OK..If your Almanach is following a tropical calender..they say never assume but can I assume that you are nearer the Equator? If so then the effects of the constellations and the Moon will indeed be different. As their positions like the Sun are different. Under normal circumstances during half of the Moon's monthly cycle it is ascending each day so getting higher in the sky (choose a point in your garden like a tree or allied building and you can then watch the Moon rising to its highest point daily) This is the period when you should be sowing/grafting and harvesting crops. During the other half of the month the Moon is descending and you should be planting/thinning out/caring for the soil/dividing/taking cuttings and layering plants. The important thing is not to confuse these two phases with waxing (croissant-or New Moon) or waning (decroissant or Full Moon) This path is less important than the ascending and descending periods but is directly linked when you bring in the Constellations. Bear with me!!! In answer to your question there are periods when indeed you would wait for the relevant constellation within the three normally associated with Flowers/Roots/ Leaves and Fruit which are directly tied in to ascending or descending Moons. Eg. All plantings associated with Roots during a descending Moon should take place when the Moon is in front of Virgo. Leaves in front of Cancer and Scorpio. Flowers in front of Libra and Gemini and finally Fruits when the Moon is descending in front of Leo. By the same token the other constellations form a stronger force when the Moon is ascending. For example you would harvest Leaf crops on a Moon ascending in front of Pisces for Leaves. In front of Aries for Flowers like Cauliflower or Broccoli. In front of Capricorn and Sagittarius for Fruit. The above advice is primarily for purists following the Steiner methods of Biodynamics which is based on a higher plane not just limited to gardening but taking in holistic movements as well. Biodynamic and Permaculture Gardeners tend to generally stick to the three constellations for each group..Roots/Fruit/Leaves and Flowers. I hope this helps you with your query but please do not hesitate to ask more questions... that's why we're here! Freezing cold today..but Polytunnel very toasty. Two cats fast asleep on staging..happy at 25c. Outside 8c!!
Hi Everyone Much milder but still that wretched wind around plus too wet to get on Potager so spending time in polytunnel with cats! Val_entine99 I have been delving a bit deeper into your queries. I think that some of the things that you have read actually refer to the periods when at certain times the Moon can produce harmful effects . This would be when it is deemed to be apogee or at its furthest point from the Earth in the monthly cycle.or perigee when it is at its nearest point to the Earth. In both cases plants can be weakened and prone to disease. Twice a month the Moon cuts across the elliptic path of the Earth and this is known as a noeud on an ascending or descending Moon. Putting these points together with eclipses of the Sun and Moon brings one into periods when sowing, transplanting, taking cuttings and layering should be avoided 5hrs before and 5hrs after such events.. Here is the Lunar Calender for 12-21st March. With notes on Permaculture activities too. 12/13th March Moon descending in front of Gemini so Flower Days. Take cuttings from young shoots of Chrysanthemum/Fuschias and Pelargoniums. Divide Snowdrops in the green
14th..March Leaf Days.Permaculture..sow Chervil/Parsley/Onions and Cress outside and Divide Chives. Plant hedges. 15/16/17 & 18th March Fruit Days. If it is not too cold finish pruning Fruit Trees. Spray with Rapeseed Oil to protect bark from climbing insects. Permaculture If you want to have a go at growing mushrooms now is the time to inocculate Horse Manure with mushroom mycelium . 19/20 & 21st March Moon descending in front of Virgo so Earth and Root Days.In all regions plant Shallots and Rose Garlic. Thin out Carrots and Turnips sown 13-15th January. Permaculture if not enough grass for chickens supplement diet with germinating wheat seed. Fill trays with sandy soil or wood ash for dustbaths., My Broad Beans and Peas have started to sprout in Polytunnel and Broccoli is ready to prick out. Waiting a bit longer before I sow Cucumbers and Courgettes but temperatures do seem to be fairly stable and no great weather shocks forecast for April. Keep comments and questions coming.
I was at the Allotments today, my over winter Broad beas are coming into flower! The rain is hammering on the windows as I write this I am not optimistic about what sort of crop I will get.
I sowed my broad beans in the ground between Xmas and NY. 21 of the 22 have germinated and are now a couple of inches high and looking sturdy. It's been a miserable cold, wet winter with lots of frosts and mists here since I sowed them so, other than watering treasures in the polytunnel - citrus, fuchsias, cannas etc - I have done no gardening.
Instead, I've been busy indoors decorating and sewing but this weekend I shall be out there, rain or shine, taking cuttings of buddleia Masquerade and pruning assorted clems and roses and maybe taking cuttings of those.
OH has been marking out more raised beds in the potager and I shall soon be planting out plugs of cabbages, some late shallots and whatever else I can find. Need to lift some comfrey and plant it in their new bed in the potager so I can make "teas".
