This belief in lunar gardening and the effect of the moon on childbirth etc. can be explained as confirmation bias rather than real effects. Interesting as a psychological explanation of people who doggedly continue to believe in it, despite the fact that the evidence is that the moon does not have these effects.
The fact that a medical treatment has been used for centuries is not evidence that it works - bloodletting was a respected medical treatment for millennia, but we now know that it is worse than useless.
Phew - this was a great read after my last Lunar Calender Entry! This is a gentle site and everyone has a right to an opinion, and one hopes that we are all trying to work as one with Nature regardless of method.
For the record MG ; I think it was 2 or 3 years ago that one of the Gardeners Question Time Panel -Pippa I think -ran parallel Veg sites scientifically. The subject of Climatic Trauma is simply a feeling that I have how uncanny it always ties in with certain astronomical patterns. My father was a consultant in Wimpole Street and invited to take part in the Society of Psychic Research regarding complex issues surrounding mental welfare associated with the Moon. My mother was a Senior Member of the Anthroposophical Society (Rudolph Steiner Institute) and attended many Courses at Michael Hall. Forest Row in Sussex with Maria Castelitz with the Weleda Institute and The Soil Assciation, carrying out research into Bio-Dynamic Gardening Methods, with closely monitored 'natural' and 'lunar' plots. So I do have a fair amount of knowledge. Glad you liked Pushkin and Daisy looks great.
Papi Jo - The Min of Ag in Paris put a Press release in Rustica regarding potential student interest in Courses -primarily Bio-Dynamic. They also had a Stand at the Salon d'Agriculture at Paris, and talked about this subject. I talk to students from Horticultural College weekly in Manche, and have a strong following. At all the major (and minor) Gardening Fairs in France you will find a Lunar Conference and/or Guest Gardener. Look forward to seeing you at Chateau Pommerio at Treveneuc in October as I see you are posted as being in Brittany.
I think that the support that you are all giving to this Thread is great, and Obelixx thank you for the info re Potimarrons -They are trying to take over!!
By the way I believe in Father Christmas and MG he lives at The North Pole -Friends of mine have been there and he really does!
Now I shall go and have a calming camomile tea in my greenhouse, having said my piece!
Bio , off on Holiday tomorrow until end of month , have been to plot 3 days on trott to tidy / havest ect , very pleased with self but definitely need a holiday Say Hello to 🐈 for me looking forward your next update just remembered Gardeners World magerzine ran a rather good article on this subject , have been trying to find it but can’t , I’m sure this debate will run Best wishes
Thanks for your answer, @biofreak which does not however meet my question.
On 7 April your wrote "The Min of Agriculture here in France is currently running Courses for up and coming Farmers in Lunar Planning for Crops in addition to BioDynamic Methods."
In my post dated June 15th I asked you for a reference for those "courses".
In your reply above you only refer to an article in the popular French gardening magazine Rustica "regarding potential student interest in Courses -primarily Bio-Dynamic". "Potential interest" is not at all the same as actual courses run by the Min. of Agriculture. Then you add "They also had a Stand at the Salon d'Agriculture at Paris, and talked about this subject." Who is "they" and who talked about what precisely? This is too vague to be taken as an official interest in lunar gardening and biodynamics by the Ministry.
You continue "I talk to students from Horticultural College weekly in Manche, and have a strong following." I expect football matches also have a "strong following" with those students; this still does not answer my query about an official reference.
"At all the major (and minor) Gardening Fairs in France you will find a Lunar Conference and/or Guest Gardener." Again not to the point.
If you cannot provide a verifiable reference to actual "courses ... in Lunar Planning run by the French Ministry of Agriculture", for the sake of truth, would you please post here a denial of your earlier statement dated April 7 as quoted above. Thanks in advance.
What is the problem with you two M-G and P-J? If you don't think gardening in rhythm with the lunar cycle works, fine. Do things your way but please have the courtesy to leave us to garden our way if it's working for us and especially if we are not harming the planet or wildlife.
It works for me and, clearly, for many other people judging by the number of websites, publications, magazines and so on as well as some professional gardeners and countless farmers. Ridicule and mock all you like but you will merely irritate, not change minds.
As for science, the earth has turned around the sun since time began for this planet. Millions of years and it's still doing it. The seas and their tides have been influenced by the moon since it was formed millions of years ago. Had to wait till just under 500 years ago for a scientist to suggest the earth goes round the sun instead of the sun circling the earth and nearly another hundred years for a telescope to prove it.
Science can give us many answers but can be a bit slow and, like I said before, no vested interest in proving moon gardening works as its practitioners aren't going to make agri industry rich.
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)."
Thank you Obelixx for your excellent last Post, which says it all. On this Thread we are here to take a gentle stroll along the path of alternative gardening. The current antagonism from some contributors is neither welcome nor necessary. I would suggest that they turn their attentions to other 'Threads' or Forums suited to their wealth of 'superior' knowledge and leave us be.
It is really humid here today and the 'crapauds' are hyper-active in the lake -The noise is deafening!. Planning where to put in some more peas as just finished eating 1st crop.Went to buy some more raised beds in Sales-sold out but did pick up 2 x 5 tubers of Dahlias for 2Euros a Pack in Super-U. Off to UK next week -Need more Bean Sticks as only sold in 3's or 5's here and really pricey -Have run out of home grown hazel and dead branches from trees!
