My Lunar Gardening Guide and Potatoes in the Snow

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.  A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;"
     Ecclesiastes 3:1-2.

     The most obvious effect of the moon's gravity on the earth is the raising of the ocean tides.  The logic of gardening by the moon is based on the effects of the moon's light and gravity on the moisture, microbes and other matter contained in the soil.  The pull of gravity is greatest during the full moon and the new moon.  Of course the light is greatest during the full moon.  Farmers throughout the ages have observed the effects of the moon on their planting, cultivating and harvesting activities and developed some guidelines.  I generally try to follow these guidelines for several reasons:
     1) I tend to respect the wisdom of those who came before me.
     2) the moon calendar helps keep me on a schedule, making it difficult to postpone things.
     3) It makes me feel in touch with the wider universe and the continuity of life.

General Lunar Guidelines

During the New Moon and Waxing Crescent- best time to plant flowers, leafy vegetables and plants with exposed seed.  Ex: lettuce, cabbage, broccoli and grain including corn.
During the Second Quarter and Waxing Gibbous- best time to plant vegetables with enclosed seed.  Ex: tomatoes, beans, peas, squash and melons.
During the Full Moon and Waning Gibbous- best time to plant for root development.  Ex: potatoes, carrots, beets, radishes, onions and transplanting.
During the Fourth Quarter and Waning Crescent- best time for tilling, cultivating and harvesting for storage.

     There's a lot more to gardening with the moon, but these are the basics and my general guidelines.  Of course there are times when other factors prevent me from religiously following these guidelines.  At those times I just punt and do what I can when I can.  Life is oft times a crap shoot.

Poultry Report

     Looking at last year's calendar, I saw that egg production jumped quickly from 6 or 8 eggs a week to 40 or 50 eggs a week after I switched the hen's diet from corn to laying mash.  Hoping for the same results, last Tuesday I splurged and spent $16.11 on a 50 pound sack of laying mash.  I've still got the same 8 hens that I had last year, and they look as healthy as ever.  So come on girls, let's go!

     I'm considering getting a new rooster this year, so we can produce some new chicks.  These hens are between 4 and 6 years old, and will have to slow down some time.

Plans for the Coming Week or Two 



Part of 2'x8' area to start potatoes and radishes

Lettuce and Spinach started sprouting

Full Moon April 25th
    There's still close to 2 feet of snow on the garden, but the soil under the greenhouse is warming up nicely and the short range forecast is showing temperatures only going down to freezing with highs in the 45 to 70 F range, I'm planning to start some radishes, carrots and a few hills of red potatoes inside the greenhouse.  I want potatoes by the fourth of July!

     There will also be more re-potting of plants started in the house, and most of them will soon be moved to the greenhouse.
Last Quarter May 2nd
     After next week, if most of the snow cover disappears from the garden, It will be time to clean the chicken coop and put it and the pigeon poop in the compost and the garden.  If I'm lucky, I may even be able to do some tilling, but that's just a pipe dream for now.

 

 



Re-potting pumpkins, squash and tomatoes

     I re-potted the cherry and beefsteak tomatoes, and the pumpkin and squash from saved seed today.  Transplanting is best done during the 3rd quarter after the full moon to encourage root growth, but mostly you have to transplant when they're ready.  I couldn't wait any longer for these pumpkins, squash and tomatoes,  as they were just too big and crowded.  Hopefully it will be warm enough to move most of them out to the greenhouse soon.  I'll have more to re-pot in the next 2 weeks, and it's getting crowded in the house.

"I beg your pardon,---would you like to see my garden?

It's really quite fantastic, don't you know.

It's filled with dreams,---and hopes and plans and schemes.

And waits patiently beneath two feet of snow."



Garden on April 20th

The Snow WILL melt, really

     After 2 weeks of overcast skies, the sun finally came out today.  We still have 2 feet of snow everywhere, but the ground is showing through where I shoveled my path to the greenhouse. 
     My friends tell me the maple sap isn't running yet this year.  It's no wonder as we only have a few hours in the afternoon when the temperature gets barely above freezing.  It should start running soon though, as the mid-range weather forecast is for highs in the 40's and lows in the mid to high 20's.  At that rate the snow should be off the garden by early May, about 2 months later than last year.  Looks like a short season.  I can probably forget about the cantaloupe.

 

Blessings for the coming year 



     I'm still looking forward to celebrating the successes and learning from the failures of this coming year.  The hours I'll spend planting, spreading compost and poop, weeding, and sitting in my lawn chair watching the garden grow will be the joy that can only be brought by another year on the farm.  Did I mention the good eats?
     Enjoy the mud when it comes and watch out for the high water.

Don't forget the cole slaw!

     Whoops!  Last day of the waxing crescent moon, and I almost forgot to start the cabbage and broccoli!  How can we have those marvelous summer picnics without some of that savory cole slaw that Amber makes so well?  So I started the broccoli and cabbage in the house today.

