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Re: Moon Planting

Hi,

Thank you Bill for describing your experience on the subject,  it
sounds as if you are well qualified to doubt the efficacy of 'moon
planting'.

Janet Wintermute (I think) asked about the reason for planting on
Easter Monday.  I can't exactly remember the reason for this but to
the 'believers' this is supposed to be a special time for planting.
The calculation for Easter is still calculated as the first Sunday
after the Spring Equinox and after the Full Moon.

The idea of 'moon planting' seems to be one that is used by many
cultures,  I understand that in some parts of Africa it is used and
that when 'tested' by scientists it was found that the technique used
was valid.  The scientists explained it by asserting that the lunar
cycle affected the amount of atmospheric dust and that the
atmospheric dust triggered subsequent rainfall.

I am most familiar with the theories from an Anthroposophical
viewpoint (the teachings of Rudolph Steiner).  I am not an
Anthroposophist and am not trying to support his teachings.  I did
however once work at an establishment where many people held to this
belief.

The Bio-dynamic system which I believe is supported by John Jeavons (who
trained Anthroposophically) specifies certain days as 'Leaf',  'Root'
'Fruit' and 'Flower' and cultivates accordingly.

The theory is quite complex,  certainly for folk like me who have
trouble telling the difference between the Hale-Bopp comet and the
Moon:), but for those who are interested a little booklet is
published every year by Lanthorn Press called 'Working with the
Stars'  which gives full details for every day of the year and
explains the movement of the Moon and Planets.

Bio-dynamicists also publish trials of 'experiments' showing the
differences between crop growth due to differing sowing dates.

Personally I have an open mind about the subject because I have never
used the system.

Joe Hemmens

>         The addition of a very small amount of light during the dark cycle of
 a
> plant's day supresses the starch to carbon dioxide complement of
> photosynthesis. The excess starch is known to cause flowering in some
> plants and other forms of growth in others. A note to those who like to
> leave their back porch light on. This can be enough to disrupt a plant's
> regular growing cycle.
>
> > Since the theory is concerned with sowing dates and plants that
> > produce 'above ground yields and below ground yields' and plants take
> > such widely divergent period of time to germinate and therefore
> > appear above ground and subject to moonlight,  such as Broad
> > Beans (approx 21 days) and Radishes (approx 7 days) giving a half
> > moon cycle difference between germination times of those two crops
> > and that most crops are subject to moonlight for a number of 28 day moon
>  cycles
> > (thereby even further reducing the supposed advantage of light advantage
>  between
> > different moon phases) it seems unlikely that moonlight can alter
> > crop growth for a crop grown until maturity.
>
>         Germination rates are a fair test. But as I indicated these tests have
> been done under real controls and the results are well known. Which
> explains why commercial growers feel free to ignore moon cycles in their
> planting. I worked for 5 years at the Lake Helen Sprout Farm where we
> grew alfalfa sprouts in 500# lots. I was able to do these tests myself
> as well as study the results of other testing. At the time I was a
> convinced astrologer and had an interest in finding the positive
> results. We had a totally controlled environment, temperature control,
> timed and measured water, lights on a timer with photosensors to assure
> consistent light intensity, and we kept detailed notes on weight, leaf
> formation (pushing off the hull) and shelf life (probably not important
> except for vitality comparisons). In addition I would do a natal chart
> on every batch, looking for some variation due to planetary influence. I
> paid particular attention to the Moon/Sun cycle since there is so much
> folk lore on that subject. Suffice it to say that I am no longer an
> Astrologer.
>
> >
> > >         Not a slam at you BTW, I still think the results will be
> > > interesing. It's just that he will not be measuring the effect of the
> > > moon, he will be measuring the size of his dedicated audience.
> >
> > Joe Hemmens
>
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