Super black market clash

It’s great what you can pick up cheap at a market. Yesterday I had a mooch at the out of date magazine stall at Leather Lane and found a gardening one from April 2012 with a free pack of 5 varieties of brassica seeds on the front. There’s purple sprouting broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, calabrese and kale, all for the bargain price of a quid, how good is that? There’s also an article  about egyptian walking onions in it, something I’ve been thinking about trying next year. Definitely keep ’em peeled!

Also, today through the post I got the 2013 edition of Maria and Matthias Thun’s Biodynamic Sowing and Planting Calendar. Big thanks to our good mate Scarlett Cannon for getting us into the old biodynamics lark. It might be bonkers but it’s costs nothing extra to try (that’s what we like!) and it’s something that hasn’t done us too badly this year even with the rubbish weather we’ve had. The latest guide has a nice piece on Maria, who passed away earlier this year at the grand old age of 89. A book worth having a butchers at (and it comes with a handy wallchart too!), available for around £7.

Finally a big thanks to everyone who has got in touch with us and had a butchers at the blog this year. A big festive greetings and best of luck in the garden for 2013 to all! 

Howling at the moon

It was a lovely old day today so spent a couple of hours outside. I made a wormery after getting my hands on a plastic tub left out for the bin-men outside a shop on Theobalds Road the other week and used a handful of worms out of compost bin attempt number three. More about how I got on with it in a later post.

Also, I’m now following “biodynamic guide to sowing and planting” by Maria and Matthias Thun to the letter. As today’s a root day to 8pm, I sowed a row of potatoes, carrots and beetroot. It’s early I know but I’ll take me chances with the weather.

When I mention the biodynamic method to most people they think I’m daft saying such things as “ah ok?” and then changing the subject or say it has never been proven to work or think I’ve joined a mad gardening cult. Well as it costs nothing to try (apart from £4 odd for the book on amazon) you’ve got nothing to lose!