Just returned from last Christmas Gastronomic Fair . Exhibited next to Ostrich Farmer and bought a beautiful Fillet to roast on New Year's Day. We pick up the goose from the farm on Thursday and although we are working Xmas Eve and New Years Eve the time in between is now organised for wining and dining, - as we only eat a main meal in the evenings I can hopefully spend some of Christmas Day in the garden, as have had no time at all to even poke head inside greenhouse in the last few days. Fed up with making whisky and brandy marmelades and mincemeat and pies for Markets -Time to draw breath!!
So what do the next few days bring? It's supposed to get colder again and quite windy between 20th-28th, so I must tie down the greenhouse roof again! Rain or snow predicted the further north you go, seems to be panning out that way according to TV weather as well, although there is a big beast waiting in Corsica to march upwards towards us, thankfully with warmer air.
Here is the Lunar Calender 18th-27th December, will finish the month then so I can wish everyone a Happy New Year and hopefully a Bio Weather Guide for January.
18/19/20th December - Moon descending in Leo so Fruit Days - Plant all bare rooted fruit trees. Cut back hazels so that they sprout new growth in the Spring for weaving next autumn. Take time out on 19th as no gardening advised due to Moon crossing with Uranus bringing wind change and damper, misty spells. Tidy up fallen branches and work out new climbing frames and fruit cages for next season. On 20th thin out fruiting hedges for wild life, to encourage thicker growth, and infill major gaps with new specimans.
21/22/23rd December - Root Days. Now is a good time to cover new potential veg plots with cardboard held down with bricks to cut light out from weeds, worms will spend the Winter working their way through the cardboard turning it into the soil and ttherefore encouraging slow composting underneath ready for light digging in the Spring. Check over stored roots and harvest those outside as needed making sure to replace fleece firmly afterwards. In milder areas in light and well drained soil pop in some more garlic outside together with shallots for harvesting next June.
24/25th December - Moon descending in Libra -Flower Days. Plant flowering shrubs and pick Hellebores for bouquets on New Year's Eve, these last well even in central heated houses, although I prefer to buy new stock in pots and then pop them outside in January Plant a Climbing Rose near an old apple or pear tree so that it can scramble through the branches., creating a great effect next Season. No gardening recommended before 1pm - That's good as it's Xmas Day and we can have a lie in!
26/27th December - Leaf Days with Moon in Virgo. Plant some ferns around newly planted trees. Weather willing plant out some lettuce and spring cabbage under cover (Certainly not sure I will do this in mid winter -but might be worth a go if this mild spell continiues)
No idea what January has to offer as Bio Diaries and other Lunar Books wrapped up for Xmas -So all to be revealed!
Happy Gardening and have a wonderful Christmas Weekend. Speak soon!
Thanks for up date , we are picking up our Turkey on Thursday from a local farm , a friend of o/h , on our way to Swindon for 8 days over Christmas
There is an Ostrich farm not to far from us and they sell stuff at the farmers market in Lincoln and very nice it is . Not had goose for years , enjoy both over festive season
Have a great break - Looking forward to days off Christmas Day & New Years Day. Just been asked to bake a cake for a Vegan who's birthday is Xmas Day so must hit the oven again.
Walked round garden yesterday, lots of lovely leafmould forming, plus found a Chinese radish ready to pull for tasty lobster sushi salad Xmas Eve. Off to hunt down holly and mistletoe in the hedgerows this afternoon, then picking up PP from vet -Neutered today -What a Xmas present!
I am growing Chinese radish at moment on allotment , the seeds where called Moli , they have been rather successful, tried a couple of years ago and they where hopeless
Here's hoping that you had a lovely Christmas Weekend, and a white one in Scotland -How lucky you are despite the wind and cold I saw featured on UK weather -I would love a white Xmas again. Seems the best we can do here in Normandy is the odd sparkly frost. We get really good snow every 5-7yrs when we are really hemmed in and I love every moment of it -they say that you like the weather according to the month that you were born. Being a December baby -perhaps that is the reason I love Winter regardless of the weather. O/H born in June prefers early Summer. Does this work for you?
Anyway, Lunar Calenders and Bio Books opened on Xmas Day and gosh there's alot to read based on new scientific findings. Certainly enough to take us well into next year. The general weather indications for 2017 show a North wind bearing down on us regularly throughout the year, a warm Spring, a hot Summer and a wet and variable Autumn. A particularly good month will be May with heavy storms predicted for July and a hot August. January will see temperatures higher than the norm but wet and foggy. Snow is forecast between 9-13th and a colder windier end to the month, seems to be the prediction from all sources.
Something new to me has been suggested in the Newsletter of our local French Bio-Dynamic Group:- There is an old French saying that you can judge the weather for the year ahead from the weather between Christmas Day & Twelfth Night. What you have to do is choose a specific time of day - say 11am every day and note the weather (Not the temperature) between 24th December & 6th January. In theory the weather in January will correspond to 24 -25th December, the weather in February will correspond to 25th-26th December. The weather in March will correspond to 26-27th December. The weather in April will correspond to the 27-28th December and so on and so on for the 12 months.
