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From: rws@gypsy.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.garden
Subject: Re: NEW GARDENER
Message-ID: <25900013@gypsy.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 15-Jul-85 18:08:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: gypsy.25900013
Posted: Mon Jul 15 18:08:00 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 17-Jul-85 06:48:24 EDT
References: <696@ihlpa.UUCP>
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Nf-ID: #R:ihlpa:-69600:gypsy:25900013:000:1259
Nf-From: gypsy!rws    Jul 15 18:08:00 1985


While you are waiting for your "square foot gardening", run out and get some
seeds for lettuce, bush beans, summer squash, peas, and corn.    The formula
for deciding the last date to plant something is:
 	 (date you expect it to die) - (days to maturity + 14)

The 14 allows for the shorter days you get in late summer and fall.

I planted the above items last week because
  lettuce and peas are cool weather crops that can survive a moderate frost
  bush beans  and summer squash grow very fast
  I wanted to gamble on the corn
If you have a choice of varieties, get the one with the fewest "days".

Water the seedlings every day, in the morning, with a light, fine spray so
that the seeds don't wash away.  Once the plants are mostly up, taper off
your watering to twice a week, but -this is important- use a sprinkler, so
that you can shower them lightly for about half an hour.  Watering more
often will give you shallow-rooted plants that can't survive occasional
neglect in the hot Illinois Augusts.  (I grew up in Glen Ellyn ...)
Watering in the morning or mid-day will reduce problems with mold, fungus,
and other things that like evening dampness.

Good luck!

Bob Schwanke

Siemens Research
Princeton, NJ
08540-6668

seismo!princeton!siemens!rws