France

[Rodley]

It's been cold and wet the last 2 days. I've noticed that the meteo has changed a few times. Friday is predicted to be sunny rather than rain now, but my soil will be too claggy to do anything but plant in modules. I've got some fruit bushes to put in yet that I brought back from my garden after my visit to the UK, but it's too cold and wet to work outside at the moment. The house extension seems to be on hold as well as they are working on the roof (re-roofing our existing house).
Mistryer, the long term Meteo is showing it warming up next week a bit but cloudy (if you believe weather forecasts!).

[TonyF]

Same goes here Rodley, far too wet to do anything outside tho if it brightens up apres midi, I'm out putting seeds into modules and then into the cold frames, try to bring them on a bit.

Long range meteo, bit of an oxymoron here I think I'm amazed at the speed of change that they have on the tele Fr2/3 where the meteo is concerned, after the good old Brit Met Office stuff, seems so amateur.

[Rodley]

I use the Meteo website Aquitaine Prévisions météo de Météo-France - Météo locale (for Aquitaine) (you can click on your department as it gives local forecasts that aren't TOO bad for the coming day). But they do change fairly rapidly for a few days hence!

[TonyF]

Bright and sunny today, gloriously clear but sooooooooo cold. Managed to get out for an hour this afternoon but even I - who loves the cold and working in cold weather - gave up!

Still, managed a bit more clearing and cleaning up outside so not wasted time.

[TonyF]

Well, Sunday has been grey and very overcast tho not cold.

So we both managed to get a couple of hours outside, more tidying - one problem about having such a HUGE garden is just keeping it tidy.

But also managed to clean some pots, organise the shrubs in pots that we've over-wintered and I even managed to set some more seeds and pot on some old thyme roots/plants which I knocked out of a congested pot!

And now we're off to the piccys

[TonyF]

Today has actually been very good. Bit chilly this morning but worked out demolishing the front hedge - well, only 26 meters of it, left the rest cos that's ok. And the weather was glorious for gardening club this afternoon.

And even better, although forecast a bit overcast tomorrow, still going to be dry enough tomorrow and the rest of the week to be working outside at least until Friday. So remainder of the hedge tomorrow - well, planting and cutting out about 15 small box bushes - and then seeds all afternoon!

[Rodley]

2 days of sun (with cloud) has dried the soil enough to work on the veg patch again. Planted fruit bushes and raspberry canes brought down from UK and 2 Jerusalem Artichokes a friend gave me. Sowed 3 types of leeks and 2 types of lettuce in modules - and beetroot in the ground. We've got friends staying with us (and our "family" from over the road in the UK staying in their wreck 10 minutes away - so quite busy socially as well). Just hoping the goodish weather continues as our charpentiers are half way through re-roofing our house!
Has anyone seen something like chicken manure pellets here?
Friend has noticed that Leclerc is selling cheap cold frames at the moment (€27.90) - will have a look at these to see if they are OK and worth buying one.

[TonyF]

Weather forcast for Friday is 20 degrees and tomorrow/Thursday better than ok too - lots more gardening time.

Today was overcast and miserable but dry but the wind was very cold.

I've got a copuple of the Leclerc cold frames, if they're the plastic ones they're ok but a bit fragile, slightest tap and the 'windows' break, strimmer stones and the like. But can patch them and mine have lasted well for 2 winters and are currently more or less full.

Chicken pellet manure, I'd try France Rurale or your local Agri Co-op.

[Rodley]

Weather has been so good with sun and a breeze that I have had to water some rows of seeds as they were too dry. How things can change quickly in a few weeks!!

[TonyF]

Weather in 24 has been brilliant, literally, the sky has been the clear Dordogne blue, cloudless and so warm, J ate lunch inside because she said it was TOO HOT to eat outside (no parasols out yet).

I've just watered and organised the seeds back into the coldframes, lots of intetresting green shoots appearing now and my arms and face are going the brown side or red after 2 weeks gardening

[Nicos]

Weather in 24 has been brilliant, literally, the sky has been the clear Dordogne blue, cloudless and so warm, J ate lunch inside because she said it was TOO HOT to eat outside (no parasols out yet).

I've just watered and organised the seeds back into the coldframes, lots of intetresting green shoots appearing now and my arms and face are going the brown side or red after 2 weeks gardening

Oh...stop showing off!!!!!

'bout time too to be honest!!!!!!!! ( hot weather I mean)...enjoy the sun...tis supposed to change by weekend!

[TonyF]

Another glorious day, lovely and warm but no gardening, clearing bedrooms and garage (aka the indoor shed) so that the builder can start to replace the ceilings damaged when the pipes fitted by the idiot Brit plumber burst during the winter!

[TonyF]

Just watched the meteo - sorry to gloat a bit here but hey ho , is may not last.

Could be as high as 23 tomorrow, cooler for the rest of the week until Sunday but sunshine with a few clouds and some light wind.

4 days gardening I think

[Rodley]

Yep, the weather is set to become a bit more "normal". The sun has been good for drying off weeds and grass after running the cultivator over the ground. I just have to be careful not to jump too far ahead of myself and remember that it is still mid March.

[TonyF]

Went to Belves (24) this morning and after helping a chumlette with a few bits of business, we sat in the square, passing a very nice half an hour in the sun - it was 24 according to the thermometer outside the pharmacy.

I've been working outside all afternoon whilst the builder replaces on of the ceilings in the house - not my thing at all - and I'm really weather beaten now, v sunny and a bit breezy!

And even better, things veggie are sprouting everywhere