Go On..... You Choose!

[SarzWix]

Wellie, I'm sorry if my response came across as 'having a go' at you. I sincerely didn't mean it to. I'm certainly not against new ideas per se, and I'm sure there's a lot to the biodynamic thing that is good and beneficial, and would bear investigation. But not by me at the moment, as my life is currently collapsing around my ears. (I think a little of that may have slipped into my post, and I try so hard not to let it, I don't like airing my laundry in public)
As Di says above, if you manage to incorporate a little of it into your own gardening, I would love to hear the results.

PS. The more experienced members leaving the 'Vine because they keep getting asked the same questions? Hmmm, a little churlish? Maybe if it was the same people asking then it'd be annoying, but newcomers to gardening will always face the same initial problems, before they get into the swing of things. It's the old-hands being so friendly with each other that makes this place the way it is, if we were all to disappear....? Come back PW, Paulottie, Geordie, Jaxom, NTG et al, we miss you

[zazen999]

Biodynamic thing:

I see totally where this is coming from, and do try to moon garden where I can - which is why I'm doing trials of my own which I am willing to share for those who might be interested.

I visited the Elysia garden at Ryton today, fully biodynamic - and the results looked good. But, the only animal manure we use is chicken pellets; and I like to keep things simple. I researched the Mittleider Method when I started gardening and have taken a few hints and tips from that; but like most things you take what suits what you do personally from wherever you find things, and keep growing what you can.

I think it is sad that more experienced Grapes are leaving, not sure what the answer is...of course the same old topics will keep coming up as the same old veg is being grown. But, this year I am growing Oca, Orach, Quinoa, Exploding Cukes, Peanuts and Okra; to name a few. But, I don't ask many questions myself because I do some research to find out the growing conditions, issues etc before I would ever post a question - that's just the way I do things.

But, there have been new things appearing, which might be old news to more experienced grapes; but I am excited by mixing my own strains of toms [once I have the greenhouse] and by growing potatoes from the seed; both of which have been recently discussed on here; plus the inspiration by just reading other people's experiences cannot be measured. I like the little challenges as well, where we can experiment and grow different things and come back and share the experiences.

[trebellangeminired]

I tried planting by the moon last year but very difficult to keep up as things very chaotic BUT next year I will buy a calendar and try again. One of the grapes is trying to plant a limited number of crops by the moon as a trial.

Don't give up on us wellie, we need all the experienced grapes we can get.

[wellie]

Personally, I'm not going anywhere, that's for sure!, and I certainly don't class myself as an 'experienced grape'. Just a Pinot Grigio Officionado maybe...., but that's 'off topic' now! But what I love about Horticulture, is that you never do know it all, so there's always something more to learn, if you want to.

Rachael did kindly loan me the book her mother bought her on the Biodynamic subject, that got her interested, and I shall be sure to let you have the ISBN number in a later posting. It's entitled 'Biodynamics for Taste and Health', and it's a positively easy read on the subject to introduce you/me into the subject gently from just the 'Leaf Day - ooh better sow salad then!' approach.

I'm hoping upon hopes that I can persuade Rachael, or Tony, (or both) to lead this thread forward by the knuckles, and maybe enlighten us all on the subject for future reference, but bear with me, as neither are members of The Grapevine yet, so I may have to do some work to engineer their presence here. And I do think that would be amazing to have them on board. Wow.....

In the meantime, don't go harassing your local supermarket deli counter.
I asked how much it would be for a whole Salmon last week, and you'd think I'd asked if they knew how to knit a Henry Hoover......

Go Give it Some this week.
X

[SarzWix]

Is this it?
Amazon.co.uk: Biodynamic Gardening: For Health and Taste: Hilary Wright: Books
It has a "Search Inside" facility on Amazon, so you can have a little read of parts of it.

[wellie]

Yes, that's the very one Sarzwix. It's hugely 'readable' if any of you have any pennies going spare after the bills have been paid.... ! I'm up to a chapter called 'Putting it into practice': Whether you're starting a garden from scratch or converting an existing garden from conventional practices to biodynamics, careful assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of your garden will give you a deeper understanding of your land and enable you to make the most of what you've got....

