tatos,spuds,potato.

[glenniedragon]

We have had a few early mornings over the last few days, courtesy of the D and V fairy (all clear since Saturday thankfully). We used to chuck on the compost heap the, er, um, fluid offerings from Maximus' potty while he was potty training! is there any particular type of urine thats best? post-morning after, dilute etc...has this area been researched?

kind thoughts
Deb

[hedgewizard]

Morning would probably be best since it's the most concentrated, if you're talking about compost activation. But for plants it really doesn't matter since you need to dilute it anyway to avoid scorching. And don't water carrots or parsnips with wee, you want to keep the nitrogen levels down so the roots don't fork.

[Millymollymandy]

So which is better, human or horse? I've got a load of horse urine soaked sawdust that I add to the compost in layers. Doesn't half pong!

[hedgewizard]

I bet it does! No idea of the relative merits of species-specific manure (unless you're on HRT that is... the hormones are largely passed unchanged!)

[the woodmaiden]

Hi everyone oh I have been giggling at the weeing!! Ta for the tip about morning wee being best for the compost Hedgewizard!
Well uber beginner gardener that I am today I dug over again one of the beds,we went for flat in the end as quicker to get going,dug in what I had from our composter & also a scattering of bonemeal that my dad got me... none the wiser but he said I *needed* it.
& then I thought right bally go for it girl & dug a trench & popped in 7 potatos!they are earlies & called Swift & thats much as I know lol!!
Had a wee chat with them before they went it & said I was expecting great things from them so thats a start
This eve I went out there baby monitor in hand,glass wine in the other & did 2 trays of lettuce,judging from my dads text reply to my happy news tho I think I may have sprinkled too many in the tray? hey ho well gotta start some where!
Have got radish seeds,spring onions & green beans & dads started off toms,runners,courgette,peppers,leeks,purple sprouting broccali & cabbages yummmy!!!
I am very excited but apprehensive too!!! dont want it all to go horribly wrong even tho guess if it does I will learn for next year!
Have got some horse poo *ordered* from a pal too!! blimey think I need to go lie down
Bright Blessings
Woody
x x x x

[kevin m.]

I planted out my well chitted 'Winston' first earlies on Good Friday (there's a bit of folklore that says that this is the day to plant your spuds,which is kind of strange,seeing as it can vary in date by about a month being a 'Lunar Festival',i.e. set by the phases of the moon!).
I've repeated last year's successful method of planting under glass,to get them off to a flying start.
Seems like Spring is really here now!

[ina]

Seems like Spring is really here now!

I feel like that, too... However, my friend has been trying to dampen my enthusiasm today - after all, this is Scotland! And we are not out of the woods yet!!! So most of my gardening is being done on the livingroom table so far.

[Shirley]

it felt like spring when we arrived with you Ina - but according to one weather forecast we are due snow showers again this evening.

I want to learn more about this lunar planting - I do so love the lady moon.

[ina]

There are calendars around... It's not too difficult to keep to the "right" times when you are planting/sowing indoors. However, for outdoors, especially in our unreliable climate, I think I'd prefer to plant on the "wrong" day with the right weather, to planting on a "right" day in a hail storm!

[Millymollymandy]

Too right! I got my early spuds in on Saturday morning but got drenched.

The French gardening mag that I subscribe to has a lunar calendar each month, telling you what group of plants you should be working with every day (flowers, root veggies, leaf veggies, veggies with pips or seeds) - THEN within that lot, there are the ascending and descending moon cycles in which you should be doing (to the above groups of plants) either planting, adding fertiliser or compost and summer grafting (descending moon) or sowing, end of winter grafting and harvesting (ascending moon).

You get a day off when there is a lunar knot (best translation I can make!) or a lunar perigee or apogee (can't translate at all!). There's about 4 days off in the month I'm looking at (Feb 2006 - the mag just happens to be on my desk).

Still fancy lunar gardening?!!!

[hedgewizard]

I go in for lunar gardening when I'm in the mood but have never seen any evidence that it makes any difference... I figure that what makes the difference is ME, hence the mood comment!