To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Grafting by the moon (totally on topic)
Date: Thu, 2 Apr 2009 15:20:12 -0500
I read about grafts being more likely to take when done during a waxing moon
(going towards a full moon) rather than a waning moon (going towards new
moon).
Sarah and all,
I borrowed and read a book years ago by a couple named Kolisko I think.
they did a lot of really interesting research on things like the moon's
influence on plants. They planted various seeds at different times in the
cycle and pretty well proved that the very best time to plant in 2 days
before the full moon. To eliminate the simple fact that planting at one
time in the annual cycle is better than another time, they planted a flat of
tomatoes in the greenhouse every 2 weeks, full moon and new moon, for 20
years. In general, plants that are planted in a waxing moon use more water
all their lives, and contain more water, than those planted in a waning
moon. This makes sense of the advice to plant root crops in a waning moon,
even though they will produce less, because a drier root is likely to rot
less in storage. Also they said if you have a crop that suffers a lot from
fungus diseases, maybe you'd want to plant it in the waning moon.
I have tried to use this info in the 14 or so years since I read it, and
as I have done no controlled studies myself, I can't tell you if it really
works. HOWEVER, it has made me a better gardener. I perceive now that I
have 13 deadlines a year, and I make the most of them. My lackadaisical
attitude in the past meant that it would start in raining and I'd say, oh,
if only I had hoed up that spot to plant greens in before this started....
Once my full moon deadline for the month is past, I start thinking about
what I'm going to plant the next month. I pull weeds, I think about next
month and I get ready. And yes, I'd prefer to do my grafting on a waxing
moon, but if it's waning I just figure it'll be slower to take. No real
worry in that regard. And I figure that trees are different, they are going
to have a long life so I don't worry that much about when I transfer them
from pot to ground. Donna
Re: [NAFEX] Grafting by the moon (totally on topic),
Kieran &/or Donna, 04/02/2009