Moon Gardening

[FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial]I read this the other night and thought I'd post to see if anyone has ever tried making a "moon garden". The article is from dailyom.com. Enjoy!!! *W~W*

Experiencing Nature by Night
Moon Gardens
A whole other world exists in the light of a moon-filled night that few of us even notice.

In the height of summertime's heat, we drift outdoors at dusk to refresh ourselves in the temperate air of evening. Cricket song and the glow of fireflies come together with ever-lengthening shadows to create a natural symphony of overlapping sensations that invigorate the body and gladden the soul. As the sun sets, the vivid colors of most flowers and leaves fade, becoming a dull grey, but moon gardens provide us with a space to appreciate Mother Nature's bounty long after the light of day has retreated. Designed to be enjoyed from dusk until the coming of the darkness, these gardens serve as a perfect complement to silvery moonlight, mild summer nights, and the spirit of rejuvenation.

Most plant life worships the sun, but a select few shrubs and flowers come into their own in luna's glow. The silvery leaves of lamb's ears and artemisia reflect the radiance of the moon, while the bright-white flowers adorning yucca and evening primrose seem to shimmer brilliantly in dusk's gloom. Certain blossoms such as the moonflower and four o'clocks open only at night, releasing their sweet fragrances in spectacular displays of scent and beauty. While creating a moon garden, remember to take each human sense into account. We appreciate the ghostly beauty of nighttime nature best when we can sit comfortably until our eyes have adjusted to the surrounding darkness. Bamboo and thick grasses make a comforting sound when bandied about by gentle nighttime breezes.

Transforming a portion of your existing yard or patio into a moon garden is simple, and the pleasure you will derive from your nighttime retreat will become worth it once you start to enjoy it. Green spaces come alive at night when nocturnal blossoms release their perfume into the air and ethereally lovely and luminous foliage dances in the breeze. In a moon garden, relaxation is a simple matter of attuning yourself to the stillness of evening and seeing, for the first time, the myriad shades of beauty that can be found in the darkness. [/FONT]

Sometimes, I howl at the moon!!!!!

I thought there was a moon growers social group here, but it must have been discontinued as I don't see it anymore.

four-o-clocks at midnite...

That's hot castout hehehe Pretty flowers pinball

i was looking for that thread, "gardening by the moon" or such a while back.. couldn't find it.

i know this thread is about creating a venue to be enjoyed by moonlight (nice!) so i apologise for sidetracking - i'd copied this from the old thread... would love to find it again.



Lunar Planting

The influence of the Sun and the weather it creates are the most important factors affecting conditions for plants and grower. The gravitational effect of the
Moon is equal to that of the Sun. It is strong enough to create the tides in the ocean. This also governs behaviour in plants, animals and soils.

TIMING (ACTIVITIES)

NEW / WAXING MOON----SOWING SEED
FULL MOON-----------------GERMINATION
WANING MOON------------CUTTINGS / PROPAGATION
DARK MOON----------------TRANSPLANTING



TIMING SEED-SOWING (Synodic Cycle)

Sow seeds as many days before Full Moon as it will take them to germinate. Roots should be sown under the influence of the Dark Moon. Sow on the nearest most suitable sign day for the crop you want at maturity. Identifying windows of opportunity suitable for various tasks means you can plan ahead and don't try to do too much at one time or too soon. The restriction imposed by following this timetable is compensated for by improved subsequent growth.

Priority tasks such as seed-sowing can be prepared for well ahead of time, fitting less important jobs in as and when possible. Following this pattern provides a diversity of activities through the course of each month which enhances personal motivation and momentum.


Sideric Moon Cycle

The Moon affects plants differently according to which sector of the celestial, night sky /Astrological Sign it is passing through, promoting and enhancing specific types of growth.


The 12 Signs correspond to the four Elements [ Air, Water, Fire and Earth ] in three sequential cycles each month, which are related to four main categories of Growth [Flower, Leaf, Fruit and Root ]. Depending on what part of the plant you want as crop, sow, cultivate & work with those plants on days ruled by the relevant Sign/Element:-

FLOWER = AIR AQUARIUS / GEMINI / LIBRA

LEAF = WATER PISCES / CANCER / SCORPIO

FRUIT / SEED = FIRE ARIES / LEO / SAGITTARIUS

ROOT = EARTH TAURUS / VIRGO / CAPRICORN


There are 13 Moon cycles. Moon cycles vary in length ( 28-31 days 29 ½ average.


THE SUN The Sun is the most important factor deciding what plant growth is possible at different times of the month and year. Solar activity dictates the availability of necessities such as heat, light and drives the weather cycles. Sunlight can be unpredictable, even in summer, but the Sun also has cycles of increased activity, such as the occurrence of sunspots and emissions of particles from its reactions. The influence of the Sun and the weather generally are the most important factors affecting conditions for both plants and grower, although it sometimes seems that the influences of the Sun and the Moon are synchronised, as when a drought breaks just before a Full Moon.



