I read about this fellow RJ Harris, head gardener at Tressilian Estate
in Cornwall this week end. He apparently planted, fed, and harvested
fruit and veg depending on the moon phase, and claimed this had a
substantial effect on the success of the operation. Now, I know the
lunar cycle has a substantial effect on nature (tides immediately
spring to mind). But should it be taken into account when gardening ?
I found his book here:
http://www.moongardening.cwc.net/BOOK%20cv.htm
What do the experienced resident gardeners here think? Is there
something in this, or is it just airy fairy bunkum? Do any of you
practice gardening by the moon, and would you recommend it?

Cat(h)

Following up to "Cat(h)" <cathy_ie [at] yahoo.com> :

>I read about this fellow RJ Harris, head gardener at Tressilian Estate
>in Cornwall this week end. He apparently planted, fed, and harvested
>fruit and veg depending on the moon phase, and claimed this had a
>substantial effect on the success of the operation. Now, I know the
>lunar cycle has a substantial effect on nature (tides immediately
>spring to mind). But should it be taken into account when gardening ?
>I found his book here:
>http://www.moongardening.cwc.net/BOOK%20cv.htm
>What do the experienced resident gardeners here think? Is there
>something in this, or is it just airy fairy bunkum? Do any of you
>practice gardening by the moon, and would you recommend it?

It was quite the rage a few years ago in Germany, and the moon calendar is
still almost always a part of the popular books on organic gardening. I get
good enough results totally ignoring it. I'm sure that if it made any
difference that over the eons plants would have evolved to take advantage
of the advantageous phases of the moon and show marked differences
depending on phase. If there is, it's slipped my notice*.
I'm sure it can't hurt, so why not try it and see if it works for you?

*Apart from those places directly influenced by the rise and fall of tides.
--
Tim C.

Tim C. wrote:
> Following up to "Cat(h)" <cathy_ie [at] yahoo.com> :
>
> >I read about this fellow RJ Harris, head gardener at Tressilian Estate
> >in Cornwall this week end. He apparently planted, fed, and harvested
> >fruit and veg depending on the moon phase, and claimed this had a
> >substantial effect on the success of the operation. Now, I know the
> >lunar cycle has a substantial effect on nature (tides immediately
> >spring to mind). But should it be taken into account when gardening ?
> >I found his book here:
> >http://www.moongardening.cwc.net/BOOK%20cv.htm
> >What do the experienced resident gardeners here think? Is there
> >something in this, or is it just airy fairy bunkum? Do any of you
> >practice gardening by the moon, and would you recommend it?
>
> It was quite the rage a few years ago in Germany, and the moon calendar is
> still almost always a part of the popular books on organic gardening. I get
> good enough results totally ignoring it. I'm sure that if it made any
> difference that over the eons plants would have evolved to take advantage
> of the advantageous phases of the moon and show marked differences
> depending on phase. If there is, it's slipped my notice*.
> I'm sure it can't hurt, so why not try it and see if it works for you?

My interest is more curiosity than immediate intention to put into
practice: I only get to my garden at the week end - so that if
something doesn't get done this week end, it is automatically delayed
by at least a week... If I had to factor in moon phases, I'd be
overrun with weeds, and my crops would rot on the plants, or be
consumed by ungrateful birds/slugs/and other hungry critters :-) Maybe
when I retire....
I find the topic interesting, though, and appreciate your response.
I'll read a little bit more about it.


