George Washington Carver: A National Agricultural Library Digital Exhibit

1916

National Agricultural Library

Need for Winter Garden. Every southern garden should have a supply of lettuce, spinach and radishes throughout the fall and winter and spring, as they can be easily grown and form valuable additions to the usual dry, winter diet. With more of such food products in the diet, there would be less use for spring tonics and other medicines. In addition to this, these food products are palatable and serve to lower the cost of living.

These crops attain their best development on a sandy loam soil well supplied with humus or decayed vegetable matter. All of them thrive best, during the late fall or early spring and will not withstand the heat of summer. In all sections of the lower south, lettuce, spinach, and radishes can be grown in the open throughout the fall, winter and spring. In the more northern of the southern states and in high altitudes these crops can be grown in fall and spring in the open and during the winter in hot beds or cold frames.

Size. It is suggested that club members who begin winter gardens take a plot of well prepared land 50 ft. long and 20 ft. wide. This is one-fourth of the tenth acre garden. On the rest of it a winter over crop may be planted. Planted, the varieties chosen being those not commonly grown in the home garden so as to give the demonstration special value to all, and furnish new vegetables for the table. This letter contains instructions for spinach, lettuce, and radishes, prepared by Mr. H. C. Thompson of the Horticultural Division. These can be grown in winter gardens all over the south. The County Agent will suggest another vegetable of special interest in her county. In many sections cauliflower will be added. Where good markets can be obtained, the area may be increased.

Winter Gardens