Farmers Almanac

desertlady

Attractive To Bees
Joined
Jan 16, 2012
Messages
933
Reaction score
77
Points
64
Location
Safford, Arizona zone 8
Farmers Alamanac has been around for years, I was wondering has it been very accurate? Do you all use the book when planting the garden? There is alot of helpful information in that book.
 

so lucky

Garden Master
Joined
Mar 5, 2011
Messages
8,342
Reaction score
4,958
Points
397
Location
SE Missouri, Zone 6
I love it and always intend to use the planting guide, but something usually gets in the way. (Like the weather!) I do know that, all other things being equal, something makes a difference when you plant. I have had cucumbers jump out of the ground when planted one day, and languish around for weeks when planted another day. Also makes a difference in how well they grow. If it is the moon, I don't know.
 

schmije

Garden Ornament
Joined
Aug 7, 2010
Messages
108
Reaction score
0
Points
78
Location
Peoria, IL
We were discussing this question a couple of days ago. I'm curious if somebody has ever gone back a year or two and checked whether it was actually accurate. I've never used it, but I've read it before, and it SEEMS to have good information.
 

strantor

Chillin' In The Garden
Joined
Jul 25, 2012
Messages
62
Reaction score
1
Points
29
Location
Katy TX
My experience doesn't count because I don't have any ;). But when I read it, it feels very horoscopish to me. For example, I copied this to my computer a while back:
(I've highlighted things that smell particularly fishy to me)
April 2012

24th-25th Poor Days For Planting, Seeds Will Rot In The Ground.
26th-27th Plant Tomatoes, Beans, Peppers, Corn, Cotton, And Other Aboveground Crops. Plant Seedbeds. Start Flower Gardens.
28th-30th Grub Out Weeds, Briars, And Other Plant Pests.

May 2012
1st-2nd A Barren Period. Good For Killing Plant Pests, Cultivating, Or Taking A Short Vacation.
3rd-4th Excellent Time For Planting Corn, Beans, Peppers, And Other Aboveground Crops. Favorable For Sowing Hay, Fodder Crops, And Grains. Plant Flowers.
5th-7th Plant Carrots, Beets, Onions, Turnips, And Other Root Crops At This Time. Cabbage, Lettuce, And Other Leafy Vegetables Will Do Well. Planting Seedbeds. Good For Transplanting.
8th-9th Do No Planting.
10th-12th Plant Late Beets, Potatoes, Onions, Carrots, And Other Root Crops.
13th-14th Kill Plant Pests On These Barren Days.
15th-16th Favorable Time For Planting Late Root Crops. Also Good For Vine Crops That Can Be Planted Now. Set Strawberry Plants. Good Days For Transplanting.
17th-18th Poor Planting, Fine For Cultivating Or Spraying.
19th-20th Favorable Planting Days: First Day For Root Crops. Good Day For Transplanting. Last Day For Beans, Corn, Cotton, Tomatoes, Peppers, And Other Aboveground Crops.
21st-22nd Any Seed Planted Now Will Tend To Rot.
23rd-24th Most Favorable For Planting Corn, Cotton, Okra, Beans, Peppers, Eggplant, And Other Aboveground Crops. Plant Seedbeds And Flower Gardens.
25th-29th A Barren Period. Good For Killing Plant Pests, Cultivating, Or Taking A Short Vacation.
How can anyone, months in advance, predict that seeds planted on a certain day will rot in the ground? If you read that little section over and over, each time with a little more skepticism, you will (or at least I did) find yourself questioning how anything there could be accurate.,
 

Collector

Garden Master
Joined
Sep 16, 2010
Messages
3,026
Reaction score
3,846
Points
337
Location
Eastern Wa. Zone 5/6 ?
I like the OFA, I only look at the synopsis for the weather for the year though, it ussually seems pretty accurate.
 

journey11

Garden Master
Joined
Sep 1, 2009
Messages
8,470
Reaction score
4,222
Points
397
Location
WV, Zone 6B
I guess the only way to satisfy curiosity would be to do a little experimenting. ;)

My parents always planted by the almanac and swore by it. There is undoubtedly something to the lunar pull that affects nature, I am sure. But I am lucky to get around to getting anything planted on time--period--so it would do me no good anyway. I do like Poor Will's almanac in Countryside Magazine. It is pretty practical for my purposes and is written near my area. I like keeping my own record of things on my calendar as I observe them each year. That is very helpful for me, especially in keeping bees and it helps me plan ahead for all kinds of things.. Or if you want to know when to put out your bluebird houses, stuff like that. Also, I noted this year that my apple trees bloomed 3 weeks earlier than usual...and now they are ripe 3 weeks earlier as well.
 

so lucky

Garden Master
Joined
Mar 5, 2011
Messages
8,342
Reaction score
4,958
Points
397
Location
SE Missouri, Zone 6
If it were just the pull of the moon, that would be pretty straightforward and easy to follow. It's when you take into account all the constellations' influence that I get confused. That's what makes it change from day to day. And do the planets influence it, too?
 

desertlady

Attractive To Bees
Joined
Jan 16, 2012
Messages
933
Reaction score
77
Points
64
Location
Safford, Arizona zone 8
WHO is the "Scientist" behind this? :idunno thats what baffles me ! So interesting why we cant plant them on certain days !
 
Top