Cat(h)

On 19/6/06 13:53, in article
1150721614.981346.96080 [at] i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com, "Cat(h)"
<cathy_ie [at] yahoo.com> wrote:

> I read about this fellow RJ Harris, head gardener at Tressilian Estate
> in Cornwall this week end. He apparently planted, fed, and harvested
> fruit and veg depending on the moon phase, and claimed this had a
> substantial effect on the success of the operation. Now, I know the
> lunar cycle has a substantial effect on nature (tides immediately
> spring to mind). But should it be taken into account when gardening ?
> I found his book here:
> http://www.moongardening.cwc.net/BOOK%20cv.htm
> What do the experienced resident gardeners here think? Is there
> something in this, or is it just airy fairy bunkum? Do any of you
> practice gardening by the moon, and would you recommend it?
>
It's an extremely old and interesting practice and those employing it swear
by it. I've tried it only once using beans and I must say that the beans
planted on the waxing moon and second, did better than those planted on the
waning moon, first. But my one small effort is hardly conclusive, I know!
However, when we were in Provence some years ago, we visited this Chateau
which works exclusively on this principle and all I can say is that the wine
is outstandingly good! ;-)
http://www.romanin.com/pages/biodynamie.php?lang=en
and this might interest you:
http://www.biodynamic.org.uk/

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

"Cat(h)" <cathy_ie [at] yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1150721614.981346.96080 [at] i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> I read about this fellow RJ Harris, head gardener at Tressilian Estate
> in Cornwall this week end. He apparently planted, fed, and harvested
> fruit and veg depending on the moon phase, and claimed this had a
> substantial effect on the success of the operation. Now, I know the
> lunar cycle has a substantial effect on nature (tides immediately
> spring to mind). But should it be taken into account when gardening ?
> I found his book here:
> http://www.moongardening.cwc.net/BOOK%20cv.htm
> What do the experienced resident gardeners here think? Is there
> something in this, or is it just airy fairy bunkum? Do any of you
> practice gardening by the moon, and would you recommend it?
>
> Cat(h)

Get a hold of a book called Secrets Of The Soil by Peter Tompkins and
Christopher Bird, quite possibly THE best book I have ever read when it
comes to Biodynamics/diversity. It's been a while since I read it but I do
believe there's a chapter on Gardening by the Moon.

Redman

Post removed (X-No-Archive: yes)

Janet Baraclough wrote:
> It's part of Biodynamic gardening practice, which is worth looking
> up. Bear in mind that some of their practices (like moon planting, use
> of herbs as fertiliser teas and compost activators, even in homeopathic
> doses) spread across many other cultures. The old practice of planting
> potatoes and peas on Easter Sunday is moon-phase related.The Aztecs and
> North American Indians believed that planting around a tower would draw
> down cosmic energies to enhance the plants (the tower acting as a
> conductor). Hands up who''s got a trendy obelisk...
>
> The easiest way to follow moon planting is the book called
>
> Biodynamic Sowing & Planting Calendar 2006 - Maria Thun =A35.99
>
> Takes the pain out of wondering if it's a root or shoot day :-)
> Republished every year.
>
> http://www.florisbooks.co.uk/detail.asp?ISBN=3D086315493X
>
> Janet.
>

Many thanks, Janet, Sacha, Redman and Tim, and thanks for the books and
websites recommended - all noted and bookmarked (including the French
version of the wine website, Sacha ;-)).
It seems to be worthy of a little more study.

Cat(h)

On 19 Jun 2006 06:16:17 -0700, "Cat(h)" <cathy_ie [at] yahoo.com> wrote:

> If I had to factor in moon phases, I'd be
>overrun with weeds, and my crops would rot on the plants

:-) I have that problem anyway. :-(
--
Tim C.

> My interest is more curiosity than immediate intention to put into
> practice: I only get to my garden at the week end - so that if
> something doesn't get done this week end, it is automatically delayed
> by at least a week... If I had to factor in moon phases, I'd be
> overrun with weeds, and my crops would rot on the plants, or be
> consumed by ungrateful birds/slugs/and other hungry critters :-) Maybe
> when I retire....
> I find the topic interesting, though, and appreciate your response.
> I'll read a little bit more about it.

I think that answers it. Mostly we need practices geared to the cycles
in which we operate. For people who have jobs, this involves seven day
weeks which are more or less attached to a solar annual calendar.
Those who have sufficient leisure to follow moon cycles or who are
living in a society which runs a lunar calendar may get better results,
but hey, they're not available to us weeklies anyway.

