Went to plot yesterday to clear bed of sun flowers , needed heavy duty loopers to cut some of the stems real monsters , put heads on another bed for birds and hopefully get some self seeded plants ?
Fair seems very interesting
When I put in Broad Beans , will eventually cover with a cloche
Well-wasn't yesterday interesting?!! - Golden garden late morning then 2pm pitch black and had to drive to town with lights full on. Just like the Eclipse. Did not really get light again all day, and this mornng stayed dark here until 9.15am.(8.15pm with you) Windscreens covered in dust and did you see the red sun? Brilliant experience. Hope none of you suffered from Ophelia damage.
Here is the Lunar Calender 17-31st October
17/18/19/20th Oct - Root Days Moon descending with New Moon 8.12pm on the 19th.Harvest all vegetables that don't like frost and cover winter hardy shoots with cloches or fleece. Plant shallots and onions sown 3-4th September, and thin out carrots sown 1-2nd October. Start spreading compost on veg patch and on flowerbeds.
20th (From 2.49pm)/21/22nd Oct. - Moon descending in Libra -Air Sign so Flower Days. Plant pansies, violas and other spring flowers sown 9-10th August. Finish planting out Container grown shrubs and perennials. (Think I might just pot on Baby Lupins/Irises and Larkspur letting them overwinter in pots polystyrene boxes on terrace) Chop down Dahlias/Cannas and Gladioli and lift them to store if you are in cold wet areas. (I usually leave mine in preferring to cover with straw and practice 'survival of the fittest' Have to admit that being near Jersey does give us milder Winters, so think carefully about this one.
23/24th Oct - Leaf Days, Moon in Scorpio. Start blanching chicory.
25/26/27th Oct - Fruit Days. Moon in Sagittarius. No gardening before 8.30am Moon apogee. In mild regions sow Round Seed Peas (Not wrinkled) and Mangetout. Earth up well several days after they have sprouted. (I fail dismally with these crops -Just lose out to mice and voles and very weedy sproutings from balance) -All tips welcome. (Cats on strike at this time of year -preferring bed!)
28th October -Root Day -Sow carrots and radishes under cover.
29th No gardening recommended before 11.50am Noeud descending. After this time Root Day still so as 28th
30/31st Oct - Flower Days with Moon ascending. In mild areas Dead Head & Prune hydrangeas, cutting to 1st bud under flower. (I usually wait until April, so birds can pig out on insects that seem to gather on lacy remains of flower heads.
So there we are another month gone. Brace yourselves for cold and snow during November with warm wet patches. More about this end of month.
Looking forward to hearing all your news. Thanks for info re Clover Paul. Do any of you lift your Raised Beds and overwinter the wooden frames? Do you cover them outside otherwise. Maintenance tips welcome.
Our raised beds in Belgium were permanent and we just had to replace a few planks now and then. This potager will have all new wood since we haven't traced any scaffolding planks and have only found railway sleepers by the lorry load from Brittany which is a coast too far.
OH is gradually strimming down all the weeds in there, forking up just the really big ones, and covering it all with weed fabric or cardboard for now. Just had the grandson (aged 71) of the chap who built the house round and he says our potager should have several feet deep of really fertile soil. Certainly seems so given the way the brassicas have grown despite the drought.
Apparently there was a very productive fruit and veg plot here before but lots of big trees wiped out by storms and the rest of it neglected by subsequent owners. We'll have to see what we can do about all that.
Yesterday was certainly odd with eerie light and hazed sun but no winds or rain so far. As ever.
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)."
Went foraging for wild mushrooms in the forest yesterday, in organised group with local Tourist Office. Really interesting. We were shown lots of different varieties as samples, then sent off into the woods to collect as many different types as we could find. Then we gathered together and an expert from the local Mushroom Society told us what they all were and whether they were safe to eat or not. Bought home a beautiful big rich chestnut coloured cep, and shared it for supper, lightly fried in butter. Really good. Apparently the Phases of the Moon directly affects the ripening process of mushrooms. I see Gardeners World has done a piece on recognising Mushrooms this week (just received email), if you can go on a guided walk, I really recommend it. Great fun! Made some new friends too which was refreshing. Following rapid French technical terms quite difficult but I got the jist of it all, and certainly now know what NOT to eat! Sign language of fingers across throat from guide made this quite plain!!
