70th birthday all on my own yesterday as O/H back in hospital again. No visitors allowed in surgical or casualty wards (even family) due to COVID regs (started up again here)..opened Post Box and found best present ever. New BIO Seed Catalogue from Ferme St Marthe
. I just love Paper Catalogues as opposed to digital.... Like Cook Books, you can flick back through them or just indulge in photos and info..so calming too. Which do you prefer?? Bought myself half a dozen oysters plus demi bouteille Chablis and thawed home made Boeuf Bourguignon, added Stilton and cream plus Jacket Potato. Then watched recorded Garden Rescue and old black & white film. Friends & Family phoned which was nice and Nurse bought me a lovely Cyclamen before she accompanied O/H to hospital for op today. So another year passed for me and a new month beginning. The Lunar Weather Forecast promises the usual storm and tempest and SNOW!!! Here goes:- 1-5th December variable with wet periods and strong winds particularly in the North. 6-7th December storms probable 8-15th December weather changeable but potentially drier 16-31st December Windy and variable with Rain and Snow likely but improvement towards end of month. So a White Christmas???? That would make a change from cloudy and mild as in last few years. The birds are already feasting on scraps and fat balls. Blackbirds queuing up for morning apples. Mouse still devouring apples in garage! I must admit garden looks pretty good despite high winds and wet in November. Shrubbery still green and lots of leaves still on trees. Rose cuttings and Lilac have rooted well in pots and Geraniums plus the odd Day Lily and Rose still flowering. So what to do this week? 2/3/4th December sees Moon in front of ♊ Gemini so Leaf Days. Harvest Lambs Lettuce. Spinach. Brussel sprouts as needed. In a heated tray start off Soya/Chick Peas and Lentils. You could pull the sprouts for salads or allow crop to grow on for tasty soups and houmous as you wish. 5/6th December Moon in front of Fire Sign ♈ so Fruit Days No gardening recommended on 5th as Noeud ascending. In mild areas or indeed in Greenhouse or Polytunnel sow some Round as opposed to Wrinkled Peas and Mangetout, dwarf or climbing as you wish (my Broad Beans are doing really well do may try Mangetout as seem hardier than Peas.) 7/8th December Moon in front of ♉ Taurus so Root Days .Under cover sow some Radishes together with short Carrots. You can pull the Radishes early thus leaving room for the Carrots to grow on.. Don't forget about my tip to use polystyrene boxes as they provide super insulation. Remember to put drain holes on bottom first though (I forgot once!) Otherwise you will end up with mini ponds when you water. Start ordering Seeds as they will sell out really quickly now. Cabbages especially seem to sell quickest. Well that will keep us all going. I do hope you manage to get outside this weekend and all aches and pains ease up.. particularly you Obelixx you must be really frustrated. Happy Gardening.
Thanks @biofreak. Hope you enjoyed your birthday treats. We'd booked lunch out for mine but had to cancel.
OH drove me to physio this morning and I had a lovely massage followed by heat and electric pulsing. That has eased some stiffness and I managed 15 mins on the bike for my knee. Came home via a garden centre where we found some broad beans to sow next Tuesday. Trying a new variety this year - Seville - as the Aquadulce were too floury, probably cos of early heatwave and drought in April.
Still have garlic to plant out assuming I can and the weather stays fine enough. Cold and murky here no with very low cloud.
I find catalogues dangerous whether on paper or online but the paper ones can be easier to manage sometimes.
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)."
Bio , sorry to hear o/h in hospital , I hope he will be out soon and sorry you can’t visit due to Covid restrictions , no problems with Covid hear , both of us have our Covid & flu jabs last month Happy belated Birthday , I’m 70 next year as well
Thanks for update but no gardening probably until January , just getting ready for a Holiday and then to relatives for a week at Christmas
A big problem is Bird Flu , not sure if we will get an organic Turkey 🦃 this year , from a friend of wife who has farm locally
A white Christmas, that would be nice and unusual hear in Lincoln and Swindon where we go for Christmas 🎄
Personally only like smoked oysters 🦪 but the rest sounded good
I also prefer paper catalogues as well
Oberlix , pleased to hear Physio went well O/H has a bad back at the moment but uses a heated / vibrating Back Pad , must have been helping me collect wooden pallets for cutting up for fire
Thanks for the update @biofreak, sorry to hear about your OH. I will be same age in January next, personally not that bothered about doing anything special, but I suspect family will have other ideas. Must be our age I like a paper catalogue too.