Our chooks are now just 3. We've lost 2 to parasitic worms whose eggs are carried by slugs and snails so, as soon as it's delivered, I'll be dosing their pen and the potager liberally with diatomaceous earth. Another fun job. Meanwhile the 3 survivors are on daily meds and also tucking into mixed grain rice cooked in a strong infusion of garlic and thyme to boost their immune systems.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
So sorry to hear about your chooks Obelixx..we used to dose our horses with garlic tea in the Spring as a natural wormer, and wipe their coats ears and eyes over with a garlic tissane to keep flies away in Summer. Both worked really well. Good luck with your 'brew'. Going to prick out sprouting broccoli today plus sow some Cosmos/Climbing Flower Mix/Cucumbers and Peppers this afternoon as much warmer and Polytunnel a constant 20c. Cats mousing and shrewing well so in my good books. Major fight in ditch this morning between local tomcat and our ginger boy. Tomcat 1 ginger boy 0!!! Now one very bedraggled wet muddy pussycat !! All birds showing signs of nesting and pairing. Spring flowers coming on well with road banks covered in Primroses. Reminds me of Devon. Happy memories 💜
We're harvesting PSB @biofreak. Must sow some more soon. The chooks love it as much as we do. As soon as this latest downpour stops I'm off to take cuttings of a buddleia "Masquerade" for a gardening friend. I was going to do my roses and clems too but doubt I'll have time now.
We have a ginger tom who has been known to scrag our wee white boy - ended up with abscesses and vet visits - but haven't seen him for a while. I did try and adopt him when he was just a nipper but he was already to wild and wary.
The chooks really enjoy their garlic and thyme rice but don't like being dosed with meds every day. I've ordered enough diatomaceous earth to treat their pen and the whole potager and polytunnel so I hope that and continued garlic and thyme will sort it. I hope these last 3 come thru OK. We do enjoy their antics.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Yes I hear people often have one or two chickens out of the batch that are great characters. We had Karky Campbell Ducks when I was little, one used to lie in every morning and be the last duck out for breakfast. Fox came at dawn and got the lot except Daddles who as usual was still in bed!! We gave her a Brandy mash and she had a long and happy life all due to laziness!! I think it's too early to pop in potato 🥔 today so planting Jerusalem Artichokes instead as last crop were already 5yrs old so lousy crop. Digging out weeds and digging in green manure on balance of plot today ready for brassicas etc. First Tulips flowering and Wallflowers a picture. Shrubbery leaving up. First Salon Botanique next weekend ....received invitation to participate so lovely surprise as not far from home so overheads (gasol/hotel) not a worry. Must count how much is in my Garden Savings Jar because as usual I feel I shall be tempted 😉😉 Happy Gardening.
Hi Everyone Hope you are not too cold and your gardens are valiantly weathering this cold snap. I knew I should not put my potatoes in yet..normally so keen that I forget how variable the weather can be March/April. Had a brilliant weekend at the National Stud where they held the first Salon Botanique to raise funds to rebuild stables that had been burnt down last year (luckily no stallions in them) The Stud Museum was fascinating and as my Stand was right next door I had plenty of time to browse around it. Originally commissioned by Napoleon it was also used as lodgings by British soldiers during the War.Did not buy any plants...far too expensive. Picked up five pots of Bamboo Fargesia in Aldi for 9.99euros each yesterday. The same size (2litre pots) were 29euros each at the Salon! The Lunar Weather prediction for April shows 1-8th variable with a tendancy to be drier and warmer plus sunny periods despite rain in the North (no mention of snow!!!) 9-12th Colder again with rainy days and maybe some flooding. 13-16th Improvement to temperature and southern regions warmer. Storms predicted between 17-19th. 20-23rd weather improves and getting warmer again. 24-27th Fresher with rain primarily in the West. 28-30th Beautiful sunny days and temperature rising at last. Seems we were spoilt during the last couple of weeks but temperatures holding well in the Polytunnel so I shall hold back putting Broad Beans and Peas outside for a little longer as they are growing on well in there. There was a New Moon at 5.24 this morning and today (1 & 2nd April are Leaf Days. Sow some Cabbage. Brussel Sprouts and Kale in Nursery Bed. 3-4th April are Fruit Days The Calender says sow some Melons in Pots but out of direct sunlight. No gardening recommended after 1pm on the 4th as Noeud ascending. 5/6/7th April are Root Days. Sow Parsnips. Spring Turnips. White and Red Onions and in a separate Nursery Bed Leeks for harvesting in the Autumn. Sow Radish and Beetroot
When I look out of the window and despite sun shining that cutting wind puts me off any ideas of gardening...but I shall reserve judgement and hope weather changes over the next few days. Have a good weekend and happy gardening!