Hope you had a nice holiday GWRS. Warm but still wet here, although did get hardy annuals and all well rooted cuttings planted out at beginning of week. November is supposed to start with variable temperatures, wet and strong winds predicted. From 6th it will be dryer and warmer then 10-12th a mini Indian Summer, but be wary, as from 13-14th fresher weather and stormy plus increasingly colder after the 15th with possible snow showers around the 18th. From 23rd colder winds kick in and 26-30th more like Winter as we used to know it -Wet and cold winds forecast. -So I had better get the fleece to cover raised beds. A sneaky preview of December threatens snow and a Xmas more wintery than in recent years.
So here is the Lunar Calender 4-20th November
4th Nov - Full Moon ascending -Fruit Day. Harvest all remaining Fruit before winds bring down and damage balance.
5/6/7th Nov - Moon ascending in Taurus so Root Days. Harvest balance of beetroot and turnips available and preserve or eat. Make the most of the 6th where no gardening is recommended before 5.15am as perigee (Would anyone be gardening at this hour??!) by making plans for your Potager in 2018, and perhaps mapping out new flower and shrub borders and fruit areas.
8th Nov - Moon descending in Gemini so Flower Day leading into the 9th until 8.17am. After the first frosts, cut down dahlias/cannas/begonias and gladioli. Lift and store or cover well with bracken or straw. (I prefer straw as we tend to attract adders under bracken in the Spring) Have a general cleanup chucking out spent annuals and damaged stems of perrenials. Plant out or move clematis/Day Lilies and Paonies.
9/10th Nov - Moon descending in Cancer so Leaf Days. Avoid Gardening on 10th after 5.35pm as Noeud ascending. Blanche endive and celery.If you grow dandelion for salads, cut off leaves and pop inverted flowerpots over head -you will shortly have sweet young Winter Salads. (I always keep a few wild ones on the Potager as it makes a tasty change)
11/12th Nov - Moon descending in Leo -Fruit Days. If it is not frosty plant out balance of Bare Rooted Fruit Trees, remembering not to bury the graft point. Spray with Bordeaux mixture after leaves have dropped.Take cuttings from figs. Earth up Broad Beans sown 8th October
13/14/15/16th Nov - Root Days. Start harvesting Horseradish/Salsify/Scorzonora/Jerusalem Artichokes/Parsnips and Leeks (Leeks come under Leaf and Root Days depending on the time of year. Finish planting out Garlic and Shallots. (I have just popped my Japanese Onions Shenko in Polystyrene Broccoli Boxes -great success last year)
17/18th Nov - Flower Days with New Moon at 11.42am on 18th. Prune Perennials hard but don't touch grasses and tender specimans. Prune Shrub Roses then treat with Bordeaux Mixture.
19/20th Nov - Moon descending in Virgo so Leaf Days. Start forcing chicory. Plant out last cabbages. Plant ornamental Ivy and other Leaf Climbers against walls and plant new hedges.
So good to here from everyone. Happy Gardening!
Mini Footnote: Pushkin bought home a wild kitten on Wednesday -Obviously told him that we would provide a good home! We have fed it and removed the ticks around its neck. Got its confidence despite lots of phissing. - It is only about 8weeks old. Staying in Garage as it likes jumping in and out of window. Whether it will stay we don't know but doing our good deed, and making sure that it gets a good start in life. Would make an excellent ' ratter.'
Hello , thanks for update , had a nice holiday but a bit wet & wild at times
Going to Belgium ?? on a mini cruise for Rememberance weekend to Ypres
Allotment Going well , broad Beans and peas planted outside under clouches , going to have a go at espaliering 2 pear ? trees
It will be interesting to see how the weather pans out , definitely getting colder even with the sun out . Had a real good frost the other , white over and g/h went down to minus 2:3❄️
Pushkin , adopted a friend , hope it works out well ?
I trust you are keeping well
Do you do any Christmas fares ? ?We help out at the Lincoln one in the Cathedral
Posts
Hello , thanks for update
Went to plot yesterday to clear bed of sun flowers , needed heavy duty loopers to cut some of the stems real monsters , put heads on another bed for birds and hopefully get some self seeded plants ?
Fair seems very interesting
When I put in Broad Beans , will eventually cover with a cloche
We have found Japanese onions don’t store well
Agree lots to do , best wishes
https://www.organiccatalogue.com/seeds/green-manure-seeds/clover-crimson-112g-organic-seeds.htm
They do a larger pack too which is better value.
