This month we viewed a documentary film, « Le Potager de Mon Grandpère « au Château de Restinclières. It was filmed lovingly over a year by Vincent Esposito at his grandfather’s garden near Antibes. Those of us from the Garden Group who were present were: Maggie, Sue Rich, Sue Rey, Mariannick and PeggyF.
Here are the different activities (and related tips from the grandfather) month by month. He uses ancestral techniques that have proved their worth over generations.
He attaches great importance to the different phases of the moon.
He uses seeds that he has set aside from previous years to plant his new crops.
The grandfather was quite a character, and it was amusing to see the contrast between the « right » way he did things in his garden, and the « wrong » things his brother- in- law did next door !
November : He goes gathering mushrooms after the new moon and at the same time fills bags with leaf mould from the woods. He preserves his mushrooms in oil.
December : He digs up his (large ) garden using a spade, so as not to injure or otherwise perturb the earthworms that are so vital for the soil. They reproduce at this time.
He gathers seeds, in particular from cucumber and eggplant, for planting the next year.
He washes them and eliminates those that float to the surface, before drying them.
January : Month of rest.
February : He prepares his seed potatoes for planting, choosing small ones with several eyes. He plants them, incorporating plenty of the forest leaf mould.
March : He plants pumpkin and other types of squash in pots ( points downward as the roots sprout from the point.) He plants his tomato seeds late March or early April, but at the waning moon. He also plants beans and bell peppers .
April : Tomatoes : He plants all his tomato stakes in readiness for the young plants.
They will have sprouted at the rising of the next moon (so he says ! ) He uses straw on the surface of the soil.
May : He plants all the young tomatoes in May and sprays them with a mixture of copper suphate and lime. He warns against over-watering. Once a week is sufficient.
Celery, lettuce, onions and broccoli are also planted in May.
June : He begins to harvest potatoes, peas, beans and zucchini.
His tomatoes and other vegetables are in full production. He dries tomatoes on racks after cutting them in halves. He also produces huge quantities of pulp which he also preserves, (using antiquated equipment which seem to work perfectly well).
August - September : the family enjoy the fruit of all the hard labour ! Grandpère still busy preserving what hasn’t been eaten ! Don’t we all wish we had him in our family !
October : The yearly cycle begins again.
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