Thanks Biofreak, Lets hope more people/nurseries catch on with this idea, sounds ideal. Keep up the good work, you are helping us all understand a bit more.
At last I seem to have got on top of my own Calender!! All very well for me to type what we should all be doing, but quite another thing to get it done! Farmer's Markets start at 6am and shortly we shall have evening one's as well! That leaves me (like many of you I realise) with lunch hours (Well we do get 2hrs in France!) and Mondays which we take as our Sunday. So - All plants doing well, and yes I did get the broccoli planted out according to Calender and am staggered that flower seedlings that T & M said would take 10 days to a fortnight are up within the week!
So here is the Lunar Calender for 20th-27th May as I am away at Farmer's Market in Calvados next w/e.
20th May Root Day Keep cucumber frames open even at night now and sow beetroot and chicory outside now. Sow Winter leeks in frames.
21/22 May Flower Days In nursery beds sow cauliflower and broccoli . Sow annuals where they are to flower like alyssum/poppies/godetias.
23/24 May The moon is now in the constellation of Pisces and this is the time to sow all types of lettuce inc, batavia/rocket and mesclun. Sow cardoons where they are to crop and sow brussel sprouts and winter cabbage in a nursery bed.
25th May Same as yesterday but no gardening after 1.55pm as the moon is starting to descend from maximum height and will prove ineffective in its powers when it is on the turn (noeud)
26th May Fruit Day Renew sowings of courgettes/cucumbers and gherkins.
Now I'm off to transplant 32 tomatoes (They all came up!!! and I hate waste)
I have to say that for the last three years I have tried to sow seed on the New Moon phase and, amazingly, I have had more success. I was sceptic after 44 years of gardening experience but it, for me, it seems to work better.
I too garden in France but in the SW where it is a tad warmer than Normandy. I have read about lunar planting in my gardening magazine and a lot of the local people follow it, although I never have. I will take it up now and see how much better my plants could be starting with broccoli and then lettuce and winter greens. Iplanted some broccoli very early in the year and they are doing very well now so we should get some early heads followed by the maincrop. Staggering planting helps me when it comes to freezing.
Just joined today but already found some interesting things to read.
Great to have some feedback! I too was very sceptic initially, particularly as I had a hippy mother who was keen on all sorts of crazy things - So I sort of tried to ignore it during the teenage strop faze. I only came back round here in Normandy when I visited friends and neighbours plots. The lunar following is colossal here, with quite alot of scientific backup. Hey Ho - Bean & Mange touts sowing today having been good and done no sowing yesterday despite temptation. Weeded/pruned /trimmed hedges and walked around plot instead.
Lunar Calender 29 May-9th June (Away at Les Andeleys Spring Fair this w/e Superb Chateau on borders of the Seine. Look it up on the internet - Superb!
29/30th May Sow carrots and Winter Radish in alternate rows. the radish will be sweeter mixed with the carrots.
31st Take cuttings from Deutzia/potentilla and other spring shrubs.
1st June Flower Day Plant out petunias sown 1st March Divide Narcissi/tulips
2nd June Thin out leeks. Plant celery and Fennel. 3rd June same as 2nd but do not garden before 10.25am
4/5/6 June Root Days After the natural early fruit fall thin out apples and pears to encourage strongest fruit to grow on. Trim away leaves from tomatoes/cucumbers and courgettes to encourage fruit to form and to allow light to get in.
7/8/9 June Lift leeks sown 3/5th April trim tops and root and replant in alternate rows with carrots (Makes them stronger (the leeks) apparently. Thin out all root seedlings. Plant out Celeriac sown 6/9th March Thin out Parsnips sown 1/3rd May on 9th June do not garden before 11.40am.
10/11th June Flower Days Thin sowing of cauliflowers and broccoli.
12/13th June Leaf Days Blanche Chicory Thin lettuces and mixed salad seedlings. Prick out Brussel Sprouts and Autumn Cabbages
14th June Fruit Day After 11.59am (OK Midday!) Sow French and Runner Beans and pop in some Nasturtioms at the end of the rows to attract blackfly. Sow 4/5 grains of sweetcorn in pockets at 1ft intervals.
15th June No gardening before 9.30am otherwise as per 14th.
16/17th June Root Days Sow Chicory and more carrots.
Anyone compared methods yet between traditional and Moon gardening?
19/20/21June Leaf Days Cut and dry herbs. Sow Chinese Lettuce and Endive. renew sowing of lettuce using varieties that are happy in hot weather. In preference grow in shade.
22/23 June Fruit Days Sow more cucumbers and courgettes. Water well when growing well without wetting leaves.
24/25/26 June Root Days Sow beetroot/winter radish and swede.
27/28 June Flowers Prune shrubs whose flowers have nearly finished. Plant out broccoli sown 21/22 May
29/30th June Leaf Days - Take cuttings from spring flowering shrubs and remove suckers from roses and fruit trees. No gardening after 3.15pm on 30th - Moon furthest point away from earth in orbit.
1/2/3 July Fruit days Prune Fan Fruit trees, removing fruitless stems. Pinch out growing tips of tomatoes to encourage fruiting and do the same with cucumbers and courgettes and pumpkins.This accelerates the formation of crops.
4/5/6 July Root Days Harvest early potatoes. Lift garlic/onions and shallots. Plant out leeks sown 19/20 May Thin out carrots and chicory sown 16/17 June and Winter radish sown 24-26 june. On 6th No gardening before 3.55pm.
Hi all, only just found this thread, pants! I wish id found it earlier, i used to follow this way of gardening, but was made redundant last year and havent been able to buy my calander- im not bright enough to figure it out myself!
Posts
Thanks Biofreak, Lets hope more people/nurseries catch on with this idea, sounds ideal. Keep up the good work, you are helping us all understand a bit more.