Very proud of my current Raised Bed housing: Beetroot/Sweetcorn/Chard & Mangetouts.
If you catch this GWRS have a great holiday -Where this time?
Papa Jo -As previously mentioned my initial source was the Press Release
by the Min of Ag Paris in Rustica. My local Gardening Association has
informed me that if you look at the Horticulture and Agriculture Sylabus,
it shows Lunar and Bio-Dynamic Lectures and Fieldwork Courses. I have
no intention of apologising for passing on 'recieved info'.
Papa Jo -As previously mentioned my initial source was the Press Release
by the Min of Ag Paris in Rustica. My local Gardening Association has
informed me that if you look at the Horticulture and Agriculture Sylabus,
it shows Lunar and Bio-Dynamic Lectures and Fieldwork Courses.
Thanks for your answer. Could you please give us the date (or issue number) of the "Rustica" issue with that press release so I can have a look at it? And also a precise link to the French Horticulture and Agriculture Syllabus. Thanks again.
Please be assured that I have nothing against people (like you and many others) who take great care of their gardening/cultivating methods. Cultivating plants in the most natural way, avoiding pesticides & chemical products in general, I am all for it. There is no need to follow the "lunar calendar" to be respectful of nature and get good crops, but of course it does no harm to follow it. I certainly do not claim to have "superior knowledge", actually much less knowledge, know-how and practise than you may have. I am only a believer in the scientific mind and experimental evidence. From what I have read so far in reliable sources, there is no evidence that the phases of the moon influence the growth of plants. You no doubt know the results of the scientific study made by the reputable "Société Nationale d'Horticulture de France" published here.
Hello , currently in Dover , we sail tomorrow to Hamburg to The Tall Ships ( sailing ⛵️ ships ) parade Bean sticks , lots of people on allotments are growing beans up string frames ( hop that makes sense ) rather than sticks , personally I still use stick because there is only me that eats them , beans that is not sticks . I use Osha stick if suitable which I cut from garden Oberlix , Agree a good reply One thing I like about about Gardening so many different ways to do it ,
Happy Summer Solstice - Thisday always comes round too fast for me! But we shall raise a glass tonight. Ate first home grown salad last night -Beetroot & Pea Leaves, Spring Onions and young Chard leaves plus 2 diddy golden courgettes -So good to eat own produce at last!! -By the way -Topped and Tailed Beetroot prior to planting out as per Leeks and they are sprouting new leaves already after only a week and look really good, so I can recommend this method when you buy bare root leeks and beet.
Dahlia Dilemma - Would you say that Dahlias are to be treated as 'Roots' as they have edible tubers or 'Flowers'? -Bought another 2 Euro batch on the way back from Farmers Market and am now soaking them in water for 2-3hrs to re-hydrate (An old trick our gardener taught my Mum for dahlia tubers that she had found in an old box in theory too late to plant and looking wizened and miserable.) I planted the last ones up in pots on a Flower Day but of course we now have 3 'Root Days'.
Papa Jo - I have referred your queries direct to the Min of Ag & I also contacted my local Ecole d'Horticulture. I do not know if you have a Festival de La Terre in Brittanyas we do in different areas of Normandy in September but the Young Farmers Group last year were full of enthusiasm for trying out alternative farming methods. Re Rustica -I no longer have the Issue but it would have been around the date of my Post. I mentioned your queries to the lady from whom I buy my Buttermilk this morning. She has a herd of Jerseys and told me that her husband always hay makes according to the Lunar Calender and has also changed his milking patterns. She told me that he followed Michel Gros and knew many farmers taking up Bio-Dynamic husbandry particularly in the Eure, where Jardiniers de France attend all major Garden Fairs with leaflets about Lunar Gardening.
Posts
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias#Persistence_of_discredited_beliefs
The fact that a medical treatment has been used for centuries is not evidence that it works - bloodletting was a respected medical treatment for millennia, but we now know that it is worse than useless.
Say Hello to 🐈 for me
looking forward your next update
just remembered Gardeners World magerzine ran a rather good article on this subject , have been trying to find it but can’t , I’m sure this debate will run
Best wishes
It works for me and, clearly, for many other people judging by the number of websites, publications, magazines and so on as well as some professional gardeners and countless farmers. Ridicule and mock all you like but you will merely irritate, not change minds.
As for science, the earth has turned around the sun since time began for this planet. Millions of years and it's still doing it. The seas and their tides have been influenced by the moon since it was formed millions of years ago. Had to wait till just under 500 years ago for a scientist to suggest the earth goes round the sun instead of the sun circling the earth and nearly another hundred years for a telescope to prove it.
Science can give us many answers but can be a bit slow and, like I said before, no vested interest in proving moon gardening works as its practitioners aren't going to make agri industry rich.
Bean sticks , lots of people on allotments are growing beans up string frames ( hop that makes sense ) rather than sticks , personally I still use stick because there is only me that eats them , beans that is not sticks . I use Osha stick if suitable which I cut from garden
Oberlix , Agree a good reply
One thing I like about about Gardening so many different ways to do it ,