Moon gardening

[Matt.]

I had good crops of Broad beans and Onions by using traditional methods!

Its not inconceivable that, unwittingly, your traditional method coincided with the moon gardening calendar. Maybe you're in perfect harmony with the celestial movements and you don't even know it?

I don't know what the likelyhood is but given you can plant a few days either side of the optimum you may have up to a one in four chance of getting it right?

It would be quite good if those who didn't try moon gardening could post when they planted crops that worked well and those that didn't. If this could be referred back to a 2007 calendar maybe it would show some interesting statistics? I don't have my dates now but I'll look them up and post back later on.

I didn't try moon gardening this year but I'm interested in trying it next year when I can. I'm still looking for a simple calendar that tells me what veg on what days rather than a load of astrological stuff if anyone has any pointers?

[greenlung]

Hi - This site's quite informative - and better than buying a book...

http://www.plantingbythemoon.co.uk/

An Italian guy up my allotment swears by the moon - if u get wot i mean.(He's not a werewolf) "Plant when the moon is low" he's always saying.

It's supposed to be based on moisture content of the soil - but as I'm sure most of you have noticed, it's the rain which makes the soil wet, not the moon !

[Snadger]

Hi - This site's quite informative - and better than buying a book...

http://www.plantingbythemoon.co.uk/

An Italian guy up my allotment swears by the moon - if u get wot i mean.(He's not a werewolf) "Plant when the moon is low" he's always saying.

It's supposed to be based on moisture content of the soil - but as I'm sure most of you have noticed, it's the rain which makes the soil wet, not the moon !

Just as the moon affects the ebb and flow of the tides it effects the availability of water in the soil! Allegedly!

[greenlung]

Just as the moon affects the ebb and flow of the tides it effects the availability of water in the soil! Allegedly!

Sure - I'm prepared to accept that, but my point is that weather conditions must surely outweigh any loony tunes influences

[Snadger]

Sure - I'm prepared to accept that, but my point is that weather conditions must surely outweigh any loony tunes influences

Not really! It could be argued that there is always water in the soil (unless you garden in the desert, of course!) The effect on this water, even at molecular level will be the same, as the water will become more or less available in tune with the tides! At least I think thats part of the principle!

btw I'm not saying I agree with this principle, I'm just acting as devil's advocate at the mo!

[zazen999]

Hi all

I was away when this was posted, and i'll ignore the loony tunes references as the question was asked in all seriousness.
I use the method when i can; it is not about water being there as much as the ebb and flow of the water within the soil; and all moon gardening is aware that if the soil is too wet or dry; not much is going to happen anyway.
It basically breaks down the crops into 4 types; root, leaf, flower and fruit; and gives you guidance on the best days to sow/plant out/harvest etc. It by no means is about only doing such a thing on such a day. and this year's dramatic weather is proof that if the weather is poor, just do it when you can.
i did notice some strange phenomena with it; but can't say for definite as i didn't do any control trials against it.
Firstly, if i sowed for example onions, then they could first start to show on a root day; ditto most of the crops. This was whether or not the seeds were sown on the correct day or not.
Secondly, i found that i wanted to do jobs [such as sow carrots] on upcoming weekends [eg i think i'll sow carrots this weekend], and when i came to look at the book, it was the correct day anyway...this happened so many times this year that it was uncanny to say the least.
Thirdly, there are days when you really shouldn't do anything [because of the trines apparently]; i tried this a few times and absolutely nothing came out of stuff sown on these days; on one occasion i had to as it was the only day that the rain stopped long enough to get out there but i shouldn't have bothered; everything died or fruited but died on the vine [eg pumpkins]. Or they got covered in pests and were eaten to death [my lovely purple beans]. and i mean everything - it was very annoying.

The water thing is very easy to explain; just as the moon affects tides, it affects and draws water either down or up the soil; it doesn't take much to work out that drawing it down will encourage roots to grow [down], ditto drawing up will encourage plants to grow higher etc. If there is no water about, or too much, then the effect will of course be minimal, but in normal conditions this is a very simplistic explanation of the theory.

I use the Nick Kollerstrom Diary [out now for 2008], as it also goes through the weeks and reminds you to do things, and you can make notes as you go.