At last I seem to have got on top of my own Calender!! All very well for me to type what we should all be doing, but quite another thing to get it done! Farmer's Markets start at 6am and shortly we shall have evening one's as well! That leaves me (like many of you I realise) with lunch hours (Well we do get 2hrs in France!) and Mondays which we take as our Sunday. So - All plants doing well, and yes I did get the broccoli planted out according to Calender and am staggered that flower seedlings that T & M said would take 10 days to a fortnight are up within the week!
So here is the Lunar Calender for 20th-27th May as I am away at Farmer's Market in Calvados next w/e.
20th May Root Day Keep cucumber frames open even at night now and sow beetroot and chicory outside now. Sow Winter leeks in frames.
21/22 May Flower Days In nursery beds sow cauliflower and broccoli . Sow annuals where they are to flower like alyssum/poppies/godetias.
23/24 May The moon is now in the constellation of Pisces and this is the time to sow all types of lettuce inc, batavia/rocket and mesclun. Sow cardoons where they are to crop and sow brussel sprouts and winter cabbage in a nursery bed.
25th May Same as yesterday but no gardening after 1.55pm as the moon is starting to descend from maximum height and will prove ineffective in its powers when it is on the turn (noeud)
26th May Fruit Day Renew sowings of courgettes/cucumbers and gherkins.
Now I'm off to transplant 32 tomatoes (They all came up!!! and I hate waste)
Do let me know how you are all getting on.
Happy Gardening
I have to say that for the last three years I have tried to sow seed on the New Moon phase and, amazingly, I have had more success. I was sceptic after 44 years of gardening experience but it, for me, it seems to work better.
Hi Biofreak,
I too garden in France but in the SW where it is a tad warmer than Normandy. I have read about lunar planting in my gardening magazine and a lot of the local people follow it, although I never have. I will take it up now and see how much better my plants could be starting with broccoli and then lettuce and winter greens. Iplanted some broccoli very early in the year and they are doing very well now so we should get some early heads followed by the maincrop. Staggering planting helps me when it comes to freezing.
Just joined today but already found some interesting things to read.
Great to have some feedback! I too was very sceptic initially, particularly as I had a hippy mother who was keen on all sorts of crazy things - So I sort of tried to ignore it during the teenage strop faze. I only came back round here in Normandy when I visited friends and neighbours plots. The lunar following is colossal here, with quite alot of scientific backup. Hey Ho - Bean & Mange touts sowing today having been good and done no sowing yesterday despite temptation. Weeded/pruned /trimmed hedges and walked around plot instead.
Lunar Calender 29 May-9th June (Away at Les Andeleys Spring Fair this w/e Superb Chateau on borders of the Seine. Look it up on the internet - Superb!
29/30th May Sow carrots and Winter Radish in alternate rows. the radish will be sweeter mixed with the carrots.
31st Take cuttings from Deutzia/potentilla and other spring shrubs.
1st June Flower Day Plant out petunias sown 1st March Divide Narcissi/tulips
2nd June Thin out leeks. Plant celery and Fennel. 3rd June same as 2nd but do not garden before 10.25am
4/5/6 June Root Days After the natural early fruit fall thin out apples and pears to encourage strongest fruit to grow on. Trim away leaves from tomatoes/cucumbers and courgettes to encourage fruit to form and to allow light to get in.
7/8/9 June Lift leeks sown 3/5th April trim tops and root and replant in alternate rows with carrots (Makes them stronger (the leeks) apparently. Thin out all root seedlings. Plant out Celeriac sown 6/9th March Thin out Parsnips sown 1/3rd May on 9th June do not garden before 11.40am.
Happy Gardening
Lunar Calender 10th - 17th June 2014
10/11th June Flower Days Thin sowing of cauliflowers and broccoli.
12/13th June Leaf Days Blanche Chicory Thin lettuces and mixed salad seedlings. Prick out Brussel Sprouts and Autumn Cabbages
14th June Fruit Day After 11.59am (OK Midday!) Sow French and Runner Beans and pop in some Nasturtioms at the end of the rows to attract blackfly. Sow 4/5 grains of sweetcorn in pockets at 1ft intervals.
15th June No gardening before 9.30am otherwise as per 14th.
16/17th June Root Days Sow Chicory and more carrots.
Anyone compared methods yet between traditional and Moon gardening?
Happy Gardening.
Lunar Calender 19th - 27th June
Sorry for gap - Been away unexpectedly..
19/20/21June Leaf Days Cut and dry herbs. Sow Chinese Lettuce and Endive. renew sowing of lettuce using varieties that are happy in hot weather. In preference grow in shade.
22/23 June Fruit Days Sow more cucumbers and courgettes. Water well when growing well without wetting leaves.
24/25/26 June Root Days Sow beetroot/winter radish and swede.
27/28 June Flowers Prune shrubs whose flowers have nearly finished. Plant out broccoli sown 21/22 May
Happy gardening
Gardeners Calender by the Moon 29 June - 4th July
29/30th June Leaf Days - Take cuttings from spring flowering shrubs and remove suckers from roses and fruit trees. No gardening after 3.15pm on 30th - Moon furthest point away from earth in orbit.
1/2/3 July Fruit days Prune Fan Fruit trees, removing fruitless stems. Pinch out growing tips of tomatoes to encourage fruiting and do the same with cucumbers and courgettes and pumpkins.This accelerates the formation of crops.
4/5/6 July Root Days Harvest early potatoes. Lift garlic/onions and shallots. Plant out leeks sown 19/20 May Thin out carrots and chicory sown 16/17 June and Winter radish sown 24-26 june. On 6th No gardening before 3.55pm.
Happy Gardeing
Will you be autumn sowing anything?