The whole of the moon

I've been doing some experimentation with moon planting this year.  In January I sowed my 'ring of fire' chilli seeds using the moon planting cycle.  I consulted Gydion McPagan's moon planting guide. Gwydion said that anything other than root crops can be planted from two days before new moon to three days before full.  So, as they were not root crops I sowed them as the moon was beginning to wax.  They germinated very quickly, I think in just over a week, and I had 100 percent germination.  Unfortunately I moved them outside too early, and they perished in the frost. 

It was a little too late to do another sowing, but I did anyway, in early March.  These seeds took three weeks to germinate, and I only had three come up out of about 8 seeds sown.  The only other difference besides the moon phase was the first batch had the benefit of my Dad's heated propagator.  Perhaps that is more significant than moon phase!  I'll have to try again next year without a propagator. 

The most recent sowings I did were totally contra moon phase, as I had left it a bit late to sow and couldn't risk waiting another two weeks for the correct phase.  They all did very well, and germinated at much the same rate and with the same percentage as the first batch of chilli seeds. 

I need to do some more experiments to really be clear about whether it makes any difference, but thats good because I enjoy experimental gardening most of all.

Slow worm!

Today it was time to make some adjustments to my black plastic protective layer on the long allotment.  The weeds were becoming too established in the areas where there were gaps in it, so I woke the pile of back up plastic from its dreary dark slumber and hauled it across to where it was needed.  To my delight I discovered that a slow worm had been sheltering in the warmth created by the plastic heap.  I'd encountered it before, under another area of black plastic that I had to lift for landscaping.  There was also a large toad, and it seemed to me they had been resting there in companionable silence for some time.  I was sorry to disturb them, and that I didn't have my camera.  Fortunately this time I had remembered it, so am able to show you.

No medlars

The first seeds I sowed in the greenhouse were medlar seeds I found from fallen fruits near where I live.  I feel rather sad, as it is now clear that none of them has germinated.  Perhaps I needed to stratify the seeds.  That sounds like another question for the RHS My Garden forum.

Time for a strim

I can't be in denial any longer.  I need a strimmer.  I made the first cut of the year the other day, and that's when the truth dawned on me. Quentin the qualcast push mower is a loyal friend, but his blades are no match for the tough grass, stones and weeds.   They are constantly getting jammed, and I am concerned at how much I am straining my feminine anatomy with the battle for tamed lawn. 

Mike my friendly fellow allotmenteer could see my plight and offered to show me how to use the scary allotment strimmer. I have always been rather wary of it, in the same way that I am wary of dogs.  It lives in the communal shed under lock and key, and is a man sized whirling dervish of a strimmer.  It reminds me of one of those staff-like weapons advanced martial arts people use.  Sometimes I see a person using it with a full helmet type mask on, making it look even more like a dangerous fighting tool.  Anyway, perhaps appearances are deceptive, and it is very kind of Mike to give me a demonstration.  He assures me that the shoulder straps take most of the weight. 

I've looked online at strimmers, and the most lightweight petrol ones are around 4kg.  I experimented with weighted doorstops, and even 2kg felt too heavy to me.  Perhaps I should install a goat on my plot instead.

Sun burn

My very experienced gardener friend came to inspect my greenhouse today, and I was able to show him my poor brown seedlings.  He has been gardening many years, and straight away he could tell that they had been scorched by the sun.  Not only are the French beans and barlotti beans affected, now my treasured mini red turban and potimarron squashes have suffered too.  So much so that I have had to do another whole sowing.  They were lovely healthy young seedlings when I took their propagator lid off, and then the next day most of them were withered and beige, their poor leaves sagging on the earth.  I felt terrible, as it was clearly my fault.  However, I've come to learn that these mistakes are all part of the gardening experience.  I've now put a fleece all across the glass on the side nearest the seedlings to diffuse the light (I don't have any shading netting) and have had no more tragedies.  I'll be especially vigilant when it's time to take the lids off the next batches though.