Hi Everyone and Happy New Year. Xmas came and went without us I'm afraid as O/H taken ill again and I was laid out at New Year so all food still in freezers! Still we are slowly on the mend and I'm sure Xmas Pudding will taste just as good another time.
Anyway -Onward into another year. My new Bio-dynamic Lunar Calender Diaryis full of new info, and it is interesting to note that due to the fact that Jupiter Saturn and Pluto are slightly out of kilter with the Earth (Maximum South) in 2020 we must expect strong variabilities in Climate with massive changes in weather and indeed affecting our social climate too. So says Jean Marais. He predicts more Major differences between one region and another with more floods for those who have already experienced them and more dry periods for drought areas in the world. Now whilst one could argue that he might be jumping on the band wagon -I was surprised how accurate the weather reports were last year, and I would be interested in your comments. As an astro meteorologist Jean Marais is very highly thought of in France so I personally don't take what he says with a pinch of salt.
On the 5th January the Earth will be at its nearest point to the sun (around 147million Kms) The weather will be wintery with a tendence for snow and avalanches are predicted. A depression hangs over us between the 10th and the 12th due to the Full Moon and cold winds are predicted so fleeece everything up well and batten down the hatches!! The second 2 weeks of the moneth will be less cold but still a tendency towards snow the 16/20/21/23 and 28th.
There will not be much gardening required until the 9th apart from checking stored veg and harvesting. The 4th sees the Moon rising in Aquarius and so it will be a Flower Day. Sow begonia semperflorens and pelargoniums (but this will not be your last chance) If in doubt due to weather stay tucked up indoors.
9th january is a Fruit Day In mild areas sow some round as opposed to wrinkled seed peas and some mangetouts.
10/11/12th January -Root Days. Sow short stemmed Carrots under cover mixed with Radishes to pull young for early salads. (I am still pulling last February's Carrots! Grew them in Orange Boxes and they are perfect for grating) Finish buying seed and making final plans for Potager 2020!
I have potted on 15 tough little Purple Sprouting Broccoli to bring on in greenhouse. Spring Onions are doing well and dec sown Carrots have sprouted nicely.
As you know we normally cover items in more depth in the Winter Months on the subject of Bio-dynamicsand Lunar Gardening mainly following new research and also for new readers of this Thread who may be a little mystified by it all. Let me know if you have a specific subject for discussion. My first piece will be on the reasoning why we use specific plants for Purins and a refresher course on Companion Planting as many species will need to be sown soon.
Take Care. Keep Warm. Keep the comments coming in (Thank you Allotment Boy) and Happy Gardening!
Hello Bio , I hope you & o/h are on the mend and enjoy all the Christmas food in the freezer Thanks for up date , looks like this years weather could be intriguing Lots to do in garden & allotment , tidying up and lots of pruning needed Very keen on companion planting Looking forward to 2020
Hi Everyone. Temporary glitch whilst I was treated for allergy to Penicillin -Horrendous experience, -still on the mend and hoping to get to UK next week to buy things not allowed after 31st Jan like Meat and Dairy products.!
Did you see 'Wolf Moon' the other night? Unfortunately we were cloudy so no joy but nice photos on Internet.
The winds have been dreadful here, and ground ultra soggy. Here is the Lunar Calender for 15-24th January.
15/16/17th Jan - Moon descending in Virgo so Root Days. In milder areas plant out white as opposed to Rose Garlic. I have grown mine in Orange boxes very successfully, it means that I can move them around in or out of sun or frost pockets as the Seasons progress. Make sure you do not plant sets in fresh manure -a sandy loam is the best medium.Do not water them in. Pop in some Shallots too (Long ones are best pplanted now) Both crops should be ready in July.
18/19th Jan - Moon descending in Libra so Flower Days. Prepare a bed for artichokes with well ripened compost and plenty of straw to protect roots from late frosts.
20/21 Jan - Moon Descending in Scorpio so Leaf Days. If you have no frost prune out crossed branches in trees to allow light and air in. Remember to patch wounds after cutting with glue (Bought from Garden Centre but check use by dates on tins as can become very stiff and unpliable if too old) Prick out any salads sown in early January or young lettuce from Garden Centres (I think it is too soon for them to get away without being weakened by moving but ideas differ)
22/23/24th Jan - No gardening before 3.25pm on 22nd Moon changing from descending to ascending so Noued descending. Moon in Sagitarius so Fruit Days and New Moon at 9.41pm on 24th. In mild regions sow round (as opposed to wrinkled) dwarf peas. I normally give it a go now as opposed to Oct/Nov/Dec -Last year it paid off, but I do sprout them under cover then slide out of shallow gutter trays direct into raised beds outside when they have reached about 3inches high.
