Hi all,I would really like to learn how to do this.I've read all the older posts and done searchs on the internet and still don't 'get' it.Anyone willing to teach a newbie how to plant by the moon? Thanks Jan
Planting by the moon for dummies?
Hi, Jan, I'll sit here and wait with you, if it's okay. I suddenly (15 minutes ago) got very interested in it too.
I'm interested in it, too, especially after I planted carrots twice last summer and almost nothing came up either time. I'm going to order this calendar
http://www.gardeningbythemoon.com/
and see how that works.
hello msrobin,Maybe we will learn together if someone that knows how to do this comes along ^_^
Hi greenhouse_gal,I saw that calender online too and would like to have one but the finances arent there right now. Please let us know how it works for you.
I'm thinking of buying a couple of months to download. Looks to be the easiest guide to follow I've found so far. Several free calenders out there, but they're for Europe and Austrailia.
Must be something to it (gardening by the moon). Glenda shared this on another forum.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1033188/
I'll do that. I figured I'd wait until after Christmas, and I'm not about to start planting soon anyway in our zone!
I think planting by the moon basically consists of sowing your seeds at the proper time for each type of plant. Seeds for vegetables grown for their roots need to be sown at one point, and seeds for vegetables grown for their fruits at another. Here's a chart that looks helpful:
http://ourgardengang.tripod.com/moonplanting.htm
and this is a good source too:
http://kaykeys.net/spirit/earthspirituality/moon/moonseed.html
Duh...just saw where Glenda had started a thread on this forum on Oct 25....
Edited to add that I found this link. http://www.bunkahle.com/astrolog/mocal.cgi
This message was edited Jan 1, 2010 4:28 PM
Another link....
http://lunarcalendar.organicgardeninfo.com/ogi201001.html
But the terminology is confusing! What's a long germinating, short germinating, or extra long germinating seed? Most seed companies don't give you that information. The ones that talk about root crops vs fruit crops seem to make much more sense.
Greenhouse_gal, I thought the same thing about it being confusing, then after clicking on the "about lunar calendar" link, it was yet another "DUH" moment for me. LOL! http://www.organicgardeninfo.com/organic-garden-lunar-calendar.html If nothing else, all of the months with moon positions are available to either print out or make a homemade calender using a cheap dollar store calender.
Quoting:
I think planting by the moon basically consists of sowing your seeds at the proper time for each type of plant. Seeds for vegetables grown for their roots need to be sown at one point, and seeds for vegetables grown for their fruits at another.
Yes, that's my understanding. too....now we just have to figure out an easy way to know when that time is. LOL! I'm past the time when I could rely on memory. I'm just throwing in different calender/planting guides that I personally kind of understand. A lot of us aren't familiar with doing things according to the moon that we've learned along the way. So now, it just seems kind of overwhelming.
The link you shared http://www.gardeningbythemoon.com/
looks to be a good starting point, for me anyway. However, I'm finding bits and pieces of information from different calenders that I like and think will be useful and would like to have included. From what I read on that website, they do have exactly what I want, but I can't and don't want to spend $50 for it.
This message was edited Jan 2, 2010 9:06 AM
Are you talking about the software they sell on gardeningbythemoon.com? I looked at that but decided to go with a paper calendar instead, so I can mark it up if I want to and keep it in the greenhouse or with my planting charts. Also that's a lot of money if you're not sure about the product.
Same thing here. The software info indicated it had a lot more info available for the calender, but didn't go into a lot of detail or show a sample page, and I don't have $50 to spend on it anyway. I also want something I can make notes on and carry with me. The paper calender looks really nice, though and appears to have plenty of room to add additional notes.
Hi all...I'm also doing a little planting by the moon. It's been done since the beginning of times, I think.
I'm still relatively a dummy at all my gardening ventures, the moon included!
This is how I think of it:
The moon moves in approximately 28 day cycles, divided into four quarters.
The first 2 quarters (from the new moon to the full moon) is called the Waxing Moon. This is when the moon gets fuller, influencing the tides and pulling water upward. This is a good time to grow plants that grow upward.
The 3rd and 4th quarters is called the Waning Moon, and it when the moon decreases from the full moon back to the new moon. this is when the moon influences the roots of the plants pulling downward into the ground. This is a good time to grow root plants, such as garlic, carrots and potatoes.
there are many traditions and beliefs about planting by the moon, and it is said to
Never plant when the moon is full ~ Light nights make light crops.
Supposedly the moon will be in a cradle position during the Waxing Moon - when the moon points up, plant above ground crops. During a Waning Moon, the moon points downward - when the moon points down, plant below ground crops.
