I read about this fellow RJ Harris, head gardener at Tressilian Estate
in Cornwall this week end. He apparently planted, fed, and harvested
fruit and veg depending on the moon phase, and claimed this had a
substantial effect on the success of the operation. Now, I know the
lunar cycle has a substantial effect on nature (tides immediately
spring to mind). But should it be taken into account when gardening ?
I found his book he
http://www.moongardening.cwc.net/BOOK%20cv.htm
What do the experienced resident gardeners here think? Is there
something in this, or is it just airy fairy bunkum? Do any of you
practice gardening by the moon, and would you recommend it?

Cat(h)

Following up to "Cat(h)" :

I read about this fellow RJ Harris, head gardener at Tressilian Estate
in Cornwall this week end. He apparently planted, fed, and harvested
fruit and veg depending on the moon phase, and claimed this had a
substantial effect on the success of the operation. Now, I know the
lunar cycle has a substantial effect on nature (tides immediately
spring to mind). But should it be taken into account when gardening ?
I found his book he
http://www.moongardening.cwc.net/BOOK%20cv.htm
What do the experienced resident gardeners here think? Is there
something in this, or is it just airy fairy bunkum? Do any of you
practice gardening by the moon, and would you recommend it?

It was quite the rage a few years ago in Germany, and the moon calendar is
still almost always a part of the popular books on organic gardening. I get
good enough results totally ignoring it. I'm sure that if it made any
difference that over the eons plants would have evolved to take advantage
of the advantageous phases of the moon and show marked differences
depending on phase. If there is, it's slipped my notice*.
I'm sure it can't hurt, so why not try it and see if it works for you?

*Apart from those places directly influenced by the rise and fall of tides.
--
Tim C.

Tim C. wrote:
Following up to "Cat(h)" :

I read about this fellow RJ Harris, head gardener at Tressilian Estate
in Cornwall this week end. He apparently planted, fed, and harvested
fruit and veg depending on the moon phase, and claimed this had a
substantial effect on the success of the operation. Now, I know the
lunar cycle has a substantial effect on nature (tides immediately
spring to mind). But should it be taken into account when gardening ?
I found his book he
http://www.moongardening.cwc.net/BOOK%20cv.htm
What do the experienced resident gardeners here think? Is there
something in this, or is it just airy fairy bunkum? Do any of you
practice gardening by the moon, and would you recommend it?

It was quite the rage a few years ago in Germany, and the moon calendar is
still almost always a part of the popular books on organic gardening. I get
good enough results totally ignoring it. I'm sure that if it made any
difference that over the eons plants would have evolved to take advantage
of the advantageous phases of the moon and show marked differences
depending on phase. If there is, it's slipped my notice*.
I'm sure it can't hurt, so why not try it and see if it works for you?

My interest is more curiosity than immediate intention to put into
practice: I only get to my garden at the week end - so that if
something doesn't get done this week end, it is automatically delayed
by at least a week... If I had to factor in moon phases, I'd be
overrun with weeds, and my crops would rot on the plants, or be
consumed by ungrateful birds/slugs/and other hungry critters :-) Maybe
when I retire....
I find the topic interesting, though, and appreciate your response.
I'll read a little bit more about it.


Cat(h)

On 19/6/06 13:53, in article
, "Cat(h)"
wrote:

I read about this fellow RJ Harris, head gardener at Tressilian Estate
in Cornwall this week end. He apparently planted, fed, and harvested
fruit and veg depending on the moon phase, and claimed this had a
substantial effect on the success of the operation. Now, I know the
lunar cycle has a substantial effect on nature (tides immediately
spring to mind). But should it be taken into account when gardening ?
I found his book he
http://www.moongardening.cwc.net/BOOK%20cv.htm
What do the experienced resident gardeners here think? Is there
something in this, or is it just airy fairy bunkum? Do any of you
practice gardening by the moon, and would you recommend it?

It's an extremely old and interesting practice and those employing it swear
by it. I've tried it only once using beans and I must say that the beans
planted on the waxing moon and second, did better than those planted on the
waning moon, first. But my one small effort is hardly conclusive, I know!
However, when we were in Provence some years ago, we visited this Chateau
which works exclusively on this principle and all I can say is that the wine
is outstandingly good! ;-)
http://www.romanin.com/pages/biodynamie.php?lang=en
and this might interest you:
http://www.biodynamic.org.uk/

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

"Cat(h)" wrote in message
ups.com...
I read about this fellow RJ Harris, head gardener at Tressilian Estate
in Cornwall this week end. He apparently planted, fed, and harvested
fruit and veg depending on the moon phase, and claimed this had a
substantial effect on the success of the operation. Now, I know the
lunar cycle has a substantial effect on nature (tides immediately
spring to mind). But should it be taken into account when gardening ?
I found his book he
http://www.moongardening.cwc.net/BOOK%20cv.htm
What do the experienced resident gardeners here think? Is there
something in this, or is it just airy fairy bunkum? Do any of you
practice gardening by the moon, and would you recommend it?

