GARDEN CALENDAR FOR THE NORTH OTAGO DISTRICT.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 1885, 11 May 1878, Page 5 (Supplement)

GARDEN CALENDAR FOR THE NORTH OTAGO DISTRICT.

MAY. Kitchen Garden. — Early Peas, raazngan and long pod beans may still be sown. Continue to oarth up colory. Cabbages may still be planted out for spring use, and those planted last month must bo hoed or earthed up — that is three or four inches of earth drawn to each side of their sterna. If not already done, take up all root crops (carrot, parsnip, beetroot, and lato potatoes), and store carefully away. The great business of the month is the attending properly to the soil. As early as possible every vacant apace ot ground should be trenched or dug up ; the surface should be left us rough and lumpy as possible, so that every drop of ruin may penetrate, every sunbeam warm, and the dews nourish. These natural forces gradually mellow the soil into the finest tilth. Now is a very suitable time to apply manures, likewise to get intended alterations set a-going. Draining must also bo attended to; no garden should have stagnant water within four foot of the surface, and should bo warm and dry. Drainage makes them both. May and June aro perhaps the best months for this work. Weeds will grow, especially among cabbages, white spinach, and autumn onions even in this month. Keep tho hoe going among all such crops, and let order and neatness bo everywhere apparent. Fruit Garden. — Clear it of any fruit remaining. In cold localities late fiuit often lingers ripening on the trees during the month, but it should not bo risked out of doors any longer. As soon as the trees are cleared of fruit and leaves pruning and training may be proceeded with. This remark does not, howevor, apply to tender fruit, namely, nectarines, poaches and apricots. The pruning of these is deferred to until the spring. The object of this is keep the fruit blossoms as backward as po.ssiblo. Fruit trees infected with scales or bug, red spider, or what is known ns American blight, should now bo thoroughly cleaned. Cleanliness is one of the best aids to general culture, and essential to secure success in fruitgrowing. Strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, currants, and fruit trees that are weak should be top-dressed with ruamire or rich composts, to impart the needful strength, and recoup the plants for tho heavy yearly demand made upon them. Flower Garden. — Alas ! its glory has now departed, and wo must mako up for lack of bloom by order, neatness, and cleanliness ; and carefully clear away all dead or dying flowers. The manuring and digging of flower beds must be accomplished during the month. Dahlia roots will now be matured, ami in. iy bo carefully lifted, talc in," care to secure the labels to tho roots with wire. Lay them out to dry provious to stoiing away for the winter. Finish tho planting of ranunculus, hyacinth, tulips, narcissus, crocus, Ruowdtops, jonquils, and soil las. Choose the warmest and most sheltered situations for hyacinths. Tlioy will amply repay you for tho extra care bestowed upon thorn. Plant out hollyhocks, wallflower r, and Brompton stocks. Divide anJ transplant phloxes, peonies, delphiniums, and other fibrous-rooted perennials. Tho planting of shrubs and ornamental trees should now bo proceeded with. Tho ground should bo carefully dm* and trenched ; all weeds and roots of trees destroyed, removed, or reduced in number. The ground, >f poor (except for conifertc), to bo enriched by a ] liberal top-dressing of well rotted manure. Ornamental trees and shrubs need all such aids as these at planting time, especially Portugal laurals, lauristinas, lilncs, berberis, deutzias, and arbutus, and even planes, litnea, maples, chestnuts, and oaks will grow twice as rapidly if in well prepared bottoms as they will in soils unenriched and undug. Plantations of trees and shrubberies should be pruned and thinned where necessary during this month. It is wise to plant thickly for effect, but it is equally wise to tluu quickly and regularly to ensure permanent blinds. We should prune shrubberies every year with us much regularity and care as we do our fruit trees. All the hardy sorts of rosea may now bo planted, but bo careful they are well mulched with well-rotted manure. Alterations in flower gardens and pleasure grounds should be attended to in favorable weather duiing May.