Thanks @biofreak. Just a few showers here but very cold in the wind and will feel like -8C tomorrow morning and Sunday so not planting anything out at the mo.
My broad beans, sown direct between Xmas and NY are now all up except 1 and almost a foot/30cms high. There is also one that has self sown in the fruit bush bed that is much taller and has been in flower for a few days now.
We've been eating PSB for a few weeks now and it keeps coming but the curly kale is starting to bolt now and I've just picked the last of the Savoys. Now for the hungry gap apart from a few pumpkins left from autumn and some shallots.
I have been too busy decorating and sewing lately to sow very much and it's been just a tad cool anyway so this morning we cleaned and cleared one side of the polytunnel ready for a few barrow loads of compost to go on tomorrow and then I can plant out the tomato plants I shall get from Heritage Man at the Angles plant fair on Sunday.
This pm we went and bought a new seep hose for that bed and plugs of Savoys, beetroot, white onions, oak leaf lettuce and red cabbage which are now all in the polytunnel keeping warm until an appropriate day coincides with good weather for planting them out. I have Pink Fir Apple potatoes chitting but will wait to plant those out too.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Posts
Under normal circumstances during half of the Moon's monthly cycle it is ascending each day so getting higher in the sky (choose a point in your garden like a tree or allied building and you can then watch the Moon rising to its highest point daily) This is the period when you should be sowing/grafting and harvesting crops. During the other half of the month the Moon is descending and you should be planting/thinning out/caring for the soil/dividing/taking cuttings and layering plants. The important thing is not to confuse these two phases with waxing (croissant-or New Moon) or waning (decroissant or Full Moon) This path is less important than the ascending and descending periods but is directly linked when you bring in the Constellations.
Bear with me!!!
In answer to your question there are periods when indeed you would wait for the relevant constellation within the three normally associated with Flowers/Roots/ Leaves and Fruit which are directly tied in to ascending or descending Moons.
Eg. All plantings associated with Roots during a descending Moon should take place when the Moon is in front of Virgo. Leaves in front of Cancer and Scorpio. Flowers in front of Libra and Gemini and finally Fruits when the Moon is descending in front of Leo. By the same token the other constellations form a stronger force when the Moon is ascending. For example you would harvest Leaf crops on a Moon ascending in front of Pisces for Leaves. In front of Aries for Flowers like Cauliflower or Broccoli. In front of Capricorn and Sagittarius for Fruit.
The above advice is primarily for purists following the Steiner methods of Biodynamics which is based on a higher plane not just limited to gardening but taking in holistic movements as well.
Biodynamic and Permaculture Gardeners tend to generally stick to the three constellations for each group..Roots/Fruit/Leaves and Flowers.
I hope this helps you with your query but please do not hesitate to ask more questions... that's why we're here!
Freezing cold today..but Polytunnel very toasty. Two cats fast asleep on staging..happy at 25c. Outside 8c!!
Much milder but still that wretched wind around plus too wet to get on Potager so spending time in polytunnel with cats! Val_entine99 I have been delving a bit deeper into your queries. I think that some of the things that you have read actually refer to the periods when at certain times the Moon can produce harmful effects . This would be when it is deemed to be apogee or at its furthest point from the Earth in the monthly cycle.or perigee when it is at its nearest point to the Earth. In both cases plants can be weakened and prone to disease. Twice a month the Moon cuts across the elliptic path of the Earth and this is known as a noeud on an ascending or descending Moon. Putting these points together with eclipses of the Sun and Moon brings one into periods when sowing, transplanting, taking cuttings and layering should be avoided 5hrs before and 5hrs after such events..
Here is the Lunar Calender for 12-21st March. With notes on Permaculture activities too.
12/13th March Moon descending in front of Gemini so Flower Days. Take cuttings from young shoots of Chrysanthemum/Fuschias and Pelargoniums. Divide Snowdrops in the green
Plant hedges.
15/16/17 & 18th March Fruit Days. If it is not too cold finish pruning Fruit Trees. Spray with Rapeseed Oil to protect bark from climbing insects.
Permaculture If you want to have a go at growing mushrooms now is the time to inocculate Horse Manure with mushroom mycelium .
19/20 & 21st March Moon descending in front of Virgo so Earth and Root Days.In all regions plant Shallots and Rose Garlic. Thin out Carrots and Turnips sown 13-15th January.
Permaculture if not enough grass for chickens supplement diet with germinating wheat seed. Fill trays with sandy soil or wood ash for dustbaths.,
My Broad Beans and Peas have started to sprout in Polytunnel and Broccoli is ready to prick out. Waiting a bit longer before I sow Cucumbers and Courgettes but temperatures do seem to be fairly stable and no great weather shocks forecast for April.
