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Growing with the Moon in December

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Tips for growing with the Moon in December

When can we plant rhubarb crowns?

Provided the soil isn’t too cold rhubarb stools can be planted on 5 – 6, 14 – 15 and 23 – 24 December. Prepare the ground by digging to a depth of 60cm and incorporate as much good organic matter as possible as this will have to last the plant for many years, ideally prepare the ground several weeks prior to planting the stool.

When can we spread manure?

Well rotted manure can be spread when the moon is descending, 22 – 24 and 26 – 31 December. The best time is the morning of 30 December.

To contain germination of weed seeds dig the soil over on 1 – 4 (am), 9 – 11 (am) and 27 – 31 December.

Roots: Hoe/sow seed on 1– 2, 9 – 11 (before 11am), 19 – 20 and 27 – 30 (before 1pm). Sow garlic cloves and shallots.

Fruits: Hoe/sow seed on 7 (after 1pm) – 8, 17 – 18 (before 3pm and 26. Broad beans and hardy peas can be started off in a heated greenhouse or warm windowsill in pots.

Leaves: Hoe/sow seed on 4 (after 1pm) – 6, 13 (after 1pm) -16 and 23 – 24. Prepare the ground for your leaf crops and if you have a cold frame or greenhouse start off seeds of early cabbage and chard making sure to keep them frost free.

Flowers: Prepare the soil where you will grow ‘flower’ plants on 3 – 4 (before 1pm), 11 (after 11am) – 13 (before 1pm), 22 and 30 (after 1pm) – 31.

Harvest your root vegetables on 1 – 5, 22 – 24, and 26 – 31 December when the Moon is descending, the best days to harvest are 1 – 2 and 26 – 29. Harvest parsnips and turnips.

Harvest all other vegetables on 6 and 7 (pm) – 20 (am) December when the Moon is ascending, the best harvesting days are 7 (pm) – 11 and 17 – 19. Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, lambs lettuce, and Swiss chard.

No work or harvesting should be done in the garden on 7 ascending node, 21 descending node and 25 perigee.

More blog posts by moon_grower

Previous post: Growing and harvesting your veg. In Tune with the Moon in November

Next post: Growing with the moon in January 2011



Comments

 

That an interesting read MG, but December is the month I dont do gardening as too much to do for the family Christmas indoors.

29 Nov, 2010

 

Given the weather we have right now I doubt we will be doing much gardening either...

29 Nov, 2010

 

Its going to be a long cold winter for you MG?

29 Nov, 2010

 

Looks like it Denise...

29 Nov, 2010

 

Thinking of you all up there Carol, My broad beans, peas, onions and shallots already in the ground frozen to the depth of 2 inches, digging parsnips still dry below 6 inches. Slight snow here today giving everything a damping as it thaws, many plants and shrubs damaged by the hard frosts and cold winds. Overnight we were -10. All having a day off today.

30 Nov, 2010

 

It is St Andrew's Night and I have to somehow get a turnip out of the ground to go with the haggis and tatties... not an easy task right now. Our temperature dropped to about that too Dr B but thanks to the deep covering of snow the ground isn't really frozen.

30 Nov, 2010

 

Ooh! that sounds nice Carol, happy St. Andrews day (and night).

30 Nov, 2010

 

Apparently we were the coldest place in Britain last night with -13˚... Thank god for thermal underwear is all I'm going to say.

30 Nov, 2010

 

Did you out the thermals on the veggies, Mg??? Another fascinating blog, showing that, whatever the weather, there is no real gap period in a gardening year. Wishing you and Mr MB a warm, and safe, passage!!!!

1 Dec, 2010

 

No need for the veggies to wear thermals all covered in a nice cosy blanket of snow. When Mr MB dug up the neep he said the soil was warm and soft under the icy covering.

1 Dec, 2010

 

Proof, indeed, that a snow blanket really helps. Glad to read this, Mg, you can keep your thermals for your own use.

1 Dec, 2010

 

You bet... I was talking with the presenter of a gardening prog. down in England earlier. They only have a dusting of snow and the ground is frozen solid! The reason alpine flowers survive in the Alps is that it snows before it freezes!

1 Dec, 2010

 

The snow is very bad down here, parts of the M25 has been shut for 2-3 days, no trains either, it took my neighbour 14 hours to get home from London having had to sleep in a train with no heating etc. The village shops cannot get deliveries so no milk or bread. I have now run out of bird seed too.

2 Dec, 2010

 

Hope it improves for you soon Denise.

2 Dec, 2010

 

So do I MG, yesterday the ambulance was needed next door, but could not get all the way to the house so the poor man had to be carried to it quite a way. The poor wife could then not get back and still is not home! When you are in your late 80's bad weather is not easy.

2 Dec, 2010

 

Indeed it isn't.

2 Dec, 2010

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