CHINESE GARDENERS PLANT BY THE STARS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 206, 16 September 1937, Page 11

CHINESE GARDENERS PLANT BY THE STARS

Many people laugh at the idea of astrology having anything to do witli the growtli of plants in a garden, but a little knowledge of ihe simple rules of astrology will prove that hy obeying well-established laws at certain defined seasons when plantiug seeds oue has a better cliance of success tban if the work is done haphazardly. For centuries Cliinese ^ardeners have planted "by the stars," and no one can deiiy tliat the Chinese have a distinct flair for growing things. Plants, seeds, and trees should be planted .during the second quarter of the moon, and budding, pruning, graffing, and transplanting should also be done at this time. All grubbing and weeding should be done in the dark of the moon (the fourth quarter). So keep your calendar handy, and sow your seed the day before the moon is full, and you will find tliat the seeds germinate . more quickly, and give stronger plants. Make main sowings of anemone, Iceland poppies, pansies, phlox, ranunculus, .scabiosa, stocks, violets, etc. (Be sure to plant ranunculus corms claws downwards, and from 4in to 6in apart.) It is a gopd thing to have a definite colour sclieme in mind when arranging the flower-bed?, for massed or wellblenched colours are preferable to an indiscriminato mixing of all colour s, aud remember always to find out the best situation for eachi plant— rwhether it likes an open, sunny » position or a shady corner best.