Sunday, July 6, 2008

Gardening according to the Old Farmer's Almanac

Does anybody pay any attention to the Farmer's almanac anymore?

I remember my Granny and PawPaw did. They bought a 'fresh' copy each year, and would consult about all kinds of things in that little book. When to pull a tooth, when to cut hair, stop bad habits, but mostly, when to put seed into the ground.

This is the chart for July.

July 2008
1-2 Poor days for planting, seeds tend to rot in ground.
3-5 Most favorable for corn, okra, beans, peppers, eggplant and other aboveground crops. Plant seed beds and flower gardens.
6-10 A most barren period. Kill plant pests and do general farm work.
11-12 Favorable for planting peas, beans, and tomatoes and other fall crops bearing aboveground. Sow grains and forage crops. Plant flowers.
13-14 Extra good for fall cabbage, lettuce, cauliflower, mustard greens and other leafy vegetables. Good for any above ground crop that can be planted now. Start seedbeds.
15-17 Seeds planted now will do poorly and yield little.
18-19 Good days for planting beets carrots, Irish potatoes and other root crops.
20-21 Good days for killing weeds, briar's and other plant pests, poor for planting.
22-23 Good days for planting beets, carrots, radishes, salsify, turnips, peanuts and other root crops. Also good for planting melons, cucumbers, pumpkins and other vine crops. Set strawberry plants.
24-25 A barren period.26-27 Root crops that can be planted now will yield well.
28-29 Poor days for planting, seeds tend to rot in ground.
30-31 Most fruitful days for planting root crops. Excellent for sowing seed beds and flower gardens.

I was about to plant a whole bunch of seeds this week, but this stopped me in my tracks. It just seems wrong to tempt failure.

I know, I know....but still.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

First off it is good to see you back blogging. I missed your posts. Second, I love the Farmer's Almanac. I don't think I've ever followed the advice, but the topics are quaint and interesting. :)

OhioMom said...

Bout time you came back and shared your wisdom and humor :)

I love the Farmer's Almanac, always check it for moon phases and weather reports.

janie said...

So glad I was missed. Thank you, thank you!

This year, I am President of our Master Gardeners. I never dreamed how many hours I would spend on that. I enjoy it, and I learn a lot, every day, but it does take a lot of time. DH says he will be glad when I am not president of anything anymore.

We (the MGs) are in the middle of finally getting our web site up and running, and I am setting up a blog to link to it that any/all MGs can post on. That should be fun.

Also, during the summer, I am involved with my DD, and the Grands. It just seems that I have no time left over to do the things I want to do- like post on my blog.

I will be over to 'look' at y'all a little later. We are cooking dinner; otherwise I would go right now!

Janie

Sandi McBride said...

hi Janie, wanted to come say thank you for stopping by to see me and ask you...was your hubby in the military...maybe we DO know each other, lol! I've just added you to my favorites list, so will be back to catch up with you and back read your posts...I don't suppose you were once a cop? That would be to weird!
Sandi

ancient one said...

Good to see you back. When we were young and knew nothing... our gardens always did well... then my husband started to listen to the old folks... I found out I didn't cut potatoes right.. some told him to cut the eyes thin and let them dry before planting... never had a good crop of potatoes since...all of a sudden he bagan buying almanacs to look at... all this stuff about planting when the moon was right??? All I can say is nothing we plant does as good as it once did...LOL

Lorilee said...

Hello, I'm new into this blogging thing and loving it. Not new in gardening though. I also garden in HOT and HUMID south Texas. Boy has the rain been wonderful! Now the weeds are really growing!haha! I find the almanac interesting, but don't follow it. I have to plant etc. when I can get to it. This is especially true during the school year since I teach. My mom and Granny were both avid gardeners, so I come by it naturally.

janie said...

No, Sandi, my Daddy was in the military! I should have been a cop, but I never thought about doing it back then.

Lorilee, WHERE in Hot and Humid South Texas are you? I am also in Hot, Humid South Texas!

Janie

Sandi McBride said...

We live by the OFA...just as our grandparents did...they are never far wrong and the information is so informative! Thanks for stopping in to see me and leaving such a nice comment...hows the gazebo coming?
Sandi