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This is the archive of a few articles
and press releases available for publication and some of my past newsletters .You
may use these in part or in whole as long as you notify me, cite your source,
and send me a copy of the publication. Choose the subject you want to read and
it will jump directly to the story. (Read what others have
written about Gardening by the Moon)
Press
Releases Newsletters
For
immediate release: Announcing
Moon Planting Matrix software release The
Moon Planting Matrix is a new lunar gardening software program that calculates
the best days for planting by the moon, specifically for your climate. It generates
planting lists for each sign of the moon that show the plants that prefer that
phase and sign. The lists are customized to your exact frost dates, time zone
and the vegetables and fruits that you want to grow. A thirty day free trial is
available for download at http://www.gardeningbythemoon.com/moonmatrix.com The
guiding mission of Divine Inspiration Publications has always been to provide
lunar planting information in an easy to use format, specific to your frost dates.
For ten years our planting guide, available for a long, medium or short growing
season, has offered more gardening information than any other almanac or lunar
calendar. It is also available by the month as a PDF download, with options of
three different time zones (PST, EST, GMT). Now,
with the newly released Moon Planting Matrix software, you can customize even
more precisely, compiling the best phase and sign of the moon with the correct
seasonal times, and generate planting and activity lists that are specific to
your garden and climate. It helps you plan succession plantings, fall plantings,
project harvest dates, and keep records of results. Gardeners in frost free climates
or the Southern Hemisphere can use this software by adjusting the “frost dates”
to their usual planting season. The Moon Planting Matrix is available for $49.99,
for both Mac and PC platforms.
The interface is attractive and easy to use, and the set up is quick. A Help window
pops up on first opening that will clearly guide the user through set up and the
features of each screen. Enter the frost dates, and time zone, and a few other
preferences, then select the plants that you grow in your garden, and eliminate
tasks that don’t apply from the activity list. The Plant Database has cultivation
information about preferred lunar signs, soil and air temperature, planting depth,
spacing, and days to maturity for over 50 annual vegetables and flowers. You can
add, delete, copy or deactivate plants temporarily and print the planting and
activity lists to take into the garden. A monthly calendar shows the moon phase
each day, the best activities for each moon sign, and allows for notes.
Visit www.gardeningbythemoon.com to download your free trial of the Moon Planting
Matrix, or for more information about lunar planting. This technique for working
with the forces of nature has been used since ancient times, and is grounded in
science. The gravitational pull from the moon, which changes with the phases,
affects the amount of moisture in the soil and germination of seeds. Some moon
signs are fertile and are preferred for planting. Divine Inspiration Publications
pulls all these elements together to make it easy to know the best times to plant.
The results are healthier crops, and bigger harvests.
Calendars tell ancient and modern farmers when
to plant
Caren Catterall, Guerneville, CA Ancient
people used the natural signs that they could observe to mark the passage of time:
the sun, the moon and the seasons. The changing shape of the moon was easiest
for them to observe, and served as a convenient interval for marking time. The
very first calendars, dating back to 25,000 BC, were notched sticks, reindeer
bones, or tusks of mammoths, which counted the days between phases of the moon.
It was also important to track the seasons so they would know when the weather
would change for planting or harvesting, or when to expect migrating herds.
In
the prehistoric caves of Lascaux, France there is a lunar calendar that shows
patterns of dots, representing a way of counting the days. According to Dr. Rappenglueck
of the University of Munich, there is "one dot for each day the moon is in the
sky. At the new moon, when it vanishes from the sky we see an empty square, perhaps
symbolically representing the absent moon. It was a rhythm of nature that was
important to these people. Their survival depended on them, they were part of
them."
Calendars seemed to have
three main purposes: to mark civil or government holidays, religious holidays,
and agricultural and planting dates. There is, however, inherent incompatibility
of the solar and lunar cycles. If not adjusted to each other, then midsummer festivals
would eventually happen in winter, and harvest festivals would be in the spring.
This has created some unique, and random, ways of reconciling the two.
