France

[pigletwillie]

A thread for local weather

[roitelet]

Only just discovered the PW has started new threads for 2008. Durrrrrrrrrr, always was slow on the uptake.

12 - 18 Feb 2008

Max Temp 9C Min Temp -9C Rain 0mm

12 - 18 Feb 2007

Max Temp 14C Min Temp -3C Rain 32mm

Wall to wall sunshine but very cold at night except that is for Thursday and Friday when it was thick mist for most of the day and Boy was it cold!!!!! It has been dry now since the 7th Feb, Not that I am complaining as I have really cracked on with the soil preparation. Still waiting for the delivery of dung and straw but most of the compost has been spread. Sweet potato now in damp compost and the onion seed is pre germinating.

Sweet Peas are in and the potatoes are chitting. Hens have started to lay again, must be all the hot breakfasts they have been getting.

[roitelet]

19th - 25th Feb 2008

Max Temp 15C Min Temp -4C Rain 5.75mm

19th - 25th Feb 2007

Max Temp 13C Min Temp 3C Rain 32mm

After the very cold it has turned much milder but as you can see it is much drier than last year. The big advantage is that the soil preperation is very well advanced but the disadvantage is that I shall start complaining about lack of rain sooner.

The first sowing of Broad Beans didn't germinate well and the second sowing are much better and will very soon be put out in the cold frame. The onions, germinated before being planted in seed trays, are doing well. The chickens will be moved off the veg plot in the next week so the ground can be got ready for the potatoes.

I am waiting for the manure to arrive in the next day or two and the huge bale of straw is already here.

[roitelet]

26th Feb - 9th March

Max Temp 13C Min Temp -5C Rain 32mm

2007

Max Temp 13C Min Temp -1C Rain 43mm

Well the weather is in Yo-yo mood. One minute it is out with the sun cream and the next it is snowing! We had snow and wintery showers on the 3/4th March and as I am writing this we are hit by the blast. More of that next time.

Weather permitting the Broad bean plants will go in this week and there are more seeds in soak for succession. Several of the Brassica crops have been sown and all the onions are now pricked out in pots ready for block planting. 4 to a pot as last year, very sucessful. Parsnips are chitting and will be ready to put in tubes in the next day or so. Forced Rhubarb in the cow shed is romping away and I will have to pull some of it as it has reached the top of the dustbin.

None of the above crops are in the open ground but in the cold frame, which after the gale in sadly in need of repair.


Two loads of Manure mostly spread and a great deal of the straw has been used.
Oh well keeps me busy

[roitelet]

10th - 17th March 2008

Max Temp 18C Min Temp 1C Rain 46mm

10th - 17th March 2007

Max Temp 15C Min Temp -5C Rain 0mm.

The 10th was the day that we, as did most other people, got blasted. Fortunately not a lot of damage. The plastic greenhouse things were tied to the house and the only thing that suffered was the top of the cold frame. It is only a wood and plastic construction and it took off like a sail. I have managed to bodge it for this year but will have to do something more permanent for next year.

Broad beans are in under fleece to protect them from the wind and there are lots of other crops still under cover. Shallots and Garlic are doing well and as yet no sign of rust.Tomorrow is St Joseph and the traditional day for planting the potatoes in this area. So long as it does not rain overnight that is what I will be doing.

It is 'pink tree' week again, a Prunus of some sort. Stupidly I didn't make a note of when it was last year so don't know if it is late or early Forsythia is well out as is the flowering currant and the Magnolia Stellata buds are just begining to burst. I have seen several butterflies and bumble bees and there are three huge blobs of spawn in the pond.

[roitelet]

Got so carried by the first dry and sunny day yesterday that I forgot all about posting the weather

18th - 25th March 2008

Max Temp 9C Min Temp -5C Rain 42mm

18th - 25th March 2007

Max Temp 10C Min Temp -4C Rain 31mm

Well we have had it all in the last week, rain, sleet, hail, snow and wind and finally sun.

Managed to get the spuds in last Thursday but almost everything else is either in pots under fleece or still in the packet. Broadies are doing well under the fleece tunnels and are not suffering as much damage as last year when they were under plastic. The wind flapping the plastic bruised the leaves badly. Gardening has been impossible for the last few days as the soil is too wet and sticky. Instead I have reverted to DIY mode and finally started decorating the bedroom. 4 years of raw plasterboard is quite enough

Despite the awful weather I have seen Ladies Smock and Cowslips in the banks and the Wood Anemonies would be beautiful if the sun stayed out long enough for them to open.

The Black Redstart has returned, the book says that it is resident but I never see it over the winter. The other day I saw a Yellow Hammer rummiging in the straw mulch. The moles are subsiding, wether it is the wet or the fuses are working I am not quite sure.

Here's hoping for better weather but the forecast is not hopeful.

[allotmentlady]

Can I move in with you please?