Post removed (X-No-Archive: yes)

"Martin" <me [at] privacy.net> wrote in message
news:4dtd929tlapjmb0v7vd3rd596t2scb5v2l [at] 4ax.com...
> On Mon, 19 Jun 2006 19:30:27 +0200, Tim C. <tim.challenger [at] aon.at>
> wrote:
>
>>On 19 Jun 2006 06:16:17 -0700, "Cat(h)" <cathy_ie [at] yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>>> If I had to factor in moon phases, I'd be
>>>overrun with weeds, and my crops would rot on the plants
>>
>> :-) I have that problem anyway. :-(
>
> and your little problem with the neighbours about mooning in the
> garden.
> --
>
> Martin
>

I tried the lunar thingy a few times in the past.
It made me feel strange and my partner object to the compost caught in the
hair on my hands and face. Next door neighbour was not enamoured with the
wolf howling either.

On Mon, 19 Jun 2006 21:07:42 +0200, Martin <me [at] privacy.net> wrote:

>On Mon, 19 Jun 2006 19:30:27 +0200, Tim C. <tim.challenger [at] aon.at>
>wrote:
>
>>On 19 Jun 2006 06:16:17 -0700, "Cat(h)" <cathy_ie [at] yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>>> If I had to factor in moon phases, I'd be
>>>overrun with weeds, and my crops would rot on the plants
>>
>> :-) I have that problem anyway. :-(
>
>and your little problem with the neighbours about mooning in the
>garden.

I was hoping you wouldn't mention that !
--
Tim C.

Sacha wrote:
> On 19/6/06 13:53, in article
> 1150721614.981346.96080 [at] i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com, "Cat(h)"
> <cathy_ie [at] yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > I read about this fellow RJ Harris, head gardener at Tressilian Estate
> > in Cornwall this week end. He apparently planted, fed, and harvested
> > fruit and veg depending on the moon phase, and claimed this had a
> > substantial effect on the success of the operation. Now, I know the
> > lunar cycle has a substantial effect on nature (tides immediately
> > spring to mind). But should it be taken into account when gardening ?
> > I found his book here:
> > http://www.moongardening.cwc.net/BOOK%20cv.htm
> > What do the experienced resident gardeners here think? Is there
> > something in this, or is it just airy fairy bunkum? Do any of you
> > practice gardening by the moon, and would you recommend it?
> >
> It's an extremely old and interesting practice and those employing it swear
> by it. I've tried it only once using beans and I must say that the beans
> planted on the waxing moon and second, did better than those planted on the
> waning moon, first. But my one small effort is hardly conclusive, I know!
> However, when we were in Provence some years ago, we visited this Chateau
> which works exclusively on this principle and all I can say is that the wine
> is outstandingly good! ;-)
> http://www.romanin.com/pages/biodynamie.php?lang=en
> and this might interest you:
> http://www.biodynamic.org.uk/
>
> --
> Sacha
> www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
> South Devon
> (email address on website)

On the subject of wine, apparently root and shoot days don't just
affect the harvest!
Take a look at this.
http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/experts/timatkin/story/0 ,,1786074,00.html

Cat(h) wrote:
[...]
> Many thanks, Janet, Sacha, Redman and Tim, and thanks for the books and
> websites recommended - all noted and bookmarked (including the French
> version of the wine website, Sacha ;-)).
> It seems to be worthy of a little more study.

I once had to translate for an African-French-speaker on the subject.
It was fascinating, even though I'm always sceptical about these things
("I mean, _astrology_? Grow up or get outta town!" -- as we Aquarians
always say). I can't begin to imagine the mechanism which would be
involved: after all, if the moon says "plant" and the sun says "frost",
which are you going to heed?

