July 2003
Yet another advantage of moon gardening has become revealed -- one that was overlooked during the three-plus years' period when 'R J Harris's Moon Gardening' was prepared. Journalist Mark Griffiths, writing for the U K's broad sheet 'The Times', stumbled upon it. He recorded it in his 8 March 2003 review of the book and of R J Harris's life work. The preamble that led to the discovery, as presented in Mr Griffiths's article, was
... So it is rather bravely that I ask him whether Tresillian's success is not just a testimonial to his horticultural skill rather than to other-worldly forces.
"Odd things are written about moon gardening," replies the head gardener, "but I don't want to belittle anyone else's beliefs. If a man wants to believe that Venus can affect the Earth, good luck to him. But there are no gimmicks with me, and we do know that the moon's gravitational pull affects water levels -- in the ground, in the plants. So we work with those levels as they rise and fall according to the moon's phases. We prune in the last quarter of the moon when sap levels are low so there's less bleeding from wounds ..."
and it was at this point -- already recorded in the manual -- that the fresh moon gardening knowledge emerged. Mr Harris went on
"... and we don't apply fertiliser at the new moon, for then it stays close to the surface and burns the plant."
Of course. What else? A matter of common sense, you might say. Or, perhaps, not so much a matter of common sense, until spelled out. As with so much in horticulture, moon or no moon.
Allow me to spell it all out.
At the time of the moon's first quarter -- or the New Moon, as R J Harris prefers to refer to this lunar moment -- no matter where in the world the garden is located, the water table is in two states: 1) sunk to its lowest level beneath the top soil; 2) beginning to rise from that lowest level, drawn up by the gradually increasing gravitational pull of the satellite planet as it increases in size from New Moon to Full Moon.
Feeds (or any other substances or natural conditions) applied to the top soil's surface at this time are subjected to the upward pressure that is exerted by the rising water table. That upward pressure, because it is upward, is a repelling pressure. As such, it prevents added matter from being absorbed, causing it to remain where it is added -- where, by and large, plants' roots happen to be located. The concentrated strength of feeds such as fish, blood and bone (and, indeed, composted animal manure) burn when they come into contact with living vegetation. That is why good gardeners go to great pains to keep applied feeds away from plants' stems.
The reverse is the case when the correct time is chosen for feeding. This is no earlier than the start of the moon's third quarter (or Full Moon-plus), and no later than the start of the moon's fourth quarter. At those two times, the water table is falling. As it falls, its upward-thrusting pressure is reduced. Hence, pressure upon the top soil is eased, and the drawing-in effect that results pulls applied feed to generally safer depths.
There is more.
As well as applied powders and granules, three important conditions are repelled at new moon, or first-quarter, time, for the reason given above. They are air, warmth and atmospheric moisture. These three, working together, increase fertility in the soil (see the manual for an explanation of this). At third quarter and fourth quarter commencement time, they are drawn in. They combine with the applied feeds to create the optimum conditions for enhancing soil fertility.
All thanks to the great gorganzola mine in the sky.
The reference to the risk of plant burning is not included in the manual, and cannot be until the publication is revised (as it will be, one day, the publishers report). For the same reason, one of New Moon's (or first quarter's) beneficial impacts is not referred to in the manual. It is upon the act of digging. The truth about digging is referred to, however, in Easier Digging, elsewhere on this web site. rjh
Use the computer's back button to return to this page from the following links
rjh
