I'm not sure what it is exactly, but there's something around 1950 that impresses me – and I haven't even been there yet. I even wrote an article about creating a 1950s garden – at least the way I would like it to be anyway. Maybe I know 50 has a special meaning for me this year as I hit the half-century mark. POOH! Whatever it is, when I got the chance to flip through a 1950's vintage Better Homes & Gardens magazine, I loved it!
Surely anything from a long time ago must pique your interest. For example, have you ever wondered how this gardening adviser from yesteryear, like Nana's magical remedy for annoying weeds or grandpa's secret fertilizer, proves itself today? Well, I love this quirky piece of information, true or not. As I scoured this vintage find and other similar resources to see what age gardening advice was available from that time, I literally felt like a kid in a candy store.
Gardening throwback 1950s
Gardening has been around for a long time, though maybe not in the way we see it now. Still, the general process of gardening hasn't really changed over the centuries. You sow seeds or plant something, give it water, feed it, care for it and it grows. The same goes for curiosity. Once that seed or idea is sown, feed it information and let it bloom. Who knows how it will turn out, but isn't the trip still fun?
What I found out about gardening in the 1950s was basically what I think holds true to this day: people wanted simpler things with less chaos. What does that mean? Back then there was a lot going on, as is usually the case at any time. Gardening in the 1950s was influenced by various events and changes. Aside from the popular Victory Gardens, created through rationing and vegetable gardening during the World Wars, I don't think many people really knew what landscapes are for.
Unlike today, the plant options were limited, but when I looked through old pictures, including old family photos, it seemed that many budding gardeners had a fascination with large, showy plants and flowers – like hydrangeas and roses. The lawns were perfectly maintained. Chemicals used to maintain lush green grass and control pests were popular. Boy if they could see mine they'd probably scream No chemicals here, and no perfect lawn either!
Garden advice and information from the 1950s
Here are some other interesting things I found, including advice and age tips:
- Buy new plants – Verifying that the plants are of the highest quality will result in healthier growth and overall success. (Still true.) But what else should you watch out for? This is advice given at the time: the lowest branches of fruit trees should be 46-60 cm from the ground so that they can be easily harvested. High quality roses have three or more strong sticks, young evergreen foliage should be cool and moist.The annual foliage should be medium to dark green and bushy with few flowers. The perennials should be compact with no more than 3 in. (7.6 cm) tip growth and white, plump roots. (Still sounds good to me.) One thing has definitely changed – the prices! That's how much I buy for plants … to get 50 to 100 bulbs for a dollar or two? Please register me!
- race – As already mentioned, the longing for the “perfect” lawn was just as common back then as it is today for most people, although I am not one of them. BUT did you know that in 1950 the lawn of choice was Zoysia japonica? Zoysia weed isn't everyone's favorite, but somehow it has managed to stand the test of time in many places. Do you have too much weed killer or 2,4-D in the soil? Add some manure or compost to eat. Apparently, a combination of tar wash (whatever that is) and benzene hexachloride (insecticide) could help sanitize the soil, control wireworms and nematodes, and dandruff and aphids if used in winter. Hmmm.
- Nip something in the bud – In 1950 maleic hydrazide (MH), a growth inhibitor, was used to retard the growth of harmful plants. It was seen as an effective method of delaying flowering and preventing frost damage when sprayed on flowering plants at the beginning of the season. And WHEN should you prune flowering shrubs or trees when it comes to sipping? Most of us are aware that many are pruned after they bloom, but others can deal with pruning earlier before they bloom. How do you know which ones to prune and when? Keep this advice in mind: those that bloom at the beginning of the season, such as azaleas, flowering quinces, lilacs, and forsythias, should all be pruned after flowering is complete. Late flowering varieties that generally bloom in summer, such as butterfly bush, hydrangea, rose, weigela, or rose of sharon, can be safely pruned back in late winter to early spring.
What and when to reduce
- Things to do in march – As I leafed through the March issue, the 1950s gardening tips for anyone during that period were to protect seeds, plant roses, plant trees and shrubs, feed indoor plants, pruning trees, and late flowering shrubs. The best time to transplant magnolia trees? In full bloom, of course. In the south, gardeners should mulch with oak leaves and then cover them with pine straw for a neat look (neat is grossly overrated). Gardeners from the southwest should spray new peony sprouts with Bordeaux mixture as soon as they appear and repeat every week to control the disease. Use the same spray solution on lilacs every two weeks until flowering. This is the central and eastern region where newly planted roses should be pruned to about 3 inches above the ground and on hills above stumps. Remove soil when the shoots are about 1 cm long. In the Pacific Northwest and West of the country, parsley seeds should be frozen in the refrigerator three days before sowing. Keep ants off citrus trees by using poison baits (again with the chemicals). Now that you're a head scratcher.
- Various delicacies – Wipe the tools after use to remove grass clippings and dirt. This will help prevent rust. Also, only use tools the way they're supposed to be used – no pruning shears for pulling nails (well!). Which plants are taking the most time and working per square inch? Orchids and golf courses, of course. (Is that another indication of the perfect lawn?). What four things do you need for a garden? A border to enclose the garden, a terrace to connect the garden and the house, an open central area and some garden paths. And finally the five best roses from 1950: Condesa de Sastago, Etoile de Hollande, Picture, Roslyn and Caledonia.
