposure | | | | stranded in a perfect waste when planted in |
| gives the ideal case because the sun gives | | | | chunks of soil. A baby surrounded with great |
| half time nearly to each side. A northern | | | | pieces of beefsteak would starve. A seed |
| exposure may mean an almost entire cut-off | | | | among large lumps of soil is in a similar |
| from sunlight; while northeastern and | | | | situation. The spade never can do this work |
| southwestern places always get uneven | | | | of pulverizing soil. But the rake can. That's |
| distribution of sun's rays, no matter how | | | | the value of the rake. It is a great lump |
| carefully this is planned. | | | | breaker, but will not do for large lumps. If |
| | | | the soil still has large lumps in it take the |
| The garden, if possible, should be planned | | | | hoe. |
| out on paper. The plan is a great help when | | | | |
| the real planting time comes. It saves time | | | | Many people handle the hoe awkwardly. The |
| and unnecessary buying of seed. | | | | chief work of this implement is to rid the |
| | | | soil of weeds and stir up the top surface. It |
| New garden spots are likely to be found in | | | | is used in summer to form that mulch of dust |
| two conditions: they are covered either with | | | | so valuable in retaining moisture in the |
| turf or with rubbish. In large garden areas | | | | soil. I often see people as if they were |
| the ground is ploughed and the sod turned | | | | going to chop into atoms everything around. |
| under; but in small gardens remove the sod. | | | | Hoeing should never be such vigorous exercise |
| How to take off the sod in the best manner is | | | | as that. Spading is vigorous, hard work, but |
| the next question. Stake and line off the | | | | not hoeing and raking. |