Cat(h)

Get a hold of a book called Secrets Of The Soil by Peter Tompkins and
Christopher Bird, quite possibly THE best book I have ever read when it
comes to Biodynamics/diversity. It's been a while since I read it but I do
believe there's a chapter on Gardening by the Moon.

Redman

On 19 Jun 2006 06:16:17 -0700, "Cat(h)" wrote:

If I had to factor in moon phases, I'd be
overrun with weeds, and my crops would rot on the plants

:-) I have that problem anyway. :-(
--
Tim C.

My interest is more curiosity than immediate intention to put into
practice: I only get to my garden at the week end - so that if
something doesn't get done this week end, it is automatically delayed
by at least a week... If I had to factor in moon phases, I'd be
overrun with weeds, and my crops would rot on the plants, or be
consumed by ungrateful birds/slugs/and other hungry critters :-) Maybe
when I retire....
I find the topic interesting, though, and appreciate your response.
I'll read a little bit more about it.

I think that answers it. Mostly we need practices geared to the cycles
in which we operate. For people who have jobs, this involves seven day
weeks which are more or less attached to a solar annual calendar.
Those who have sufficient leisure to follow moon cycles or who are
living in a society which runs a lunar calendar may get better results,
but hey, they're not available to us weeklies anyway.

"Martin" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 19 Jun 2006 19:30:27 +0200, Tim C.
wrote:

On 19 Jun 2006 06:16:17 -0700, "Cat(h)" wrote:

If I had to factor in moon phases, I'd be
overrun with weeds, and my crops would rot on the plants

:-) I have that problem anyway. :-(

and your little problem with the neighbours about mooning in the
garden.
--

Martin


I tried the lunar thingy a few times in the past.
It made me feel strange and my partner object to the compost caught in the
hair on my hands and face. Next door neighbour was not enamoured with the
wolf howling either.

On Mon, 19 Jun 2006 21:07:42 +0200, Martin wrote:

On Mon, 19 Jun 2006 19:30:27 +0200, Tim C.
wrote:

On 19 Jun 2006 06:16:17 -0700, "Cat(h)" wrote:

If I had to factor in moon phases, I'd be
overrun with weeds, and my crops would rot on the plants

:-) I have that problem anyway. :-(

and your little problem with the neighbours about mooning in the
garden.

I was hoping you wouldn't mention that !
--
Tim C.

Sacha wrote:
On 19/6/06 13:53, in article
, "Cat(h)"
wrote:

I read about this fellow RJ Harris, head gardener at Tressilian Estate
in Cornwall this week end. He apparently planted, fed, and harvested
fruit and veg depending on the moon phase, and claimed this had a
substantial effect on the success of the operation. Now, I know the
lunar cycle has a substantial effect on nature (tides immediately
spring to mind). But should it be taken into account when gardening ?
I found his book he
http://www.moongardening.cwc.net/BOOK%20cv.htm
What do the experienced resident gardeners here think? Is there
something in this, or is it just airy fairy bunkum? Do any of you
practice gardening by the moon, and would you recommend it?

It's an extremely old and interesting practice and those employing it swear
by it. I've tried it only once using beans and I must say that the beans
planted on the waxing moon and second, did better than those planted on the
waning moon, first. But my one small effort is hardly conclusive, I know!
However, when we were in Provence some years ago, we visited this Chateau
which works exclusively on this principle and all I can say is that the wine
is outstandingly good! ;-)
http://www.romanin.com/pages/biodynamie.php?lang=en
and this might interest you:
http://www.biodynamic.org.uk/

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

On the subject of wine, apparently root and shoot days don't just
affect the harvest!
Take a look at this.
http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/...786074,00.html

Cat(h) wrote:
[...]
Many thanks, Janet, Sacha, Redman and Tim, and thanks for the books and
websites recommended - all noted and bookmarked (including the French
version of the wine website, Sacha ;-)).
It seems to be worthy of a little more study.