[TonyF]

Weather here is the same. Managed to get out yesterday for about an hour and this morning about the same - finally finished putting the boards together for the new beds and built the new garden bench this morning but apart from that, I'm in planning mode again.

Tho J and I have decorated a spare bedroom and finished the toilet in the past couple of weeks and we have the builders starting our new bathroom soon as the weather has been so changable so it's winter indoors (if I must) and the rest of the year outdoors.

Planning to plant out the new raspberries (ta Roitelet), thornless blackberries and my 12 redcurrant bushes from last year's cuttings (found one I thought was dead so nice even number) into their boxes and into the tunnel or their beds at the first opportunity.

Edit: Should have added we're also in blossom mode - a friend gave me a crab apple tree last year, nicely potted and it's just delightful, ony a meter or thereabouts and covered in blossom to we've moved that by the front door so we can see it. And the cherry trees look great, as does the forsythia hedge.

But weather forecast is merde for the rest of the week so will concentrate on indoors and errands until the weekend.

[roitelet]

Can I move in with you please?

Only if you are good at sanding plaster Allotment Lady!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

26th March - 1st April 2008

Max Temp 15C Min Temp -3C Rain 21mm

2007

Max Temp 17C Min Temp -5C Rain 22mm (it was generally warmer by day in 2007)

The Parsnips are in and all I have to do now is keep the cats off. When I went to plant them the roots were more than half way down kitchen roll tubes and they were still at the coteleydon stage. Onion seedlings are also in the ground. If I look really, really hard there are flower buds on the Raspberries. Broad Beans are still doing well under the fleece and I am tempted to take it off soon. The Carrot protection needs to be modified as at the moment the top is sort of flat and the water is collecting on it and dripping on to the bed. Must sort out some sort of modified cloche which lets the water run off. Spring planted Shallots are not looking very good, a bit yellow and some not shooting at all. Wait and see on that one. Everything else is still in the cold frame. The pear trees in the orchard are slowly coming into flower. Parsley has come back from the Devil 'cos it decided that it didn't like it there and is germinating at last.

I have seen the first Nuthatch for ages, we used to have loads of them on the bird feeders but for the last two years they have been very scarce. No sign of the Swallows yet, normally record them around the 19th March. Pied wagtail took a walk round the garden on Sunday. Compost King is taking all the Bird and Bat boxes down for a clean and the Bat Boxes will have to be re-sited as they were not being used and the bats were roosting behind the shutters.

Today I saw the first Bluebells at the recycling depot. Made doing the chore a bit less of one!!!

[roitelet]

2nd - 7th April 2008

Max Temp 18C Min Temp -4C Rain 11mm

2nd - 7th April 2007

Max Temp 18C Min Temp -4C Rain 0mm

Looking ar the temperatures for this and last year it is marginally warmer this year, if you can believe it!

The beginning if the week was fine and dry and although I didn't do much by way of planting I got a lot of the clearing up done in the pretty bits. The weather took a nose dive on Saturday evening and we woke to a white world on Sunday. It didn't last long but there were showers of anything from rain to snow all day. Yesterday it was white again in the morning, the sun shone all day but it stayed cold.

Broad Beans are doing well and seem to be better under fleece than plastic which makes them too soft. With the strong sun during the day it is difficult to keep the temperature down in the cold frame so the lid has to come off. Things are growing dispite the weather and I don't have to look as hard to see the flowerbuds on the Raspberries. The Pear tree has at long last turned white and there are flower buds forming on the Cherry Trees.

The first Swallow has arrived and had a nights lodging in the cow shed on Saturday but I have not seen it since. Having seen Brimstone and Orange tip Butterflies in the early part of the week they have dissapeared. The Frog spawn has hatched and the pond is full of little black wrigglers

Other than that the decorating is moving on but the garden is on hold for the moment. Visitors for the week end so everything will be on hold , lets hope that the weather gets better soon or the cold frame will be bursting at the seams.

[roitelet]

8th - 14th April 2008

Max Temp 15C Min Temp -5C Rain 11.5mm

8th - 15th April 2007

Max Temp 24C Min Temp -3C Rain 0

Well by this time last year we were in to Summer but then as you all know that was it for the rest of the year. Here's hoping that the slowish start bodes well for this year.

Iv'e taken the plunge and planted out the Brassicas as they were looking rather sad so they have two chances, live or die. I am going to put some more seed in anyway. The Sweet potato has produced shoots which have been taken off and are now rooting nicely in water waiting for potting up. No Sign of the ordinary potatoes yet.

Black currants have buds on them and the Gooseberries actually have flowers. Yesterday I found flower buds on the early Strawberries. All the Jostaberry cuttings seem to have taken and the newly planted Apple Trees have swelling buds, the Cherry is showing signs of flowering.

The lone Swallow has been off and rounded up its mate and another has arrived and they are currently dive bombing me when I go into the cow shed. The trees across the valley are just beginning to show a green haze. I have found 2 Morrels growing in the grass, quite unusual so I am told by the locals.

