CHAPTER XII.

CALENDAR OF OPERATIONS.

January.

January may be called the digging month, as almost the only gardening operation that can be performed in it is digging, or rather trenching the ground; and even this cannot be done unless the weather be open and the ground free from frost. Nothing can be imagined more desolate than the appearance of the flower-garden in this month. Perhaps the Christmas rose may be in flower, and a few lingering blossoms may remain on the Pyrus or Cydonia japonica; but this is generally all, except a few red berries that the birds may have left on the holly or the pyracantha. January, however, is an excellent month for the destruction of snails and insects. The snails will be found in their winter quarters, sticking to the trunk of some ivy-clad tree, or hidden beneath the coping of some wall. They are quite in a torpid state and appear dead, but might soon be revived by bringing them into a warm room, and sprinkling them with water. Of course, however, if they are to be destroyed, it should be without rousing them from their stupor. The eggs of insects should also be sought for and destroyed. Those of the lackey moth will be found on twigs, fixed firmly round them like bracelets of small beads. These should be burnt, as they are too hard to be crushed. The eggs of the vapourer moth will be found on the outside of the cocoon, looking like a bag of spider’s eggs. A very small scale-like insect will also sometimes be found on the branches of the rose-trees, which should be carefully removed. Indeed, as a precautionary measure, it is well to brush the branches of all the rose-trees in this month with soft soap and water, to destroy any eggs that may be adhering to them. Sometimes trees and shrubs are planted in January if the weather be favourable, but this it very seldom is, as if not frosty it is generally very wet.

In the kitchen-garden the fruit-trees and shrubs, particularly the gooseberries, should be carefully examined for eggs of insects; and the trunk and branches of all suspected trees and shrubs should be brushed with soft soap and hot water.

February.

In this month, if the weather be favourable, the gardeners “dress” their beds; that is, they dig and rake them, manuring them if necessary. In the flower-garden the Californian annuals that had stood the winter in some waste part of the garden are now brought forward by spadefuls, and laid over the beds intended for them. The early bulbs, such as the snow-drop and the Scotch crocus begin to appear, and here and there a splendid cloth of gold glitters among them in its rich yellow and brown. The winter aconite and the beautiful hepaticus are now in full glory; and in short all nature appears awakening from the sleep of winter. This is pre-eminently the season for spring planting; and all the trees and shrubs, and even herbaceous plants that are to be removed are put into the ground. The garden rose-trees and other hardy flowering shrubs are pruned, care being taken always to cut them in a slanting direction, and to a bud. When the rose-bushes have sent up long untidy shoots, every alternate shoot may be cut down to within a few inches of the ground. Thus treated, the shoots that are left will flower, and those that were cut down will send up strong and vigorous shoots for flowering the succeeding year, when the present flowering stems may be cut in. The bushes will thus be kept of moderate size, and of a compact habit of growth, without the flowering being materially checked. In February the ranunculus roots are planted that are to flower in the following May, and a hot-bed is made for the tender annuals. In short, the business of the gardener’s year has commenced.

In the kitchen-garden, if the weather be open, the gooseberries and currants should be pruned, and also such of the fruit-trees as have been left for spring pruning. If the winter has been very hard, the gooseberries and currants are left as long as possible unpruned, because the birds, when driven to distress for want of food, very often pick off the buds, and should the number of buds have been previously diminished by pruning, the hopes of the season for a good crop of fruit are generally destroyed. Radishes and lettuce should be sown in February, and spinage; also the first crop of peas and beans. The strawberry-beds are pruned and dressed, and the raspberry shoots shortened and cut in.

March.

This is the sowing month. In the flower-garden the seeds of hardy annuals are sown in the open border. Turf is laid down where wanted, and grass-seeds are sown. Rose-trees are sometimes planted in this month, and the climbing kinds are pruned and trained. The best sorts for training as pyramids of roses are the Noisette and Boursault kinds, and some of the hybrid China. The box edgings are taken up and replanted, and the gravel walks are raked or turned over, and new gravel added if requisite. This is in fact the first month that displays the cheerfulness and brilliancy of spring, for the flower-garden is gay with crocuses, and the bees are buzzing about them, while the birds are singing on every tree. The weather is often very fine and warm in March; but there are frequently frosty nights, during which the tree-peonies and other half-hardy early-flowering shrubs should be protected by a kind of beehive-like covering, made sufficiently large to put on and take off without injuring the plants. In the country, these coverings may be made of platted rushes sewed together, and the gathering and platting them will afford employment to poor old women and children in winter. Biennials, such as hollyhocks, Brompton stocks, &c., are generally transplanted in this month.

In the kitchen-garden the principal crops of all the culinary vegetables are sown, and potatoe sets are planted. The spring pruning and planting are also finished. Forest-trees are planted in the parks and pleasure-grounds, and trees are cut down. In short, in large places March and April probably form the most laborious period of the gardener’s year.

April.

