Just curious.

[nccountrygirl]

Wow, I must have been hiding under a rock all of my life. I've actually never heard of such a concept. Sounds very interesting and retro. I'll have to further investigate this. Thank you for mentioning it.

Get you a Farmers Almanac at any feed store. It will have all the info there for you.

 

[so lucky]

With all the new members since this old thread was active, I thought it might be interesting to see if anyone follows the moon signs or zodiac signs when they garden. It might be easier for folks who live in warmer regions, but here in SE Missouri, it is very difficult to plant when the almanac tells me to. I haven't been able to see any difference, but I do know that, all other things being equal, some crops grow better than others, when planted a few days apart. Anyone use the almanac? Does this method work for you? BTW, Happy New Year!!!

 

[hoodat]

I'm not a nut on the subject but I try to plant crops that have a below ground harvest (carrots, potato etc.) on the waning moon and above ground harvest (lettuce, cabbage, tomatos etc.) on the waxing moon. I don't follow the practice close enough to bother with the zodiac and I pay more attention to the weather than the moon.
Planting seeeds just before a light rain is great for them but just before a downpour can be disastrous. They can wash all over the garden so you never know what will come up where.

 

[backtorootsfarm]

never heard about this before be intoresting to learn more

 

[so lucky]

If you want to know ALL about it, you may have to buy a farmer's almanac. I think they are displayed at the checkout at "big-mart." However, Hoodat gave the short and sweet version: just plant above ground crops when the moon is getting fuller, and below ground crops when the moon is getting smaller. I don't think anything is recommended to plant during the dark of the moon. Sounds too creepy, for one thing!

 

[so lucky]

Oh, and that doesn't mean to plant at night, in case you were wondering.

 

[digitS']

I have never known how this would work . . .

My parents and grandparents, despite living on farms, never said anything about it that I can remember. However, I've heard others talk about it all my life.

Let's say that I thought that it would be best to plant my carrots when the moon is full and thru the last quarter but there was cold, wet weather at that time. Would I then need to wait 14 to 28 days until the moon was again in that phase?

What about planting sweet corn during the new and 1st quarter phases. If it was wet and cold I'd have to delay that by 14 to 28 days? With a variety like Bodacious that requires nearly a full season of growing here, that would mean that I wouldn't bother to plant it at all half of the years. Yet, I have had Bodacious for about 6 or 7 season and it never failed to produce a crop.

With carrots, I figure that I've got about a 2 week period to sow seed without taking some kind of unusual measure to get it to sprout. The weather is just too likely to not cooperate outside of the long germination period that carrots require.

I think I'd just crowd myself down where I could only plant half a garden most years.

Steve
who uses the solar calendar, weather and soil temperature to guide planting

 

[so lucky]

Yup. I agree, digitS'. And then there's the method I have used in the past: Plant when I have the time and energy. I was kinda hoping someone would speak up and swear by using the moon phases. Oh well.....another dream busted.

 

[digitS']

. . . still early, Lucky.

Others may be along who have made it work and follow it religiously.

I think it could work better where seasons are longer than here .

Steve

 

[trunkman]

I only pay attention to moon phases in April, after the full moon I put out my above ground plants like tomatoes, cukes and such. April is the time to plant for my area. And over the years I've noticed there is always a cold snap just before or at the full moon, has anyone ever noticed that?