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IN-DOOR GARDENING

FOR

EVERY WEEK IN THE YEAR:

SHOWING

THE MOST SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT FOR ALL PLANTS

CULTIVATED IN THE

GREENHOUSE, CONSERVATORY, STOVE, PIT, ORCHID, AND FORCING-HOUSE.

BY WILLIAM KEANE.

THIRD EDITION.

LONDON: JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER OFFICE, 171,
FLEET STREET.

1865.




IN-DOOR GARDENING FOR THE MANY.


JANUARY.


FIRST WEEK.

GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY.

Cinerarias.--The plants intended for large specimens must receive
their final shift, and be allowed sufficient space to expand their
foliage without interfering with or injuring each other. The
side-shoots to be tied out.

Epacrises.--As some of them will be preparing to burst into flower,
a little arrangement may be necessary in tying them out to display
their spikes of bloom more advantageously.

Fuchsias.--If wanted early, the plants that were first put to rest
should be selected, and be fresh potted, cutting back the roots,
beginning with a small-sized pot; to be shifted into larger when the
roots have extended to the outside of the ball. Place them in a nice
moist temperature of 50° by day and 40° by night.

Heaths.--To be looked over, and the dead and decaying leaves
removed. The most forward in bud--such as the _Vestitas_, _Vernix_,
_Vasciflora_, _Aristata_, _Beaumontia_, and many others, to be tied
out, and arranged for the season.

Pelargoniums.--When large specimens are wanted, tie out the
branches at equal distances, and down as near to the rim of the pot
as possible. Air to be given at all favourable opportunities. Water
to be given but sparingly, and not overhead.


STOVE AND ORCHID-HOUSE.

Be careful that the night temperature is not raised too high: if
kept at 50° in severe weather no ill consequences will result. The
atmosphere to be kept rather moist, especially if the weather is
bright; and all plants indicating an appearance of starting into
bloom to be removed to the warmest part of the house.

Clerodendrons.--To be shaken out of their pots; their roots reduced
and repotted into small pots in a light sandy loamy compost. Sow
seeds, and also of any hard-wooded stove plants.

Water to be given very cautiously to the Orchids, merely sufficient
to prevent the plants from shrivelling; and to do this effectually
it is necessary to look over them every day. The air of the house to
be kept moist by sprinkling the pathways, floors, tables, &c.,
daily. If any plant is found not to have ripened off its bulbs it
should be placed in the warmest part of the house, and the ripening
process encouraged. The Brassias, Cyanoches, Coelogynes,
Miltonias, and other such plants, when they are beginning to grow,
to be repotted. The compost to consist of turfy peat mixed with a
portion of charcoal or broken potsherds, and the pots to be at least
half full of very open drainage.


FORCING-HOUSES.

Cherries.--Very gentle excitement to be given by fire or artificial
heat, with kindly humidity, and abundance of air.

Figs.--Although they will bear a higher degree of temperature
without injury than either Cherries or Peaches, it is advisable to
begin cautiously, as it frequently happens that the more haste with
fire the less speed with fruit, and that favourable opportunities of
sun and light must be embraced for making sure progress with them.

Peaches.--Where the trees are coming into bloom it is necessary to
be cautious in the application of humidity, and when they have
expanded their flowers to withhold it altogether for a time. Fire or
other artificial heat to be applied moderately--that is, from 45° by
night to 55° by day, particularly when dark and gloomy weather
prevails. The houses now commencing to force to be kept moderately
moist, and in a sweet healthy state, syringing the trees pretty
freely once or twice a-day with tepid water. Shut up early on sunny
days, and sprinkle the paths, floors, flues, or pipes frequently.

Vines.--When they have all broken, the superfluous buds must be
rubbed off, and the young shoots stopped as soon as they are long
enough to admit the points of the shoots at one bud above the bunch
being broken out. In vineries now commencing to force, adopt the
practice of producing, where it can be applied, a kindly humidity by
means of dung and leaves, or other such fermenting materials. If
they are to be broken principally by fire heat, either by flues or
hot-water pipes, copious syringings must be resorted to with tepid
water once or twice a-day. Fire heat to be applied principally by
day, with air at the same time, and very moderately at night.


SECOND WEEK.

GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY.

The plants will now require particular attention and a nice
discrimination in the application of water: it may be comprehended
by all persons interested in gardening operations, that when the
soil on the surface of the pot looks damp it will not require water
until it gets thoroughly dry at this season, and then it is to be
given before the plant droops or flags for want of it. But when the
plant droops and the soil on the surface appears damp, the cause is
then to be discovered by turning the ball out of the pot, when it
will be seen whether the whole or only a portion of the soil is wet;
as it sometimes happens, when fresh potted with light soil, it
shrinks from the sides of the pot when dry, and when water is given
it runs down and moistens the outside, without penetrating the ball.
The evil is corrected by holding it for a short space of time in a
tub of water of the same temperature as the house. If the soil of
any plant is sodden with water it should be turned out of the pot,
and the drainage examined, and no water to be given until it becomes
thoroughly dry.

