Instructions in gardening for ladies

by Mrs. Loudon

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.