Keep comments and questions coming.
Happy Gardening and have a lovely weekend.
Instead, I've been busy indoors decorating and sewing but this weekend I shall be out there, rain or shine, taking cuttings of buddleia Masquerade and pruning assorted clems and roses and maybe taking cuttings of those.
OH has been marking out more raised beds in the potager and I shall soon be planting out plugs of cabbages, some late shallots and whatever else I can find. Need to lift some comfrey and plant it in their new bed in the potager so I can make "teas".
Our chooks are now just 3. We've lost 2 to parasitic worms whose eggs are carried by slugs and snails so, as soon as it's delivered, I'll be dosing their pen and the potager liberally with diatomaceous earth. Another fun job. Meanwhile the 3 survivors are on daily meds and also tucking into mixed grain rice cooked in a strong infusion of garlic and thyme to boost their immune systems.
We have a ginger tom who has been known to scrag our wee white boy - ended up with abscesses and vet visits - but haven't seen him for a while. I did try and adopt him when he was just a nipper but he was already to wild and wary.
The chooks really enjoy their garlic and thyme rice but don't like being dosed with meds every day. I've ordered enough diatomaceous earth to treat their pen and the whole potager and polytunnel so I hope that and continued garlic and thyme will sort it. I hope these last 3 come thru OK. We do enjoy their antics.
I think it's too early to pop in potato 🥔 today so planting Jerusalem Artichokes instead as last crop were already 5yrs old so lousy crop. Digging out weeds and digging in green manure on balance of plot today ready for brassicas etc. First Tulips flowering and Wallflowers a picture. Shrubbery leaving up. First Salon Botanique next weekend ....received invitation to participate so lovely surprise as not far from home so overheads (gasol/hotel) not a worry. Must count how much is in my Garden Savings Jar because as usual I feel I shall be tempted 😉😉 Happy Gardening.
Hope you are not too cold and your gardens are valiantly weathering this cold snap. I knew I should not put my potatoes in yet..normally so keen that I forget how variable the weather can be March/April. Had a brilliant weekend at the National Stud where they held the first Salon Botanique to raise funds to rebuild stables that had been burnt down last year (luckily no stallions in them) The Stud Museum was fascinating and as my Stand was right next door I had plenty of time to browse around it. Originally commissioned by Napoleon it was also used as lodgings by British soldiers during the War.Did not buy any plants...far too expensive. Picked up five pots of Bamboo Fargesia in Aldi for 9.99euros each yesterday. The same size (2litre pots) were 29euros each at the Salon! The Lunar Weather prediction for April shows 1-8th variable with a tendancy to be drier and warmer plus sunny periods despite rain in the North (no mention of snow!!!) 9-12th Colder again with rainy days and maybe some flooding. 13-16th Improvement to temperature and southern regions warmer. Storms predicted between 17-19th. 20-23rd weather improves and getting warmer again. 24-27th Fresher with rain primarily in the West. 28-30th Beautiful sunny days and temperature rising at last.
Seems we were spoilt during the last couple of weeks but temperatures holding well in the Polytunnel so I shall hold back putting Broad Beans and Peas outside for a little longer as they are growing on well in there.
There was a New Moon at 5.24 this morning and today (1 & 2nd April are Leaf Days. Sow some Cabbage. Brussel Sprouts and Kale in Nursery Bed.
3-4th April are Fruit Days The Calender says sow some Melons in Pots but out of direct sunlight. No gardening recommended after 1pm on the 4th as Noeud ascending.
5/6/7th April are Root Days. Sow Parsnips. Spring Turnips. White and Red Onions and in a separate Nursery Bed Leeks for harvesting in the Autumn. Sow Radish and Beetroot
My broad beans, sown direct between Xmas and NY are now all up except 1 and almost a foot/30cms high. There is also one that has self sown in the fruit bush bed that is much taller and has been in flower for a few days now.
We've been eating PSB for a few weeks now and it keeps coming but the curly kale is starting to bolt now and I've just picked the last of the Savoys. Now for the hungry gap apart from a few pumpkins left from autumn and some shallots.
I have been too busy decorating and sewing lately to sow very much and it's been just a tad cool anyway so this morning we cleaned and cleared one side of the polytunnel ready for a few barrow loads of compost to go on tomorrow and then I can plant out the tomato plants I shall get from Heritage Man at the Angles plant fair on Sunday.
This pm we went and bought a new seep hose for that bed and plugs of Savoys, beetroot, white onions, oak leaf lettuce and red cabbage which are now all in the polytunnel keeping warm until an appropriate day coincides with good weather for planting them out. I have Pink Fir Apple potatoes chitting but will wait to plant those out too.