THE MOON’S CYCLES

1. THE SYNODIC MONTH From an earthbound perspective, the visible Moon takes 29.5 days to complete the cycle through its phases from New to Full and back to New.

It is this cycle which governs and is synchronised with the behaviour of water around the world, causing it to rise and fall twice daily. On the macroscopic level, the gravitational pull of the Moon on the oceans directly controls the pattern and extent of tides. The same force which causes oceans to move also influences the behaviour of the liquid magma beneath tectonic plates and consequent volcanic activity. It also influences water and all liquids on microscopic and molecular levels. Behaviour patterns of both plants [ e.g. dormancy / fertilisation ] and animals [ e.g. hibernation or estovation / reproduction ] are both timed to co-incide with the Moon's cycles, as are menstrual cycles. Just as the Moon is capable of producing two high and low tides a day, so water rises and falls
within the soil. These land-tides are most extreme at Full and Dark Moons. When the Sun and Moon are opposite each other [ Full ], water in soil rises strongly twice, twelve hours apart, feeding plant roots and encouraging them to travel into the soil as the water drops. When they pull together at Dark moon, they produce one larger, combined pull every 24 hours, causing roots to search deeper for water.

2. THE ANOMALISTIC MONTH Represents the Moon's distance from the Earth. The Moon's disc is larger when it is closest (perigee) and smaller when it is furthest
away (apogee), and its gravitational effect is proportionately stronger or weaker.

This cycle is just over 27.5 days long and the Moon is 40,000 Km / 16,000 miles closer at perigee than at apogee. Sow seed before perigee, seed sown at apogee will be more likely to bolt, which could be useful if you want seed.

3. THE TROPICAL MONTH Shows how high the Moon is in the sky, its elevation, when it is furthest North in the sky and its declination or lowest point South. Days when the Moon is ascending are suitable for grafting: when descending for sowing roots, transplanting & pruning.

4. THE SIDERIC MONTH The Moon takes 27.5 days to cross the celestial sky and return to its starting point. The sky can be understood to be a Zodiac made up of 12 approximately equal longitudinal sections [ Astrological Signs ], each occupying approximately 30o of the 360 o of a complete circuit.

It takes the Moon 2-3 days to pass through each section. The effect of the Moon on plants is different according to which Sign it is passing through. The Signs correspond to the four Elements

[Air, Water, Fire and Earth] in three sequential cycles each month.
When the moon is in a certain Sign, specific types of growth process are promoted and enhanced.

These are identified by relating the four Elements to four main categories of growth
[ Flower, Leaf, Fruit and Root ].

Depending on what part of the plant is required as a crop, harvest or end-product activities can be carried out on days ruled by the relevant Sign and Element. For example: Varieties within the cabbage family have been bred to yield crops with characteristics which correlate to the four elemental characteristics. Hence, the biodynamic cultivator can sow turnips or swedes when the moon is in an Earth sign, to maximise root growth: broccoli or cauliflower on Air-flower days: kale or spring cabbage on Water-leaf days: and for a seed crop like mustard on Fire-fruit days.

THE MOON AND THE STARS
Lunar and Cosmic influences can combine and reinforce each other. For instance, a transplant or cutting carried out just before Dark Moon and during an Earth Sign [ Rooting ] would be receiving doubly helpful influences. Even subtler systems of attribution assert that individual plant species correspond to or have affinities with specific astrological signs or planets.


the following sites are helpful in knowing the phases of the moon and the astrological signs when growing:

Phases of the moon:
http://www.moonconnection.com/curren...dmf_1217418460


Astrological signs and planets for gardening:

http://http://www.the-gardeners-cale...n_Planting.asp


I hope this information is as useful for other folk has much as I have found it useful for me

by ulric wolfshead's

well forgive me but it looks looks like all but the dark moon is the same thing...
what is the difference between sowing/germination/propagation is escaping me. great post though. peace

i'm not saying i buy all of it.. astrology seems a bit involved to me.. though i have noticed what seem to be correlations between lunar phase and growth.

i haven't read the above in a few years, but what i most often hear is that seeds should be sown the number of days before the full moon that it will take them to germ.

i believe that they meant cuttings by 'propagation' though it could technically mean sowing too.

i was hoping somone would have a link to the old thread

hundreds and hundreds of years of successful agricultural experience and you think it's astrological mumbo jumbo?

...it's like me saying 'come on honey, i don't care what time of month it is...'.

who said that? not me, I was just looking for an explanation of the difference of those terms. When is the best time to plant cannabis seeds then according to that? The best time for sowing and germination are too far apart to match for our favorite plant. It seems if you start them in the best time for sowing it will not be the best time for germination, which does not make sense. Also I am scientific minded so I am a little skeptical, but I also feel there are some things not yet readily explainable by science and just because it is not understood does not make it any less real. So there could be something to this and I'd like to find out for myself. And was there a thread or social group on this once? If so why is it gone now or where is it? I think I remember some lady inviting me there herself and she led that group. It seems like a legitimate topic for a social group to me.

