Blue moon

Good news for some people, Derek. It's the one you can talk to (if so inclined) without being considered barking mad. Can you ask it if it will help you win the lottery? :o)
Seriously, though, is it considered to have any specific relevence to, or effect on the gardening year?

I never knew where that phrase 'once in a blue moon' came from! Thanks for sharing it!

Yes you can talk to it lol can you imagine the chat on New Years Eve after a few drinks? LOL. No significance astrologically. But only 41 in every century.

Sounds like fun! Hee hee!

Thats what I thought lol

I can just see it now; "I love you moon, you're my bestest bestest pal, hic!"

I remember my Dad telling me about a blue moon took us out in the garden but I dont recall seeing it?

is it strange to be on new years eve?.....

Just the date it falls but probably never before if only 41 in every 100 years.

It has no effect on the gardening calendar, either. It makes a good excuse to put the drinks table out in the garden!

Woopeee, there are loads of things I can do that night - just once. Thats what the saying is isn't it? I wonder what. I could dance naked in the moon-light. Oh no, that would frighten the hedgehogs away (if they're not asleep) or the fox who comes for a drink in the pond. He might never come back! Could do as Ken Dodd did, bang a big drum in the garden, because not having a clock there I wouldn't know what time it was, and all the neighbours would start opening their windows and shouting "shut up that row, don't you know its 3 o'clock in the morning! "
And then I could ...... no I'm too tired.
Thanks Drc726 for that information, because at 41 every 100 years I won't see another one!

Not sure I agree about the impact on gardening calendars.

I understood that some weed seeds begin to germinate when they have light on them, so to prevent too many weeds when the field is turned some farmers in medieval days took to ploughing by the light of a full moon....

Woops now that that is down in cold black and white I realise it was probably my dad having me on - lol!

how interesting...... now i know what a blue moon is.....i love it when we have a full moon on christmas eve is makes it all magical...........

I've just had a look for info on blue moons and found that they were inconvenient for the Christian calendar (which dates Easter in relation to the number of full moons) designating the 13 th one as a 'blue moon' allowed the calendar to proceed as before.

I think that means that this extra moon is a bit special so using it to frighten the hedgehogs seems in order Mad!

My dad told me that blue moons were when the clouds were so low and thin on a full moon that the moon turned blue and that the bombers would use them during the war to get very close to the ground - able to see by the light of the full moon - but with some degree of protection from the cloud.

A chilling thought.

Mad if you dance naked on that night the moon won`t be the only blue thing shining in your area,lol.
I was also told that about the planes Sarah, also took it to mean no when we were children and requested something we couldn`t have.......Interesting info, thanks for sharing.....

There's another one August 2012 Mad.
Thats a different 'blue moon' Sarah - thats to do with the moon appearing to be coloured blue which can be all moons and not when we have an extra one.

Ponty, Moongrower could have answered that question re growing and the moon - but she's on a sabbatical. I have her book, will check what it says and get back to you - I'm sure it has some impact in terms of planting, cultivating, etc.

A blue moon has just the same impact as any other full moon, Sarah and Bamboo. In my previous comment I only meant that the 'blue' bit is not specialy important. The blue moon is just a part of the natural cycle, it is man that has screwed up by insisting on an unnatural calander of twelve rather than thirteen months in a year.

I was thinking about Moongrower when I typed my comment Bamboo. I would not insult her by suggesting that her theories are myth or “old wives tales” because many of these are well based. I would like to know more. There would be nothing to lose and maybe something to gain. Regardless of the knockers, I will continue to try to plant my spuds on Good Friday. This is said to have a moon phase connection. As I said before, it may be coincidence but my crops seem to be greater when I do it. An open mind is the thing. Scoffing only serves those who prefer not to learn.

I like to keep an open mind on things that can't be scientifically proven or disproven, personally, Ponty, and of course, Bulbaholic's right, its just another full moon, regardless of when it occurs, from a planting point of view.

Thats good Drc726, another one in August 2012, even better because it will be our Diamond Wedding on 19th, so there's no knowing what I might get up to then, at our party.
Moongrower explained to me some time ago the rudiments of growing by the moon, and although it is quite complicated, to me anyway, it stands to reason that the moon must have an effect. It governs the tides, and other things and people too, including me. No I'm not a werewolf or anything, but I definitely feel better when the moon is waning.

Thats a big milestone Mad congratulations for then and there is a moon on the 2nd and 31st of August 2012.

Wouldn`t it be nice if it really was blue? Now that would be something to look forward to. Thanks for the explaination, I had no idea what the phrase "once in a blue moon" really meant. :o)

Sandra x

is my maths not up to this. if there are 52 weeks a year then there must be 13 lots of 4 weeks ie 13 lots of 28 days so full 13 moons a year.
hubby gets paid every 28 days and he has 13 pay packets a year. so surely there are 13 full moons a year.
or have i missed something? :o)

No it does not work like that SBG these odd 11 days add up and every so often these come together to give 2 moons in one month. But only 41 times in a hundred years.

but there must be 13 moons in a year so there must be a month with 2 in it or it wont add up. still dont get it. sorry:o(

I remember both dad and grandad insisted our potatoes went in on Good Friday and dad still insists his summer bedding goes in on or before the longest day never have found out why but I guess it was also passed down from grandad.........

The Full Moon does not appear EVERY 28 days, Sbg. It can be 28, 29 or 30 days. The first full moon of 2010 is not until January 30th.

Wow! This has gotten even more fascinating since I wandered off to my 'making sense' class! (As if I ever will!) .

think the confusion's arisen because Drc quotes 28 days between full moons in the text above - but it does vary, as Ponty says, which is why its much rarer than one a year, I think - it's also something to do with elliptical orbits, I can't remember now, I read something recently on this, you think I'd have absorbed it, but clearly I haven't. Must be the blue moon...

Now I'm confused, like Sbg! - I thought I understood up to that point!

The "average" number of days between full moons is 29.5, apparently - but it differs between 28 and 30 month by month. Not sure that helps....

That's right Bamboo. The 29 1/2 day cycle presumably accounts for occasional moonless nights and day-time moons. If my quick calculation is correct, there are 9 x 30 and 3 x 29 day moons next year. No 28s.

my freend write:
actually, it is due to the eliptical orbits of both the moon and the earth that orbit a central gravitational point about 1,000 miles beneath the earth's surface. Rather like a heavier person having to sit closer to the centre of a see-saw, so the earth sits closer to the centre of the two bodies. Yes, the moon is orbiting the earth, but it is also orbiting the gravitational centre, as does the earth. As the too and fro excerts it's gravitational influence, so the moon is gradually moving further and further away.

thanks Derek - I knew there was something about an elliptical orbit...

my plesure :)

Solves that one, eh, Derek?

Well it does - if only my brain could understand it - its one of those things where I find my mind just keeps sliding off...

no prob bamboo- get 2 yoyo-one in eech hand, but one half hte lenth of string- twirl in circal each seprat, hten cross over a litle-
practis until you got it

it no help you understand, just forget :O)

Well it does help, the explanation anyway, although I don't have any yoyo, never mind two! It won't keep me awake worrying about it though...;-)

Lol! I can just see us all getting tied up in yoyo strings! :~))

Me too

What a wonderful image, Denise! ;~))
Less GoYers unite than GoYers untie!!!

That's interesting. I never knew that.