The
survival of the Egyptians depended upon knowing when the Nile would flood, which
provided irrigation for their crops. They noticed that the Dog Star, Sirius, would
arise each year a few days before the floods began, and thus created a solar calendar
around 4236 BC. As Egyptians observed the movement of Sirius, they realized that
the year was 5 days longer than the 360-day year that had been used for hundreds
of years. Ultimately the Egyptians had three different calendars in use; a civil
calendar derived from the lunar months and the annual seasons, used by the government,
and a lunar calendar for festivals, religious affairs and everyday life.
The
original lunar calendar was retained primarily for agriculture because of its
agreement with the seasons. Lunar calendars were used by Celts, Islamic and Jewish
people, and in Germany, Babylonia, and China. The Aztec Priests had a 260-day
lunar calendar that they used to determine the best days for sowing crops, building
houses or going to war. The Mayans also used observations of the planet Venus
to create their calendar. The Greeks calculated their months by observing the
Pleiades, which coincided with the harvest time. The lunar year of twelve months
was correlated with the solar year by adding an extra month every other year.
The Romans borrowed from the Greek method, but came up with 10 months in a year
of 304 days, ignoring the 61 days that fell in mid winter. Roman priests would
observe the new crescent moon and announce a new month, and this is where we get
the word calendar, from their word calare-to announce or call out.
Until
the time of Julius Caesar the calendar was primarily lunar. Caesar decided to
reform the Roman calendar with the help of Sosigenes, a Greek-Egyptian astronomer.
He ordered the Romans to disregard the moon in calculating calendars. He decreed
12 months of 30 or 31 days, except for February, which had 29 days, except for
every fourth year. Caesar ruled that the year of 46 BC would have 445 days, in
order to realign with the seasons, which was known as the "year of confusion".
Native Americans kept track of days
by counting from a bundle of sticks. Observation of the Moon was used for longer
intervals, usually beginning with the New Moon. Most tribes counted 12 moons a
year, some thirteen, with names like "Grass Moon", "Corn Moon" or "Harvest Moon".
Years were divided into four seasons, but not by a fixed number of days.
We
know that calendars were important to agricultural people, allowing them to predict
when to plant and harvest crops, or to breed their livestock. One could not depend
solely on observations, as an unseasonable warm spell might prompt planting too
soon, and killing frost could harm tender seedlings.
Although
now our survival is not so dependant upon knowing when the seasons will change,
many backyard gardeners want to have bragging rights about having the first fresh
peas or vine ripened tomatoes. A calendar that addresses the needs of more modern
farmers is the Gardening by the Moon Calendar, which shows you when to plant by
the phase and sign of the moon.
Planting
by the moon has been practiced for thousands of years, but it is also based on
the scientific fact of the gravitational pull of the moon, which draws the moisture
in the earth to the surface, aiding in germination of seeds. This calendar also
takes into consideration the cycle of seasons. Each month has specific plant lists
that tell you when to start your seeds based on your frost-free dates (for a long,
medium or short growing season). You can find out more about how lunar planting
works by visiting the web site www.gardeningbythemoon.com . This calendar, available
for $12.95, is a valuable reference tool which has planting information and monthly
garden activities to help you get a jump on the season. For
immediate release For
the Gardener who has Everything
Caren
Catterall, Guerneville CA What
to get the gardener that already has every tool in the shed? How about help in
managing the many chores, and advice to improve their technique and maximize production?
The Gardening by the Moon Calendar will show you the best days each month for
lunar planting and many other garden activities.
Based
on old folk wisdom, but also on the scientific fact of gravitational pull, this
technique works with the forces of nature to give plants a natural advantage.
Some days are best for planting, and some days are good for weeding or pruning.
The calendar guides you to doing activities at the most favorable time. It also
has a monthly list that will remind you about seasonal chores. Keeping up on the
pruning and pinching will increase production of flowers and fruits.
The
calendar also tells when it is time to start seeds under lights, so they will
be ready to go in when the weather warms up. By getting a jump on the season,
and using succession planting, you can maximize the harvest in your vegetable
garden. Since this timing depends on how long your growing season is, the calendar
is available in three different versions, for short, medium or long season.