Paul , hello , just looked at site you mentioned , interesting , to late for red clover this year
Well-wasn't yesterday interesting?!! - Golden garden late morning then 2pm pitch black and had to drive to town with lights full on. Just like the Eclipse. Did not really get light again all day, and this mornng stayed dark here until 9.15am.(8.15pm with you) Windscreens covered in dust and did you see the red sun? Brilliant experience. Hope none of you suffered from Ophelia damage.
Here is the Lunar Calender 17-31st October
17/18/19/20th Oct - Root Days Moon descending with New Moon 8.12pm on the 19th.Harvest all vegetables that don't like frost and cover winter hardy shoots with cloches or fleece. Plant shallots and onions sown 3-4th September, and thin out carrots sown 1-2nd October. Start spreading compost on veg patch and on flowerbeds.
20th (From 2.49pm)/21/22nd Oct. - Moon descending in Libra -Air Sign so Flower Days. Plant pansies, violas and other spring flowers sown 9-10th August. Finish planting out Container grown shrubs and perennials. (Think I might just pot on Baby Lupins/Irises and Larkspur letting them overwinter in pots polystyrene boxes on terrace) Chop down Dahlias/Cannas and Gladioli and lift them to store if you are in cold wet areas. (I usually leave mine in preferring to cover with straw and practice 'survival of the fittest' Have to admit that being near Jersey does give us milder Winters, so think carefully about this one.
23/24th Oct - Leaf Days, Moon in Scorpio. Start blanching chicory.
25/26/27th Oct - Fruit Days. Moon in Sagittarius. No gardening before 8.30am Moon apogee. In mild regions sow Round Seed Peas (Not wrinkled) and Mangetout. Earth up well several days after they have sprouted. (I fail dismally with these crops -Just lose out to mice and voles and very weedy sproutings from balance) -All tips welcome. (Cats on strike at this time of year -preferring bed!)
28th October -Root Day -Sow carrots and radishes under cover.
29th No gardening recommended before 11.50am Noeud descending. After this time Root Day still so as 28th
30/31st Oct - Flower Days with Moon ascending. In mild areas Dead Head & Prune hydrangeas, cutting to 1st bud under flower. (I usually wait until April, so birds can pig out on insects that seem to gather on lacy remains of flower heads.
So there we are another month gone. Brace yourselves for cold and snow during November with warm wet patches. More about this end of month.
Looking forward to hearing all your news. Thanks for info re Clover Paul. Do any of you lift your Raised Beds and overwinter the wooden frames? Do you cover them outside otherwise. Maintenance tips welcome.
Happy Gardening!
Our raised beds in Belgium were permanent and we just had to replace a few planks now and then. This potager will have all new wood since we haven't traced any scaffolding planks and have only found railway sleepers by the lorry load from Brittany which is a coast too far.
OH is gradually strimming down all the weeds in there, forking up just the really big ones, and covering it all with weed fabric or cardboard for now. Just had the grandson (aged 71) of the chap who built the house round and he says our potager should have several feet deep of really fertile soil. Certainly seems so given the way the brassicas have grown despite the drought.
Apparently there was a very productive fruit and veg plot here before but lots of big trees wiped out by storms and the rest of it neglected by subsequent owners. We'll have to see what we can do about all that.
Yesterday was certainly odd with eerie light and hazed sun but no winds or rain so far. As ever.
Hello , thanks for up date
Yes , lovely orange sun ☀️ Yesterday which looked great , then blue sky’s in the afternoon , in Swindon at moment
I leave Dalias and Glads in the ground and just cover with compost , just like Aprasgus
All crops left in ground , so far never had a problem so far , fingers crossed ?
Went foraging for wild mushrooms in the forest yesterday, in organised group with local Tourist Office. Really interesting. We were shown lots of different varieties as samples, then sent off into the woods to collect as many different types as we could find. Then we gathered together and an expert from the local Mushroom Society told us what they all were and whether they were safe to eat or not. Bought home a beautiful big rich chestnut coloured cep, and shared it for supper, lightly fried in butter. Really good. Apparently the Phases of the Moon directly affects the ripening process of mushrooms. I see Gardeners World has done a piece on recognising Mushrooms this week (just received email), if you can go on a guided walk, I really recommend it. Great fun! Made some new friends too which was refreshing. Following rapid French technical terms quite difficult but I got the jist of it all, and certainly now know what NOT to eat! Sign language of fingers across throat from guide made this quite plain!!
