Post by Urban Warrior on Apr 28, 2006 11:10:24 GMT
Gardening by the phases of the moon is a technique that can speed the germination of your seeds by working with the forces of nature.
For millions of years the moon a bare spherical chunk of rock, has circled the earth. The gravitational force as it moves through the sky has an affect on every human, every animal, and every plant. You might like to invest in a lunar calendar or a farmers Almanac. These show the moons phases as she passes through the year. From this you might note the effect that different phases have on you and those around you. As you learn more your personal awareness and experience will enable you to utilise the lunar power.
Our forefathers lived in harmony with the rhythms and laws of nature; it was essential for their survival. Closely related to the movement of the moon were the ebb and flow of the tides, the weather, and the behaviour of animals, pregnancy and menstruation. once you become aware of these influences you can better apply magick and ritual. Additionally you will learn when is the right time to pick herbs to use for healing. Unfortunately we have 'lost' much of the knowledge that our forefathers had because science has replaced that which is now regarded as either superstition or folklore. Scientists often cannot quantify this traditional knowledge. It is not provable and yet before the coming of science it was considered valid and correct. To regain this knowledge takes time but it is happening. More gardeners today are turning to the moon for sage advice on the best time to plant, prune, weed, and harvest. The practice, known as moon or lunar gardening, is cultivating a cult following.
"Lunar gardening is the oldest form of gardening known to man," said RJ Harris, the head gardener at Tresillian Estate near Newquay in mid Cornwall, and author of a book on the subject. "The practice centres on the moon's gravitational effect on the flow of moisture in soil and plants and, to a lesser degree the effect of moonlight on seed germination."
Harris has gardened in tune with the lunar cycle since the 1950s, a practice he learned from his father and grandfather. "Ever since prehistoric times, long before man ever had a watch on his wrist or a calendar on his wall, everything was governed by the phases of the moon," said Harris. He notes that the moon not only controls ocean tides but also influences the groundwater tables beneath our feet. Understanding the latter effect, and timing gardening chores accordingly, is the basis of moon gardening.
What the moon gardening movement currently lacks is a body of modern scientific work that validates its benefits. Researchers at the Agricultural Research Service's National Soil Tilth Laboratory in Ames, Iowa investigated one tangential relationship between the moon and agriculture in 1995. Douglas Buhler and colleague Keith Kohler conducted experiments that showed weed seed exposure to light enhances germination for select species.
Kohler said their findings indicated that till soiling (which brings buried weed seeds to the surface) in complete darkness, such as that under a new moon, hinders the germination of certain weed seeds-resulting in fewer weeds in one's garden. "Certain species, even if they receive only a flash of light, tend to break dormancy and basically turn on the sequence of germination and establishment" he said.
Meanwhile Harris said he conducts his own experiments. Each year he cultivates a selection of crops in opposition to the best practices of moon-gardening methods. Crops planted according to the lunar cycle always fare better. He claims that ever since he implemented the lunar calendar at the estate where he works, "we have never had to use any artificial watering,". Since the release of his book RJ Harris' Moon Gardening in 2002 people all over the world write to him for advice. The current boom in lunar gardening reminds him of the time organic gardening began to find a niche during the "hippie craze" of the 1970s. "They were the first?people to bring in organic gardening. Everyone laughed at them," he said. "Now people will pay a premium for organically grown produce."
Copies of 'R J Harris's Moon Gardening' are £12.95 each.
For millions of years the moon a bare spherical chunk of rock, has circled the earth. The gravitational force as it moves through the sky has an affect on every human, every animal, and every plant. You might like to invest in a lunar calendar or a farmers Almanac. These show the moons phases as she passes through the year. From this you might note the effect that different phases have on you and those around you. As you learn more your personal awareness and experience will enable you to utilise the lunar power.
Our forefathers lived in harmony with the rhythms and laws of nature; it was essential for their survival. Closely related to the movement of the moon were the ebb and flow of the tides, the weather, and the behaviour of animals, pregnancy and menstruation. once you become aware of these influences you can better apply magick and ritual. Additionally you will learn when is the right time to pick herbs to use for healing. Unfortunately we have 'lost' much of the knowledge that our forefathers had because science has replaced that which is now regarded as either superstition or folklore. Scientists often cannot quantify this traditional knowledge. It is not provable and yet before the coming of science it was considered valid and correct. To regain this knowledge takes time but it is happening. More gardeners today are turning to the moon for sage advice on the best time to plant, prune, weed, and harvest. The practice, known as moon or lunar gardening, is cultivating a cult following.
"Lunar gardening is the oldest form of gardening known to man," said RJ Harris, the head gardener at Tresillian Estate near Newquay in mid Cornwall, and author of a book on the subject. "The practice centres on the moon's gravitational effect on the flow of moisture in soil and plants and, to a lesser degree the effect of moonlight on seed germination."
Harris has gardened in tune with the lunar cycle since the 1950s, a practice he learned from his father and grandfather. "Ever since prehistoric times, long before man ever had a watch on his wrist or a calendar on his wall, everything was governed by the phases of the moon," said Harris. He notes that the moon not only controls ocean tides but also influences the groundwater tables beneath our feet. Understanding the latter effect, and timing gardening chores accordingly, is the basis of moon gardening.
What the moon gardening movement currently lacks is a body of modern scientific work that validates its benefits. Researchers at the Agricultural Research Service's National Soil Tilth Laboratory in Ames, Iowa investigated one tangential relationship between the moon and agriculture in 1995. Douglas Buhler and colleague Keith Kohler conducted experiments that showed weed seed exposure to light enhances germination for select species.
Kohler said their findings indicated that till soiling (which brings buried weed seeds to the surface) in complete darkness, such as that under a new moon, hinders the germination of certain weed seeds-resulting in fewer weeds in one's garden. "Certain species, even if they receive only a flash of light, tend to break dormancy and basically turn on the sequence of germination and establishment" he said.
Meanwhile Harris said he conducts his own experiments. Each year he cultivates a selection of crops in opposition to the best practices of moon-gardening methods. Crops planted according to the lunar cycle always fare better. He claims that ever since he implemented the lunar calendar at the estate where he works, "we have never had to use any artificial watering,". Since the release of his book RJ Harris' Moon Gardening in 2002 people all over the world write to him for advice. The current boom in lunar gardening reminds him of the time organic gardening began to find a niche during the "hippie craze" of the 1970s. "They were the first?people to bring in organic gardening. Everyone laughed at them," he said. "Now people will pay a premium for organically grown produce."
Copies of 'R J Harris's Moon Gardening' are £12.95 each.