Where it is desirable to have radishes for a considerable period of time, two, or even three, plantings at intervals of two weeks should be made, or the same result may be obtained by the proper selection of varieties. There are also two or three varieties of winter radishes that may be grown for winter use.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are among the most universally used products of our home gardens, and there should be a few plants, no matter how small the garden. In order to have tomatoes early, the seed must be sown in the house or hotbed or the plants purchased from some plant grower who has the facilities for starting them early. Bonnie Best, Early Jewel, Acme, Globe, and Detroit are among the leading early sorts, while Improved Stone and Trophy are standard late varieties. Two small packets of seeds, one of an early and one of a late variety, will produce enough plants for several family gardens, and it may be possible for one person to start the plants for an entire neighborhood. If a window box is used for starting early plants of various kinds, a portion of the space in this box should be used for the tomato plants. Where a window box is not in use a cigar box filled with loose soil will serve as a seed bed, but the plants will have to be transplanted and given about 3 inches of space both ways as soon as they form one or two true leaves in addition to their two small seed leaves. Tomato seed comes up in about five or six days, and the seedlings will ordinarily be ready for transplanting in two weeks after the seed is sown. About six weeks will be required for growing the plants from the time of sowing the seed until they are ready for setting in the garden.
A tray of fine, rich soil about 8 inches deep placed in a south window of a living room makes a good transplanting bed. The plants can be grown in quart berry boxes, in 3-inch flowerpots, in tin cans with a few holes punched in their bottoms, or in paper bands. The essentials are to keep the plants growing rapidly from the start and to retain all the dirt attached to their roots when setting them in the garden.
The best method of growing tomatoes in the city home garden is by pruning the plants to a single stem, or at most to two stems, and tying them to stakes or a trellis, as shown in [figure 12]. By this method the plants can be set as close as 2 feet apart in each direction. When tied to stakes the plants are easy to cultivate. The fruit is clean because it is kept off the ground, and the tomatoes ripen earlier than when the plants are not pruned or tied to stakes. Any stakes that are about 11⁄2 inches in diameter and 4 to 5 feet long will answer. Frequently the plants are trained to horizontal wires stretched on small posts or to a trellis made of laths.
The tomato plants are pruned by pinching out the side shoots ([fig. 12]) as they appear in the axis of the leaf, that is, where it joins the main stem. The fruit clusters appear on the opposite side of the stem where there is no leaf. The plants are tied to the stakes or other support by means of soft twine or with small strips of old cotton goods. ([Fig. 13].) Seedsmen have on sale a jute string which is especially made for tying tomatoes. Loop the string around the stake so that it will not slip downward on the stake and then tie loosely below a leaf node in such a manner that the stem will be supported without the string binding it and injuring its growth. Four to seven fruit clusters will be formed on each plant, and if the plants are well cultivated and cared for they will continue to bear fruit throughout the season in the northern parts of the country. In the South, where the heat of midsummer kills tomato plants, a late crop may be planted for fall use.
Fig. 12.—Training tomatoes to stakes: A, Cutting out the side shoots or branches; B, tying the main stem to the supporting stake.
Sweet Peppers
Sweet or Mango peppers are increasing in favor with home gardeners everywhere. Six or eight good plants will supply enough for an ordinary family. In the North, where the growing season is short, the plants must be started indoors and should be transplanted twice, so as to be quite large by the time the weather is warm enough to set them in the garden. Pepper plants will not withstand any frost, and they should not be set out until all danger is past. In the South the seed should be sown in the house or in a hotbed and may be transplanted directly from the seed bed to the garden, although better plants will be obtained if they are transplanted first from the seed bed to other boxes or to the hotbed and later to the garden. The plants should be handled in the same manner as tomatoes, but pepper plants are even more delicate.