Gardening by Moon Phases

I have been asked to investigate this method of gardening. I found this link from a couple of years ago ... still our regulars ...

http://www.gardenerscorner.co.uk/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=001281#000000

Can any of you comment now?

How about newcomers who may have something to contribute to this.

Many thanks in advance.

 

I remember my father always planted his potatoes on Good Friday which is determined by the moon. Good Friday is the first Friday on or after the first full moon an or after the 21st (Spring equinox) March. And guess what? This year full moon (Good Friday) is the 21st March. So Easter is as early as it can possibly be.

Strange thing is my dad didn't do anything else at all by the moon. Maybe insanity runs in the family?

Sorry I'm not a newcomer LoL.

 

Traditionally, you should plant your shallots on the shortest day and harvest them on the longest day. So would that be classed as gardening by moon phases or sun phases?

 

Ah David. That is the Korean method of gardening. Named after their supreme gardener. Sun Moon.

 

Not THE Sun Moon? :D

 

Yes. He once married over 100 shallots to over 100 new potatoes at one sitting. Of course he was on the gravy train.

 

He was probably a bit stewed at the time.

 

I bought a book on this subject for my sister as a present, as she listens to a man who calls himself the Moon Gardener in Cornwall. I tried to read it but it was very indigestable. I don't think my sister ever read it. But there is no question that he was a very good gardener - there was a tour of his garden on TV. His book placed enormous emphasis on crop rotation, ground preparation and feeding etc - very little space was given to the actual timing of sowing.

As frogesque said before, I suspect that he is an excellent old fashioned gardiner, who would probably have done just as well whenever he planted his veg. I can see no scientific basis for it. It strikes me it a bit like homeopathy. It works if you believe in it. However this site does imply that there is some evidence. http://www.lunarorganics.com/moon_gardening_questions.html

 

Peter. I can find 'evidence' that smoking is good for you. I think you and frogesque are right. Like my old dad he is just a good gardener who knows when to feed, when not to feed, where to plant and certainly when not to plant. Nothing to do with the moon I suspect, it's just that the earliest you can get away with planting your tatties is the end of March.

 

Hello, guys .. this is all very interesting and amusing but I don't think I'm finding anything constructive here! But thanks for your interesting views so far. :rolleyes:

May have to wait till Marley comes on tomorrow.

 

LoL. I think you will find that behind the humour is the message that none of us are very impressed by moon-shine. It may work in some instances but there is always another reason which is rather more scientific.

 

Marley, keep it clean. :D :D

 

Hello, Marley. Thank you so much for the information and I am sorry it's taken a few days to come back to you.

I have passed the information along to my friend ... I don't think he has any books ... he seems to think I am one. :rolleyes:

He has sold his exotic garden centre, but still has the landscape business and is now "building" an eco-friendly accommodation site on his little farm up in the hills ... I will personally continue to use his people-friendly facilities when I visit. :D We are going there the weekend of 1/2 March so we'll be able to catch up on what's going on and perhaps I'll take some piccies.