Gardening - books and mooncharts

A browse through our local library, through my favourite categories revealed that some recent purchases had been made. New books!!

I'm going to really enjoy going through these. Lots of beautiful photographs and plenty of good ideas and advice.

The first is a really thick book by Shirely Stackhouse, My Gardening Year. Beautifully presented; for Australian gardeners. She gives a month by month account of what's flowering in the garden, garden care, pests/diseases, specific advice for trees & shrubs, annuals & perennials, indoor & outdoor tasks, all interwoven with lovely photos and hand-drawn art. I'm going to enjoy looking through this one. :)

The other book I picked up is called Gardening with Kids. It's a very easy read for children, which is what I like. So, I'll be leaving this one on the coffee table for them to peruse and we'll hopefully have some requests to get potting with a cacti garden or make a tin can windchime.

Now, here's something else I've been meaning to share. It's a planting by the moon guide I made up many, many years ago. I saw this from an old magazine .... well .... I can't remember the date .... and you originally cut out the circles, pasted them onto card, secured with a split pin and voila. Well this is a copy of the original, and I think I probably need to do this again, making it all pretty now we've got so much technology help these days.

I use this because I do think that the moon's cycles certainly do play a role in the gravitational pull which affects plant life. It's a subject which has interested me greatly, but I'm still not by any means an expert.

Mark out two circles, then as evenly as possible, divide into 28 segments. The front circle has all the detail, being slightly smaller so the numbers are behind.

New Moon - 5 days, with the actual NM being the 3rd day in this segment.

Plough, dig and cultivate - rising vitality. Prepare for very fertile time next period.

Delay sowing other than grasseed. Do all odd jobs: fencing, repair machinery.

First Quarter - next 9 days, with actual FQ on 5th day.

Most prolific: for sowing and planting that produce above ground. NO ROOT CROPS (these go to seed): peas, beans, cauliflower, cabbage, maize, wheat, tomatoes, pumpkins, melons, cucumbers and such. DON'T PRUNE: high sap run, causes die back. Take cuttings.

FARMERS: cut ensilage, high sap content gives results. All flower seeds, bud, graft, specially good for nursery cuttings, carnations, hedge plants, shrubs (eg: daphne).

Full Moon - next 5 days, with FM on 3rd day.

2 days either side of this period: quick germination, weak spindly growth, and tendencies to dampen off.

FARMERS: cut hay. Avoid animal surgery & shearing if possible ~ higher risk of blood poisoning, gangrene.

2 days after FM section is another section:

Good for all ROOT CROPS - beets, carrots, onions, potatoes. Grass can be sown. Spray now.

Last Quarter - 5 days with actual LQ on 3rd day.

BARREN PERIOD: but very busy to prepare for very fertile time coming next period. Plough and cultivate at this time to check weed growth. Low sap run: prune & harvest all crops.

LOW VITALITY: avoid planting and sowing (will go to seed). Surgical operations. Is best time for hay making.

Last section is another 2 days -

FARMERS, GARDENERS: put in all root crops at this time, specially swedes & carrots.

Flowers, grasseed; spray and prune.

The very inner circle shows fishing.
NO good in FM period.
Best time in NM plus 2 days either side of that period (total 9 days).

Well, that's it. All you have to do is check for when closest New Moon is and put that as your starting day. It's a guide and there are many on the market, but if you can make your own up and hang it near the back door, it could be a useful help with planning your gardening chores. Just check what's in season re: sowing and harvesting, as this doesn't show that information.