What I do wonder is if it's one of those things like talking to plants
or homoeopathy: it can work, but not in the way it appears to. I mean,
of course, that talking to plants implies that you're concentrating on
their welfare in all the other ways; and correctly treating animals
homoeopathically involves a full regime of appropriate individual care,
not just feeding them a chemical compound which is present only in your
imagination.

--
Mike.

Post removed (X-No-Archive: yes)

On 20/6/06 16:16, in article 313030303930323944981F4517 [at] zetnet.co.uk, "Janet
Baraclough" <janet.and.john [at] zetnet.co.uk> wrote:

> The message <1150799818.604362.203560 [at] h76g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>
> from "Mike Lyle" <mike_lyle_uk [at] yahoo.co.uk> contains these words:
>
>> What I do wonder is if it's one of those things like talking to plants
>> or homoeopathy: it can work, but not in the way it appears to. I mean,
>> of course, that talking to plants implies that you're concentrating on
>> their welfare in all the other ways; and correctly treating animals
>> homoeopathically involves a full regime of appropriate individual care,
>> not just feeding them a chemical compound which is present only in your
>> imagination.
>
> Human imagination is as limited as our senses. I agree that in
> gardening, consciously making a good intention has some peculiar
> effect.
>
> Glasgow NHS has been running an entire Homeopathic Hospital for decades
> btw, so successful and popular they recently built a brand new home for
> it.
>
There was a fascinating programme on tv several years ago about a farmer
using a homeopathic remedy for his cows. I remember that it involved
putting mere drops of the remedy into the huge drinking trough but the
incidence of (I think) milk fever, dropped by something like 60% Now, the
cows didn't know they were being treated, so that can't be imagination. A
homeopath I knew gave her farming friends on Dartmoor borax to put in the
animals' drinking water and not one of those farms got F&M even though it
was raging all around them. She wasn't supposed to do it, of course but I
think by then people were desperate. And personally, I swear by arnica for
bruises.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

Sacha <sacha [at] privacy.net> writes
>On 20/6/06 16:16, in article 313030303930323944981F4517 [at] zetnet.co.uk, "Janet
>Baraclough" <janet.and.john [at] zetnet.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>
>There was a fascinating programme on tv several years ago about a farmer
>using a homeopathic remedy for his cows. I remember that it involved
>putting mere drops of the remedy into the huge drinking trough but the
>incidence of (I think) milk fever, dropped by something like 60% Now, the
>cows didn't know they were being treated, so that can't be imagination. A
>homeopath I knew gave her farming friends on Dartmoor borax to put in the
>animals' drinking water and not one of those farms got F&M even though it
>was raging all around them. She wasn't supposed to do it, of course but I
>think by then people were desperate. And personally, I swear by arnica for
>bruises.
>

A vet friend of mine told me that the placebo effect also works on
animals.

--
Kay

John McMillan wrote:
> I think that answers it. Mostly we need practices geared to the cycles
> in which we operate. For people who have jobs, this involves seven day
> weeks which are more or less attached to a solar annual calendar.
> Those who have sufficient leisure to follow moon cycles or who are
> living in a society which runs a lunar calendar may get better results,
> but hey, they're not available to us weeklies anyway.

Last year, our peas should have gone in at 2.15am .... Well, I just
planted them the following morning and got such a crop I still talk
about it.

I didn't bother buying our moon calendar this year, I like buying the
French one, but now we've got this lovely little carribean chap on our
allotment who has been yelling things for sometimes like "you plant
your corn now will ya" or "little lady don't forget your beans". It
took me until this spring to realise that he was spot on the lunar
calendar. So now, I wait till he shouts :o)

