Printemps has arrived!

[Printemps]

Well, Printemps is me but as for spring, well that's another matter!

Am living in SW France (half way down on the left) with a small garden that is south west facing, with little or no shade. My veggie patch is a mere 5m x 4x, but is enough to keep me out of mischief. This year I want to made it into 2 or 3 raised beds, as my soil is too stoney for carrots or parsnips - and I so want to grow parsnips!

Have lost all potatoes and tomatoes for the past two years to blight, so have decided to grow a range of different veg this year - pak choi, watercress (I'll find some shade!), sweet potato for starters.

I love growing daturas too and am never without a few castor oil plants. If anyone is interested I've offered some free castor oil plants seeds on the seed swap forum.

Today's task - to prune the grapevine!

[SarzWix]

Welcome to the Grapevine
There are a few emigrees around, so you should feel right at home. Parsnips aren't found much in France I understand? Hope they grow for you

[Flummery]

Welcome - come in and fill your boots! (It's a bit muddy here at the moment!) You'll soon find we have lots of French grapes here.

[scarey55]

Bienvenue Printemps (in both senses of the word )

We are also in the middle of France - quite close to Montlucon. Our soil is also very stoney but I have managed to grow a lot of big parsnips so there is hope.

I lost all my tomatoes for the past 2 years too but I did manage to save my potatoes by spraying with Bordeaux mixture - here's to a blight free 2009

Good luck, let us know how you get on.

[selfraising]

Welcome and good luck with your raised beds!

[Glutton4...]

Welcome and 'bonne chance!'

I usually say welcome to the madhouse, but my French is somewhat lacking...

[Oleander]

Printemps - I have often wondered, as I have never seen them on sale there, why French people don't eat parsnips? They are my favourite vegetable, especially roasted till they're crunchy and sweet. Don't the frenchies know what they are missing?

[TonyF]

Bonjour Printemps, where in SW France are you?

As for parsnips, the French love them - to feed to their cattle usually tho you can get them more and more on the markets, have a couple of stalls locally that sell them and even a couple of supermarche.

As for seeds, it's usually Guernseys, which is why I get my seeds from the Uk.

Gardening in France - it's why we're here

[pigletwillie]

The first time i went to France I asked for parsnip seed and with a quizzical look told me sternly

"ils sont pour les animaux" - they are for the animals.

Down in Perpignan, we have seen a few in the markets.

[scarey55]

My understanding is that they are only used as animal feed - they don't know what they are missing imho.

I have never been able to buy parsnips here and when my Step daughter comes to visit (from Paris) she always has parsnips for dinner - home grown, of course

[Nicos]

Well- hello there!!
Welcome to the Vine!!!

I'm in the Suisse Normande in the North...I'm really hoping we get better weather here than in Cheshire.

So ...what are you considering growing??

And- where abouts are you???

[Nicos]

Oh- Scarey...I bought parsnips at a very good price in Falaise market!!!
They are certainly about!!!
Curley Kale is something which also confuses the locals!!!

[scarey55]

Oh- Scarey...I bought parsnips at a very good price in Falaise market!!!
They are certainly about!!!
Curley Kale is something which also confuses the locals!!!

Get the spare bed ready, I'm on my way

[Jardiniere]

Hiya printemps - EXACTLY where are you?
I'm in the Lot valley....and i grew parsnips last year - put in dozens of seeds....got 6 parsnips.....luvverly tho'

[Nicos]

Get the spare bed ready, I'm on my way

Kale or parsnips???...or are you just ready for a change???..any time- just ring us!!!