I've not been able to determine whether the moon is pointing up or down...sometimes it looks sidways too. LOL oh well.
It sure is cold right now.... but it will be time to start our gardens soon enough!
Msrobin, I'm glad you found this forum! :) ......I posted this on the Veg. forum too:
I use, and according to my parents, my grandparents also used “The Old Farmer’s Almanac” – the original one by Robert B. Thomas, founded in 1792. It can be easily found it bookstores, some drugstores, etc. In the 2010 edition of “The Old Farmer’s Almanac”, the “Planting by the Moon’s Phase” chart is found on page 232. …..If you plant by the moon this year, please let me know how your garden does!! I'll do the same! :)
This year's Farmer's Almanac has a really easy calender for planing by the moon. I know in years past, it was hard for me to grasp ~ but............
You can find it online too @: www.farmersalmanac.com/home_garden/gardening
I have to admit I tried to make my own calender/schedule, using info from several different sources and found a tremendous amount of conflicting information, so just gave up. Figure I better just use the KISS method.
I went ahead and seeded a couple of trays yesterday with leafy greens. According to Allwild's OFA link, yesterday was the right day to do that. Got a lot to prove with this year's garden, so will continue following Farmer's Almanac schedule. Anxious to see how it works and will keep you posted.
BTW, Glenda...darned you....I'm having dreams about your garden and keep waking up thinking of all the work I've got to do to my gardens to get them to do as good as yours. LOL!
LOL MsRobin, you'll do a fine job this summer!!! Just you wait and see! Laying out your fabric walkways/stapling it down every couple feet - and every 6 inches where the seam is IN the walkway, and mulching the beds with straw is the ticket! Plant by the moon and see if that works for you too!! Don't forget to put a wire fence around your garden to keep out the rabbits, etc. We have lots of deer here and I didn't have any problem with the deer getting in my garden although they could have if they wanted to. Also, if I didn't tell you already, I planted my Big Max pumpkins among my corn. I read that the Indians did that to discourage the raccoons from raiding their corn. The thinking is that raccoons don't like to get into the large vines and leaves because they can't see beyond them. We have lots of raccoons too, but my corn was never touched! ......Make sure you post LOTS of photos ok? I can't wait to see your garden!!! .....Now get some sleep - you'll need your strength come spring!! ;) lol **hugs!**
From another page on the site:
Germination Group
Length to germination
Short Germination (SG)------1 -7 days
Long Germination (LG)------8 - 21 days
Extra-long Germination (ELG)----- 22 - 28 days
http://www.organicgardeninfo.com/gardening-by-the-moon.html
It is a big website. I think they should have one "get started" page, with just an overview....
I love the one with the pic but what is it German, Dutch??
But I like the Farmer's Almanac. Lot of good information in all of them.
Thanks
Thanks , Molamola , that's what I needed.
Dwight
The farmers almanac seems to be the easiest for me to follow.Thanks for the link.
Jannich, I'm with you. If I had to try and figure this out on my own, it would never get done.
If you follow the Moon, gardening is a LOT easier.
You wander thru the chaos, and say, "Today is for planting! I'll weed on the fourth, that can wait!!."
Then, you see something else whining, and you can say, " I'll do that on the fifteenth!"
Much easier to control, if nothing else.
But the "else" does work.
I've used it for years.
Is there alot of difference using the Farmer's Almanac "Gardening by the Moon" and figuring it out yourself? I've wondered if the FA worked for everyone. So I did try reading some other articles and I was lost. Maybe if I study this on DG I'll figure it out. I've followed FA for a couple years and I seem to get more harvest than alot of people in my area.
Thanks for the help,
Donna
Molamola, that is the best explanation for planting by the moon I've read, and so true, it really does make things easier!
And although it's called planting by the moon, I think the position of the other planets in relation to the moon also come into play ~ which is too much thinkin' for me. ha
A few years back, I read a book on Biodynamics and then got really confused!
I have the Moon Matrix Planting Software (GardeningByTheMoon.com) This is my second year using it.
It comes with "some" plant files already in there. Vegetables mostly. I used those to learn from when learning to enter new files for the exact plants/seeds I have or bought over the past year.
