Raising by the Moon

All of us have heard at one time that plants are more productive, healthier, or more beautiful depending on the moon sign or moon phase in which they've been planted.

Many folks swear by it, some folks pooh-pooh it entirely. Regardless, raising a garden or farming according to the signs has been an agricultural tradition for centuries.

Join John Maruskin on Wednesday night, March 11 at 7:00 p.m. at the Clark County Public Library as he presents both the fascinating, complex history and the how-to of Raising by the Moon.

In addition to the somewhat controversial moon calendars, John also presents phenological sayings, such as "plant your corn when the oak leaves are as big as a squirrel's ear", or "fertilize your lawn when the forsythia blooms".

Although many people think of phenology as old wives' tales, biologists and botanists define it as a study of the times of naturally recurring phenomena. In other words, the oak trees in your front yard begin to leaf each year once the soil warms to a particular temperature, or after day length reaches a certain point in the season.

Indigenous plants respond to the climate around them rather than a date marked on our calendars, so planting your corn when oak leaves have developed to the length of a squirrel's ear (because the soil has warmed to the right depth and temperature) makes sound agricultural sense.

So we hope that you'll reserve your seat at Raising by the Moon by calling (859) 744-5661 today. The program is free - and all participants will receive a free packet of zinnias, sweet peas or four-o'clocks for their annual flower beds.