But now that I'm subscribed to a weekly gardening mag (both for my French and to improve my vegetable-growing skills), I notice that my periodical of choice has recently become obsessed and even slightly hot under the collar that I ensure everything is done at an opportune moment. Something to do with us all having a fresh start at the beginning of a new season.
Since I'm one of those people who wishes to remain a student for life, I became excited and took careful note of what was required of me. And I love the idea that someone is bothering to remind me of what might be important that week. (As well as caring enough to include snappy little slices of fascinating, if useless, information.)
When I began to read about gardening with the moon, I thought - yes! I'm going to try it! I'll make sure that I sow things when the moon is in the ascendant and prick out/prune/harvest when it is in the descendant. So I studied my free annual guide to the moon's movements with excitement. I sowed all of my Hardy Plant Society seeds when the moon was rising on a 'flower' day, 2 February. (Don't tell anyone I didn't quite make the 13.58 deadline - but all the pots were prepared by then, it was just a question of sowing ...) Later, on 10 February (still a root day, up until 17.43), I sowed my onions ('Paille des Vertus'). This probably seems a little late to British gardeners, since Boxing Day is traditionally onion-sowing day, but theoretically we have a longer growing season in France.
I would love to hear the opinions of others? Do you do it? Does it work? I'm going to carry on 'following my stars' for a little while. I keep good records, but I'm not sure that I'll really be able to assess whether or not my onions are better this year than last. And I'm a bit worried about sowing salad crops once a fortnight to keep up a succession - how will that work?
The photo above is of my rootstocks waiting to receive their scions - this 'must' be done after 21 March, no matter the season. (There's sense there - that's a date when the sap can be guaranteed to be rising, essential for achieving a good graft union). But presumably, nearer the time, I will be instructed to do it on a 'fruit day' when the moon is rising in Aries, Leo or Sagittarius? If I follow the rules, could be fruit nirvana this year!