GARDENERS CALENDAR.

Dunstan Times, Issue 919, 28 November 1879, Page 3

GARDENERS CALENDAR.

DECEMBER. Kitchen Garden.—The garden operations of the season should he so far advanced as to leave little to he done in the way of sowing and planting ; besides which, those previous! v omitted, if now sown, are unlikely to reach such perfection as former sowings ; and attention should now rather he given to the various means of furthering the growth of those plants which have already appeared above ground. In the kitchen garden early pease and potatoes will be;in to he ready for dealing off, and the celery put into a nursery bed should take the place of either of these ciops ; it most he borne in mind that this crop of celery cannot he depended on, as it wid run to seed. Turnips should now he sown for late winter supply, and a succession of pease and Fiench beans should he planted at the beginning of the month ; if the weather prove dry soak them about six hours in water, and also water the drills before planting. Continue t 0 plant broccoli, cauliflower green kale, and cabbage plants. Earth up all crops rrquiii, g it, and destroy all weeds as they appear.

Euuit and Flower Garden.—ln the fruit garden strawberries will now be ripening, and, where possible, water should he withheld, as it spoils the flavour of the fruit for cither eating or preserving Peaches, nectarines, and apricots on wal s or trellises should have their fruit thinned so soon as they are sutliciently developed, as if a tree has more on than it can boar, the sequel will he that it will become so weak that the whide crop will fall off half grown, and the tree become spoiled for the next season. Disbudding, where not done, should now ho attended to, as this is properly called mid-summer pruning, and should he done forthwith.

The operation of the flower garden should now be confined to keeping order, by not letting a weed be seen, or a stone out of its place ; everything neatly tied up, and all litter kept constantly gathered up. Should the weather prove dry, all plants turned out of pots must he supplied with water until they get established.