Your
gardening friends will find this a unique and useful gift, which will help them
refine their gardening techniques. Visit www.gardeningbythemoon.com to order a
calendar or find out more information. Looking
for a Hook? Dear
Garden writers,
Are you looking for a new hook to reel in your readers?
We would like to suggest a topic and a great product that we know your audience
will find interesting. Gardening by the moon is a technique for getting the most
out of your garden by working with the forces of nature, and the Gardening by
the Moon Calendar and planting guide makes it easy to know when the time is right.
What is newsworthy about it? This subject taps into the trend toward
a more natural lifestyle. The lack of extensive controlled experiments makes some
people doubt the validity of the theory, yet it has been practiced since the beginning
of agriculture, and thousands of gardeners are seeing great results from following
this practice.
What is the benefit? Following the natural rhythms that
flow with the tides will take advantage of increased moisture in the soil making
your plants more vigorous and thriving, giving you bigger harvests that don't
go to seed as fast. The Gardening by the Moon Calendar shows you in an easy to
read format when to plant and do other garden activities. It is packed with other
information that will help gardeners improve their technique to get the most out
of their garden.
What is the local angle? The calendar comes in three
versions for different length growing seasons-long, medium or short--, so it's
tailored to your climate. Especially relevant for long season gardeners, this
calendar will remind you to plant for fall when the garden is producing bountifully.
Need a gift suggestion for the gardener who has everything? The Gardening
by the Moon calendar is the perfect thing for the gardener that has every tool
and plant they could want. Lunar planting is a great way to improve your yields
and refine your technique, and this gift shows that you really understand a gardener's
passion.
The New Year is the time for writing calendar reviews, and
this one stands above the rest for its information resource and the fact that
it is not just pretty pictures, it's a valuable tool. Unlike many other moon calendars,
this one presents the planting information in an easy to read format, and has
specific plant lists for three different growing seasons.
If
you are writing about garden related websites, visitors are delighted to
find us at www.gardeningbythemoon.com . Spring is when the gardener's juices really
get going and our website experiences a great surge in visitors as they seek planting
information. Your readers will find the website full of explanations about why
lunar planting works and information such as a chart showing the preferred air
and soil temperature for many vegetable plants. A PDF version of the calendar
is available for immediate downloading, for those who want the moon information
quickly.
Need an article for your newsletter? There are press releases
that you may use, including an article about the origin of calendars at www.gardeningbythemoon.com/archives/html
.
Review copies available. If you would like to review Gardening by the Moon,
please contact us with a mailing address, and let us know what your frost dates
are so we can send the correct version. Discounts are available to garden clubs.
We also offer a no-risk introductory offer for retail outlets.
Now get out
there and reel 'em in! Past
Newsletters Garden
Art Photo Contest (February 2007)
Divine Inspiration Publications, publisher of the Gardening by the Moon Calendar,
is pleased to announce a Garden Art Photo Contest. We are looking for fun
photos of your garden art which is homemade, something different than your average
garden center birdbath/statuary/sundial type thing. Sculptures made out of natural
materials, interesting trellises, stepping stones, planting containers, and creative
bed designs will be considered. No people in the picture, please, but humor is
good! One $50 first prize will be awarded, and one second prize of $25
The winning photographs will be used in the 2008 Gardening by the Moon Calendar,
and all winners will receive a free calendar. Deadline is March 30, 2007,
so send in your photos soon!
To enter send your JPGs on a disc, labeled
with your name and contact information, or photographs with a cardboard stiffener
(so it won’t get folded), to our mailing address: Divine Inspiration Publications,
PO Box 2503, Guerneville, CA 95446. They should be good quality pictures and well
focused. JPGs should be PC format disc, 300 dpi and about 5x7. (Because we are
on a dial up connection I can’t accept the photos by email) Send duplicates, as
your submissions will not be returned. Winners will be announced in September
2007. If not enough photos are received to make a whole theme for next year, the
top two winners will be paid, and the others kept on hold for another year.
