GARDENERS' CALENDAR FOR MAY.

Southland Times, Issue 665, 3 May 1867, Page 3

GARDENERS' CALENDAR FOR MAY.

Kitchen Q-abden.— The operations of the garden this month are chiefly confined to alterations, transplanting, and clearing the ground, and preparing for the coming season. In the kitchen garden the final earthing up of celery should now be done, taking care not to bury the hearts of the plants, which would cause them to rot. Earth up also all crops re.quiring it as protection against wind and frost. Attend to rhubarb, sea kale, and asparagus beds, if not done last month. Globe artichokes should be protected by having some long litter put round them and secured down from the wind. Winter spinach should now be thinned to about eight inches from plant to plant, and everything in shape of weeds taken out, especially our little familiar aquaintance chickweed. All reot crops that have matured their growth should now* be taken up and pitted, according to their several natures and requirements, and the ground laid up in ridges to receive the action of air and frost till wanted again for cropping. This operation has a more beneficial effect on the soil than a great many are aware of. The frames in which cucumbers were grown must now be used for small salading where a supply is required : a small quantity sown every week, and the frost kept out by covering at night, will be sufficient for most families. Fruit and Eloweb G-abdeit. — In the fruit garden the removal of all kinds of fruit trees may now be performed, care being taken to firmly stake and tie every one, so that any amount of wind will not affect the roots. By the end of this month some may be ready to put in cuttings of and currants. The following rules must be attended to if properly formed bushes are required : — The cutting should be about ten inches long, and every bud cut clean out except two, or at most three, at the top ; then plant each one about four inches deep, in rows, or in any other way that may be convenient; cuttings thus made will never throw out suckers, whilst those put in with their buds on will never be clear from them, and will be a pest to any well regulated garden, and far from a credit to the cultivator. In the flower garden we may now safely bid good-bye to its duties, and all that can be done is confined to the planting of shrubs of all kinds, the alterations and new formations of borders for flowers or shrubberies, laying iawns and verges, and planting box edgings. The larger and late kinds of Grladiola and Tigrida Conchiflora will now be fit for parting, and all bulbs still out should be planted without delay, plants put by in pots or other vessels for protection through the winter, should be kept clean and not over-supplied with water. Look over all beds and nurseries of young flowering plants, and keep them clear from dead leaves and weeds, and keep the surface stirred. Cut into a proper form all shrubs, whether evergreens or deciduous, and keep all decayed stems cut off. Dahlias, if done flowering, or taken off by the frost, should be cut down, and their roots taken up and laid out singly to dry, in a copl but dry place where they will be protected from frost, or by being earthed up they will stand this climate with safety, though a few may rot through a superabundance of wet. .