Vegetable Gardening

[Ant Sinclair]

From I being young My folks have always grown most of their own vegetables and I have followed in their gardening foot-steps.

I read on an "alternative" web site a while ago that planting at certain times of the Lunar Cycle increases harvest yield, is there any science behind this?

Attached is a photograph of some My gardening this season and our old faithful who never fails to start year after year!

 

 

 

[Acme]

From I being young My folks have always grown most of their own vegetables and I have followed in their gardening foot-steps.

I read on an "alternative" web site a while ago that planting at certain times of the Lunar Cycle increases harvest yield, is there any science behind this?

Attached is a photograph of some My gardening this season and our old faithful who never fails to start year after year!

I raise vegetables too, but have been posting on it in ydoaPs' (Sub)Urban Farming thread.

 

As to lunar planting, there does appear to be some evidence for shorter germination period when planting at certain lunar phases. I have never bothered, but if you have the time then go for it.

 

This study has a section on germination and initial growth compared with lunar-synodic fluctuations. >>Chronobiology of Trees and the Fourth Phase of Water

[Robittybob1]

From I being young My folks have always grown most of their own vegetables and I have followed in their gardening foot-steps.

I read on an "alternative" web site a while ago that planting at certain times of the Lunar Cycle increases harvest yield, is there any science behind this?

Attached is a photograph of some My gardening this season and our old faithful who never fails to start year after year!

What is the idea behind all the earthworks?

[Ant Sinclair]

I raise vegetables too, but have been posting on it in ydoaPs' (Sub)Urban Farming thread.

 

As to lunar planting, there does appear to be some evidence for shorter germination period when planting at certain lunar phases. I have never bothered, but if you have the time then go for it.

 

This study has a section on germination and initial growth compared with lunar-synodic fluctuations. >>Chronobiology of Trees and the Fourth Phase of Water

Thanks for Your reply Acme, I typed gardening in the forum search box and it brought Me to the Lounge and didn't see yodas' thread.

Thanks for the Link to which I will do some experimentation this season to see what results I obtain and will let You know

What is the idea behind all the earthworks?

The "earthworks" are potatoe rows Rob ;-)

I don't why I didn't open any of these threads up there are some excellent posts and pictures!

[dimreepr]

I read on an "alternative" web site a while ago that planting at certain times of the Lunar Cycle increases harvest yield, is there any science behind this?

 

 

Not as far as I can tell but there’s a lot of anecdotal evidence; maybe this would be an opportunity to advance our knowledge.

 

BTW is that a fordson tractor? We use an old grey massey

[Ant Sinclair]

 

 

Not as far as I can tell but there’s a lot of anecdotal evidence; maybe this would be an opportunity to advance our knowledge.

 

BTW is that a fordson tractor? We use an old grey massey

 

 

No It's an International Harvester-Macormick, built in the next county of South Yorkshire in Doncaster, a great tractor and so reliable and older than Me. We do have a Massey with a front loader on it but it's bigger than the IH Mac, I will admit the Massey too is a great tractor and both are diesel

Side view

And front, she's a good old gal!

[Acme]

Thanks for Your reply Acme, I typed gardening in the forum search box and it brought Me to the Lounge and didn't see yodas' thread.

Thanks for the Link to which I will do some experimentation this season to see what results I obtain and will let You know

You're welcome and you're welcome.

 

As to the experimenting, it's all well and good if one has the time. I kept a log last year of when I planted things and when they sprouted, but all-in-all I think its rather useless as far as using it as any sort of guide to this year or future years. Seed batches vary, temperatures vary, water varies, soil varies, and yada yada yada very varying variables. I usually end up growing more than I can use and I expect that by shear chance I have planted on every phase of the Moon. Noticing any appreciable difference and accounting for all the variables would take up so much time there would be little left for gardening.

 

Put some seeds in the ground, water them, and when the produce is ready, harvest it and eat it. It ain't rocket science when it comes to a small home garden.

 

 

I don't why I didn't open any of these threads up there are some excellent posts and pictures!

Oddly enough -I don't know why- when I give a link I expect folks will read it. Thnx for following & for the pic-liment; I'll try and add some more soon.

 

PS I have tractor envy now thanks to you guys, though I barely have room to even turn one around without a 6-point turn if I had one.

Edited March 27, 2015 by Acme

[dimreepr]

As to the experimenting, it's all well and good if one has the time. I kept a log last year of when I planted things and when they sprouted, but all-in-all I think its rather useless as far as using it as any sort of guide to this year or future years. Seed batches vary, temperatures vary, water varies, soil varies, and yada yada yada very varying variables. I usually end up growing more than I can use and I expect that by shear chance I have planted on every phase of the Moon. Noticing any appreciable difference and accounting for all the variables would take up so much time there would be little left for gardening.

