Author Topic: biodynamic gardening (Read 15408 times)

YorkshireLass · « **Reply #30 on:** January 08, 2012, 12:46:37 pm »

Quote from: darkbrowneggs on January 08, 2012, 11:46:58 am

Its grouped into Root Fruit Flower and Leaf. Some are a bit difficult to categorize. For years I grew Caulis and Broccoli under Flower, but it tends to make them flower a bit too quickly and they are better under Leaf

So mainly, just choose the part of the plant you are seeking to enhance ie peas sweetcorn and tomatoes would come under fruit, and carrots and potatoes root days. Leeks and onions I tend to grow on root days, though they are a bit between that and leaf, and leaf days for salad, and greens etc.

And if anyone really wanted to "trial" it for themselves then grow the same plants in two halves of a row one on the "right" day and one not. ie tomatoes sown, transplanted pinched out weeded and harvested on fruit days and another lot but all done on root days. Then compare the yield, quality and taste. Which is basically how Maria Thun came to publish her Calender.

Of course its not just about slavishly following the calender alone, good husbandry and soil care etc must also come into the equation, but it is a good place to start.

Aaaaaah see now I'm getting it

To be honest, I'm a novice so coud do with a calendar/hint list anyway...so why not this one?

knightquest · « **Reply #31 on:** January 10, 2012, 09:35:10 pm »

Well, it's got me interested!

As I've just got an allotment and it's all dug over ready, and I don't really know when to plant stuff etc (I know, very technical

) I thought that I would use this calendar to plant and sow. I also bought the book with the hundred tips in it to explain a little more so I'll see how it goes.

Knowing me though, I'm going to be buying all the potions too.............I've just started to learn to cook. I made my own beefburgers the other day..................most expensive ever! That's because I bought the ingredients, a pestle and mortar, a griddle pan and have decided that the kitchen needs a re model...............Stop me someone!!!!!

Ian

YorkshireLass · « **Reply #32 on:** January 11, 2012, 02:54:16 pm »

My biodynamic calendar wotsit arrived today. I won't pretend to understand a word of the notes yet, but I've written on the wallchart the names of the seeds I have and the months to sow them according to their packets

So, would samphire be a "leaf" crop then...?

darkbrowneggs · « **Reply #33 on:** January 11, 2012, 03:07:36 pm »

I presume that if you dug it up there would be a root type system that anchors it to the ground, and you eat the other bit, so the other bit should be leaf (stem) - sow / cultivate on leaf days.

milarepa · « **Reply #34 on:** January 11, 2012, 04:36:07 pm »

Thanks for the advise you have given. I have got the calender now and have also bought a couple of books. The calander is hard to follow but will plod on and see how we go. I find it very interesting and will do as much research as I can. I also bake my own bread and will certainly follow the chart in future to see the results.

Its been interesting watching the comments!

YorkshireLass · « **Reply #35 on:** February 20, 2012, 07:52:53 pm »

Quick question - does soaking seeds (beans in this case) count as planting/sowing in terms of the calendar?

darkbrowneggs · « **Reply #36 on:** February 20, 2012, 09:11:05 pm »

I have never seen any actual written information on this, but I use the time I put them into the water as the beginning. Don't forget seeds are on the root fruit flower leaf days, and planting is on the planting northern or southern hemisphere cycle

YorkshireLass · « **Reply #37 on:** February 20, 2012, 09:15:44 pm »

Yup.
Just planning ahead for m'runner beans. Half a dozen "family heirloom" seeds

I think it's still too early to try them now though.

Also, when is good for digging? Turns out the majority of my digging was done on one of those inauspicious days

darkbrowneggs · « **Reply #38 on:** February 20, 2012, 09:57:22 pm »

I think weeding/hoeing on the specified days can help, as can harvesting but haven't heard anyone mentioning digging as such. If you really decide to go for it then there are the"preparations", but maybe stick with the planting calendar for a couple of years to see if the system is going to be to your liking.

YorkshireLass · « **Reply #39 on:** April 17, 2012, 11:09:23 am »

I'm having doubts...only a few!
My peas are ready to plant out, but it's now a fortnight until a "fruit" day in the right transplanting period comes up.
The roots are already growing out of the cardboard tube, I don't want to do any damage by holding them back....?

darkbrowneggs · « **Reply #40 on:** April 17, 2012, 11:58:25 am »

I think the received wisdom is that you garden first, then use the biodynamic days as an additional aid, so work as a good gardener would first, then if you have to plant out on a non "fruit planting day" you can use any "fruit" day for hoeing weeding etc to help bring them back into balance.

The calandars were set up by farmers for farmers, and if farming is your life it is easier to follow the calandar as you have 7 days a week all year at your disposal, its a bit harder if you are fitting gardening in with other things.

I think the thing is not to make a fetish of it, but simply use it as an aid.