It may be just barely 2007, but for those of us in the calendar business, we are
already looking ahead to 2008! Good Luck!
For those of you who feel garden
art challenged here are a few tips for increasing the pleasure in your garden
and creating a personalized statement.
Winter is a good time for assessing
where you might need to add some art, because that is when the bare bones of the
garden are more evident. Look for holes where you need something to draw the eye.
Select something to be a focal point, whether it is a fountain, statue,
or arbor. Place large pieces to the back, just as you would larger plants, and
allow them to draw you down the path.
Make the path meandering with
gentle turns, so you come upon other unexpected elements, on a more intimate scale.
Provide seating so you can stay and contemplate the object within its environment.
Enhance your experience by providing for the other senses as well, with the sound
of moving water, scented plants, or wind activated elements, such as kites, flags,
and mobiles.
You can use natural elements to make an accent as well,
by winding white twinkle lights in a tree, or spotlighting from below so that
the trees’ form is highlighted. A large scale rock can anchor a point; if you
are bringing in a large rock, it is best to bury it by half to three quarters,
so it looks naturally set into the ground.
Many found or cast off objects
make unusual trellises or planters, and add an element of surprise and often humor.
Mattress springs, with their spiral coils, might make an attractive trellis; an
old claw foot bathtub can be a pond or planter; a crystal chandelier hanging in
the tree will catch the light. Broken dishes and tiles can become a mosaic table
top, or decorate a terra cotta pot.
We are spending more time in our outdoor
rooms and it makes sense to carry art into the outdoors. Garden art is a personal
statement that reflects who you are. It should fit the style of your garden, whether
it is formal or funky. And as is true with all art, most of all, it should please
you.
Here are some other links related to garden art
http://www.the-artistic-garden.com/
http://www.gardenartisans.com/
http://www.flyingmobiles.com/
http://www.herrsculptures.com/
http://www.gardenartaccessories.com/
http://www.garden-art.com/
http://www.gardenart.com/
Gardening by
the moon encourages you to go organic Happy
New Year to all my Gardening friends!
Was
one of your New Years Resolutions to switch to an organic garden this year? That's
GREAT, I can't encourage you enough! I think it is vitally important to our planet
that we promote life on every scale possible, right down to the microorganisms
in the soil!
But perhaps you have
been chemically defendant for so long you are not sure how to start. I think it
is a change that needs to be done in stages, because you have created a situation
where the plants are artificially protected by those chemicals. They only get
nutrients from what you feed it, and none from the natural breaking down of matter.
If you take that away without compensating for it you could have problems. Too
much nitrogen from chemical fertilizers can weaken plants. Even though they may
look lush for a while, if they are putting too much energy into leaf growth, the
resistance to disease suffers. The first step is to increase the health of the
soil, so it becomes alive again. You need to add as much organic matter as you
can. If you don't have snow on the ground it is not too late to do this. Pile
on the shredded leaves, mulch, and manure and just let them break down over winter.
Soon you will attract the worms, helpful fungi and other tiny creature that feed
on the soil and break it down for you.
Healthy
soil has trace minerals, which can be added through rock powders and gives a slow
steady supply of nitrogen. When the soil is improved, then you can back off the
chemicals. If the soil is not compacted, the worms will even do the work of turning
it in for you. I encourage you to create permanent beds that are never walked
on. This concentrates the good amendments in one area. Keeping it uncompacted
will pay off in the ease of turning, and the health of the root systems of plants.
You don't even need to have solid sides to the bed. Just mound the soil to a width
that you can reach across, and treat it as sacred ground. You need to replenish
the nutrients that the plants have used every season. At least an inch of compost
a year is a good rule of thumb.
Have
you started a compost pile yet? It is not difficult, especially if you are not
in a hurry. The basic formula is to layer equal parts brown matter (straw, dried
leaves) and green matter (grass clippings, plant matter, kitchen scraps, manure).
Keep wet, but not too wet. The more you turn it, the faster it will work, but
it will work eventually. Rot happens!
