Moon Gardening; absolute rubbish or not?

It is really surprising just how popular this subject is. I have been asked several times on my views and there a speakers doing the rounds to WI talks etc., preaching about the benefits of lunar phase gardening.It does work; but it is worrying that the facts with regards why it works have been distorted so far away from the truth. The real facts are far more interesting and steeped in traditional sustainable gardening and farming. However a plethora of predominantly US based websites, authors and practitioners, firmly in the belief that a) the gravitational pull of the moon can affect plant growth and b) the alignment of constellations can seriously affect plant growth and behaviour, (Astrology for Flora), have actually been able to convert huge numbers of people into practising these techniques and of course because it works they are thus credited.The reason the system works so well is simple: Several thousand years of honing precision in agricultural and horticultural techniques have resulted in the very best of systems and cultivars to maximise food and flower production. It was however only in the last century that affordable timekeeping was available to many of the people involved in this progression. Together with the introduction of night time entertainment on electrical appliances, there was no longer any need to read the great computer that was provided by the night sky. Traditional methods of determining the optimum times of planting were simply linked in with the easiest system to schedule with for all - the lunar phases.thus when using translated lunar charts for the planting, newcomers were surprised and delighted to discover that it worked so well and it is frankly insulting to our ancestors to ignore the time and effort put into developing these charts and schedules in a way that was designed to be so easily read and that instead it has been attributed to poor science and astrology.Maybe it is our desire and love of myths and mysteries that easily persuades the most sensible and intelligent of people to believe in astrology for plants or the more easily believed gravitational pull argument. But if the moon's gravitational pull cannot effect the largest freshwater lakes or even smaller seas, (including the Med), it cannot possibly have an affect on your potatoes - and astrology, well if you can succumb to Russell Grant's description of your future with wide eyed astonishment, there is little point in trying to persuade you otherwise.We should be celebrating our ancestors skill and knowledge which honed horticulture and agriculture into the precise industry it now is and the one industry capable of supporting the worlds population at a time when there are more people alive at the moment than there ever has been in history. And with climate change happening it is worrying that the information contained within the charts for lunar gardening may well be altered due to dramatic changes to the changing seasons to which true lunar gardening is intrinsically linked.

www.paysagedurable.com
Votes: 0
E-mail me when people leave their comments –

Comments

This reply was deleted.

You need to be a member of Landscape Juice Network to add comments!

Join Landscape Juice Network

Open forum activity

Alistair Copley updated their profile
12 hours ago
robert pryor replied to Tim Wallach's discussion Tripod ladder user? Your advice sought please!
"I have a 6ft pair of Niwakis, wish i’d had them years before I did. I initially got the 8fts and immediately realised they would be a pain for the majority of hedges I used to cut. I think they are brilliant just make sure they are seated properly.…"
12 hours ago
Samuel Beresford-Foster is now a member of Landscape Juice Network
21 hours ago
Adam Woods replied to Tim Wallach's discussion Tripod ladder user? Your advice sought please!
"I wouldn't cut a hedge without one. Anything over 6' you should get with 3 adjustable legs, otherwise they can be unstable if you lean - but positioned correctly they are the only way. 
Befrore retirement I had an 8' and a 4; . The 4' went in the…"
yesterday
John F replied to Tim Wallach's discussion Tripod ladder user? Your advice sought please!
"Yes had that scenario where you can't reach a fiddly bit no matter what ladder and have to balance on the apex of a shed roof or do best job painstakingly with a long reach pole pruner . "
yesterday
PGM replied to PGM's discussion Grass Cutting 2026 Season
"We've just finished our second week, so that's a full round of all customers now, and didn't have a single one we couldn't do. It's been a really good start here in the north west and now with nice sunny weather coming up this week it's a great time…"
yesterday
Duncan Neville replied to Tim Wallach's discussion Tripod ladder user? Your advice sought please!
"I'm very wary of these tripod ladders, I took a life changing fall from the top of a 12ft tripod. Now I only use them myself with great care. The issue is that they are very unstable at the top if you lean to either side, and they go with no…"
yesterday
Billybop replied to PGM's discussion Grass Cutting 2026 Season
"Done a couple of second cuts already this last week would you believe. It's almost as if the grass has a memory of last year's drought and is making up for it now plenty of moisture available"
yesterday
Billybop replied to Tim Wallach's discussion Tripod ladder user? Your advice sought please!
"the tripods are good but in some scenarios the wide base and the fact the 3rd leg has to be placed some distance away from the step part for stability makes this large foot print impractical eg when cutting hedge behind a shed or greenhouse with…"
Sunday
Graham Taylor replied to Tim Wallach's discussion Tripod ladder user? Your advice sought please!
"Never tried these but always thought they look a bit of a pain to cart about. Looking at the picture, seems you're quite away from the hedge so you have to reach out more?   I just use ordinary aluminium extension ladders that you can easily adjust…"
Saturday
Sam Bainbridge replied to Tim Wallach's discussion Tripod ladder user? Your advice sought please!
"Tripods are better than any other ladder that's a fact. You can cut hedges that are lower than the ladder but it is more awkward, I have a 6ft amd a 12 foot been using both for the last 15yrs and haven't come stuck yet. Believe me once you've had…"
Saturday
Intelligent Landscapes replied to Tim Wallach's discussion Tripod ladder user? Your advice sought please!
"I agree with HB. 12 foot Henchman with 3 adjustable legs are fantastic and we use them all the time."
Saturday
Joseph Taylor and The Stonemart Ltd are now friends
Friday
Honey Badger replied to Tim Wallach's discussion Tripod ladder user? Your advice sought please!
"You won't regret it, they are most comfortable ladders to use. Worth every penny."
Friday
matt replied to Julian chambers's discussion Price increases
"Increase prices every year, costs go up every year both on business and at home so otherwise your taking a pay cut, i dont get greedy i make small increases annually but as I do it every year and customers have learned thats part and parcel of it,…"
Friday
matt replied to Tim Wallach's discussion Tripod ladder user? Your advice sought please!
"i have two sizes and couldnt be without them, as use the smaller set for lower hedges so ladders never in the way and ive never bothered with the platform ladders"
Friday
More…

Does moss always = full renovation

Hi.Does a mossey lawn always equal a full lawn renovation? Once you kill (or control) moss the customer is left with brown / black dead moss all over their lawn. So then its needs scarifying to rake it up, then usually a preseed fert, seed and top…

Read more…
8 Replies · Reply by PGM on Thursday
Views: 398