K wrote:
> Sacha <sacha [at] privacy.net> writes
> >On 20/6/06 16:16, in article 313030303930323944981F4517 [at] zetnet.co.uk, "Janet
> >Baraclough" <janet.and.john [at] zetnet.co.uk> wrote:
> >
> >>
> >There was a fascinating programme on tv several years ago about a farmer
> >using a homeopathic remedy for his cows. I remember that it involved
> >putting mere drops of the remedy into the huge drinking trough but the
> >incidence of (I think) milk fever, dropped by something like 60% Now, the
> >cows didn't know they were being treated, so that can't be imagination. A
> >homeopath I knew gave her farming friends on Dartmoor borax to put in the
> >animals' drinking water and not one of those farms got F&M even though it
> >was raging all around them. She wasn't supposed to do it, of course but I
> >think by then people were desperate. And personally, I swear by arnica for
> >bruises.
> >
>
> A vet friend of mine told me that the placebo effect also works on
> animals.

I've heard that, too. Feeling "looked after" must be good for the kind
of animals we have around us -- that is, by definition, social ones
which can be tamed. Extremely difficult to test; but I do remember one
of that Cotswold family who produce the organic meat saying that when
one of their younger cows was ill with something she sought out her
mother, with whom she hadn't associated for a couple of years, and
stuck with her like glue till she was better. They've also observed
their stock seeking out various plants when they aren't well. None of
that's homoeopathy, though.

--
Mike.

On 20/6/06 18:18, in article m9u+vYOR3CmEFwcq [at] scarboro.demon.co.uk, "K"
<k [at] scarboro.demon.co.uk> wrote:

> Sacha <sacha [at] privacy.net> writes
>> On 20/6/06 16:16, in article 313030303930323944981F4517 [at] zetnet.co.uk, "Janet
>> Baraclough" <janet.and.john [at] zetnet.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>>
>> There was a fascinating programme on tv several years ago about a farmer
>> using a homeopathic remedy for his cows. I remember that it involved
>> putting mere drops of the remedy into the huge drinking trough but the
>> incidence of (I think) milk fever, dropped by something like 60% Now, the
>> cows didn't know they were being treated, so that can't be imagination. A
>> homeopath I knew gave her farming friends on Dartmoor borax to put in the
>> animals' drinking water and not one of those farms got F&M even though it
>> was raging all around them. She wasn't supposed to do it, of course but I
>> think by then people were desperate. And personally, I swear by arnica for
>> bruises.
>>
>
> A vet friend of mine told me that the placebo effect also works on
> animals.

Can't see how! Nobody told the cows they were being given a homeopathic
remedy, even fi they could understand what that meant!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

Cat(h) Wrote:
> I read about this fellow RJ Harris, head gardener at Tressilian Estate
> in Cornwall this week end. He apparently planted, fed, and harvested
> fruit and veg depending on the moon phase, and claimed this had a
> substantial effect on the success of the operation. Now, I know the
> lunar cycle has a substantial effect on nature (tides immediately
> spring to mind). But should it be taken into account when gardening ?
> I found his book he
> http://tinyurl.com/e6syx
> What do the experienced resident gardeners here think? Is there
> something in this, or is it just airy fairy bunkum? Do any of you
> practice gardening by the moon, and would you recommend it?
>
> Cat(h)

Has this anything to do with 'Moon Gardening' ??

http://tinyurl.com/hozz4


--
Mr Rotavator

Sacha wrote:
And personally, I swear by arnica for
> bruises.

Do you use it as an homeopathic treatment, or do you use ointment? I'm
asking because I've been using the homeopathic treatment on us and kids
for years but when I was a kid my grand mother used to have an ointment
which smelt devine. I bought one in Boots very excited but it smelt of
nothing near it. The one my grand mother had was really thick and ocra
in colour.