But
what about the weeds and the bugs? Hand to hand combat, I say! You can get the
upper hand on weeds by hoeing or pulling them young, and then adding mulch to
smother them. For bugs, start early, before populations multiply, with the least
invasive method first. Pick off and squish beetles, cabbage loopers; rinse off
aphids with a strong blast of water. If you really need something for a situation
that has gotten out of hand, try an insecticidal soap, or if you are desperate,
Neem. Floating row covers are a great thing too. They are light weight blankets
that create a protective barrier so the buggers can't get to your plants . Seal
the edges well with dirt so they can't get in.
The next step would be to encourage beneficial insect populations. Yes Virginia,
there are good bugs! Get to know them! Here is a good site that will ID them for
you: http://vegipm.tamu.edu/imageindex.html . You can buy some of these good bug
populations from organic nurseries. Look for lacewings, trichogramma wasps, beneficial
nematodes, ladybugs and other biological controls. Encourage a diverse environment
where they will live, reproduce and prosper to do the work of bug control for
you. Think of your garden as a complete ecosystem that includes life and decay
in the soil, the needs of the plants, and insect life cycle as well. Work in harmony
with nature to duplicate and replenish the essential elements at the base of the
food chain.
Gardening by the Moon
is a perfect companion technique to an organic garden. It is more effective on
organically treated soil. You will be improving your garden in many ways by working
with the forces of nature. Perhaps your resolutions were less ambitious and you
just want to have the earliest tomato on the block! The Gardening by the Moon
calendar can help with that, by telling you when to start your seedlings inside
under lights. Then they are ready to pop in as soon as the weather warms up.
As for our own goals for the next
year, we are working to expand our business into more retail nurseries. We would
greatly appreciate any leads in your area. Please e-mail us the name, address
and phone of local nurseries, especially those with an organic focus. Natural
food stores and metaphysical book stores have also had success selling our calendar.
Thanks for your help!
Have a great garden this year!
The wild garden, watering wisdom,
and getting the worms work for you Dear
gardening friends,
First of all,
I want to say thank you to all of you who signed up for my newsletter, and have
waited so patiently. I'm sorry that it took me so long, but I have not exactly
been feeling like the gardening expert lately, because my own garden is looking
pretty scruffy right now. I can blame that partially on the fact that our well
ran dry, but it also has to do with how little time I have to get out there. How
ironic that the business of creating the Gardening by the Moon calendar has taken
me away from the very activity that inspired it! The good news is that the 2003
calendar is ready to go!
When I
look at my garden, I see a wild jumble of plants, partially by default, and partially
by design. I often allow plants to go to seed, and then I pull the whole plant
and walk around the garden shaking the seeds around. Sometimes the seeds lay dormant
until the next season, and then I get vigorous volunteers, which often turn out
better than the ones I plant. Working with heirloom or non-hybrid varieties will
ensure that the same type of plant comes back next year. You may need to thin
the plants to space them, or none will grow to their full potential. Herbs, lettuce,
chard, and flowers like borage (which attract bees), sunflower, cosmos and marigold,
all work well with this technique. Another benefit of this method is attracting
birds for the seeds, and beneficial insects to come lay eggs and feed upon the
bad bugs. The umbrella shaped seed heads (dill, parsley, carrots, and fennel)
make a welcome food source for larval stages. If your friends question your gardening
skill or sanity, tell them you are creating a wildlife habitat! It makes for a
full and abundant garden, with mixed beds and diverse plants cohabitating joyfully.
Having my well run dry made me
think a lot about the best way to deliver water. It is obvious to say water is
important to the healthy growth of plants. Because of our busy lives, sometimes
we rush through watering the garden . You splash the hose around until the soil
looks dark, and move on. But have you ever gone back and dug down to see how far
that water is really penetrating? You might be surprised to find it is less than
half an inch. A great time and water saver is to install drip irrigation, which
delivers a slow steady supply right to the plants roots, allowing it to penetrate
deeper. An added bonus is that it doesn't waste water, or encourage weeds in the
paths, and prevents fungus disease. A drip irrigation system can be put on a timer,
and then you need to give it very little thought. Remember to check the system
for leaks. The hoses or T-tape needs to be updated occasionally, because they
will break down over time.
