Clarification of Maria Thun Biodynamic Calendar

[beverleyParticipant]

Hi,

I have been “planting by the moon” for years, and decided to follow Maria Thun’s calendar this year. I would appreciate some clarification, as she differs considerably from the approach I have been using.

Do I understand correctly that:

1) Sowing of seeds can take place during the appropriate Plant day whatever the moon phase?

2) Transplanting in the UK is best done during the Northern Planting Time?

My confusion arises from my previous method, in which sowing and planting were recommended when the moon is waxing, and best avoided when the moon was waning.

Many thanks for your clarification.

[KarenParticipant]

Hello Beverly,

Oh coooool! I have been using her calendar for the past 4 years…. if you are using the yearly red coloured book….

we are in the northern hemisphere… hence for pruning and transplanting we use the green coloured Northern Transplanting time and for sowing of seeds in the Southern Transplanting time based on the plant part types 🙂

gooooood luck!

[charlesModerator]

Beverley – yes its confusing that the Thun’s almost ignore waxing and waning so I combine that with their recommendations. Also they are Catholic and that is why no Easter planting!
I think that seed sowing date is the main factor, its often hard to match those dates with ‘correct’ planting time. Also if other commitments interfere (often!) I use wrong dates and rely on no dig soil health!

[RhysParticipant]

Beverley

I’ve tried a few things like Charles by combining moon phase and MT calendar, particularly for tomatoes:

1. If you can find a fruit day just before full moon in either February or March, this usually gives superb results – last year was quite stunning with the early March sowings. Last year I sowed on 6th February, 5th March and 1st April. This year, I recommend pm Sunday 21st and Monday 22nd Feb; Sunday 20th and Monday 21st March; Saturday 16th + Sunday 17th April. The moon in Leo is particularly good for tomatoes, and I’ve harvested seeds with both Sun and Moon in Leo in late August 2014 and they were quite superb in 2015.
2. Similarly if you can find a leaf day for lettuce just before full moon, germination is amazing. I have to say I used Charles’ recommendation of 2 days before full moon last year and I had the best germination ever.
3. There are those who say that planting potatoes when the moon is in Taurus does very well and without doing proper experiments two years ago, I got 9 lb from a 35 litre pot of Sarpo Mira planted with the moon in Taurus whereas I only got 6 lb when planting in Capricorn. So there may be mileage in trying to plant your potatoes when the moon is in Taurus. Sunday April 10th and early evening Saturday 7th May may be the dates.

Beyond that, I’ve not done any really detailed measurements on outcomes, so I tend to just try and merge the two systems as best as possible and see what happens.

[KarenParticipant]

Tooooooo true Charles! Using the biodynamic calendar or any planting calendar can be a curse too when other real life activities interfere with the dates. The horror!

Hence this year, I am going to try to be a wee bit more flexible with the sowing and planting dates. I have tried reading and understanding the waxing and waning moon theories …. but it gets so confusing with the theories.

Definitely agree with you too that so long as the no dig soil is healthy… cant go too wrong.

[HawfinchParticipant]

What I also find confusing if wanting to garden according to the moon calendars is, they are not the same. My neighbour used Maria Thun’s last year, I had a different one that came with my gardening magazine and they very often did not have the same days for sowing and planting. So that combined with “life” getting in the way, I more or less stopped using it. Might give Rhys’ suggestions for tomato sowings this year, nothing lost, is there : -)

[KarenParticipant]

I just looked through the MT calendar too that seed sowing can also be down on both ascending and descending period! whew!

[RhysParticipant]

Karen

My take on the ‘moon issues’ is that maybe, where growth is marginal in early spring (due to frosts) it may be that plants have a ‘sensing’ mechanism to germinate every three to four weeks with the moon and that, once seeds have created a plant, they send out signals to say ‘don’t germinate’ to remaining seeds. However, if they die due to frost, then that inhibitory signal no longer exists so at the next full moon, seeds germinate again. If the ‘sensing signal’ is the full moon, that might work.

Of course, in more benevolent climates, it may be that such things are of less importance. I’ve no idea, but it’s one possibility that might make sense.

I guess talking to some farmers/gardeners in Alpine valleys, Alaska etc might get some answers……

My experience is that seed germination is most rapid and efficient at certain dates in the moon cycle, but it’s certainly not all or nothing. That is most important for those growing in marginal areas where you need every day of the growing season to get a good crop, I guess.

For tomatoes, if you also transplant young seedlings on fruit days, as long as your seeds have germinated within 9 – 10 days, you’re fine. If you leave them for 4 – 6 weeks before potting on, you may accelerate your plants with ‘best day’ sowing.

What I will say is that I’ve successfully harvested beefsteak tomatoes grown out of doors in early August last year after sowing in early March, using biodynamic timetables for sowing, transplanting, removing suckers and feeding. The seeds used were my own, created again using a biodynamic timetable.

I guess I would need to get someone to fund me to do a proper study to give comprehensive conclusions, but for me, without a greenhouse, I’m looking for every advantage I can get to ensure I get a good tomato crop. Biodynamics seems to help…….

[KarenParticipant]

Hello Rhys,

Thanks for your take on the moon issues. 🙂

The challenge for me is that we grow mostly fruit and fruit veg and leaf veg… hence following the biodynamic calendar or other planting calendars can be a real juggling act.

It is also hard to tell sometimes if the seed germination is successful due to the moon or that the seeds that were derived from followed the moon theories or the viability and age of the seeds. Safest bet is to sow more than is needed! I usually give the excess plants to our neighbours and friends.

And I do always attempt to follow as closely to the appropriate planting and pruning dates for fear of “bad results” as the planting season is short for especially fruit vegetables.

So far we have had pretty good results… and I reckon I can say it is most likely a result of a mixture of factors… good soil health/adding compost/manure/moon calendar.. etc and MOST IMPORTANTLY of all… ENJOYING and LOVING it! 🙂

[charlesModerator]

Yes Karen your green fingers!
I just compared Maria `Thun and Nick Kollerstrom for the next three months. Similar but often 8-12h difference in changeover times e.g. Sunday 21st Feb Nick has leaf all day, MT has fruit after 14h.
Weds 24th Feb Nick has no planting, MT has root from 10h.
Good Friday and `Easter Saturday, MT has no sowing/planting! Nick has root then flower.
So I think not worry about the precise details (hours), look at day tendencies.
Think fruity or rooty or leafy or flowery thoughts!

[KarenParticipant]

Ha! Green fingers definitely go a long way too!

I too tried / checked out Nick´s calendar back in 2013 together with MT´s…. again… too much to remember!

Yes… definitely plant thoughts all the way. Been itching to grow… just gotta be a weeeeee bit more patient with the weather. Just cant wait! 🙂

[Author]

Posts