Verbenas.--They require to be kept tolerably dry, as they are more
susceptible of injury from damp than from cold; a top shelf near the
glass in the greenhouse is a very suitable place for them. If mildew
appears, to be dusted with flowers of sulphur.


STOVE AND ORCHID-HOUSE.

Although all plants now at rest should be kept comparatively dry,
they will require to be looked over daily to see that they do not
suffer for want of water. The temperature not to exceed 60° by fire
heat, and a fall of 10° may be allowed at night in very cold
weather. Many of the stove plants--such as Aphelandras, Justicias,
Poinsettias, &c.--may now be cut down altogether, and kept dry for a
few weeks, which will cause them to make an early growth, and to
come into flower a few weeks sooner next winter.

Gesneras.--Select a few roots of them and a few of the Gloxinias to
start into growth to produce a succession of flowers.


FORCING-HOUSES.

Asparagus.--If the soil in the bed is dry, give it a liberal supply
of water, so that it may descend to the roots, as unproductiveness
is sometimes caused by the soil at the roots being very dry when the
top is kept moist by gentle waterings.

Beans (Dwarf Kidney).--Sow every three weeks, if a constant supply
is wanted. Keep the early crops well supplied with water, and give
them frequent sprinklings overhead, to prevent the attacks of red
spider.

Mushrooms.--An abundance of water to be thrown about the floors. If
the beds are dry, to be syringed with lukewarm water, applying it
like dew at intervals for a few hours. Temperature from 50° to 60°,
with air occasionally in favourable weather.

Peaches.--Continue previous directions. The trees in bloom to be
artificially impregnated, and the foreright shoots to be rubbed off
a few at a time before they become too large. Currents of air to be
carefully avoided, especially when the trees are in bloom, as they
have been sometimes observed to sustain injury from the two end
doors being left open for a short time. Air to be given at the top
daily in favourable weather.

Pines.--As the days lengthen and the light increases the plants
that are swelling their fruit should be supplied with a gradual
increase of heat (from 65° at night to 75° or 80° in the middle of
the day in clear weather), water, and atmospheric moisture; while
others that are in bloom and starting into fruit require more air or
more moderate temperature, care in watering and less atmospheric
humidity. Some of the strongest succession plants that are grown in
pots to receive their final shift, that they may make their growth
for fruiting in May or June. In old-fashioned pits or houses, where
the flues run near the tan-bed, the plants should be closely
examined, as they are apt to be injured by fire heat in such a
situation.

Strawberries.--A few dozens more pots may be placed in a frame
where there is a gentle heat and an atmosphere more congenial to
their healthy growth than in a house.

Vines.--When they have made shoots two or three inches long, the
night temperature to range from 60° to 65°, with an increase of from
5° to 10° during the day.


PITS AND FRAMES.

Keep the plants in these structures as hardy as possible by fully
exposing them in mild weather, but do not give any more water than
is absolutely necessary. Remove all decayed and decaying leaves, and
keep the atmosphere in as healthy a state as possible.

Make small hotbeds for sowing Cucumbers and Melons, Radishes and
_Early Horn_ Carrots, Cauliflower and _Walcheren_ Broccoli, Lettuce,
and various other things, which will be found useful where the late
severe weather, or other cause, may have diminished the autumn
sowings.


THIRD WEEK.

GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY.


Ventilation is requisite in mild weather, as stagnant air is always
unfavourable, especially to the plants blooming in the conservatory.
Water sparingly, and damp the house as moderately as possible, as
water settling on the flowers will soon destroy them. When the
plants, bulbs, or shrubs in the forcing-pit have developed their
blossoms, let them be removed to the conservatory, where they can be
preserved much longer in perfection. The plants to be looked over
every morning, and every dead or decaying leaf and flower to be
removed.

Heaths.--Fire heat should only be given when mats or other such
coverings are not sufficient to exclude frost, as nothing so much
injures the constitution of the Cape Heaths as a close, damp
atmosphere. Air should be allowed to circulate freely amongst them
at all opportunities.

Pelargoniums.--The plants intended for specimens should be finally
shifted. Air to be admitted at all favourable opportunities, and a
slight increase of temperature given. To be kept near the glass, and
free from green fly. If they have made no winter growth they will
now be the better prepared to progress in a robust, healthy state.


STOVE AND ORCHID-HOUSE.

Amaryllis.--Attend to the shifting of them as soon as they show
signs of growth. Let them be placed in the stove, and give a little
water, increasing it gradually as the leaves unfold.

Orchids.--If other departments of gardening are likely to occupy
more time than can be very well spared as spring operations
accumulate very fast, it is advisable to proceed with the potting of
Orchids from this time forward, beginning with those that are
showing signs of growth. Peat cut into from one to two-inch cubes,
fresh sphagnum to be soaked in boiling water, to destroy insects,
and charcoal lumps, with an abundance of crocks, are the materials
to be used. Any plants that