This topic contains 4 replies, has 3 voices, and was last updated by charles 12 years, 8 months ago.
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Two leaf stage in most writing, including mine, means cotyledons, usually long and thin, except mainly for rounder brassicas. Then the third leaf is the first true leaf of more variable shape and size. I find that pricking out at cotyledon stage is easy and effective. It is still possible with bigger seedlings but takes longer and they are a little more shocked by the move.
Moon planting and sowing is tricky, there are so many variables, as outlined for example by Maria Thun – and she barely considers waxing and waning! I am running several experiments and the results are quite variable, perhaps because there are so many other variables, not least at this time of year the fast-waning season i.e. each day waiting to sow, beyond the optimal time (such as now in Britain for lambs lettuce, spring onions, spring cabbage) is important time lost and if you wait too long for an ideal moon, whichever that is, then plants may not be large enough to either crop or survive through winter. So in late summer and autumn I pay more attention to seasonal times than considerations of moon. With an exception that 11th September this year is two days before full moon!! and I shall sow lettuce, endive, oriental leaves etc for winter salad in my polytunnels….
I have just finished ‘How to Grow winter veg’ and 1/2 way thru’ the No dig book . Both very clear and readable and exciting. However my concern is that they relate to temperatures in Somerset and I am half way up a mountain in North Wales!My walled veg garden gets lots of sun as it’s Sw facing and protected by the trees and the lee of the hillside. I also have a 12′ long polytunnel and similar sized green house also both quite protected BUT we have had 4 feet of snow both winter 2009 & 2010 for some weeks and before and after Xmas and up to March. so do I have the remotest chance of growing any veg as set out in ‘How to Grow Winter veg’ or would it just be a total waste of effort and time? I have had leeks and corn salad survive in the garden through winter. I’d love to have salad etc in polytunnel and all the other interesting crops… Any chance?
Happily 12 fruit ripened on my apricot tree to the surprise of locals.. but that’s Summer time:)Well I am glad you like the books and your question has me wondering. When writing a piece for the RHS in 2006 I compared sowing dates with those of a grower in Scotland and was surprised to find little difference. On the other hand, some sites have a lot more wind and snow than here. I think each gardener has to bear their own climate in mind and alter the dates a little if conditions are adverse at any particular time.
On the other hand I urge you to have a go at, for example, winter salads in a polytunnel because my tunnel freezes hard every winter, inside, and plants mostly survive. They maybe don’t enjoy it and look wiped out when their frozen leaves are flat on the soil (most days last December) but my only losses last winter of tunnel salads were lettuce that succumbed to fungal rot in a damp part of the tunnel, compared to near 100% survival where ventilation (with mostly freezing air) was better.
Protected salads are the main thing to sow now so there is no time to lose and good luck!
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