Lunar Planting - what have you grown today?

[marchogaeth]

As this week is maintenance (synodic), I was checking forward (twitching) to see what I can plant next week (leafy) and get seed trays etc ready when I noticed that on Gardeners' Calendar it has cucumbers and sweetcorn down for next week. I would have thought they were fruit and if you check the plants out on their web site they are down as fruit.

I can see that sweetcorn is an annual that produces above ground and it is also covered by the grains line in the notes but cucumber?

Can anyone with more experience/knowledge explain please?

[VirginVegGrower]

Hi March - it is definitely a leaf/flower week for us straight after the resting week. Cucumber is the exception to the fruit rule as they do best in the first quarter, rather than the second, even though their seeds are inside. I think it's because of their high water content maybe. On some sites they are listed as liking the water signs of Scorpio, Cancer and Pisces for biodynamic sowing.

Taken from Gardening by the Phases of the Moon

At the new moon, the lunar gravity pulls water up, and causes the seeds to swell and burst. This factor, coupled with the increasing moonlight creates balanced root and leaf growth. This is the best time for planting above ground annual crops that produce their seeds outside the fruit. Examples are lettuce, spinach, celery, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and grain crops. Cucumbers like this phase also, even though they are an exception to that rule.

[marchogaeth]

Thanks VVG. It's good to have the exception explained so a few more tiny modules for next week then!
I am totally sure of sweetcorn being a "leaf/grain" and would have ignored the GC on that one any way. It's a shame they don't have a contact point (well I can't see one).

How are you coping with the week off? I've washed all my pots. Measured my plots to try and make a map to have a plan!! Fenced the sheep out of what is going to be the orchard. Filed all my seeds by month of use (as per Two Sheds). Still looking at the pile of goat muck, you can see where I've been though. I may have to buy some garlic this afternoon although I swore I'd I'd wait until next year to do onions and garlic. I've got some seedlings that need planting on and I'm resisiting the urge to convince myself that doing it would be maintenance. There are some docks waiting to be dug up but the weather is really manky today sort of on and off drizzle with serious wind (Half Term of course).

[marchogaeth]

Gardening by the Phases of the Moon

Useful site, too. I just had a better look (it is raining) and interestingly transplanting comes in with roots week - I don't think either me or the seedlings will wait that long but I'll certainly keep it in mind.

Do you have a source book or are you collecting from all sorts of sites?

[VirginVegGrower]

Thanks VVG. It's good to have the exception explained so a few more tiny modules for next week then!
I am totally sure of sweetcorn being a "leaf/grain" and would have ignored the GC on that one any way. It's a shame they don't have a contact point (well I can't see one).

How are you coping with the week off? I've washed all my pots. Measured my plots to try and make a map to have a plan!! Fenced the sheep out of what is going to be the orchard. Filed all my seeds by month of use (as per Two Sheds). Still looking at the pile of goat muck, you can see where I've been though. I may have to buy some garlic this afternoon although I swore I'd I'd wait until next year to do onions and garlic. I've got some seedlings that need planting on and I'm resisiting the urge to convince myself that doing it would be maintenance. There are some docks waiting to be dug up but the weather is really manky today sort of on and off drizzle with serious wind (Half Term of course).

I am trying to get myself well as I have been diagnosed with iron anaemia and B12 deficiency (all an ongoing thing with my thyroid), so am just trying to be useful to others on here really. I pretty much have my ducks in a row with pot washing as I did trays, pots, tools back in late Autumn. Seeds are already arranged by family and then by month of sowing (sad aren't I ). I need to get to grips with riddling out my compost and turning the heap into the next bin. Henny girls help my pile! I hope you get to an Aldi as they have fruit trees for sale at the moment. We planted an orchard area last year in our top ground, where the hens are. We should be getting some more soon, hopefully. Hens, not trees

Useful site, too. I just had a better look (it is raining) and interestingly transplanting comes in with roots week - I don't think either me or the seedlings will wait that long but I'll certainly keep it in mind.

Do you have a source book or are you collecting from all sorts of sites?

I collect from sites. I do have an old diary from last year when I trialled biodynamic but have done lots of reading online for synodic. I only ever pot on, transplant etc at the relevant times but it does take some sitting on of hands....

[marchogaeth]

I am trying to get myself well as I have been diagnosed with iron anaemia and B12 deficiency (all an ongoing thing with my thyroid), so am just trying to be useful to others on here really. ...

Well take care and good luck with sorting things out.

I already have the apples, plums, greengages and damsons heeled in in the garden, they are big so it's just digging the holes that's the problem now the sheep are out.

[VirginVegGrower]

20-21st Feb Root Capricorn New Moon

Synodic:
Sow leafy vegetables and annuals that produce above ground.

Biodynamic:
Moon in Capricorn: This is an Earth sign. It is a good time to sow Root plants.

22-23 Feb Flower Aquarius New Moon

Synodic:
Sow leafy vegetables and annuals that produce above ground.
Biodynamic:
Moon in Aquarius: This is an Air sign. This is a good time to sow Flowering plants.

24-25 Feb Leaf Pisces Waxing crescent

Synodic:
Sow leafy vegetables and annuals that produce above ground.

Biodynamic:
Moon in Pisces: This is a Water sign. It is a good time to sow Leaf plants.

[VirginVegGrower]

Well take care and good luck with sorting things out. I already have the apples, plums, greengages and damsons heeled in in the garden, they are big so it's just digging the holes that's the problem now the sheep are out.

Thanks March! Had a good day of catch up today. I'm looking for places to pop a plum, pear and gage now. Sheep in the orchard sounds lovely. Will they need tree guards to prevent nibbling?

[marchogaeth]

VVG, please can you explain to me why or how today is the first day of synodic leaf planting when the official time for the new moon seems to be tomorrow at 10.35 pm if I've got my GMT right? Am I reading the wrong moon phase calendar?

[Thelma Sanders]

Damn & blast meant to sow some onions............. off to look in book to see when next date is.

I don't really want to be planting by torch...or should that be by moonlight

[veggiechicken]

Damn & blast meant to sow some onions............. off to look in book to see when next date is.

I don't really want to be planting by torch...or should that be by moonlight

Panic ye not, Thelma , you have tomorrow to do it (I think!)

[Thelma Sanders]

Phew! .

[HeatherL]

Planted 60 kelsae onion seeds in module trays yesterday, now covered by plastic bags in the airing cupboard. Might sow some red baron and Sturon globe tonight.

Practically all the aubergines, chillies and peppers I sowed on the biodynamic fruit day a couple of weeks ago in the heated propogator on the kitchen windowsill are up and looking healthy . I just need to get them into individual pots now.

Might do some celeriac as well tonight.

[Helgalush]

What do onions get classed as? Are they considered a root?

Hope its not too long til the next fruit day (Bio)....I'm so behind with my Feb sowing!

[veggiechicken]

Onions are roots and the next fruit days are the 27th/28th (Bio) - If I read this correctly!!
Moon calendar astrology - free chart online