Not for me. I don't eat horse or frogs' legs or tripe or gizzards or andouillettes either or "fruits de mer" that resemble slugs and snails. Mussels OK and shellfish like prawns, crab, clams.
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)."
Well rhubarb concoction appears to have worked, certainly no slugs in sight, although I have two very busy thrushes in the Potager at the moment bashing up the snails! -Don't know if they eat slugs? - Kitten has a penchant for moths and beetles so thrushes safe! Other cats fully trained not to go near Potager. Next door neighbour's St Bernard not so good -will have to put wire netting up around baby brassica bed this w/e as it has enormous paws!!! Obelixx how do you get on with Sweet Potatoes? Everyone seems to be pushing them at the Fairs -What sort of crop do you get in relation to potatoes and do you have to grow them in the greenhouse?
Lots of blackspot on roses, went to Bio Gardening Club last night and found out that anti-fungicide infusions can be made from Onions (diluted to 20%) or Nettle Purin (diluted to 15%)or Horseradish Leaf decoction (diluted to 20%) or Tansy Maceration Best dates for preparing Purins in June is the 17th after 3pm and 18th before 10am(diluted to 20%) -Also discussed planetary, constellation and Zodiac connections with the Moon -Very complicated but scientifically proven (Have to look at this more closely before commenting here -Mother Goose may be lurking!)
Anyway to the Weather for June -Looks as though we are going to be looking at wet and humid with a tendancy to cold evenings for the Season. 10th-14th very variable and 15-17th Cool and wet. From 24th things are supposed to perk up with lovely days but cold nights and from the 29th warmer conditions prevailing. Looking back on the overall forecast for the year I see that there were supposed to be only short sharp warm and sunny periods until the end of June with the second Quarter of the year 'April/May/June' favourising heavy storms/high winds and NOTE Volcanic Eruptions. due to planetary influences. This seems a bit uncanny as it also mentions human violence at this time directly affected by climatic influence. -The latter is difficult for me to fathom as throughout the world there seems to be violence nowadays anyway but the Volcano bit -Well! -What do you think? **Source: Astronomical Weather Reporter Jean Marais.
3-4th June - Moon ascending in Capricorn so Root Days. no gardening between 8.30am and 6.45pm as Noeud descending -Sow chicory for forcing and re-sow Carrots.
5,6,7th June - Flower Days with Moon ascending in Aquarius. Gather and dry flowers for tisannesSow bi-annuals and Perrenials in nursery beds.
8,9,10th June -Monn ascending in Pisces so Leaf Days. Providing it is dry -as near to mid-day as possible harvest herbs for drying. and dry nettles and comfrey for Purins. Sow Endive and renew sowings of Lettuce and other salad crops that will put up with warmer drier conditions to come.
11th June - Fruit Day -Sow Cucumbers and Courgettes outside and renew sowings of French or Runner Beans.
12.13.14th June - New Moon on 13th at 8.43pm - Root Days - Sow Swedes and Winter Radishes. Renew sowings of Parsnips (thought this would be too late?) and Carrots for early Winter harvest
Sow there we are -Up and Running again! Awful to think that it will soon be the longest day -Such a joy to wake up to the Dawn Chorus still in full swing and living on the Marshes brings the added bonus of the Marsh and Reed Warblers. A moorhen was very timidly walking round the garden at 6am this morning, pretty little thing. Toads in full cry in the evenings on the Pond. sound like turkeys!! - Bright green!
Keep those comments coming -It's good to chat. Happy Gardening!
Can't compare potatoes and sweet potatoes I'm afraid. I don't usually grow potatoes as we eat so few but this year OH persuaded me to buy a bag of Bintjes and another of Charlottes and they all seem to have come up well despite the cold weather after I planted them out in late March. All chitted in egg boxes on a bright windowsill first. We need to find a way to store the Bintjes. A gardening pal advised cutting bracken and drying it then layering potatoes with it as it stops them sprouting. Hope it's OK to cut bracken in the lanes.
The sweet potatoes are just 3 that had sprouted in my veggie box so I left them on the same windowsill to grow their shoots and then planted those out in early April, under a cold frame and buried under almost a whole bag of compost after using some, along with well-rotted manure, to mix into the soil before planting. Regular checks and ventilation and watering all through April and May. One popped up straightaway and the others followed later. Took the cold frame off 10 days ago so they could get direct sun and rain. The first has lovely purple and dark green foliage and is growing fast so needs a support soon and the others are not far behind now tho less purple.
Been weeding this pm. Had to rescue hostas from the ravages of slugs so now have lots of small babies to bring on. More to rescue tomorrow too but I shall sow some peas and beans first. Can't do a rhubarb leaf concoction as the rhubarb plants are just babies and need their leaves.
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 , thanks for update , hope 🐈 are all doing well
🌋 , always try and keep an open mind Just finished putting up a second hand fruit cage , need a few minor repairs , at allotment , not sure what to put in it yet ? But very pleased Sweet potatoes , have seen them growing in pots for the first time in garden centre , however , having read up about them , would need a poly tunnel hear to grow them Friend gave me a Cape Gooseberry plant which is in g/h
Gosh what a super plot. Over the moon (ouch didn't mean the pun!) with my raised beds. 21 different crops on the go all interlaced. Plus here's my Pushkin:
Slug Verdict - Rhubarb leaves a disaster BUT Infusion of leaves absolutely fantastic. Have used it around lettuces for 10 days now and no sign of a slug or snail anywhere -But it does pong!!!! Can slugs smell??
Mother Goose -yes times are variable and I have noticed that the weather patterns are also sometines up to 48hrs out -But my sources which are a wide variety of French Gardening Magazines and our local Biodynamic Gardening Club are all universally unanimous. I just find that it is uncanny how all my crops are appx 3 weeks ahead of the twin plot that I run conventionally. Whichever way I look at it -it works. (Just in passing the times I give are English Time not French.
Our potatoes are doing very well too BF? In fact, OH was weeding out bindweed in the Charlotte's and a decent sized potato came too so they will be ready to harvest soon. Will have to offer some to the neighbours as there are far too many for just us two, even with Possum here for the summer. Sweet potatoes seem fine too tho whether we'll get any roots is another matter. Outdoor tomatoes so happy they need staking and we have our first courgettes almost ready to eat.
Flowers day to day so sowing lavender, penstemons and purple sprouting this pm.
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)."
Posts
The sweet potatoes are just 3 that had sprouted in my veggie box so I left them on the same windowsill to grow their shoots and then planted those out in early April, under a cold frame and buried under almost a whole bag of compost after using some, along with well-rotted manure, to mix into the soil before planting. Regular checks and ventilation and watering all through April and May. One popped up straightaway and the others followed later. Took the cold frame off 10 days ago so they could get direct sun and rain. The first has lovely purple and dark green foliage and is growing fast so needs a support soon and the others are not far behind now tho less purple.
Been weeding this pm. Had to rescue hostas from the ravages of slugs so now have lots of small babies to bring on. More to rescue tomorrow too but I shall sow some peas and beans first. Can't do a rhubarb leaf concoction as the rhubarb plants are just babies and need their leaves.
🌋 , always try and keep an open mind
Just finished putting up a second hand fruit cage , need a few minor repairs , at allotment , not sure what to put in it yet ? But very pleased
Sweet potatoes , have seen them growing in pots for the first time in garden centre , however , having read up about them , would need a poly tunnel hear to grow them
Friend gave me a Cape Gooseberry plant which is in g/h
Flowers day to day so sowing lavender, penstemons and purple sprouting this pm.