So there we are, lots to do yet still a relaxing time. Not light here until 8.20am but evenings good unti 6.10pm so just beginning to be able to work outside both ends of day. Just wish we had some sunshine!!
Hope you are OK now @Biofreak. I once had a reaction to penicillin which gave me head to toe psoriasis for weeks. Not good so I do sympathise.
Glorious wolf moon here and very bright for a few nights so kept me awake a bit. Ground very soggy here and I'm busy with sewing and patchwork homework too so no gardening planned for a couple of weeks yet but lots in the pipeline when I do start again. OH has harvested some good looking oca in the polytunnel this morning.
What kind of meat do you need to buy in the UK? What's wrong with local meat? Not a cheese fan other than goat log for cooking and mature Gouda is a great Cheddar substitute. Don't like blue cheese or any that are gooey or smelly.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Hello Bio , sorry to hear about allergy , hope it’s cleared up now . Thanks for update , ground still very wet , fortunately allotment is nice loamy soil and grains well Idea gardening weather at moment but have relatives staying
Have had some really Bright moons recently Cold weather forecast later in the month , still no frost so far this year Happy Gardening
Got all excited this am as dry and sunny -Then we had a massive hail storm!! So battened down Polytunnel roof as firmly as possible. Put cats in charge of rodent control (Voles in Broad Beans again) and planning 2 days to Uk stuffed to the gunnels with pills and potions contre allergy and flu bugs!!! Need to stock up freezers Obelixx with Aberdeen Angus Beef joints/Bacon and Sausages plus need baking ingredients not available here (Like Gluten free flour and mixed fruit) -Nothing wrong with butchers here but O/H does like his Angus!Plus we obviously need our Cheese supplies for the Farmers Markets. Only buy Cheddar from Cheddar.
Planning to get stuck in to garden properly next week health willing, O/H has instructions to build covers with fixed enviromesh to pop on top of raised beds when broccoli goes in so that the butterflies cannot touch the leaves. Just can't get the height with hoops.Saw ideal design on TV gardening show the other afternoon and sketched it VERY briefly -Looks weird now (but I know what I mean!!)
They grow Aberdeen Angus round here now and I love French and Belgian pork sausage - all meat and herbs and no crap. Have got so used to eating mature Gouda and Vieux Bruges (the latter only in Belgium) that the last time I had proper Cheddar it seemed pale by comparison.
France Rurale here stock plastic rods 3 to 4m long and they make great hoops for brassica nets but I think a permanent frame you can just lift on and off will be better in the long run.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Coming into the last week of January already, seems only a second since Xmas! Still despite the fact that it is blowing a gale and wet AGAIN, daffodils/primroses/snowdrops and even forsythia are beginning to flower, so that makes me think of Spring and the new gardening season ahead.
27/28th January sees the Moon ascending and Flower Days. If you can keep a temperature of 20-22c - sow some begonia semperflorens (without covering the seed) some pelargoniums (as opposed to geraniums) and some cauliflowers (They only need 15-18c) you will find yourself able to prick them all out at the beginning of March.
29/30/31st January are leaf Days. Sow some Spring & Loose Leaf Lettuce Continue harvesting Lambs Lettuce/Brussel Sprouts/ Spinach and young Cabbage.
Cats have begun catching mice again although still keener on staying in bed 24hrs! Dog is livelier than them! Me -Well 40Kgs Seville Oranges turned up this am so off to start this year's marmelade batching. That's enough for 320 jars!!!
Posts
Thanks for up date , looks like this years weather could be intriguing
Lots to do in garden & allotment , tidying up and lots of pruning needed
Very keen on companion planting
Looking forward to 2020
Glorious wolf moon here and very bright for a few nights so kept me awake a bit. Ground very soggy here and I'm busy with sewing and patchwork homework too so no gardening planned for a couple of weeks yet but lots in the pipeline when I do start again. OH has harvested some good looking oca in the polytunnel this morning.
What kind of meat do you need to buy in the UK? What's wrong with local meat? Not a cheese fan other than goat log for cooking and mature Gouda is a great Cheddar substitute. Don't like blue cheese or any that are gooey or smelly.
Idea gardening weather at moment but have relatives staying
Have had some really Bright moons recently
Cold weather forecast later in the month , still no frost so far this year
Happy Gardening
France Rurale here stock plastic rods 3 to 4m long and they make great hoops for brassica nets but I think a permanent frame you can just lift on and off will be better in the long run.