Re: [gardeners] Moon signs and potatos

Allen and Judy Merten (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Fri, 05 Feb 1999 00:11:25 -0600 

Hi Penny,
    Gardeners and farmers have been using the signs of the moon to plant,
harvest, kill weeds,etc., for centuries. The best time to plant flowers and
vegetables that bear crops above the ground is during the light of the Moon,
between the day the Moon is new to the day it is full. Flowering bulbs and
vegetables that bear crops below ground should be planted during the dark of
the Moon, from the day after it is full to the day before it is new again.
    Potatos for instance will suffer less from rot and disease if planted
according to the Moon signs. They will also produce more abundantly.
    To get seed potatos to sprout well before planting, I bury them in damp
sand in a dark cool place. The seed potatos think they are already planted
and break out of dormancy. It is somewhat like starting plants from seeds
indoors before transplanting to the garden. Each eye that sprouts is capable
of producing one potato plant that will yield 6 to 8 potatos each. When they
have sprouted and the Moon signs will be right, I cut them in ice cube size
pieces having at least one sprout, dust them with wood ashes and plant. Some
people recommend dusting them with sulphur or other things, but wood ashes
are cheaper if you already have them from your fireplace. The ashes dry the
cut sides of the potato and seal in the moisture that is needed by the
sprout until it grows roots. Last year I planted 22 lb. of potato pieces
using this method that I learned from my grandmother and my dad. 100% of the
pieces I planted grew into potato plants that produced 500 odd pounds of
potatos. This is the method I use for spring potatos. Fall potatos are
planted whole, cut pieces have a greater tendency to fail in the heat of
August, which is when you have to plant in my area in order to make potatos
before frost. Fall seed potatos are preferably small potatos about the size
of golf balls. I still sprout them like the spring potatos.
    Last years fall crop was a failure. I managed to get them through the
drought but 22 inches of rain in October drowned them. The fall before I
only made small potatos because of an early frost by about 3 weeks.
    The Old Farmers Almanac has a web site at www.almanac.com. Lots of
interesting and useful information.
    Allen
    Bastrop Co.,Tx
    Zone 8





penny x stamm wrote:

> >>>>
>  Then I have to wait about a week before the moon signs are right
> again. Mean while I'll focus on forcing good sprouts in the eyes of
> the seed potatos. <<<<<<
>
> Allen, would you please educate us non-farmers...? What influence
> does the moon have on the veggies? And how does one force good
> sprouts in the eyes of the seed potatos?
>
> Penny, NY
>
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