I once had to translate for an African-French-speaker on the subject.
It was fascinating, even though I'm always sceptical about these things
("I mean, _astrology_? Grow up or get outta town!" -- as we Aquarians
always say). I can't begin to imagine the mechanism which would be
involved: after all, if the moon says "plant" and the sun says "frost",
which are you going to heed?

What I do wonder is if it's one of those things like talking to plants
or homoeopathy: it can work, but not in the way it appears to. I mean,
of course, that talking to plants implies that you're concentrating on
their welfare in all the other ways; and correctly treating animals
homoeopathically involves a full regime of appropriate individual care,
not just feeding them a chemical compound which is present only in your
imagination.

--
Mike.

On 20/6/06 16:16, in article , "Janet
Baraclough" wrote:

The message .com
from "Mike Lyle" contains these words:

What I do wonder is if it's one of those things like talking to plants
or homoeopathy: it can work, but not in the way it appears to. I mean,
of course, that talking to plants implies that you're concentrating on
their welfare in all the other ways; and correctly treating animals
homoeopathically involves a full regime of appropriate individual care,
not just feeding them a chemical compound which is present only in your
imagination.

Human imagination is as limited as our senses. I agree that in
gardening, consciously making a good intention has some peculiar
effect.

Glasgow NHS has been running an entire Homeopathic Hospital for decades
btw, so successful and popular they recently built a brand new home for
it.

There was a fascinating programme on tv several years ago about a farmer
using a homeopathic remedy for his cows. I remember that it involved
putting mere drops of the remedy into the huge drinking trough but the
incidence of (I think) milk fever, dropped by something like 60% Now, the
cows didn't know they were being treated, so that can't be imagination. A
homeopath I knew gave her farming friends on Dartmoor borax to put in the
animals' drinking water and not one of those farms got F&M even though it
was raging all around them. She wasn't supposed to do it, of course but I
think by then people were desperate. And personally, I swear by arnica for
bruises.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

Sacha writes
On 20/6/06 16:16, in article , "Janet
Baraclough" wrote:


There was a fascinating programme on tv several years ago about a farmer
using a homeopathic remedy for his cows. I remember that it involved
putting mere drops of the remedy into the huge drinking trough but the
incidence of (I think) milk fever, dropped by something like 60% Now, the
cows didn't know they were being treated, so that can't be imagination. A
homeopath I knew gave her farming friends on Dartmoor borax to put in the
animals' drinking water and not one of those farms got F&M even though it
was raging all around them. She wasn't supposed to do it, of course but I
think by then people were desperate. And personally, I swear by arnica for
bruises.


A vet friend of mine told me that the placebo effect also works on
animals.

--
Kay

John McMillan wrote:
I think that answers it. Mostly we need practices geared to the cycles
in which we operate. For people who have jobs, this involves seven day
weeks which are more or less attached to a solar annual calendar.
Those who have sufficient leisure to follow moon cycles or who are
living in a society which runs a lunar calendar may get better results,
but hey, they're not available to us weeklies anyway.

Last year, our peas should have gone in at 2.15am .... Well, I just
planted them the following morning and got such a crop I still talk
about it.

I didn't bother buying our moon calendar this year, I like buying the
French one, but now we've got this lovely little carribean chap on our
allotment who has been yelling things for sometimes like "you plant
your corn now will ya" or "little lady don't forget your beans". It
took me until this spring to realise that he was spot on the lunar
calendar. So now, I wait till he shouts )

K wrote:
Sacha writes
On 20/6/06 16:16, in article , "Janet
Baraclough" wrote:


There was a fascinating programme on tv several years ago about a farmer
using a homeopathic remedy for his cows. I remember that it involved
putting mere drops of the remedy into the huge drinking trough but the
incidence of (I think) milk fever, dropped by something like 60% Now, the
cows didn't know they were being treated, so that can't be imagination. A
homeopath I knew gave her farming friends on Dartmoor borax to put in the
animals' drinking water and not one of those farms got F&M even though it
was raging all around them. She wasn't supposed to do it, of course but I
think by then people were desperate. And personally, I swear by arnica for
bruises.


A vet friend of mine told me that the placebo effect also works on
animals.

I've heard that, too. Feeling "looked after" must be good for the kind
of animals we have around us -- that is, by definition, social ones
which can be tamed. Extremely difficult to test; but I do remember one
of that Cotswold family who produce the organic meat saying that when
one of their younger cows was ill with something she sought out her
mother, with whom she hadn't associated for a couple of years, and
stuck with her like glue till she was better. They've also observed
their stock seeking out various plants when they aren't well. None of
that's homoeopathy, though.

--
Mike.