On 21/6/06 16:04, in article
1150902264.815353.278680 [at] r2g2000cwb.googlegroups.com, "La Puce"
<helene [at] rudlin.co.uk> wrote:

>
> Sacha wrote:
> And personally, I swear by arnica for
>> bruises.
>
> Do you use it as an homeopathic treatment, or do you use ointment? I'm
> asking because I've been using the homeopathic treatment on us and kids
> for years but when I was a kid my grand mother used to have an ointment
> which smelt devine. I bought one in Boots very excited but it smelt of
> nothing near it. The one my grand mother had was really thick and ocra
> in colour.
>

Are you thinking of Baume de Pyrenée which I use for burns and sunburn but
which is used for various other things, too? I don't have my tube at hand
but IIRC, it's made in Switzerland and is made from herbs. My Italian
mother outlaw put me onto it over thirty years ago and I used to buy it at
the French pharmacy in Jersey. Now, I just have to get it whenever we go to
France or a French friend visits us. As far as Arnica is concerned, I use
the tablets for immediate 'first aid', then in lower doses for 48 hours and
the cream ongoing, as it were. I'm no expert in homeopathy but I do find
that one works well. Some years ago a very heavy candelabra with all sorts
of sticky out bits on it toppled over on the carpet and onto that soft bit
of the foot just below my ankle and hurt like 'fun'. I couldn't speak for
the pain but the person with me ran for the Arnica tablets and cream. I
didn't have one bruise.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

Sacha wrote:
> Are you thinking of Baume de Pyren=E9e which I use for burns and sunburn =
but
> which is used for various other things, too?

I don't know but I'm going to look into it. I will have to wait until
August as I'm not back until then. Thank you. If you happen to come
across the ingredients of the tube you've got I'll be interested to see
if arnica is in there or not.

On 21/6/06 20:02, in article
1150916546.923847.143870 [at] b68g2000cwa.googlegroups.com, "La Puce"
<helene [at] rudlin.co.uk> wrote:

>
> Sacha wrote:
>> Are you thinking of Baume de Pyrenée which I use for burns and sunburn but
>> which is used for various other things, too?
>
> I don't know but I'm going to look into it. I will have to wait until
> August as I'm not back until then. Thank you. If you happen to come
> across the ingredients of the tube you've got I'll be interested to see
> if arnica is in there or not.
>
Indications et mode d'emploi: Crevasses, (splits in the skin) gercures,
(chapped skin) engelures (chilblains) , erythemes solaires (Erythema)
En friction legere deux fois par jour. (Rub on gently twice a day)
Brulures, (burns, scalds) engelures ouvertes (weeping or open chilblains).
Etendre une couche epaisse sur une gaze et appligquer ( spread a thick
coating on a gauze and apply it). Ne pas utiliser de facon continue et a
eviter chez les sujets allergiques. (I think this means don't use it
continuously and avoid those who are allergic)

It is describd as Protecteur de l'epiderme. cicatrisant, antiseptique,
analgesique. (scarred skin, antiseptic, analgesic)

Baume du Perou 4.95g. Cire jaune 28.05g, (beeswax)
Excipient huileux q.s.p. 100g. Visa 07220. Laboratoires Plantes det
Medecines 46000 Cahors (so I was quite wrong about the Swiss idea, though
that still remains somewhere in my mind)
Tube de 30g.

Baume de Perou is Myroxylon pereirae.
http://www.herbalremedies.com/balsam-information.html

I'm afraid I haven't bothered to hunt around my keyboard for the correct
accents to use in the French spelling.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

Sacha wrote:
> Baume du Perou 4.95g. Cire jaune 28.05g, (beeswax)
> Excipient huileux q.s.p. 100g. Visa 07220. Laboratoires Plantes det
> Medecines 46000 Cahors (so I was quite wrong about the Swiss idea, though
> that still remains somewhere in my mind)
> Tube de 30g.
> Baume de Perou is Myroxylon pereirae.
> http://www.herbalremedies.com/balsam-information.html

Cahors! Lovely place. Thank you Sacha. It reminds me of our 8 Hour
Cream. No arnica in there though.

> I'm afraid I haven't bothered to hunt around my keyboard for the correct
> accents to use in the French spelling.

Not to worry, I don't often bother either :o)