Here ya go...

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=109274&highlight=gardening+moon

sorry if you took it personal...wasn't directed at you personally.

many will scoff at the knowledge garnered because it is obscure, also it is not well known
because so few actually use this value-added knowledge outside of farmers.

no need to feel left out, it is still freely available to those who care to look.

stoned dumb...me for not posting about nature at night.

I'm outside nightly...every night possible i wonder at the stars and the moon through the tall pines gently swaying to the music of the tree frogs.
I have observed some amazing occurences in the night skies, some that rendered me speechless. Dare not tell a soul lest i be called liar.
I watch the moon waxing and waning, pulling the tides and teasing plants to gerninate.
I pay particular attention to the nights that are clear as they are few, but i also watch the clouds as they indicate the weather...mostly i focus on the wind as it has shown how devastating a blowdown can be.
During a new moon i can just make out my hand in front of my face, but in the full moons reflection i can navigate freely around the place.
Sounds at night can be an adventure too. Owls, coyotes, tree frogs, all lend melody to the silence.
Yessir! I can hardly wait for nightfall.

Mrs.Babba said:

Here ya go...

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=109274&highlight=gardening+moon

Click to expand...

I thank you and I am sure others do too! what ever happened to LolaGal anyway? If it was personal or involved a ban, I know I will not get an answer and forgive me for asking as this is a little touchy of a subject. But if it was common knowledge, maybe someone can point me to the last thread or post of hers. Her moon gardening group showed promise, and I miss it. I was just getting ready to delve into it deeper and it is gone now. So if someone is no longer a member any social groups they started are gone too? Well I hope she is alright.

Anyway, thanks for explaining trich I guess I was a little too touchy that day.

PS. If it were possible, it would be nice if posts/threads by guests could still be searchable since there is still valuable info there. Also if possible, it would be nice if when someone chose to leave this site, they could voluntarily leave a reason why. For example, if deceased a family member could put "RIP" either under "Guest" or instead of "guest". POW could be if someone falls victim to the Drug War, and so on. Just a thought.

Space Toker said:

I thank you and I am sure others do too! what ever happened to LolaGal anyway? If it was personal or involved a ban, I know I will not get an answer and forgive me for asking as this is a little touchy of a subject. But if it was common knowledge, maybe someone can point me to the last thread or post of hers. Her moon gardening group showed promise, and I miss it. I was just getting ready to delve into it deeper and it is gone now. So if someone is no longer a member any social groups they started are gone too? Well I hope she is alright.

Anyway, thanks for explaining trich I guess I was a little too touchy that day.

PS. If it were possible, it would be nice if posts/threads by guests could still be searchable since there is still valuable info there. Also if possible, it would be nice if when someone chose to leave this site, they could voluntarily leave a reason why. For example, if deceased a family member could put "RIP" either under "Guest" or instead of "guest". POW could be if someone falls victim to the Drug War, and so on. Just a thought.

Click to expand...

Lola wasnt happy here and left, I believe anyway.
Unfortunately most ppl that leave are pissed or get banned or want to leave quickly and quietly due to LEO shit, so thats not really a reality here. People come and go, thats just how the internet is.

I believe Mrs B is right about Lola, its sad to see people come and go. I haven't been in here for a while myself, just recently started reading the forums again and popping into chat. I missed by bad girls

Soooooo I think we've found a perfect spot for the moon garden. I'm going to remove some of the raspberry/blackberry plants in the yard and put it there. It'll be perfect, about 20' from the fire pit so we can enjoy it while we're out toasting s'mores haha Actually, we usually just bring out a few beers, a joint, maybe even a guitar . . . lol

Here's a website I found with tips and different types of flowers to use:

http://tipnut.com/moon-garden/

Happy gardening ladies

I promise to cut down, on a harvest moon.......hoping the ganja gods love that!!!!! Seriously though, my ladies get classical music piped in...and if planting on the lunar schedule, means I will have better meds, than I am all for it!!!!!!

Nice link WW, thanks..I never really thought about planting flowers that will pick up the moon beams, thats very cool, Ill have to think about a spot in our yard for that...make a pit for a fire and put some pots around it to make it look nice.
Something to do thats not alot of money but can make a nice place to chill out in. WW has the right idea, take a doob and a glass of wine and sit by the fire for while in the evenings when its nice out!

I come n go lots too, haven't been too much of a regular here.
But this topic piqued my interest, I know alot of growers who plant on the full moon.
Personally I've never noticed a difference, but that full moon can be really bright.

Interesting thread WW; I wonder or did i miss weather the moon phases would apply to indoor grows too? Anyways thanks for the subject.

I have always transplanted on Full Moon nights with great success, including full-sized 15 foot trees that became bare rooted in the process of moving across town.