Garden Calendar for October.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 910, 2 October 1879, Page 2

Garden Calendar for October.

Flower Garden. — Sow annuals mostly on light rich soil. GEnothero, godetia, and nolana, do best on poor soil. Sow sweet scabious and other perennials. Finish bedding out as far as possible. Peg the branches of bedding plants close to the ground, to form a dense compact border. Kitchen and Fruit Garden. — Sow cucumbers and melons. Sow pumpkin, vegetable marrow, water melon, &c. The true custard marrow is one of the most delicious kinds grown, and a prolific yielder ; but it is not commonly seen here. Sow tomato and capiscum. Sow cauliflower, cabbage, peas, and beans for succession * sow celery * stake peas as they require it ; thin out advancing- crops ; keep down weeds. Transplant cabbage, cauliflower, &c, whenever necessary. Plant late potatoes where not already done. Look closely after mice and slugs. Put - walks, j edgings, and borders in good order, and keep everything neat and orderly. Sow j a little silver beet for blanching. Finish grafting ; thin out peaches towards the middle of the month ; pinch back all luxuriant shoots ; thin sterile on vines ; thin out pears, when setting too thickly, at the close of the month. Vines fruiting freely should be watered with weak liquid manure. Keep the ground open and loose on the surface. Farm. — There is usually plenty of grass at this time, and stock should be thriving. Wethers that are fit for the butcher may be shorn before sending to market ; the flock may be washed for shearing about the middle or latter end !of the month. The first of October will be soon enough to that up young grass i where the seed is to be saved, although i if it is perennial ryegrass, cutting in the first year will seriously injure it, and except on the best laud, will almost destroy the plant. Great care should be taken not to allow any docks or thistles to ripen there while it is growing ; indeed this month and next they j will require to be carefully watched, and as many of them destroyed as possible over the whole farm. Linseed may be sown this month, although it has not been grown long enough here to speak positively as to the best time. Grass may be sown during this month.