In the first week of this month many gardeners transplant their biennials, instead of putting them into the ground in March. The hollyhocks should have a hole dug for each plant two feet deep, at the bottom of which should be thrown three or four spadefuls of strong stable manure. Many gardeners also plant their dahlia-roots in this month, though others delay this operation till May, or even June. However this may be, the tubers of the dwarf kinds should be planted at about three feet apart, but the larger sorts should be four feet or five feet from each other every way. The soil should be in a sandy loam, not too rich, lest the plants should produce more leaves than flowers, and not too poor, lest the flowers should be poor also. In planting the tubers, care should be taken to arrange them in such a manner that the colours of the flowers they produce shall have a harmonious effect. In this month the auriculases generally begin to come into flower in pots, and the polyanthuses and primroses in the open ground. Tuberoses, the different kinds of gladiolus, the Guernsey lily, and other shewy autumn-flowering bulbs may be planted towards the end of April, or the first week in May. A bed should be prepared for their reception, by digging the ground about a foot deep, and taking out about half the soil, which is to be replaced by equal parts of vegetable-mould and well-rotted dung. When this is well dug over and mixed, drills should be drawn in it, about three or four inches deep and eighteen inches apart, in which the bulbs (after first taking off their offsets) are to be placed about nine inches apart. The bulbs should be made quite firm in the soil, and then covered with mould an inch or an inch and a half deep. They will not require any water till a week or ten days after planting, when the roots have begun to grow, but after that they should be watered regularly. Heartseases for autumn flowering may be sown this month, or cuttings may be made of favourite kinds. The heartsease requires a shady situation, and a rich loamy soil, plentifully supplied with water. The box edgings may be pruned in this month, but they should never be clipped. A garden-line should be stretched along the edging, at the proper height, generally about four inches from the ground, above which the highest point of the box should not reach; and the box should be cut down to this line, every shoot being cut in a slanting direction to a bud, and only every alternate shoot suffered to reach the line. Hardy annuals also may be sown in this month, if the sowing of them was neglected in March. The ornamental kinds of Ribes and Berberis will begin to come into flower with Magnolia conspicua, and the common almond.

In the kitchen-garden, April may be called the grafting month, though many gardeners begin to perform that operation in March. In the culinary department, those vegetables that require transplanting, such as celery, sea-kale, cauliflower, &c., are generally planted out in April. The peas and beans are hoed up, as are the potatoes; the asparagus and artichoke beds are dressed; and the onions, turnips, &c., are thinned. If potatoes for the main crop were not planted in March, they should be now. The peas should be staked when they are hoed up; and this is the best season for dividing roots of thyme and other aromatic herbs.

May.

In the flower-garden, this is the month for planting out the tender annuals which have been raised on a hotbed. The seeds of hardy annuals may still be sown, and also those of biennials for planting out the following spring. In this month, ornamental perennial plants may be propagated by slips and cuttings; and if any were made in April for striking in a hotbed, they may be transplanted. The leaves of the rose-trees should be examined for a little brown grub, which infests them at this season, and which should be picked off and destroyed. The flower-garden will now be in all its splendour. The hyacinths will be in full bloom, as will also the different kinds of Ribes, Berberis, and Mahonia, among the shrubs; and several kinds of Magnolia, the Judas tree, Edwardsia, &c., among the trees. The Pæonia Moutan will likewise expand its magnificent blossoms; and the spring heartsease will be coming into flower, as will the Nemophilla insignis, and several of the other Californian annuals.

In the kitchen-garden, the operations continue nearly the same as the last month. Peas and beans may be sown for the late crops, and spinach, &c. This is the proper season for sowing kidney-beans. If the first crop of peas has not been staked, it should now be done, and the tops should be taken off the common beans; both may also be hoed up. The blossoms of the fruit-trees should be examined, and those attacked by insects should be instantly removed, and the insects they contain destroyed. All leaves that are found rolled up should be taken off, and destroyed. In the park and pleasure-grounds, oak-trees are generally felled in May, because the movement of the sap at this season makes the bark separate more easily from the wood.

June.

In the flower-garden, this is the month for piping and layering pinks and carnations, and for making cuttings of the tenderer kinds of roses. The hardy roses will be probably much infested with the green fly, or aphis, which should be destroyed with tobacco-water. Great care should, however, be taken in using it, or the tobacco-water will disfigure the plants more than even the aphis itself. Half-a-pound of the best shag tobacco should be put into a gallon of hot water, and the decoction suffered to stand till it is quite cold. The infested shoots should then be dipped in the tobacco-water, and suffered to remain in it about a minute, and then immediately washed in clean water. Two persons should perform this operation, one carrying a saucer with the tobacco-water, and the other a jug of clean water and a saucer, to wash the shoots immediately.

In the kitchen-garden, there is very little to do, except to sow what are called succession crops of culinary vegetables, and to continue the operations of the last month where necessary. June is, indeed, rather a month of enjoyment in a garden, than one of labour. The fruit-trees, however, may be pruned or disbudded of their summer shoots; and towards the end of the month, budding commences.

July.