[Snadger]

Hi all

I was away when this was posted, and i'll ignore the loony tunes references as the question was asked in all seriousness.
I use the method when i can; it is not about water being there as much as the ebb and flow of the water within the soil; and all moon gardening is aware that if the soil is too wet or dry; not much is going to happen anyway.
It basically breaks down the crops into 4 types; root, leaf, flower and fruit; and gives you guidance on the best days to sow/plant out/harvest etc. It by no means is about only doing such a thing on such a day. and this year's dramatic weather is proof that if the weather is poor, just do it when you can.
i did notice some strange phenomena with it; but can't say for definite as i didn't do any control trials against it.
Firstly, if i sowed for example onions, then they could first start to show on a root day; ditto most of the crops. This was whether or not the seeds were sown on the correct day or not.
Secondly, i found that i wanted to do jobs [such as sow carrots] on upcoming weekends [eg i think i'll sow carrots this weekend], and when i came to look at the book, it was the correct day anyway...this happened so many times this year that it was uncanny to say the least.
Thirdly, there are days when you really shouldn't do anything [because of the trines apparently]; i tried this a few times and absolutely nothing came out of stuff sown on these days; on one occasion i had to as it was the only day that the rain stopped long enough to get out there but i shouldn't have bothered; everything died or fruited but died on the vine [eg pumpkins]. Or they got covered in pests and were eaten to death [my lovely purple beans]. and i mean everything - it was very annoying.

The water thing is very easy to explain; just as the moon affects tides, it affects and draws water either down or up the soil; it doesn't take much to work out that drawing it down will encourage roots to grow [down], ditto drawing up will encourage plants to grow higher etc. If there is no water about, or too much, then the effect will of course be minimal, but in normal conditions this is a very simplistic explanation of the theory.

I use the Nick Kollerstrom Diary [out now for 2008], as it also goes through the weeks and reminds you to do things, and you can make notes as you go.

I got the book and the diary a couple of years ago for Christmas but found it too complicated. I'm afraid I'm very much 'hands on' and abhor paperwork, that's why I go to the lottie to get away from it!
Some people like to set up databases, keep records etc where'as I personally just like to get down there, get dirty and chill out!

Not knocking it though, if it's what you enjoy, and you have faith in it, go for it!

[nudger]

I was getting into the whole moon phase planting this year but was asked by my company to do a stint for a few months work in Philadelphia so had to down tools and hop across the pond for the most productive part of the year. I'm thinking about companion planting this year as long as i get to stay in the country long enough to finish.

[Flummery]

Wondered where you'd been! Welcome back. Hope you enjoyed Philly.

[stigoftheplot]

I use a web site (gardeners calender) which has a very basic 7 day schedule. I basically says, for example, today is a good time to plant roots, it is not a good time to plant flowering plants. I tried doing a control with my leeks. Some got stuck in any time and some 2 weeks later on the correct lunar day. Same batch of seedlings, same patch of soil but divided in 2. Everyone could tell which side was transplanted later but by the moon. They were noticably bigger. All unfortunately got attacked by fly when I couldn't get up for a couple of weeks, but they've now recovered. There's not a huge difference now but the lunar ones are still slightly bigger despite later transplanting.
I'm not too fussed if I do it on the wrong day. I cant always get up with work, kids etc, but if I have a choice I'll try & plant correctly. Figure it dont hurt.

[bluemoon]

Go to the local lotties and you'll see as many different styles of gardening as there are plots. I think 'what works' matters less than what you feel comfortable with. If you're happy with the method you're using then chances are your plants will be happy too. Being something of a long~haul plodder I've never grasped even the concept of 'The 20 Minute Allotment' for example and I'm sure that if I tried it my efforts would be doomed, nonetheless it seems to work for others. If the idea of biodynamics appeals then go for it.

[rustylady]

So, has anyone actually tried it, and if so did it work? Obviously the only way to prove it is to sow "control" crops (some by the moon gardening rules and some not, but close enough together to rule out temperature changes etc). It's fascinating, and I think it should work, but as I work full time and don't have enough time now to get to the lottie to do the minimum needed I really can't undertake a trial.

[Nicos]

Well ..we had so much rain here at planting time that we never got to see the moon for a couple of months!!!
Maybe lunar planting was started off by prehistoric hormonal women ...............
" NO!!!!.... NOT TODAY!!!!....I'M NOT IN THE MOOD TO WORK!!!!!"

[bubblewrap]

Well ..we had so much rain here at planting time that we never got to see the moon for a couple of months!!!
Maybe lunar planting was started off by prehistoric hormonal women ...............
" NO!!!!.... NOT TODAY!!!!....I'M NOT IN THE MOOD TO WORK!!!!!"

OH! you mean Planting Moon Time

[SarzWix]

Well ..we had so much rain here at planting time that we never got to see the moon for a couple of months!!!
Maybe lunar planting was started off by prehistoric hormonal women ...............
" NO!!!!.... NOT TODAY!!!!....I'M NOT IN THE MOOD TO WORK!!!!!"

Hahahahahaha Ain't that the truth??!!