Hi,
We have a lady at our lottie who swears by it. Has anyone else tried it, if so where have you found out all your info?Have you found it successfull? I was hoping to use web sites rather than buy a book/calendar.
Thanks,
AC
There was a prog on telly once about an estate gardener who did nothing else. Planting and harvesting were done according to the waxing and waning of the moon. I think this guy has been visiting the kitchen garden at Clumber Park where he's advising the Head Gardener there on the principles :) Fascinating stuff
Hi! I found a diary in France this Summer that tells you when to do everything according to the moon, I didn't get it though as it was for 2005, I'm waiting for the 2006 one to come out. (It wasn't that cheap...) It seems quite complicated but the local gardeners (in Normandy ) swear by it. Will give it a try next year.
I haven't found anything in England though, sorry
D
Just seen there was one to swap on the 'swap' page, don't know how to send the thread though
D
I have never planted by the moons cycle but may read up on it and give it a try.
Here are a few links to that may help
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/gqt/lunar.shtml
http://www.new-age.co.uk/moon-dates.htm
http://www.planetfusion.co.uk/~pignut/Lunar_gardening.html
I did find a book on amazon.co.uk for under a £5, just search for Lunar Gardening
;)
The old estate gardener might have been Cornish. I'll google to see if I can find something :)
When I first dug my beds in the allotment, I couldn't be bothered with all that string and spirit level stuff so I just cut 'em freehand.
Of course they ended up all wonky. When my partner asked why they were sort of curving I said they were designed like that to follow the course of the moon across the night sky. She still believes me to this day ;)
Quote from: terrace max on October 02, 2005, 17:26:29
Of course they ended up all wonky. When my partner asked why they were sort of curving I said they were designed like that to follow the course of the moon across the night sky.
Tehehe...Never thought of that... My beds are all wonky because like you I can't be bothered with the string and all that... Will explain about the moon influence in future ;D ;D ;D
D
TM Bet she doesn't ;)
No really - c'mon she has to be pretty gullible to stick with me!
I shall never look at my wonky beds in the same light again and will blame fulll moon on my misshapen efforts ;D
My step mum has very green fingers and swears by sowing and planting according to the phase of the moon - waxing for sowing and planting above ground flowers and crops, waning for roots and cuttings.
I happened upon a free lunar/astrological calendar with the March issue of Amis du Jardins which is a French gardening magazine. This had correlated the position and phase of the moon and the zodiac cycle to tell you which days were for doing what, including 2 days a month when nothing should be done in the garden. There are days for flowering plants, fruits, vegetables and roots from sowing and planting to pruning, training and harvesting.
Last autumn I took shrub cuttings during a waning moon and last spring I sowed and planted according to the fancy calendar. Apart from carrots failing to germinate because of drought, I've never had such successful cuttings and sowings. Even the supposedly dufficult parsnips all germinated successfully.
Quote from: wardy on October 02, 2005, 15:37:03
The old estate gardener might have been Cornish. I'll google to see if I can find something :)
Well, I'm a young Cornish allotment gardener and I say...."stick it in whenever you have the time and hope for the best" ;D
Whereabouts in Cornwall?
This guy used to be out in the moonlight reaping or sowing :)
Quote from: Dominique on October 01, 2005, 21:08:53
Hi! I found a diary in France this Summer that tells you when to do everything according to the moon, I didn't get it though as it was for 2005, I'm waiting for the 2006 one to come out. (It wasn't that cheap...) It seems quite complicated but the local gardeners (in Normandy ) swear by it. Will give it a try next year.
I haven't found anything in England though, sorry
Yeah, the French seem quite keen on it. I was surprised to find a little lunar calendar in the back of a French gardening mag I bought when I was out there.. (Addict? Me? No...)
No idea if it works or not. Think I'd rather garden by the weather and not the moon.. :D
Melanie
Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on October 04, 2005, 08:43:36
Whereabouts in Cornwall?
I'm in London at the moment but grew up in Indian Queens....still go home most weekends :>
When I got a seed order from Franchi (Seeds of Italy) earlier this year, they sent a free matchbook sized lunar planting calendar in it showing waxing and waning moon for 2005. A lovely touch, got me interested! ;D
The thing that I found about following the lunar/strological gardening calendar was that I was a lot more organised than usual during the busy spring period. Often as not I go out intending to do one job, spot something else that needs doing and end up doing something completely different with a lot of staring at the garden and day dreaming about what will be in between.
This year I sowed seeds/prepared beds/divided perennials/transplanted shrubs etc all on the days indicated and with a great deal of purpose which turned to be very efficient and I didn't let myself get distracted by planting or weeding or pruning on days that were inauspicious.
We've had the longest, driest spell ever with only one good rain storm in July and a very dry winter and spring but, apart from poor carrots and tomato blight, the veggie garden has been very productive with more to come and the main garden is looking superb.
Sounds like a positive influence ::) Where do you get your calendar from Obbelix? ;D
Hi Supersprout - It came free with a French garden magazine called Amis du Jardin and was probably the March issue. I wouldn't have bought it normally but I was looking for something to read over lunch whilst I was out hunting new tiles for the ground floor after a watery disaster.  I live in the French speaking area of Belgium and it was that or some gossipy stuff about minor European royals.
I just wish I could find it now for all the autumn lifting etc. I shall be looking actively for it next year as the calendar was great fun and the magazine not bad either. In case the French puts you off, each day has a symbol for fruit, veggies, flowers and roots so it's easy to work out. There are also two days in the lunar cycle when nothing should be done. These are the points where the moon is closest to and furthest from the earth in its orbiting and all garden activity - apart from sitting and enjoying or admiring it - are inauspicious. Our farmer neighbours across the road know about those without having a calendar!
Thank you obbelix, I will brush up my French and get looking for next year! SSx ;D
Incidentally, here's a good website with this year's calendar on it:
http://www.ommas-aarden.net/lunar.garden.05.htm
Might help someone, hopefully! :)
Melanie
Thanks for all your replies. My email notifcation wasn't working for some reason so I've found all the replies. Thanks, will go look now at the links. ;D
Excellent link fluffygrue, thank you! ;D
QuoteOften as not I go out intending to do one job, spot something else that needs doing and end up doing something completely different with a lot of staring at the garden and day dreaming about what will be in between.
I am not alone!
Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou
;D
HI Amazin - It's true. You're normal - as any keen gardener gets , that is.