The bulbs of hyacinths and tulips are generally taken up in this month, and put in to a proper place to dry; as are the tubers of ranunculuses and anemones. The stalks of those herbaceous plants that have done flowering should be cut down, that they may send up fresh shoots, and produce a second set of flowers. The dead roses, &c., should be cut away as soon as they fade, as nothing more completely destroys the beauty of a flower-garden than a number of dead flowers mingled with the newly-expanded ones. Cuttings of verbenas, and other greenhouse, or window plants may be made this month; and those that were made early in spring, may be planted in the beds to supply the place of the bulbs, and other plants that have quite done flowering. Roses, pinks, and carnations are in their greatest splendour in June and July. Roses are generally budded in this month; though, if the weather be moist, any time will do from June to September. The essential point is to have the weather sufficiently moist and warm to stimulate the dormant action of the bud.

In the kitchen-garden the shallots should be taken up; but in other respects there is nothing particular to do—except the routine culture of keeping the garden neat, and sowing the seeds of culinary vegetables for succession.

August.

The box edgings are again pruned in this month as they were in spring. The pinks and carnations having now done flowering, should have the layers which were made in June cut away if they have rooted; and some German stocks, and other plants which have been purposely raised in pots, should be planted amongst the carnations, to prevent the beds from looking bare of flowers.

The seeds of most of the annual flowers are now ripe, and should be gathered. The evergreens and other plants in the shrubberies should be pruned, and their summer shoots cut in, if they have been too luxuriant. The bulbs of crown imperials, lilies, and all the scaly kinds, which generally remain several years in the ground without taking them up, should be planted in this month. They will grow under the shade of trees, and in any situation not too dry. If too much exposed to the sun, the flowers will fade almost as soon as they expand. Scaly bulbs that have been long planted, may also be taken up, their offsets taken off, and the bulb removed to a new situation; but no scaly bulb should be kept long out of the ground.

In the kitchen-garden this is the gathering month, as most of the fruits and vegetables are now ripe.

September.

The dahlias are now the principal ornament of the flower garden; and they should be kept neatly tied up, and all the dead flowers removed as soon as they fade. The autumn flowering bulbs are now in full blossom; and all the greenhouse and frame plants that were turned out are also in flower. The beds for hyacinths and other spring bulbs should be dug over and manured.

In the kitchen-garden, spinach may be sown for use in spring; and the potatoes and other roots should be taken up. This is considered the best month for planting strawberries. The wall-fruit will require protection from birds, wasps, and flies. Some worsted twined backwards and forwards from projecting nails, is said to be the best protection from birds; and bottles of sugar and water hung from the twigs will attract the wasps and flies from the fruit. After the fruit of the wall-trees is gathered, the borders are usually lightly forked over, and what is called a top-dressing of fresh compost is spread over them.

October.

In the flower-garden the tender greenhouse plants should be taken up. Seeds of the hardy annuals that will stand the winter should be sown, particularly those of the heartsease, rocket-larkspur, coreopsis, Eschscholtzia, and all the californian annuals. The best way of managing these is to choose a portion of hard ground on which a little light earth, six or eight inches deep, has been laid; in this the seeds should be sown, and the young plants will be ready to remove by spadefuls to the beds prepared for them in spring.

This is the best season for planting hyacinths, tulips, crocuses, and other bulbs and corms, and the different varieties of Anemone hortensis; taking care when planting the latter to keep the eye of the tuber uppermost. All the kinds of Pæonies, as well the Pæonia Moutan as the herbaceous species, should be planted in this month. The leaves that fall in great abundance in October and November should be regularly swept up, and carried to a rotting heap, that they may decay, and make the earth so valuable to florists, which is generally called vegetable mould.

In the kitchen-garden the remaining fruit should be gathered. Towards the end of the month some fruit-trees may be planted if their leaves have dropped; and the autumnal pruning may begin, unless the trees should be still in a growing state.

November.

In the beginning of this month the appearance of the flower-garden is extremely desolate. The dahlias have generally been seriously injured by the frost, but not quite so much so as to warrant their removal; and a few lingering flowers of other kinds recal melancholy ideas of what has been, but is passed. A mild November is indeed the old age of the floral year; and a sharp frost that kills all the remaining flowers is felt positively as a relief. The tubers of the dahlias should be taken up as soon as the frost has changed their flowers. The names should be attached to the roots by string, or the Chester metallic wire; and they should be laid on dry boards in a cellar, and covered with sand, or in some dry place, not too warm, in a green-house. The temperature at which they should be kept, should be between 35° and 45°. The autumn-flowering bulbs should be taken up in the same manner, and kept in dry sand or moss. All the plants that require protection, should be carefully covered or matted up.

In the kitchen-garden the beds should be cleared of all haulm, &c., and dug over and dressed; and the trees which were not before planted should be put into the ground.

December.

This month is a perfect blank both for the flower and the fruit garden; except for collecting soils, making composts, preparing labels for names or numbers, sticks or stakes for tying up plants, nails and list for fastening them; and in mild weather, for pruning the larger and more hardy deciduous trees and shrubs, &c.

INDEX.

Transcriber’s Notes:

Variations in spelling and hyphenation are retained.

Perceived typographical errors have been changed.