Which
brings us to the last time-saving tip for a busy gardener. Forget tilling the
soil!! What a concept! If you frequently add a 1/2" layer of mulch, compost or
other organic matter, and let the worms turn it in, you will have created the
next best thing to Mother Nature. Define your growing beds so you don't walk in
them and compress the soil, and let nature take Her course. When you are ready
to plant this fall, dig a hole just big enough for the root ball. If you have
a bed that will be empty over winter, add a good layer of organic matter or shredded
leaves now to let it break down. Then the soil is all ready to go in the spring.
My lack of time for gardening
made me think of another good selling point for the calendar. If I am overwhelmed
by how much there is to do, with so little time, I refer to the calendar and let
the moon decide what I should focus on today!
I'd
appreciate it if you would take a moment to fill out my survey at www.gardeningbythemoon.com/survey.html.
This will help me get to know you better, and help me improve my product. As thanks,
you will receive $1 off the 2003 calendar. In spite of our hectic lives, take
the time to go into the garden and get your hands dirty and create beauty. It
will revitalize you, and feed your body and soul. Happy gardening!
Starting Seeds
Inside Dear Gardening by the Moon
friends,
A hint of spring is in
the air, at least here on the west coast, and coming soon to a daffodil near you!
The best moon planting days coming up are March 12-13, 17-18, and the 22nd. By
the way, I wanted to invite you all to come back and take another look at www.gardeningbythemoon.com.
It has recently been expanded to include more facts about how lunar planting works,
frequently asked questions, and gardening tips. I hope you enjoy the information!
Have you bought your seeds
yet? One of the great advantages to starting from seed is the wide choice of varieties
that you can find. You can also start them inside under lights so they will be
ready to transplant when the weather warms up. The Gardening by the Moon Calendar
will tell you when you can start your seeds inside. Make sure your pots are clean,
or molds and little bugs come out and mow down your babies. Plant the seeds in
good, fine soil--don't skimp here--and set the trays on the top of your refrigerator,
gas stove, or on a dryer while it is running to help warm up the soil. A greenhouse
cover on the trays helps create a great little microclimate, but take it off for
circulation when they come up, or you could invite damping off disease. Although
you can purchase elaborate lighting systems, a simple shop light with two florescent
grow lights will do. Keep the light about two inches from the top of the plants.
Move it up as they grow, keeping it close.
Thinning
the seedlings is always hard to do, but is crucial to creating strong plants.
Start as soon as the second leaves emerge. The first to go are the ones with malformed
leaves, and the smaller, less vigorous ones. The hard choice is when two apparently
strong seedlings are right next to each other. Then you just have to pick one
or the other, or neither will reach full potential. You can spread this job out
over several days, giving the plants time to declare their intentions and settle
their roots. Remember if you are planting a mixed selection, such as "Bright Lights"
chard, that they will start out looking different, and some variations will emerge
later than others. Be careful not to thin out all the pale ones or you won't have
any yellow or pink chard.
Keep your seedlings
watered regularly, but don't let them sit in water. A good tool for this is a
large water bottle with a sports top. You can squeeze the water out gently. Feed
the seedlings with weak fish emulsion every two weeks. Starting seeds under lights
is especially important if you have a short growing season. If you have a long
growing season, you can plant cool season crops now, and have the summer crops
waiting to go in as soon as the brassicas are finished, thereby doubling your
harvest.
This is the first of
a seasonal newsletter that I will be sending out. If you wish to be deleted from
my list, please reply with "remove" in the subject line. Feedback on the web site
and calendar are appreciated. I am always looking for ways to improve. I would
also love to hear your experiences with gardening by the moon. And if you know
of a friend that would be interested in the site, please pass the word along.
Wishing you a beautiful spring and a bountiful harvest! |  |