Bio , glad you survived the Mushroom ? Collection ,
mostly arable land around us so not much chance of mushroom hunting
Just got back of hols , strange weather again , make life interesting , need to get to allotment next week lots to do
Hope you Bengal & PP are keeping well
Hi Everyone
Hope you had a nice holiday GWRS. Warm but still wet here, although did get hardy annuals and all well rooted cuttings planted out at beginning of week. November is supposed to start with variable temperatures, wet and strong winds predicted. From 6th it will be dryer and warmer then 10-12th a mini Indian Summer, but be wary, as from 13-14th fresher weather and stormy plus increasingly colder after the 15th with possible snow showers around the 18th. From 23rd colder winds kick in and 26-30th more like Winter as we used to know it -Wet and cold winds forecast. -So I had better get the fleece to cover raised beds. A sneaky preview of December threatens snow and a Xmas more wintery than in recent years.
So here is the Lunar Calender 4-20th November
4th Nov - Full Moon ascending -Fruit Day. Harvest all remaining Fruit before winds bring down and damage balance.
5/6/7th Nov - Moon ascending in Taurus so Root Days. Harvest balance of beetroot and turnips available and preserve or eat. Make the most of the 6th where no gardening is recommended before 5.15am as perigee (Would anyone be gardening at this hour??!) by making plans for your Potager in 2018, and perhaps mapping out new flower and shrub borders and fruit areas.
8th Nov - Moon descending in Gemini so Flower Day leading into the 9th until 8.17am. After the first frosts, cut down dahlias/cannas/begonias and gladioli. Lift and store or cover well with bracken or straw. (I prefer straw as we tend to attract adders under bracken in the Spring) Have a general cleanup chucking out spent annuals and damaged stems of perrenials. Plant out or move clematis/Day Lilies and Paonies.
9/10th Nov - Moon descending in Cancer so Leaf Days. Avoid Gardening on 10th after 5.35pm as Noeud ascending. Blanche endive and celery.If you grow dandelion for salads, cut off leaves and pop inverted flowerpots over head -you will shortly have sweet young Winter Salads. (I always keep a few wild ones on the Potager as it makes a tasty change)
11/12th Nov - Moon descending in Leo -Fruit Days. If it is not frosty plant out balance of Bare Rooted Fruit Trees, remembering not to bury the graft point. Spray with Bordeaux mixture after leaves have dropped.Take cuttings from figs. Earth up Broad Beans sown 8th October
13/14/15/16th Nov - Root Days. Start harvesting Horseradish/Salsify/Scorzonora/Jerusalem Artichokes/Parsnips and Leeks (Leeks come under Leaf and Root Days depending on the time of year. Finish planting out Garlic and Shallots. (I have just popped my Japanese Onions Shenko in Polystyrene Broccoli Boxes -great success last year)
17/18th Nov - Flower Days with New Moon at 11.42am on 18th. Prune Perennials hard but don't touch grasses and tender specimans. Prune Shrub Roses then treat with Bordeaux Mixture.
19/20th Nov - Moon descending in Virgo so Leaf Days. Start forcing chicory. Plant out last cabbages. Plant ornamental Ivy and other Leaf Climbers against walls and plant new hedges.
So good to here from everyone. Happy Gardening!
Mini Footnote: Pushkin bought home a wild kitten on Wednesday -Obviously told him that we would provide a good home! We have fed it and removed the ticks around its neck. Got its confidence despite lots of phissing. - It is only about 8weeks old. Staying in Garage as it likes jumping in and out of window. Whether it will stay we don't know but doing our good deed, and making sure that it gets a good start in life. Would make an excellent ' ratter.'
Hello , thanks for update , had a nice holiday but a bit wet & wild at times
Going to Belgium ?? on a mini cruise for Rememberance weekend to Ypres
Allotment Going well , broad Beans and peas planted outside under clouches , going to have a go at espaliering 2 pear ? trees
It will be interesting to see how the weather pans out , definitely getting colder even with the sun out . Had a real good frost the other , white over and g/h went down to minus 2:3❄️
Pushkin , adopted a friend , hope it works out well ?
I trust you are keeping well
Do you do any Christmas fares ? ?We help out at the Lincoln one in the Cathedral