Once I do that... it tells me exactly when to plant the things I specifically have. Tells me when to weed, prune, fertilize, etc... every chore you can think of plus some that you might not think of doing. *thumbs up as I hand my husband his chore list because I don't want to do some of those things* BIG difference from gardening "as needed" though! By sticking to a schedule, and especially a "Moon Schedule" I find that I am not having to worry or feel overwhelmed as much when I have a calendar to tell me what to do when for upkeep. By weeding, seeding, transplanting.... whatever... by the moon cycles... I am not having to do things twice and have such beautiful plants. I gloat secretly comparing the neighbors. *wiggling eyebrows*
It is just me and my husband here... but I get a great bounty and have enough to take to family (200 miles away, mother, daughters family and brothers family) when I visit them once a month, plus I still have enough for canning... which I have always felt goes hand in hand with gardening too. *thumbs up* I give so much to family that I really do need as much as I can get. Moon Gardening (in general) does make a big difference and I am completely sold to doing it that way.
Just so you know also.... it is my 2nd year using the software... so I just had to pay $10 for the new Moon dates. If you are concerned about the $50 cost... remember that you also have to pay an additional $10 for each year after. I thought I would try to still use the software as a database and figure out the moon phases on my own... but it would not even let me load the January Calendar for this year unless I updated it. *sighs* I learned this after adding a bunch more plants to the database in December. *lol* (One of those "#@!%^^" moments. *innocent grins* )
You can adjust your dates by the date you plant (last frost, etc).... or cheat like I do and plan a couple weeks earlier since I use floating row covers, etc. I am also trying Winter Sowing this year.... so I am trying to keep track of those dates through the Plant Database notes. I LOVE the Plant Database Notes because I enter EVERY little notation I can think of about each plant. I buy a lot from Johnnys Seeds too... and their catalogs have got to be some of the best for cultivation notes.... so.... my database in the software is VERY detailed. Something I kiss and pet daily. *lol*
"Hello I am Kathryn... I am a detailed garden note freak" *smirks*
Anyway.... I am rambling now.... but "Yes, the software is good" once you learn how to use it. It's simple... and being retired from owning my own Computer Corporation... *lol* I am a critic... I would like to see it have other options like plant pictures, etc or being able to customize other fields in the plant notes, etc.... but it is a "simple software" that does the job with not a lot of bells and whistles. I like it for the fact it figures out the moon dates... and that is what they sell it for. So... "it's good!"
Hope this helps in your decision!
Very interesting KathrynOH ! I guess it is also customized to your region, zone, etc? It sounds great and the cost is no more than any other program out there.
Thanks, Kathryn.
Allwild
When you buy the software it has the Moon Data / Phases loaded (or you renew each year for $10).... then it configures your planting dates by Moon Data / Phases + your specific Spring/Fall Frost dates (which you have to find and enter) + your time zone (for hourly configurations) to tell you when the best time/date is to plant according to the moon phases.
It comes with maybe 24 vegetables pre-loaded in the database.... but does not sort by "Zone"... I think that is up to you to figure out when you buy your own seeds, etc.
Does that help?
It is a nice program... and I am really happy to see someone actually created something like this.... but like I said.... I would LOVE to see someone take this program as an example and add more features or expand on it. It's a good idea.... but a nice plant database pre-installed or something more along those lines like many of the "Landscaping Software's" have would be a great addition to the program. I use a lot from here at Dave's to enter my own..... but it would be wonderful to have a database with more pre-loaded plants so you know all the information is right. That is a lot of research for an independent programmer though and I understand that.
One word of warning: 1) Make sure when creating new plant files that you enter some information on the "Moon Influence" tab.... otherwise it will not show up in your calendar under "Activities" for your "to do list". 2) Do NOT delete any of the example files that are pre-loaded, because you end up going back to these quite often for reference to see how to create new plant files. One trick I do when creating a new file is to open a plant that will be similiar to the seeds/plants I have... click on the "New" button on the bottom, and then choose to copy "All" characteristics/moon data. Similar to "Save As". Then I edit whatever info I want to change in the new file.
I wouldn't plant a seed or transplant without considering the phase of the moon and zodiac sign first. When it comes to planting a seed indoors or out. I am sure the moon phase & corresponding sign have a lot to do with the seed's germination and plant growth rate. I'm a believer and practice gardening by the moon and always have (40+ years) though I realize that there may or may not be any scientific facts to base my beliefs on (except my own happy results). I've grown gardens in fields, raised beds, and small pots. The plants always turn out beautiful. Folklore is overflowing with tales of successful commercial farmers and home gardeners that believed only in this system.Gardening by the moon is an ancient practice and there are many variations but it really is simple, and it works.
Would anyone believe that good germination and growth occur when you sow seeds 48 hours before a full moon?
I hope some of you will give gardening by the moon a try this season - it's fun.
This site has an excellent database on Seed Germination days.
http://www.backyardgardener.com/tm1.html