[Taistealaiche]

Part way through this particular thread, I was about to chip in and say I've used lunar planting for some years, after having done it the 'conventional' way for a number of years in the nursery I owned. However, since this does seem to be a somewhat controversial subject, I think I'll go back into my box.

[Yorkie]

There's no need to go back into your box 

Threads on this topic almost always end being heated, with the devotees of lunar planting on the one hand being adamant that it works (but without any proof), and the scientists saying that it's a load of hogwash in the absence of proper proof 

It hasn't descended to those depths yet 

[galen]

I'd like to see a constructive thread, without arguments but proper discussion from moon planters and the scientists amongst us.

 

Compared with past threads on this subject I think this one is fairly unargumentative.  If anyone starts throwing insults around it will quickly be locked.

I didn't ask for insults or arguments - I was just curious to see if anyone had read about it/practised it etc

I don't think they were directed at you devonbarmygardener, been more of a lurker than a contributor on these forums over the past 3 1/2 years but this subject can have its"interesting" moments 

[sarajane]

I'll own up  -  12 months ago I looked into this, fancied having a try but to be honest, every time it was the correct time to sow it was either freezing cold, chucking it down with rain or I was in work.

Maybe when I'm retired and can get out there in the week days I'll give it another go but until then you'll have to wait for my results.

[DD.]

sarajane - I think you summed it up for me.

I plant/sow when weather conditions are right. The moon may say so, but if the ground is waterlogged or frozen.............

[mumofstig]

The planting days for the different types of veg/plants come round again roughly every 8/9 days. So if you miss one planting slot because of bad weather you just wait for the next - it's easy really - if you want to do it

Some say there's no proof it works - by the same token there's no proof it doesn't 

So each to their own say I 

[annie b]

Well, I'm still sticking with it for this year and although it won't be a scientific trial, it will be an interesting one!

[Bodmass]

Some may find this essay on the myths & effects of the moon interesting: http://www.skepdic.com/fullmoon.html

"The lunar force is actually a very weak tidal force. A mother holding her child "will exert 12 million times as much tidal force on her child as the moon" (Kelly et al., 1996: 25). Astronomer George O. Abell claims that a mosquito would exert more gravitational pull on your arm than the moon would (Abell 1979)."

[devonbarmygardener]

I'll own up  -  12 months ago I looked into this, fancied having a try but to be honest, every time it was the correct time to sow it was either freezing cold, chucking it down with rain or I was in work.

Maybe when I'm retired and can get out there in the week days I'll give it another go but until then you'll have to wait for my results.

Weather can be very inconvenient!
My chickens don't seem to lay so well when it's raining either!!

As I've said, I'm not religious about it, but if the weather suits I will have a go!

[Taistealaiche]

There's no need to go back into your box 

Threads on this topic almost always end being heated, with the devotees of lunar planting on the one hand being adamant that it works (but without any proof), and the scientists saying that it's a load of hogwash in the absence of proper proof 

I'll cautiously stick my toe in the water Some years back, I ran a small nursery specialising in perennials and rare plants. For quite a number of years I used the conventional method of seed sowing and taking cuttings.

After my mother died, I came across a book of hers about gardening by the moon. I was intrigued and decided to try it. Now I'm no scientist, I don't pretend to understand all the principles behind this, but these were my results over a 6 month period:

For 6 months I sowed seeds and took cuttings using both conventional and lunar methods. Each were treated exactly the same, i.e. same medium, same positions, same everything. The seeds I sowed using the lunar method germinated better and grew healthier plants. Likewise with the cuttings I took.

In comparison, the seeds sown and cuttings taken using conventional methods, while certainly still good enough for sale, wound up with a significantly greater failure rate and weren't quite as healthy.

That's really all I can say about it.

[devonbarmygardener]

There's no need to go back into your box 

Threads on this topic almost always end being heated, with the devotees of lunar planting on the one hand being adamant that it works (but without any proof), and the scientists saying that it's a load of hogwash in the absence of proper proof 

I'll cautiously stick my toe in the water Some years back, I ran a small nursery specialising in perennials and rare plants. For quite a number of years I used the conventional method of seed sowing and taking cuttings.