Brand              Type of Plant                     Days to      Days to            Comments
                                                                  Germinate   Harvest
Am Seed       cabbage, early golden acre        5-7           60-65       same seed as last year
Am Seed       broccoli, calabrese                   10-21           70          same seed as last year

     Named for a pic-a-nic basket stealing bear, Winter Storm Yogi is coming through tonight and tomorrow.  He may drop a few inches of snow, but he can't ruin my plans for summer pic-a-nics.

Greens, herbs and flowers in the snow

     After predictions of 7 to 12 inches of snow, winter storm Xerxes left us with just a little over 2 inches last night.  Last week when I wrote "One last taste of winter,"  I guess I was premature.  Now they're talking about winter storm Yogi coming.  Nevertheless, I planted the spinach and lettuce in the greenhouse last Saturday, and started flowers and herbs in the house today.

Lettuce and Spinach in these boxes

     The planting boxes pictured above are 2x6 pine boards nailed together with chicken wire stapled to the bottom.  A layer of dry grass on top of the chicken wire  holds in the soil above it, while cardboard dividers separate different types of plants.


Snow slides of the steep roof as planned

     The greens listed below were planted in the greenhouse on Saturday, April 13.
                                                       Days to            Days to
Brand     Plant name               Germination       Harvest       Comments
                Lettuce
Burpee    Black seeded Simpson     7-14                   45             seed bought 2007
NK          Black seeded Simpson     7-14                   45             seed bought 2012
Amer seed  Grand Rapids                10-14              40-60          seed bought 2010
Burpee     Green Ice                         7-10                   45             seed bought 2010
                 Spinach
NK           Correnta Hybrid              7-14                   45             seed bought 2010

        Today, Monday, I started the following flowers and herbs in the house.

                  Flowers
Burpee      Phlox                               11-21          spring bloom
Burpee      impatiens (hybrid)           18-28         summer bloom
Amer Ch  babys breath                        10              quick bloom
Am Seed  petunia                                  ?                                       mixed colors
Am Seed  zinnia                                 6-10           continu bloom  dwarf, mixed color
saved seed  marigold                                                                      seed saved 2010
Am Seed   marigold, lemondrop         7-10
Am Seed   marigold, crackerjack        7-10                                    mixed color
Am Seed   daisy, Alaska Shasta         15-21                                   white, perennial
Am Seed   cosmos, mixed color         10-15
                  Herbs
saved seed  basil                                                                             seed saved in 2010
Am Seed    parsley, moss curled            14               70-75
NK             dill, ducat                          21-25     
Burpee       Fennel, Florence                                      60-90
Burpee       Rosemary                          14-21             90-400
Burpee       oregano                             10-21             90-200

      As I continue to prepare for the time when the soil is warm, I will keep looking for spring's first greening, as she bravely struggles up through the snow.  If you see her before I do, tell her I'm here waiting.

One last taste of Winter

     Another inch or so of heavy, wet snow to add to the inch or so we got 2 nights ago.  I know everybody in the northern half of the country is tired of snow, but ain't it perdy when it clings to the spruce trees and that crabapple tree in the foreground?  Those black spruce were planted a little over a hundred years ago, when this place was originally homesteaded.  They go almost all the way around the house, and make a picturesque backdrop for the farmstead.

     The onions sprouted 2 days ago, and a few carrots are just starting to sprout.  They're inside of course, but I'm still going to plant some greens out in the greenhouse by the end of the week. 
     I'll have to talk to the chickens as there's been no eggs for the last two days.  They shouldn't feel so gloomy just because the sky's been overcast for a while.  Maybe I should sing to them.  Anybody know any good chicken songs?
     Enjoy the snow, but keep your feet dry and watch your step on those icy sidewalks.

Chickens outside and seeds sprouting inside

 

 Poultry Picnic Time

     The chickens have been going outside for the last few days in these balmy 30 to 40 degree temperatures.  They didn't go out before that because the snow was up against their door.  Now there's a narrow path of mud and dry grass next to their house.  Hopefully a few bugs or worms are hiding just below the surface.

"I think I saw a stinkbug down there."

Spring is sprung, the sprouts is riz; I wonder where the grubworms iz.

     The two tan containers on the right contain squash and pumpkin.  The sprouts are from seeds I saved from the 2010 crop, and the cells on the right that haven't sprouted are from seed packets purchased in 2010.  The black containers on the left are tomatoes.  If they all look a little pale and spindly, it's because I just got them out of their dark sprouting place.  A few days in the light will do them a world of good.  The cucumbers, peppers and melons haven't sprouted yet.

     After the long winter's sleep, I am renewed each spring when I see the first signs of rebirth.  Every season of the year has wonderful gifts for us, and spring's first gift is the promise of life's continuity.