I think that I might give this a try -certainly never heard of it before -Have you?
The Lunar Calender up until 1st January with the Moon ascending is clearly aimed at people with heated greenhouses - If the temperature is no less than 10 degrees sow radish and carrots, and if mild outside continue planting onions, shallots and garlic in frames. My Japanese Onions have slowed down a little but are nice and sturdy. I have re-labelled the potted goodies as ink had faded despite being 'permanent'!
So there we are -the end of another Lunar Calender Year. With 54,000 views on this Thread to date -I would love to continue - Shall we?? - There must be more of you out there interesting in commenting -Be brave, we can all learn from each other -That is what the Forum is for - and it's a great hobby!
Anyway -Happy New Year everyone and all the best for 2017 in and out of the Garden.
(Oh the Vegan Cake met with great success - Just a little Italian number I rustled up!!)
Biofreak I was born in February and don't mind the winter when drier and not so stormy or wet - do like snow - used to have great snow on my birthdays when younger nice and deep, only frost here at moment, do like spring to see all the bulbs that have been planted showing up
not heard of the forecast for months by those dates, hope next year not as stormy as this one
Glad the Vegan cake did well, continue with the thread, my gardening by the moon went off a lot this year as so busy clearing allotment and trying to build a shed, had to grow sow things when could and plant out
Have done broad beans which are coming up nicley
Do sometimes just look in thread when I can and not post all the time
Hi Gardengirl great to hear from you - Yes we had loads of snow when I was little, just loved it. Delighted when we were holed up here 6yrs ago for a week - Very upset when men in tractors turned up to clear the roads on day 3! -Husband desperate to get out to make sure that there was still civilizisation! Love watching cats and dogs meeting snow for the first time -they always seem to aim for the deepest part first! The bemused look with frosted wkiskers is a joy to behold. Super day today with hard frost -Spring bulbs coming up here too. Starter Motor bust on van en route home (thank goodness in main town close to our local Garage) -so enforced break from work - Really chuffed, can settle down and read these Lunar Calenders and Bio Books at my leisure! Happy Gardening.
Hello , hope you all had a good Christmas, got home today , nice and sunny but cold , pleased the fog went
Biofreak, thanks for update, please carry on updating us with calendar . Never heard about French weather prediction , you will have to let us known if it works out
I like the snow as well , last year we didn't have any , have had a winter holiday in Northern Norway to see Northern Lights and Iceland
Posts
Bio , thanks for update hope you get your ferry
Hi Everyone
Just returned from last Christmas Gastronomic Fair . Exhibited next to Ostrich Farmer and bought a beautiful Fillet to roast on New Year's Day. We pick up the goose from the farm on Thursday and although we are working Xmas Eve and New Years Eve the time in between is now organised for wining and dining, - as we only eat a main meal in the evenings I can hopefully spend some of Christmas Day in the garden, as have had no time at all to even poke head inside greenhouse in the last few days. Fed up with making whisky and brandy marmelades and mincemeat and pies for Markets -Time to draw breath!!
So what do the next few days bring? It's supposed to get colder again and quite windy between 20th-28th, so I must tie down the greenhouse roof again! Rain or snow predicted the further north you go, seems to be panning out that way according to TV weather as well, although there is a big beast waiting in Corsica to march upwards towards us, thankfully with warmer air.
Here is the Lunar Calender 18th-27th December, will finish the month then so I can wish everyone a Happy New Year and hopefully a Bio Weather Guide for January.
18/19/20th December - Moon descending in Leo so Fruit Days - Plant all bare rooted fruit trees. Cut back hazels so that they sprout new growth in the Spring for weaving next autumn. Take time out on 19th as no gardening advised due to Moon crossing with Uranus bringing wind change and damper, misty spells. Tidy up fallen branches and work out new climbing frames and fruit cages for next season. On 20th thin out fruiting hedges for wild life, to encourage thicker growth, and infill major gaps with new specimans.
21/22/23rd December - Root Days. Now is a good time to cover new potential veg plots with cardboard held down with bricks to cut light out from weeds, worms will spend the Winter working their way through the cardboard turning it into the soil and ttherefore encouraging slow composting underneath ready for light digging in the Spring. Check over stored roots and harvest those outside as needed making sure to replace fleece firmly afterwards. In milder areas in light and well drained soil pop in some more garlic outside together with shallots for harvesting next June.
24/25th December - Moon descending in Libra -Flower Days. Plant flowering shrubs and pick Hellebores for bouquets on New Year's Eve, these last well even in central heated houses, although I prefer to buy new stock in pots and then pop them outside in January Plant a Climbing Rose near an old apple or pear tree so that it can scramble through the branches., creating a great effect next Season. No gardening recommended before 1pm - That's good as it's Xmas Day and we can have a lie in!
26/27th December - Leaf Days with Moon in Virgo. Plant some ferns around newly planted trees. Weather willing plant out some lettuce and spring cabbage under cover (Certainly not sure I will do this in mid winter -but might be worth a go if this mild spell continiues)
No idea what January has to offer as Bio Diaries and other Lunar Books wrapped up for Xmas -So all to be revealed!