After my mother died, I came across a book of hers about gardening by the moon. I was intrigued and decided to try it. Now I'm no scientist, I don't pretend to understand all the principles behind this, but these were my results over a 6 month period:

For 6 months I sowed seeds and took cuttings using both conventional and lunar methods. Each were treated exactly the same, i.e. same medium, same positions, same everything. The seeds I sowed using the lunar method germinated better and grew healthier plants. Likewise with the cuttings I took.

In comparison, the seeds sown and cuttings taken using conventional methods, while certainly still good enough for sale, wound up with a significantly greater failure rate and weren't quite as healthy.

That's really all I can say about it.

Hmm, very interesting.
I like this topic.

[prakash_mib]

There's no need to go back into your box 

Threads on this topic almost always end being heated, with the devotees of lunar planting on the one hand being adamant that it works (but without any proof), and the scientists saying that it's a load of hogwash in the absence of proper proof 

I'll cautiously stick my toe in the water Some years back, I ran a small nursery specialising in perennials and rare plants. For quite a number of years I used the conventional method of seed sowing and taking cuttings.

After my mother died, I came across a book of hers about gardening by the moon. I was intrigued and decided to try it. Now I'm no scientist, I don't pretend to understand all the principles behind this, but these were my results over a 6 month period:

For 6 months I sowed seeds and took cuttings using both conventional and lunar methods. Each were treated exactly the same, i.e. same medium, same positions, same everything. The seeds I sowed using the lunar method germinated better and grew healthier plants. Likewise with the cuttings I took.

In comparison, the seeds sown and cuttings taken using conventional methods, while certainly still good enough for sale, wound up with a significantly greater failure rate and weren't quite as healthy.

That's really all I can say about it.

I like this and can I put a theory for the success?  in 1900s a knighted scientist proved that plants have perceptions and you can promote healthy growth by talk, attention and affection; the three things you gave more to one set because you didn't want to prove your beloved mother was wrong.
I am not saying its a hogwash or some backward thinking. moon do play a part in the greater bio chemistry and it is the part of the n-dimensions you need for a plant to grow. the plants do try their best to grow even if couple of dimensions fail. Its like we need food, shelter, clothes, mobile, tv and sundries to live in today's world. if the couple of sundries fail/inaccessible we dont bother but we still move on. Plants for millions of years have waited for the conditions.

If moon theory is right I would get daffodils every year on a specific date. Well I dont.
I picked blackberries by middle of june 3-4 years ago. how did that happen?
They are out all year, they know about the moon (trust me, they know more than us about the conditions to thrive)

 
That said I am not ridiculing the idea.

[Taistealaiche]

I like this and can I put a theory for the success?  in 1900s a knighted scientist proved that plants have perceptions and you can promote healthy growth by talk, attention and affection;

Ok, this is interesting (even if a bit off topic). Another book among my mother's possessions was about experiments done in India with plants. In brief, plant reactions to various stimuli were measured. e.g. someone would come into a room that had various plants in it and talk abusively in loud voices, etc, even hack at the plants. After a few days it was noted that whenever that person came into the room, the plants would physically lean away from him. In contrast, the plants would lean towards someone who treated them kindly.

The same effects were also noted with various types of music.

[sunshineband]

You know, I can recall seeing a film about the effect of voices on plants when I was at uni many years ago.

Flinching leaves looked quite definite when the film was speeded up.

Same sort of effect but more so for really loud music

It was fascinating.

Wish I could remember whose research it was..... 

[devonbarmygardener]

I talk to plants, and chickens and cats - and I shout at weathermen on the TV!

Remember the episode of 'The Good Life' when Tom arranged the 'scientific' experiment about talking to plants? Douglas Bean! Felicity kendal couldn't stop naturally laughing during filming!!!