garlic

i was told "plant garlic on the shortest day of the year and harvest on the longest."

dont know if this is true
i think its too early just yet. i will start in november and maybe some on december 21st and see what happens?

 

Rudy this is an 'old wives tale' strange but quite true. the guys on the allotment told me not to forget to plant my garlic on the shortest day and they swear by it.

 

My Grandad used to plant stuff according to the Moon, I think????? Wish I'd taken more notice of what he said when I was little. He used to have an Old Moores Almanac in his shed and would only plant when he'd looked in it. Can't remember if he harvested the same way????? I'm sure someone on here will know!
Suppose it's a similar thing???

[ 27. October 2006, 05:54 AM: Message edited by: windy miller ]

 

For thousands of years people have relied on nature and the cosmos to give them clues about how and when to do things. Using astrology to determine when to plant and what to plant when is as old as agriculture. There are two parts to astrological planting. The first has to do with the phase of the moon. Plants respond to the same gravitational pull that affects the waters of the ocean causing the tides. Scientific test prove that the phase of the moon controls the amount of moisture in the soil, the most being available to plants and seeds at the new and full moons. This is when the tides are highest and we tend to get most of our rainfall. So it follows that to get optimal germination of healthy plants you should plant your seeds during these times when ample water is available.

The second part of astrological gardening is to know which sign of the zodiac the moon is passing through. You see every sign of the zodiac corresponds with an element, either earth, air, fire (heat), or water. Every plant has a corresponding sign so that if you combine your information to include not only the phase of the moon but also which sign the moon is passing through you can be assured that conditions are optimal for its healthy and disease free growth. The moon passes through a new sign ever tow days or so.

In general the best time to start most annual plants, especially veggies is when the moon is increasing and passing through a sign that corresponds to water, cancer is the ultimate water sign for planting. Root crops can be planted when the moon is decreasing and passing through a sign that corresponds to earth, Taurus being optimal. Flowers do best if planted when the moon is increasing and passing through an air sign and Libra is a good one for flowers.

 

On the big dig which was on BBC2 on a Sunday in the summer, there was a guy who planted by the moon.
He had a chart which told him when to plant. His crops were so much better with the moon chart that he said he was only going to plant in accordance with his moon chart after that.(he did comparisons to when he would normally sow and the moon chart sowing)

Worth a go if you have the time. If anyone has a moon chart, I would love a photocopy!!

 

Badsal go to this web site and the moon chart is uptodate its really good..
http://www.shetline.com/java/moonphase/moonphase.html

 

The moon moves through the signs of the Zodiac in the heavens every couple of days. Different signs are associated with an element of earth, air, fire or water. When the moon is in a water sign it is the most fertile time for planting. Different types of plants have favorite signs too, such as leafy plants prefer the water signs. The fertile water signs are Cancer, Pisces, and Scorpio, and are best for planting above ground, leafy annuals.

The Earth signs, Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn, are also very fertile and good for planting. The root is the part of the plant associated with earth signs, so it is especially good for planting root crops, or for transplanting to encourage root development.

Air signs work well for some plants, but are generally barren and dry. Libra is an exception to that rule, and is semi-fertile and good for blooming flowers and herbs. Flowers are the part of the plant associated with air signs. Melons like Gemini, and onions respond well in Aquarius. When the moon is in an air sign it is a good time to harvest and cultivate.

The fire signs of Aries, Leo and Sagittarius are very barren and dry, but may be used for crops grown for their seed. Because it is barren, Leo is a good sign for weeding and cultivation, so seeds won't sprout. It is also good to harvest during a fire sign.

Some plants have better results with a certain sign or element.
See this chart for specifics.

Other garden chores have preferences for the sign also, such as pruning in Scorpio, weeding in Leo. Harvesting in the dry air and fire signs in the fourth quarter helps preserve fruit and vegetables for storage.


In between signs the moon is void of course, which is a good time to take a break and enjoy the fruits (and vegetables!) of your labors!

Note:The astrological signs used for planting should not be confused with the astronomical constellations that the moon travels through.

Aries- A fire sign. Barren and dry. Harvest root and fruit for storage. Cultivate, destroy weeds and pests.



Taurus- An earth sign. Productive and moist. Second best for planting and transplanting. Good for root crops and potatoes, especially when hardiness is important. Also a good sign for leafy vegetables such as lettuce, cabbage and spinach.


Gemini- An air sign. Barren and dry. Harvest root and fruit for storage. Cultivate, destroy weeds and pests. Melon seeds respond well in this sign.

Cancer- A water sign. Very fruitful and moist. The best sign for all planting and transplanting. Also good for grafting, and irrigation.

Leo- A fire sign. Very barren and dry. Cultivate, harvest root and fruit for storage. An excellent time to destroy weeds and pests in the fourth quarter.

Virgo- An earth sign. Barren and moist. Some flowers and vines are favored by it. Cultivate and destroy weeds and pests.

Libra- An air signs. Semi-fruitful and moist. Best sign for planting beautiful and fragrant flowers, vines and herbs. Good for planting pulpy stems like kohlrabi, and root crops.

Scorpio- A water sign. Very fruitful and moist. Best planting sign for sturdy plants and vines. Tomatoes like to be transplanted in Scorpio, and it is a good sign for corn and squash. Graft or prune in the third and fourth quarter to retard growth and promote better fruit. A good sign for irrigation and transplanting.

Sagittarius- A fire sign. Barren and dry. Harvest roots and onions for storage, and plant onion sets and fruit trees. A good sign in which to cultivate the soil.

Capricorn- An earth sign. Productive and dry. Good for planting potatoes and other root crops, and for encouraging strong hardy growth. Good for grafting, and pruning to promote healing, and applying organic fertilizer.

Aquarius- An air sign. Barren and dry. Harvest root and fruit for storage. Cultivate, destroy weeds and pests. Good for planting onion sets.

Pisces- A water sign. Very productive and moist. Second best sign for planting and transplanting. Especially good for root growth and irrigation.

 

Fascinating stuff WF
Thank you

 

Thanks wildflower.
it is really interesting. I am also looking at the library to see if I can read more about it.

:eek:

 

You should be able to buy old moores almanac from the newsagents its cheap and has all the referances in that you need..I am sure the 2007 version should be on sale now.. :rolleyes:

 

I've planted some garlic in deep pots and intend to keep them in the greenhouse to deter aphids. Thought I'd try planting some around roses too.

 

I have been reading this forum with interest as I have been growing Garlics for 2 years. When I planted the cloves in the autumn I had a far better crop than I did from the spring sowing.
I have just been growing from cloves bought in Sainsburys, I have wondered about getting some French Garlic as I live in Newhaven and we have a ferry just down the road. I have often noticed that the Garlics are larger in France, but have never remembered to buy some when I have been over there.

Great reading the information in the forum.

Dave

 

I forgot the important bit, I planted my Garlic cloves a short time ago and they are growing already I dont remember this happening last year. Does this mean I will not get the cloves next summer as the frosts will kill the leaves surely or will they still grow in the spring?

Dave

 

First about the Garlic;

Garlic needs a cold spell to split the clove otherwise you would get a bulb similar to an onion. This is why it is considered better to plant out at the end of the year.

This is mine about 7-10 days ago;



Regarding planting by the 'Moon phases' I had a mate who swore by it. I put a bit about it in my website.http://tinyurl.com/yx3xcw

Personally I don't use the 'moon phases' as such I prefer to use a calendar.

Having said that I was quite surprised on how the above chart fits in with my dates.