 

 

That’s a little like saying “hey this mysterious substance somehow cures this disease, but yada yada yada”

 

What's the point in finding out why?

Edited March 27, 2015 by dimreepr

[Ant Sinclair]

 

 

Not as far as I can tell but there’s a lot of anecdotal evidence; maybe this would be an opportunity to advance our knowledge.

 

BTW is that a fordson tractor? We use an old grey massey

 

Dim Your Massey is in great condition, have You done restoration work on Her?

For last 20 years We've been saying We'll give ours some tlc in the winter months but still haven't got round to it, having said that I only use ours in fair weather, She's got Her own shed and She's in identical condition to when We first acquired Her

[Acme]

That’s a little like saying “hey this mysterious substance somehow cures this disease, but yada yada yada”

 

What's the point in finding out why?

It's not that it's not worth investigating for someone, it's just not worth me doing it. The study results I ran across are rather inconclusive and one would think that for as long as this 'urban legend' has been floating around if there were any great gain to be had then people would be all over it. For Ant or any 'small' gardener to have a reliable test they would have to plant controls right alongside the moon units, and while he may have the space, I don't.

 

By all means have at it & report back. I just got in from planting 2 rows of carrots on the day after the first quarter moon. I expect in a few months I will have carrots.

.

Addendum: Moreover, do large commercial farms make it a point to plant on Full Moons? Do extension services recommend it? Do you overlook all other planting cues/circumstances and wait 3+ weeks for the next Full Moon? When do you plant controls? New Moon? First quarter? Third quarter? Other? Every day?

[dimreepr]

 

Dim Your Massey is in great condition, have You done restoration work on Her?

For last 20 years We've been saying We'll give ours some tlc in the winter months but still haven't got round to it, having said that I only use ours in fair weather, She's got Her own shed and She's in identical condition to when We first acquired Her

 

 

That picture was off google for convenience.

Here’s Daisy in her winter quarters and yes she has been restored.

 

 

I can't get it to upload I'll try again later

Edited March 30, 2015 by dimreepr

[dimreepr]

It's not that it's not worth investigating for someone, it's just not worth me doing it. The study results I ran across are rather inconclusive and one would think that for as long as this 'urban legend' has been floating around if there were any great gain to be had then people would be all over it. For Ant or any 'small' gardener to have a reliable test they would have to plant controls right alongside the moon units, and while he may have the space, I don't.

 

By all means have at it & report back. I just got in from planting 2 rows of carrots on the day after the first quarter moon. I expect in a few months I will have carrots.

.

Addendum: Moreover, do large commercial farms make it a point to plant on Full Moons? Do extension services recommend it? Do you overlook all other planting cues/circumstances and wait 3+ weeks for the next Full Moon? When do you plant controls? New Moon? First quarter? Third quarter? Other? Every day?

 

 

 

I didn’t suggest you do the study but as ant seemed interested I thought he may try; I agree there will be noise in the data but if you take a fixed point like the lunar cycle then that noise will reduce the more years you run the experiment.

[Acme]

I didn’t suggest you do the study but as ant seemed interested I thought he may try; I agree there will be noise in the data but if you take a fixed point like the lunar cycle then that noise will reduce the more years you run the experiment.

Seems to me the 'experiment' has been running for a few hundred years and the din has not appreciably decreased. I agree that if Ant wants to try, he certainly may.

[dimreepr]

Seems to me the 'experiment' has been running for a few hundred years and the din has not appreciably decreased. I agree that if Ant wants to try, he certainly may.

 

 

 

But not in a controlled way.

 

 

Edit/ Without a control group there is no way to determine what is noise and what is valuable data.

Edited March 30, 2015 by dimreepr

[StringJunky]

Seems to me the 'experiment' has been running for a few hundred years and the din has not appreciably decreased. I agree that if Ant wants to try, he certainly may.

How many dots do you need to make the wave pattern in the two-slit experiment? Maybe it's just not been done for long enough. Might take thousands of years.

Edited March 30, 2015 by StringJunky

[dimreepr]

How many dots do you need to make the wave pattern in the two-slit experiment? Maybe it's just not been done for long enough. Might take thousands of years.

 

 

 

It also may only take tens of years to establish a rudimentary pattern, given the right conditions. Just to ram home your point.