Happy Gardening and have a wonderful Christmas Weekend. Speak soon!
Thanks for up date , we are picking up our Turkey on Thursday from a local farm , a friend of o/h , on our way to Swindon for 8 days over Christmas
There is an Ostrich farm not to far from us and they sell stuff at the farmers market in Lincoln and very nice it is . Not had goose for years , enjoy both over festive season
Have a great break - Looking forward to days off Christmas Day & New Years Day. Just been asked to bake a cake for a Vegan who's birthday is Xmas Day so must hit the oven again.
Walked round garden yesterday, lots of lovely leafmould forming, plus found a Chinese radish ready to pull for tasty lobster sushi salad Xmas Eve. Off to hunt down holly and mistletoe in the hedgerows this afternoon, then picking up PP from vet -Neutered today -What a Xmas present!
Happy Gardening.
Hello , enjoy the festive season
I am growing Chinese radish at moment on allotment , the seeds where called Moli , they have been rather successful, tried a couple of years ago and they where hopeless
Lobster sushi sounds rather nice
A vegan Christmas cake sounds difficult
Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
Hi everyone
Here's hoping that you had a lovely Christmas Weekend, and a white one in Scotland -How lucky you are despite the wind and cold I saw featured on UK weather -I would love a white Xmas again. Seems the best we can do here in Normandy is the odd sparkly frost. We get really good snow every 5-7yrs when we are really hemmed in and I love every moment of it -they say that you like the weather according to the month that you were born. Being a December baby -perhaps that is the reason I love Winter regardless of the weather. O/H born in June prefers early Summer. Does this work for you?
Anyway, Lunar Calenders and Bio Books opened on Xmas Day and gosh there's alot to read based on new scientific findings. Certainly enough to take us well into next year. The general weather indications for 2017 show a North wind bearing down on us regularly throughout the year, a warm Spring, a hot Summer and a wet and variable Autumn. A particularly good month will be May with heavy storms predicted for July and a hot August. January will see temperatures higher than the norm but wet and foggy. Snow is forecast between 9-13th and a colder windier end to the month, seems to be the prediction from all sources.
Something new to me has been suggested in the Newsletter of our local French Bio-Dynamic Group:- There is an old French saying that you can judge the weather for the year ahead from the weather between Christmas Day & Twelfth Night. What you have to do is choose a specific time of day - say 11am every day and note the weather (Not the temperature) between 24th December & 6th January. In theory the weather in January will correspond to 24 -25th December, the weather in February will correspond to 25th-26th December. The weather in March will correspond to 26-27th December. The weather in April will correspond to the 27-28th December and so on and so on for the 12 months.
I think that I might give this a try -certainly never heard of it before -Have you?
The Lunar Calender up until 1st January with the Moon ascending is clearly aimed at people with heated greenhouses - If the temperature is no less than 10 degrees sow radish and carrots, and if mild outside continue planting onions, shallots and garlic in frames. My Japanese Onions have slowed down a little but are nice and sturdy. I have re-labelled the potted goodies as ink had faded despite being 'permanent'!
So there we are -the end of another Lunar Calender Year. With 54,000 views on this Thread to date -I would love to continue - Shall we?? - There must be more of you out there interesting in commenting -Be brave, we can all learn from each other -That is what the Forum is for - and it's a great hobby!
Anyway -Happy New Year everyone and all the best for 2017 in and out of the Garden.
(Oh the Vegan Cake met with great success - Just a little Italian number I rustled up!!)
Biofreak I was born in February and don't mind the winter when drier and not so stormy or wet - do like snow - used to have great snow on my birthdays when younger nice and deep, only frost here at moment, do like spring to see all the bulbs that have been planted showing up
not heard of the forecast for months by those dates, hope next year not as stormy as this one
Glad the Vegan cake did well, continue with the thread, my gardening by the moon went off a lot this year as so busy clearing allotment and trying to build a shed, had to grow sow things when could and plant out
Have done broad beans which are coming up nicley
Do sometimes just look in thread when I can and not post all the time
Last edited: 27 December 2016 18:07:32
Hi Gardengirl great to hear from you - Yes we had loads of snow when I was little, just loved it. Delighted when we were holed up here 6yrs ago for a week - Very upset when men in tractors turned up to clear the roads on day 3! -Husband desperate to get out to make sure that there was still civilizisation! Love watching cats and dogs meeting snow for the first time -they always seem to aim for the deepest part first! The bemused look with frosted wkiskers is a joy to behold. Super day today with hard frost -Spring bulbs coming up here too. Starter Motor bust on van en route home (thank goodness in main town close to our local Garage) -so enforced break from work - Really chuffed, can settle down and read these Lunar Calenders and Bio Books at my leisure! Happy Gardening.
Hello , hope you all had a good Christmas, got home today , nice and sunny but cold , pleased the fog went
Biofreak, thanks for update, please carry on updating us with calendar . Never heard about French weather prediction , you will have to let us known if it works out
I like the snow as well , last year we didn't have any , have had a winter holiday in Northern Norway to see Northern Lights and Iceland
Happy new year