Lunar Experimentation

[Christina]

I'm trying to get a bit of consistency in my propagation levels. Usually it's rather haphazard, one year everything succeeds, others nothing or very little.

Every experiment needs a fixed basis to measure success or failure against, but as I cannot influence the weather, temperature, amount of daylight to a reasonable degree, I'm using the only thing I can. The phases of the moon.

The theory is that things grow more strongly on a waxing moon (increasing light levels in the night) than a waning moon (reducing light levels) so
All my propagating this year will happen on or just after new moon.
The rosemary and lavender tip cuttings I did last new moon all look good, no obvious die offs yet. I have seeds to sew next new moon (next Sunday.) We shall see if this bit of old country lore really works.

[Holodoc]

The thing they didn't know in the Olden Days was that there is a stronger gravitational pull on us from the moon when it's fuller. Waxing moon may have the effect, not merely from the added light, but from that which affects tides and moods as well.

[Christina]

The experimental results are a big skewed, but it doesn't look good for this year.

None of the lavender made it, and 'only' three of the rosemary.

The seedlings are only just showing leaves so I can't be sure if they are what I sowed or windblown weeds just yet.

Maybe I'll try again next year.

[Holodoc]

Is it possible that unusual weather had anything to do with it? Remember that we're about 3 weeks out of kilter in our plant development this year. It may be clashing with the whole growth schedule. By my calendar, there are gowing and reaping days within phases; maybe these have to be re-evaluated.

According to my calendar, New Moon is Sunday 2:15am BST

[Christina]

*shrugs*

Who knows.

Anyway, leaves are beginning to fall now, so anything I do know will just be tidy up to get the garden ready for what I hope will be a good winter with a few hard frosts to kill off the superfluous bugs.

Nothing needs lifting and dividing at the moment.

I'm just going to cut a few stems for indoor decoration from time to time and leave it at that.