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 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.

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 )

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)

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 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

Has this anything to do with 'Moon Gardening' ??

http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lit...34.jpg&.src=ph