Monday, December 1, 2008

Kalendarium Hortense - December

The Kalendarium Hortense was published by John Evelyn in 1683. It contains instructions for what a gardener should do throughout the year. The excerpt below is the list of what is to be done in the "Orchard and Olitory1 Garden" for the month of December.


Prune and nail Wall fruit2, (which yet you may defer a Month or two longer) and Standard-trees.

You may now plant Vines, &c.

Also Stocks for Graffing, &c.

Sow, as yet, Pomace of Cider-pressings to raise Nurseries; and set all sorts of Kernels, Stones, &c.

Sow for early Beans and Pease, but take heed of the Frosts; therefore surest to defer it till after Christmas, unless the Winter promise very moderate.

All this Month you may continue to Trench Ground, and dung it, to be ready for Borders, or the planting of Fruit-trees, &c.

Either late in this Month, or in January, prune and cut off all your Vine shoots to the very Root, save one or two of the stoutest, to be left with three or four eyes of young Wood. This for the Vineyard.

Now seed your weak Stocks.

Turn and refresh your Autumnal Fruit, lest it taint, and open the Windows where it lies, in a clear and serene day.


1 - Olitory: of or pertaining to, or produced in, a kitchen garden.

2 - Wall fruit: trees trained against a wall.





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