Bunny’s Diary

Bunny starts the year with some early sowings, recommends quince and a new sauna blanket

Gardeners need no longer expect to become stiff from working in cold, wet weather! A footballer client is evangelical about the benefits of saunas, but I hate the hot steamy sensation. Another client discovered infrared sauna blankets and is equally evangelistic about them. After only three weeks use I have noticed a massive reduction in stiffness, the boost to my circulation is amazing and I generally feel more alive. The blanket is a bag: you lie inside with your head outside, which I find much more comfortable. Research points to massive health benefits: they improve your cardiac system, increase blood flow, reduce risk of strokes, help depression, decrease the risk of dementia, decrease muscle soreness, and increase cognition and overall brain health (£ 599 from higherdose.com).

The first seeds to germinate produce the healthiest plants, so speed of germination is vital. I sow all my seeds in cells indoors and use a heated mat in my greenhouse and various different windowsills to try to achieve the closest to optimum temperature for germination for each crop. To save valuable space I stack trays of the same seeds: as soon as the top ones start to emerge I separate them out. Mice are a pest, so I perch trays on a cantilevered board that they can’t negotiate. Parsley, parsnips, celery and carrots may take two weeks plus to germinate since they often have undeveloped seed embryos – so be patient.

Quince, Cydonia oblonga, was associated with the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, and recent research has shown it is indeed a powerful aphrodisiac. After 28 days, rats fed on quince ‘mounted with significantly greater frequency than rats not fed quince and their performance also improved markedly’! I dry slices of quince in the oven and they are divine. If you’re not interested in its aphrodisiac qualities, it is also an antioxidant, antidepressant and anti-inflammatory. It can suffer from blight but ‘Serbian Gold’ is rarely affected. ■

Watch ‘How Gardeners Can Massively Reduce Stiffness’ and ‘No Dig Guide for Ornamental Gardening’ at youtube.com/bunnyguinness