In-Door Gardening for Every Week in the Year Part 14

SEPTEMBER.

FIRST WEEK.

GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY.

Balsams.--Give them a good watering when they show indications of drooping; but be cautious in watering when the least stagnation appears, as saturation will be death to them.

Bulbs.--Pot Hyacinths and other such bulbs for forcing. When potted, to be placed in a dry, cool situation, as advised in the early part of the month, and covered with some porous material--such as coal ashes, old spent tanner's bark, coa.r.s.e sand, or any other material that will serve to keep the roots not only cool and un-acted on by atmospheric changes, but which, from being moderately damp, will not abstract moisture from the roots, but keep them uniformly and evenly moistened. The Cape bulbs, if obtained now, may be had in flower at various periods throughout the winter and early spring. _Amaryllis Johnsoni_, _vittata_, and many other varieties, are splendid. Ornithogalum, both the white and orange-flowered species, the free-growing species of Ixia, and the varieties of _Sparaxis tricolor_, are desirable plants that may be easily bloomed by gentle forcing.

Calceolarias (Herbaceous).--Pot off seedlings into small pots, and keep them close in a frame for some days. Put in cuttings of the best kinds; they will strike readily in a common frame.

Chrysanthemums.--They should now be stopped for the last time, to produce a late succession of bloom.

Climbers.--Be careful to train the shoots, that the trellis or stakes may be furnished and clothed with foliage and flowers from the rim of the pot upwards.

Fuchsias.--To have a late bloom, cut back about half of the young wood, tr.i.m.m.i.n.g the plants to handsome shapes. If placed or plunged in a little bottom heat they will break again, and continue blooming till Christmas.

Lilium lancifolium.--Supply them cautiously with water, as advised for Balsams, and shade the flowers from bright sunshine, to prolong their beauty. When they have done blooming, to be removed to the foot of a south wall or fence to ripen their growth. Water to be given sparingly until their tops show signs of decay, when they may be laid on their sides till potting time. The same treatment is recommended for _Gladioli_ and plants of like habit.

STOVE AND ORCHID-HOUSE.

Some judgment will now be necessary to arrange the plants that are finishing or have completed their season's growth in the coolest part of the house, where they should be freely supplied with air, and rather cautiously and sparingly with water. While others in free growth should be encouraged with warmth and moisture by giving but very little air and a liberal supply of water during very fine sunshiny weather.

FORCING-HOUSES.

When the fruit in the early houses is gathered, the great object should be to ripen the wood. A certain degree of attention is necessary to be given by exposing them to light and air, and preserving the leaves from injury, as it is upon their healthy action that the future crop depends.

Cherries.--Trees in tubs, or large pots, if intended for early forcing, to be removed to a cool, and plunged in an open airy, situation, to continue the regular root action, upon which much of their future success will depend.

Figs.--Withhold water from the borders where the second crop of fruit is ripening. Trees in tubs, or large pots, intended for early forcing, to be treated as advised for Cherries.

Peaches.--If mildew attack the trees before the leaves have performed their necessary functions, dust the affected shoots with sulphur. Trees in pots to be treated as recommended for Cherries.

Pines.--Take advantage of fine weather to encourage free growth where it is desirable. Plants swelling their fruit to be supplied occasionally with clear liquid manure. The succession plants to be supplied with water at the roots, as inattention to that particular during hot weather is very likely to cause some of the plants to fruit prematurely.

Strawberries.--The stock intended for forcing to be carefully attended to; to be kept free from runners and weeds; and, when necessary, to be liberally watered. Free exposure to sun and air, and a little weak liquid manure, will a.s.sist to produce stout healthy plants for forcing.

Vines.--When the fruit is ripe, give air freely, and keep the house as cool and dry as possible. Stop laterals in the late houses, and expose the foliage to light, to make it as healthy and vigorous as possible. Vines in pots to be treated as advised for Cherries.

SECOND WEEK.

GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY.

As boisterous winds, heavy rains, and other atmospheric changes occur about this time, it is advisable to draft the choicest out-door greenhouse plants to their winter quarters. Each plant to be carefully examined, dead leaves removed, and any defects in the soil or drainage of the pots to be remedied. If worm-casts, or other indications of the presence of worms, appear on the surface of the soil, by carefully turning the ball of soil out of the pot they can generally be picked out. If they are not visible on the outside of the ball, a small peg stuck in will direct particular attention to it until the intruder is removed. When staging the plants, a pleasing variety may be introduced by placing a few on inverted pots. Sufficient s.p.a.ce to be given to each plant to allow the air to circulate freely around. If there is not sufficient room for all, the oldest or mis-shapen plants may be rejected, or wintered in a pit or vinery. When housed, all the air possible should be given in fine weather by the entire withdrawal of the lights, and only reducing the ventilation when unfavourable changes in the weather take place.