Not good news I'm afraid. Saw oncologist Thursday. O/H has lung and brain cancer. Staying in hospital for the foreseeable future. They are going to try immunotherapy (tablets) but have no high hopes. Have given him 2mths. Any extra day after that will be a bonus. Having a bit of trouble keeping things together. Thank God for my garden and my pussycats. On a brighter note I'm chuffed the Moon Weather Forecast predicted snow, and it seems to be right. Birds are feasting on Fat Balls /Apples /and a chicken carcasse I put out for the Magpies. Blue Tits/Robins/Sparrows and a Thrush are attacking the latter with relish...had no idea they ate meat (as in cooked) Browsing through Biodynamic Seed Catalogue, some really interesting plant combinations mentioned. Will list more when I have read it again. Brain a bit fluffy at the moment as on post traumatic stress pills.
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Every time I plan to go to allotment something crops up that need sorting
Bought myself half a dozen oysters plus demi bouteille Chablis and thawed home made Boeuf Bourguignon, added Stilton and cream plus Jacket Potato. Then watched recorded Garden Rescue and old black & white film. Friends & Family phoned which was nice and Nurse bought me a lovely Cyclamen before she accompanied O/H to hospital for op today.
So another year passed for me and a new month beginning. The Lunar Weather Forecast promises the usual storm and tempest and SNOW!!! Here goes:-
1-5th December variable with wet periods and strong winds particularly in the North.
6-7th December storms probable
8-15th December weather changeable but potentially drier
16-31st December Windy and variable with Rain and Snow likely but improvement towards end of month.
So a White Christmas???? That would make a change from cloudy and mild as in last few years. The birds are already feasting on scraps and fat balls. Blackbirds queuing up for morning apples. Mouse still devouring apples in garage!
I must admit garden looks pretty good despite high winds and wet in November. Shrubbery still green and lots of leaves still on trees. Rose cuttings and Lilac have rooted well in pots and Geraniums plus the odd Day Lily and Rose still flowering.
So what to do this week?
2/3/4th December sees Moon in front of ♊ Gemini so Leaf Days. Harvest Lambs Lettuce. Spinach. Brussel sprouts as needed. In a heated tray start off Soya/Chick Peas and Lentils. You could pull the sprouts for salads or allow crop to grow on for tasty soups and houmous as you wish.
5/6th December Moon in front of Fire Sign ♈ so Fruit Days No gardening recommended on 5th as Noeud ascending. In mild areas or indeed in Greenhouse or Polytunnel sow some Round as opposed to Wrinkled Peas and Mangetout, dwarf or climbing as you wish (my Broad Beans are doing really well do may try Mangetout as seem hardier than Peas.)
7/8th December Moon in front of ♉ Taurus so Root Days .Under cover sow some Radishes together with short Carrots. You can pull the Radishes early thus leaving room for the Carrots to grow on.. Don't forget about my tip to use polystyrene boxes as they provide super insulation. Remember to put drain holes on bottom first though (I forgot once!) Otherwise you will end up with mini ponds when you water.
Start ordering Seeds as they will sell out really quickly now. Cabbages especially seem to sell quickest.
Well that will keep us all going. I do hope you manage to get outside this weekend and all aches and pains ease up.. particularly you Obelixx you must be really frustrated.
Happy Gardening.
OH drove me to physio this morning and I had a lovely massage followed by heat and electric pulsing. That has eased some stiffness and I managed 15 mins on the bike for my knee. Came home via a garden centre where we found some broad beans to sow next Tuesday. Trying a new variety this year - Seville - as the Aquadulce were too floury, probably cos of early heatwave and drought in April.
Still have garlic to plant out assuming I can and the weather stays fine enough. Cold and murky here no with very low cloud.
I find catalogues dangerous whether on paper or online but the paper ones can be easier to manage sometimes.
Happy belated Birthday , I’m 70 next year as well
Thanks for update but no gardening probably until January , just getting ready for a Holiday and then to relatives for a week at Christmas
A big problem is Bird Flu , not sure if we will get an organic Turkey 🦃 this year , from a friend of wife who has farm locally
I also prefer paper catalogues as well
Oberlix , pleased to hear Physio went well
O/H has a bad back at the moment but uses a heated / vibrating Back Pad , must have been helping me collect wooden pallets for cutting up for fire
On a brighter note I'm chuffed the Moon Weather Forecast predicted snow, and it seems to be right. Birds are feasting on Fat Balls /Apples /and a chicken carcasse I put out for the Magpies. Blue Tits/Robins/Sparrows and a Thrush are attacking the latter with relish...had no idea they ate meat (as in cooked) Browsing through Biodynamic Seed Catalogue, some really interesting plant combinations mentioned. Will list more when I have read it again. Brain a bit fluffy at the moment as on post traumatic stress pills.