 

 

Edit/ Sorry, forgot the smilie

Edited March 30, 2015 by dimreepr

[Acme]

How many dots do you need to make the wave pattern in the two-slit experiment? Maybe it's just not been done for long enough. Might take thousands of years.

And lo, the din has not diminished, it has grown.

 

Biodynamic agriculture

 

...As of 2011 biodynamic techniques were used on 142,482 hectares in 47 countries. Germany accounts for 45% of the global total;[9] the remainder average 1750 ha per country. Biodynamic methods of cultivating grapevines have been taken up by several notable vineyards.[10] There are certification agencies for biodynamic products, most of which are members of the international biodynamics standards group Demeter International.

 

No difference in beneficial outcomes has been scientifically established between certified biodynamic agricultural techniques and similar organic and integrated farming practices. Critics have characterized biodynamic agriculture as pseudoscience on the basis of a lack of strong evidence for its efficacy and skepticism about aspects criticized as being magical thinking.[11][12][13][14]

...

Planting calendar

 

The approach considers that there are lunar and astrological influences on soil and plant developmentfor example, choosing to plant, cultivate or harvest various crops based on both the phase of the moon and the zodiacal constellation the moon is passing through, and also depending on whether the crop is the root, leaf, flower, or fruit of the plant.[48][49] This aspect of biodynamics has been termed "astrological" in nature.[50]

...

[dimreepr]

And lo, the din has not diminished, it has grown.

 

Biodynamic agriculture

 

 

 

 

My apologies, I was not aware; it’s so much more rewarding to be shown to be wrong.

[Acme]

It also may only take tens of years to establish a rudimentary pattern, given the right conditions. Just to ram home your point.

 

Edit/ Sorry, forgot the smilie

Addendum: Intuited the smiley, & forgot the Agricultural astrology. Indeed the magic experiment has gone apace for thousands of years and not merely hundreds, and at least in the Northern hemisphere one may assume predominately under the sign of the ram.

 

Agricultural astrology

...

History

 

Agricultural astrology is one of the oldest forms of astrology. It was probably the first use humans made of lunar cycles.[3] Evidence of its practice dates back thousands of years to the ancient peoples of the Nile and Euphrates River valleys. Farmers of these civilizations planted by the Moon's phase and its sign in the zodiac.[4] There is a lack of scientific evidence proving the beneficial effects of astrological gardening. A few studies have been conducted, but "none of this has been conclusively proven or disproved by modern science".[5]

...

[StringJunky]

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-03-blaming-moon-highlights-flaws-earlier.html

[Ant Sinclair]

I found this site and will plant Dwarf French Beans, Runner Beans and Peas over the next few days, leave it a week or two and plant the same again. The previous week till now I put in Potatoes, Red and White Onions. I won't put in any more onions or potatoes in now untill this calendar says it's best to do so, the experiment begins! The site with the link below gives a seven day visual planting guide and what vegetables to plant. The land has been equally manured and limed this season.

 

http://www.the-gardeners-calendar.co.uk/moon_planting.asp

[Acme]

I found this site and will plant Dwarf French Beans, Runner Beans and Peas over the next few days, leave it a week or two and plant the same again. The previous week till now I put in Potatoes, Red and White Onions. I won't put in any more onions or potatoes in now untill this calendar says it's best to do so, the experiment begins! The site with the link below gives a seven day visual planting guide and what vegetables to plant. The land has been equally manured and limed this season.

 

http://www.the-gardeners-calendar.co.uk/moon_planting.asp

Seems clear enough to me that your mind was made up before you started the thread, so I have to ask why did you even bother us with the idea? Something has been manured I'll have to agree.

[Ant Sinclair]

Seems clear enough to me that your mind was made up before you started the thread, so I have to ask why did you even bother us with the idea? Something has been manured I'll have to agree.

I've read the links given on this thread and they seem to indicate no better yields were given, what is the harm in experimenting for Myself? And no My mind wasn't made up before I started this thread Acme - please don't let tractor-envy cloud Your thoughts

[StringJunky]

I gave you that neg, Acme. No need to be snotty. Better to learn by experience than be told; unless it's dangerous of course.

[Acme]

I've read the links given on this thread and they seem to indicate no better yields were given, what is the harm in experimenting for Myself? And no My mind wasn't made up before I started this thread Acme - please don't let tractor-envy cloud Your thoughts

The harm insofar as science and the forum goes is in ignoring evidence and opting for bullshit. My thoughts are as well grounded as my peas, squashes, tomatoes, jalapeños, spinach and radishes which are already up and enjoying the Sun.

I gave you that neg, Acme. No need to be snotty. Better to learn by experience than be told; unless it's dangerous of course.

How gracious of you.