June 1990

Peter Henderson's Gardening Calendar

June

from Gardening for Profit, 1866

Apr., May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec.

JUNE is one of the months in which we reap the reward of our operations in the market garden; at this time, the bulk of all the early crops matures. So far, nearly all has been outlay; now we receive the returns. In this district, our early crops of Asparagus, Beets, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Lettuce, Onion, Peas, Radishes, Rhubarb, Spinach, and Turnip, are sold off, and the ground plowed for the second crop, (except in the cases of Asgaragus and Rhubarb), by the end of the month. For private gardens, succession crops of Beets, Bush Beans, Cabbages, Cucumbers, Lettuce, Peas, Radishes, and Potatoes, may still be planted, but it would hardly be profitable for market purposes; as it would occupy the land wanted by the market gardener for his second crop, besides the market buyer of the cities will hardly touch a vegetable or fruit behind its season at any price. He will pay 10 cents per bunch for Radishes in May, and will pass by a far better article of the same kind in July or August, though offered at one fifth the price. He will give 50 cents per quart for Tomatoes, (half ripe), in June, that he could not be induced to touch in October, if he could buy them at 25 cents per bushel.

The Cucumbers, planted in cold frames and forcing pits, are also marketable in the latter part of this month. Great care must be taken to have them abundantly watered in dry weather; inattention to watering, (particularly of all vegetables under glass), is sure to entail loss on the cultivator, by giving an imperfect or partial crop. Watering had better be done in the evening, whenever the surface appears dry, not by a mere sprinkling, but by a thorough soaking; not less than a gallon to every square yard of surface. As soon as the Cucumbers are all cut from the frames, the sashes should be piled up at the ends of each section, and covered with a shutter, and a weight of some kind put on the top, to prevent them being blown off by high winds.

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