South West France

[Nicos]

See you later then Tony!!!!

[TonyF]

Well, the weather here has changed - very grey and overcast when I went out to open up the cold frames this morning. But nothing like as bad as it is in parts of the UK by the look of the news this morning.

Temperature is still good tho, it's 10 degrees just FEELS much colder, no wind so it's not the wind chill.

But it's market day today, the restaurants are open, as usual meeting up with chums for drinks later so a quiet morning ............ and as the rugby is over, may get the rest of the new raised boxes extra stained this afternoon.

[smallblueplanet]

Out of interest (ie I'd love to live in SW France ), when's your last frost date then Tony?

[TonyF]

We've not booked it yet.

Depends on who you ask - there's the Festival of St Glace, properly St Denise, which is 15th May and most of the older gardeners round here don't plant out until then tho they do have stuff growing on before that.

In the market today there were lettuce, cabbage and tomato seedlings being sold but nobody will plant them out for the next six weeks.

Smart money round here is for the last frost is around early/mid April tho the past few years it's been well before than by 5/6 weeks so could be any time now.

[TonyF]

Well, the weather here is just bloody awful - the whole range today AGAIN, sleet, little rain, snow squalls and now it's sunny but it's blowing a gale, the wind chill is just horrendous.

But I just managed to get an hour outside - suitable wrapped, wooly hat, two fleeces, proper hiking socks and boots - and got the soft fruit boxes all sited, levelled and dug in where they should go.

Just come in for my garlicky lentil stew, that should warm me up with a couple of lumps of the local bread!

I'm working on the basis that if I can get outside for a few hours a day - even one hour a day - it will cut down the work later and give me more time to sit on the terrace!

[roitelet]

Add I thought you were in the warmer bit !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! B*******y cold here too

[Jardiniere]

Got back from London yesterday, thought i was escaping the bad weather...stopped overnight in Limoges - snowing as we left - got home to bright sunshine but then a hailstorm.
Seedlings up in the cold frame...but too busy indoors to do anything yet

[TonyF]

Been out double checking the babies - sorry seedlings are ok. All inside the various cold frames and covered with double layers of voile d'herbinage just to make sure.

It was bloody cold tho - and yep, I am supposed to be in the warm bit.

[TonyF]

Weather continues cold, not as wet tho, still too wet to do anything on the beds so maintainance prevails, building stuff and looking at other people's gardens to help them out later.

Starting to feel like a working gardener again!

[TonyF]

Been up about an hour and looking across the back garden from the office up the slope into the woods, can see where the grass (!) was strimmed yesterday and there are robins and blackbirds foraging through the cuttings. Can see a pair of red squiggles playing in the trees and can see the boxes with the budding fruit bushes on them. The sky is clear, blue, two common buzzards just passed through, with the golden light shining onto the trees. It's going to be a glorious day.

Quick pinch to make sure this is real ..........

And remember why I came to live here .................

[Earthbabe]

A perfect way to spend the long weekend and then remember that you don't have to leave it at the end. I'm just a teensy bit jealous.

[Jardiniere]

Been listening to bbc radio 5 and its snowing all over engerland!
it rarely snows here but february is the best bet for it...we get incredible frosts however...

[tootles]

I'm new here and have only just discovered a SW France thread - must join in!!!
Snowed here on Tuesday last week, now just rain for a few days though (which would be great but for the holes in the roof.....) Have tempted fate by putting out my early spuds already. The locals won't plant potatoes until the lilac flowers - but we don't have one
Tx

[Jardiniere]

hello
where are you exactement??
tried to snow here last tuesday also but only for a short while now its raining raining raining and i cant get my potatoes in even if i wanted to......interesting about the lilac - not heard that one...if i cant get them in this week it wont be til april cos i'm off to engerland for easter....

[Jardiniere]

replying to myself!
Looked up 12400 and you are near Saint Affrique between Albi and Millau??????