Heliotropes.--Pay attention to keep them in a growing, healthy state for winter flowering.

Mignonette.--Sow now and a month hence, for winter and spring blooming.

Pinks.--Pot _Anne Boleyne_ and other sorts, to be well established before they are wanted for forcing.

Roses.--Some of the Tea-scented and China kinds, being placed under gla.s.s, and to be repotted if requisite, will promote immediate growth and early blooming.

Violets.--Take up with good b.a.l.l.s, to be potted in rotten turf, or leaf mould and road-sc.r.a.pings, in 48 or 32-sized pots, placed in a pit or frame near the gla.s.s, for flowers in the winter and early spring.

STOVE AND ORCHID-HOUSE.

As the season of active growth is now getting to a close, it is advisable to ripen off gradually the pseudo-bulbs and strong healthy shoots by keeping up a genial atmosphere, ranging from 70 to 80, with abundance of air in favourable weather. Cattleyas, _Epidendrum Skinneri_, Laelias, _Lycaste Skinneri_, and _Odontoglossum grande_, to be kept rather cool, and to be slightly syringed occasionally.

Water to be given more sparingly to all the plants except such as are growing freely. Shading to be now dispensed with as much as possible, that the plants may have the benefit of the ripening influence of the sun.

FORCING-HOUSES.

Figs.--Continue to pay strict attention to the state of the atmosphere. Where the fruit is still swelling and ripening, slight fires will be useful in dull, cold weather, to a.s.sist in ripening the fruit; and but little syringing and watering will be required from this time forward.

Melons.--Take advantage of fine weather by giving plenty of air, shutting up early, and keeping the shoots regularly thinned. In whatever structure they may be growing, it is advisable to keep up the bottom heat by a gentle fire, or by linings.

Peaches.--We will suppose the trees to be now fully exposed to the air night and day, and will, therefore, require but little attention, except an occasional washing with the engine, to remove insects and to allow the foliage to perform its functions to a natural decay. If a blank in the house is to be filled up, it may be done as soon as the crop is gathered from the open wall; and the crop to be expected from the same tree next season will depend upon the care with which it is removed, as there will be sufficient time for the wood to be ripened and the tree to make fresh roots, and to get sufficiently established before winter.

Pines.--Where young stock is grown in dung-pits, care to be taken by giving air freely in favourable weather, to avoid growing the plants weakly in a close and warm temperature, and by a sufficient command of heat from the linings to allow a little air to be given at night and on cloudy days.

Vines.--All long growths, whether bearing or not, to be stopped, as it is getting too late for them to be benefited by the foliage made after this period of the year. A gentle fire in damp weather is useful to keep the atmosphere dry when the fruit is ripe. The bunches to be frequently and carefully looked over and all tainted berries removed, and the foliage kept free from insects. Fire heat is also necessary where the fruit is not yet ripe, and where the fruit is cut it is sometimes necessary to keep the atmosphere dry and rather warm, to ripen the wood.

THIRD WEEK.

GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY.

Finish housing the greenhouse plants, and give them as much air as possible; for if air is too sparingly admitted at this season, when many of the plants have not finished their growth, it will cause them to produce weak and tender shoots, which will be very liable to damp off at a more advanced period when the inclemency of the external air will cause them to be kept close. Water to be liberally supplied when they are first taken into the house, as the dry boards on which they may stand, or the elevated situation and free circulation of air will occasion a more frequent want of that element than when they stood on the moist earth. However, by no means go to the extreme, but give it only when evidently necessary.

Azaleas.--Plants that have set their blooms to be removed to the greenhouse; but the late kinds to remain in heat until their growth is matured and the bloom set. If a few are required to bloom at Christmas, or a little after, they should be kept in heat until the bloom-buds have swelled to a good size, when they will require but very little forcing to start them into bloom.

Bulbs.--Procure and pot them as soon as possible, as much of the success of early forcing depends upon early potting.

Camellias.--Treat them as advised for Azaleas.

Heaths.--Look sharply after mildew, as plants that have been growing freely in a shady situation in the open air, and are in a rather succulent state when taken indoors, are liable to be attacked by this pest, which should be removed on its first appearance by an application of sulphur.

STOVE AND ORCHID-HOUSE.

Commence a gradual reduction of the temperature in correspondence with the decline of external heat; by such means the plants will be better prepared to withstand the gloom and other vicissitudes of the winter season.

Begonias.--Encourage the different kinds for winter flowering by shifting them, if necessary, into larger pots. They succeed best in a compost of half leaf mould and half loam. They grow luxuriantly in a soil composed entirely of decayed vegetable matter; but in that they are liable to rot off at the base of the stem.