Gardening for Amateurs 



945 



Round the Year in the Garden; What to do 

 late in December 



AMONG THE FLOWERS 



EWNS. In very mild winters mowing 

 is sometimes necessary even at this 

 period, but it is essential to choose 

 a fine day for the work, and close cutting 

 should be avoided. The roller ought to be 

 used regularly now when the lawns are 

 not too wet. Endeavour to complete the 

 laying of fresh turf, or the patching of old, 

 before the end of the year. Spare moments 

 might be profitably occupied in digging out 

 Plantains and Dandelions. 



Protecting Plants. It is always ad- 

 visable to have plenty of protective material 

 ready to hand in gardens situated in localities 

 where many plants need covering in severe 

 weather. In such districts plants that are 

 not absolutely hardy are often planted 

 against a wall facing south, but as cold 

 weather is occasionally accompanied by 

 south-east winds, the protection for such 

 plants can only be neglected at considerable 

 risk. 



Sweet Peas. Plants growing in pots in 

 cold frames need very little water now. 

 Remember that "coddling" soon produces 

 bad results, therefore let them have fresh 

 air whenever the weather is mild. A few 

 short twiggy sticks placed around the seed- 

 lings will prevent their falling over. Those 

 sown in the open should also be given small 

 sticks ; in this case they will act as slight 

 protection also. Slugs may even now be 

 troublesome, but soot will keep them at 

 bay. 



Roses. Where there is a good deal of 

 pruning to do, especially of plants rambling 

 over arches and pergolas, Pillar Roses, and 

 the like, something may be done at odd 

 times now to lessen the labour in the busier 

 season. There will almost certainly be a 

 quantity of dead or dying wood to cut out, 

 and there is no need to delay doing this. 

 Then stems which are obviously of no value, 

 and would be removed in March in any case, 

 may just as well be cut out now. If the 

 old stems have not been removed from 

 60 



Ramblers, these may also be seen to at 

 the present time. 



Evergreens. Many evergreens are in 

 great demand now for decorative purposes, 

 but a little care should be taken in cutting 

 the branches. It is easy to ruin fine shrubs 

 or trees by indiscriminate cutting, especially 

 those which are slow of growth. It is 

 often possible, however, to do actual good 

 by thinning out the growths of such shrubs 

 instead of cutting them back. 



IN THE GREENHOUSE 

 Pruning Vines. Vines that are allowed 

 to start growth naturally in March are ready 

 to prune during the last fortnight of Decem- 

 ber ; by that time all leaves will have fallen. 

 This is work that cannot be delayed in- 

 definitely, as, if late pruning is practised, 

 " bleeding " often results in spring. The 

 lateral growths that grew the previous 

 summer are cut back to two buds from the 

 base, the cuts being made clean, and as 

 close to the bud as possible. Young Vines 

 that have not yet reached the top of the 

 trellis are treated similarly as regards the 

 laterals, but the leader the continuation of 

 the main stem must be left about 2 feet 

 longer than at the previous pruning. 



Gleaning the Vines. Pruning over, 

 loose bark may be rubbed off ; if mealy bug 

 is present, rather more bark than is actually 

 loose may be removed, but be careful not 

 to overdo this. The Vines should then be 

 thoroughly washed with a strong solution 

 of Gishurst Compound, this being repeated 

 twice at short intervals. It is a good plan 

 to scrub all woodwork, stagings, etc., at the 

 same time, and if the walls are whitened 

 with limewash everything will be left clean 

 in readiness for another season. 



Winter - flowering Geraniums. These 

 are now making a bright show in the warm 

 greenhouse, and if the atmosphere can be 

 kept fairly dry the blooms will last a con- 

 siderable time. Watering is not needed very 

 often ; give weak liquid manure sometimes. 



