"0tterbot" wrote in message
...
hello,

i am enjoying some old (and not so old, but certainly not new!!) gardening
books that were my grandfather's, which my grandma's given me now she's
moving on into assisted care.

one of them is an esther deans book (she is lovely!!) in which she gets a
bit into seed- and plant-dowsing (both to identify male and female plants,
but mainly to identify "positive" plants over "negative" ones). i haven't
got round to trying that yet, but i was wondering if anyone here has tried
it? how did you go? is it worthwhile? i gather esther tests (tested??!)
almost every seed & plant after she got into the method.

i daresay every gardener has been frustrated by two of the same plant,
right near one another in identical conditions, & one goes fabulously &
the other is just a dud & nothing really improves it. certainly i have
been frustrated by this. when i get to it, i'll dowse the suspects & the
good plants & see what i find out.

i wouldn't want to be dowsing every single carrot or oregano seed though
;-)
kylie




Heard of the dowsing and tried it a while back. But doing it with 300 seeds
just wouldn't be happening for me. Dowsing will be useful for finding the
female seeds hence more fruit. Also will be useful in finding the odd males
if you need it as a pollinator. A good example is kiwi fruit, you need one
male plant to I think 6 female plants.

Dowsing seeds does work for me. Though trying to find water never worked.
Yet I can go out to a spot and say here is ok and a water dowser will
confirm it. This is more to do with landscape features not having a stick in
my hand.

For those that'd like to try you tie a gold ring, crystal or gem stone to a
piece of string. When you place it over the seed it should start to move
after short time. Clockwise is female, back and forth is male and no
movement says the seed is no good. I am told it works on pregnant women for
determining the sex of the unborn but haven't had someone willing to lie
down so I could put it over their tummy to test it out.

To get better results from seeds I have found moon planting is a good method
to use. Is a bit complicated to explain though but here is a general
overview:-

· Plant seeds 36 - 48 hours before a full moon except on an eclipse
either lunar or solar. Also not to plant a month either side.

· For seed production plant at apogee.

· Perigee produces weak plants that are susceptible to insect attack.

· A waxing (filling up) moon stimulates growth.

· Towards new moon there is more microbial activity underground. Time
to plough in green crops. Also to cut hay or timber at this time as sap flow
is at it's lowest.

· Nodes are when the moon and the sun's orbit coincide. New moon will
cause a solar eclipse. Full moon at a node will cause a lunar eclipse. Takes
27.2 days to complete this nodal cycle; it is called the draconic month.
Avoid planting and fertilising at this time. Plants are stunted, germinate
badly and are susceptible to insect attack.

· When the arches of the moon are getting higher it is an ascending
moon; when they get lower it is a descending moon. This takes 27.3 days to
complete this cycle and is known as a tropical month.

· Ascending moon is noted by an increase in sap flow and growth. Is
an ideal time to take cuttings for grafting. Seeds also germinate better.

· Descending moon is noted by an increase in growth below the soil.
It is an ideal time to transplant and prune plants. Is also a good time to
turn in green manure crops and compost.


I generally plant plump seeds my belief they have all the attributes inside
for a good crop.

If the seed needs to be soaked before planting any that float regardless of
how much it is pushed under is discarded. I figure it is seed coating only
and has not got sufficient kernal.

Rockdust with some native seeds produces plants quicker and healthier. They
also grow better when transplanted.

If anyone else has something that works for them pass it on.

Cheers

Richard