248 The Rasie Mook of Orvanie Gardening

Fertilizn and compost vigorously and thoroughly

Hoild up your compost and mulching program until it ig
areal factor ins your gardening program. While we admit.
tedly don’t know alf about the many and sometimes obscure
diseases we are fighting, we do know that soils with a high
humus content encourage the soi microorpanisma which keep
disease bacteria from flourishing and estirbtishing colonies,

Observe recommended planting dates for your arco

Strict adherence fo planting by variety for your general
area offen permits plants Co make a crop before disease ap-
pears or becomes serious.

Uso cara in watering

Tf you must water, try not to pel the foliage wet, or water
early in the day so the foliage dries out completely by niyht-
fall, Sprinkling in the late alturnoon fends to spread foltage
discase more readily.

Touch wel plants as little as possible

Stay out of the garden when plants are wet. Racteria ce
fungus spores can be present in the moisture on the leaves,
You can be the prime infective agent by merely going down
the row—spreading the Cisvase by touching the phints ay
you go,

Good garden sanitation and residue disposal

Clean up the garden at the end of the season and pet the
vegetable waste into the compost pile where the heatiog-up
process will destroy the unwanted spores and bacteria, ‘Furn
under the remaining residues to prevent disease and build
fertility for next year's crops.

Rotato your crops to avoid monoculturo

Tf possible, don't grow the same crop twice in the same
plot or row. Many important diseases, notably the nematode
induced, can be checked by rotation.

—Maunier PRanz