Lunar calendar potato experiment

Day 45 #365DaysWild

This year we have conducted a ‘spudsperiment’ around planting of potatoes by the phase of the moon. We’re new to this aspect of gardening, are by no means expert, but are keen to learn and to try things out…

Here’s where we began….

‘Spudsperiment’

You will see that we lean heavily on the knowledge of our friend Claire Hattersley, former head gardener at Weleda Biodynamic Gardens in Ilkeston, Derbyshire.

The question was how would potatoes planted on a lunar ‘root day’ compare in yield with those planted on an apogee day with ‘the moon in twins’. The planting calendar of Maria Thun is ‘the bible’ for all lunar planting dates.

Here’s how we made the experiment fair…

No-dig beds mulched with identical home-made compost.

Tubers planted in same no-dig bed.

Same number of tubers in each row.

Identical planting i.e. planting through the mulch with a trowel. 

No ‘earthing-up’ but identical quantities of home-grown compost applied around the base of the potato haulm to prevent any surface tubers going green.

No additional watering beyond rainfall.

Harvested on the same day.

Now is the time for lifting potatoes and the first results are in. Only Kestrel lifted so far.

Kestrel:

Root day (top bucket) 5.8kg

‘Moon in twins’ (bottom bucket) 10.9kg

Wow! These plants were side-by-side but a phenomenal difference in crop!!!

Marfona and Sarpo Una yet to lift.