Visitors gone and decorating off, the weather is good so I'm off into the Garden

[roitelet]

15th - 22nd April 2008

Max Temp 18C Min Temp -4C Rain 11.5mm

15th - 22nd April 2007

Max Temp 25C Min Temp -2C Rain 0mm

Still no sign of the potatoes yet, I weakened yesterday and bought some Cabbage, Cauli, Calabrese and Lettuce plants. They are so cheap and easily available out here that I am beginning to think that it is not worth the hassel of growing my own plants. Except, that is, for the things that I can't get like PSB.

Carrots have been sown and so have the peas. Broad Beans doing well and the fleece has been taken off. Not too happy with the Shallots which I planted in the Autumn, they look rather spindly compared with those I planted in the spring. Could just be the variety.

Moles are back. Talking to the farmer yesterday he told me that he has been trapping them and has caught one that was completely white.

The second huge bale of straw has arrived and most of the beds are mulched. Against my better judgement I have had to use slug pellets under the straw mulch to try and control the slugs.

Sun has come out so I must go and tour the 'Estate' and see what has happened over night.

[roitelet]

23rd - 28th April 2008

Max Temp 24C Min Temp 1C Rain 21.5mm

2007

Max Temp 27C Min Temp 7C Rain 25mm

Please don't think that we are basking in hot sun 'cos we are not. The high for the week was for one day only and the temperature has now dropped and we are lighing the woodburners again.

Dispite that the potatoes are showing, Broad beans are in flower, Peas are up, Parsnips looking good, Lettuce romping away under fleece, flowers on the new Cherry tree, loads of flowers on the Black currants and quiet a few on the Gooseberries. The early Strawberries are flowering well but there are very few flowers on the Red currants, not that I expected many as I am growing them as standards and therefore keep cutting all the side growth off.

Blue Tits have found one of the nest boxes and one of the hens has gone broody and tonight I am going to put 9 eggs under her

[roitelet]

29th April - 7th May 2008

Max Temp 26.5C Min Temp .5C Rain 20mm

2007

Max Temp 26C Min Temp 3C Rain 26mm

Last year it was just a bit cooler for this period. This week we have had almost wall to wall sunshine bit it has not felt quite as warm as the thermometer recorded as we have had Easterly winds.

Potatoes are all up and the Broadbeans are in full flower with the bees buzzing round them. Generally things are growing well but we could do with some rain. The Redcurrants are showing flowers and the Strawberries look promising. The earlies have loads of flower on them and the Remontants are just beginning to flower.

Thave heard the first Cuckoo and there are now two pairs of Swallows in and out of the Barn and there is much Frog activity in the Pond. The Hen is still sitting tight so with luck we should have some chicks.

I am going to risk putting a few hardy bedding plants out with my fingers crossed as the risk of frost has not quite passed. The latest one I can remember was the 18th of May.

[roitelet]

8th - 22nd May 2008

Max Temp 27.5C Min Temp 1C Rain 19.5mm

2007

Max Temp 23C Min Temp 5C Rain 49mm

Sorry to be a bit out of sinc. 8th to the 16th was shorts and factor 30 weather but it has cooled down a bit now. We could do with rain but the straw mulch is doing a wonderful job and the soil under it is moist and crumbly.

Last year as we all know was awful and the Potato Blight hit very early here. This year however there is a great improvement and the hopes are that the blight will be under control, having said that I will be spraying in the next few days just to be sure as I don't want to loose all the spuds as I did last year.

There has been a lot going on so I will make a list ;-

Carrots - disatrous germination so have resown
Beetroot - the same as above
Shallots - looking good and responding well to the dung water.
Garlic - NO RUST and looking promising
Onions from seed - Romping away
Peas - starting to climb
Mange tous - Resowing today germination very poor
Broad Beans - Lots of pods developing
French Beans - Wax pods up and waiting for the green ones
Cauli - The plants I bought refused to start growing so have been replaced with my own
Cabbages - The poor sick seedlings that I planted have overtaken the plants I bought.
Calabrese - The same as the Caulies.
Potatoes - Looking good
Salad things - All doing well
Sweet Potatoes - Planted under a Plastic Cloche through Black Plastic, fingers crossed.
Strawberries - Fruit well formed on the early plants and the remontants are moving into action.
Rhubarb - Moved this year but begining to make nice looking crowns.
Blackcurrants - Looking good if I can keep the aphids under control.
Red Currants - Almost tall enough to have the tops taken out to start the standards and the side shoots will be pruned next month.
Gooseberries - Very young bushes but there a few gooseberries on them.
Apple Trees - 4 New trees three of which are producing leaves and the forth is not dead but has yet to show signs of growth.
Cherry Tree - Had lots of flower but there might be 3 or 4 cherries on it

Last but not least 8 out of 9 eggs hatched yesterday.

And every thing in the garden is lovely!!!!!!!!