[smallblueplanet]

It seems to me that all of us have our own way of growing our veggies. That Way is based on things we've been taught, things we've read, things we've seen and re-inforced by things that work.

I personally am comfortable trying 'new age'/wiccan/biodynamic/pagan/scientific ideas if they're comparatively easy to do and remember. So what's needed are some lunar/biodynamic/holistic mnemonic devices for things like when to plant our spuds or sow our cabbages!

P.S. Surely there is a vegetarian version of biodynamics? I think I prefer more lunar/pagan meself!

[Flummery]

I can do the bio bit. But I've never been very dynamic!

[wellie]

au contraire Flummery! Wellie does protesteth in her best french vocab...
(ignore Wellie, children, she's brushing up her rusty schoolgirl french?) You may be Bio, but you're pure 100% Dynamic, and no mistake!

SBP - I totally agree with you. Whatever works for you personally with growing, and what you've been taught is hugely Top Banana, and what both of my grandpa's taught me has stood me in great stead. And what I learned during my City & Guilds Horticultural Course stood me in good stead too, and the knowledge that my 86 year old neighbour has passed onto me in the last 8 years......

So I'd stick my neck out here, and say that it isn't a 'bad thing' to keep a very open mind, in ANYTHING that you're interested in - whether it be quilting, keeping livestock, birdwatching, learning to cook, growing vegetables or starting a family.
Surely, everything that we do has 'room for improvement' in term of how we've always, always done it previously, and how we may choose to do it in the future. But it IS our own personal choice just how to do it in our own space. And that's my point.

With the Equinox yesterday, Rachael will be more busy than usual this weekend, so I'll try and make contact with her, or Tony, this coming week, if you can be patient with me...

[Hazel at the Hill]

Working 'with' the bit of ground you've got makes sense...working with moon cycles sound logical too (although I don't pretend to have tried it sensibly myself)....nodding in the direction of how your ancesters did things makes a lot of sense too - most of us have lost touch with how the ground should be farmed.

(incidently - I heard the most evokotive (sp?) extract from Lark Rise to Candleford by Flora Thompsn on the radio last night (link here

We don't all have to wear hemp knickers tho' - modern ideas shouldn't be thrown out for that reason alone.

Good thread, Wellie. (kiss kiss)

[Flummery]

If my mind were any more open Wellie, things would fall out. In fact I think they've started!

[Comfreyfan]

Today I typed something for a friend, it mentioned Steiner, biodynamics and anthroposophy, I'd never heard of these before your post last week Wellie. So twice in 7 days seems to be telling me something - I've been planting with the lunar cycles for a couple of years now, so perhaps it's time to look a little closer.

[wellie]

Mmm, I think it maybe Comfreyfan!

I don't like to be 'a nuisance' to people I like that I've only recently met (!) and so I was thrilled that Rachael phoned yesterday evening, and I plucked up the courage to ask her if she, or Tony, would be prepared to contribute to this thread. Unfortunately, Tony is even more cr@p at computers than Wellie (allegedly!) and Rachael has only limited access to a computer.

But Rachael's happy to use Holly Cottage Computer to contribute to the thread, when she's here with us. Inbetweeny, I'd like to think that I can communicate any important topical advice from her, or important questions from you to her.

It's a good place to start, me thinks, until something better evolves?
X

[maytreefrannie]

Wellie, I've been reading this thread with interest because I've heard quite a bit over the years about biodynamic gardening but I've never been quite able to understand how I could try some of it in my home patch.

Any ideas or info you have will be gobbled up appreciatively (keep it simple for simple folk)

[FionaH]

This thread has inspired me to look into lunar planting. Its just occured to me that as I know nack all about gardening I have nothing to lose in following this set of guidlines than any other. Definitely going to look into this further and invest in a moon calender .
Time and family commitments will probably not allow me to be rigorous with moon planting but hey, its always worth being flexible
Thanks for making me think Wellie.