Saturday 20th July

Saturday 20th July
The moon rises in the constellation of Sagittarius, ushering in a period of exploration and heightened desire. This fire sign brings warmth to our day, creating ideal conditions for tending to fruit plants such as tomatoes and beans. Take this opportunity to harvest the fruits of your labor and remember to save seeds for next season, while also considering sharing them with your community. Embrace this time of abundance and growth in your gardening endeavors.

Friday 19th July 2024

Friday 19th July 2024
Today, two cosmic rhythms change tempo. Firstly, the sun moves from the constellation of Gemini to Cancer, shifting us from the intellectual qualities of Gemini to the nurturing qualities of Cancer. Secondly, the moon, currently in the constellation of Sagittarius, reaches its lowest point on the horizon and begins to rise, signaling the start of a less favorable period for transplanting. Over the next two weeks, influences on everything above ground will be more pronounced compared to root and soil activity.

Wednesday 17th July 2024

Wednesday 17th July 2024
The moon rises in the constellation of Scorpio, a water sign known for its emotional intensity and cleansing potential. Each element is associated with transformation: water brings purification through baptism, fire brings transfiguration, air brings enlightenment, and earth grounds us in transformational growth. It's valuable to explore these four elements and their characteristics, as they manifest in all aspects of gardening. For instance, in an active compost, we see a blend of these elements: water nurturing decomposition, fire symbolizing the energy driving the process, air providing essential oxygen for microbial activity, and earth serving as the medium where transformational processes enrich the soil for new growth.

Tuesday 16th July 2024

Tuesday 16th July 2024

As Mars and Uranus traverse the constellation of Taurus, they align in opposition to the Moon, creating a celestial phenomenon fraught with cosmic confusion. This planetary configuration suggests a less-than-ideal period for gardening endeavors. In our earthly lives, such an alignment may precipitate moments of impulsiveness and an amplified sense of personal strength. It's a time when unexpected urges and assertiveness may guide us towards bold decisions and new explorations.

Thursday 11th July 2024

Thursday 11th July 2024
Today, the moon transitions into the earthly constellation of Virgo after spending the last three days in the constellation of Leo. In biodynamics, the moon in Virgo is associated with tending to root vegetables and working with the soil. However, we are greeted by two planetary trines, creating conditions favorable for working with flowers in the morning and leafy vegetables in the afternoon. Today, the planets Saturn, Venus, the Sun, and Neptune have aligned in such a way as to form two planetary trines, bringing the elements of light and water to this earth element day.

Wednesday 10th July 2024

Wednesday 10th July 2024
The presence of the moon in Leo encodes a tendency toward creativity. Harness these cosmic forces to express yourself and your ideas through your chosen medium. Whether you are an artist, a writer, or a gardener, whatever your profession or occupation, find time to express your creative side. Creativity is a muscle that must be exercised, or it may atrophy. By nurturing your creative spirit, you can bring more joy and fulfillment into your life.

Tuesday 9th July 2024

Tuesday 9th July 2024
The moon rises in the constellation of Leo, bringing with it a sense of warmth that aids the development of fruits and seeds. In 1924, Rudolf Steiner gave the agriculture lectures to 111 farmers, landowners, and educators, laying the foundation for biodynamics. Initially, biodynamics was kept within a small group as it was being researched and explored. Now, 100 years later, there are thousands of biodynamic farms, vineyards, and gardens across the world. These farms follow biodynamic principles for many reasons, such as producing nutrient-rich food, building community, and regenerating the land.

Monday 8th July 2024

Monday 8th July 2024
Today the moon transitions from the water element to the fire element, as it moves from Cancer, into Leo. This change, has influences on the garden, nature, and the human being. In the garden, its a beneficial day to prune the side shoots on our tomatoes, ensure cucumbers are properly supported, and tend to other fruit plants. We can also sow beans, that will benefit from being sown under the warmth of Leo, and with the descending moon promoting root growth.

Sunday 7th July 2024

Sunday 7th July 2024
As the moon crosses into the sign of Cancer, it creates conditions conducive to an outpouring of emotions. This period encourages seeking nurturing from loved ones and benefiting from the presence of family and friends. In the garden, to harness the influences of Cancer, we can continue to sow lettuce, chard, kale, and endives. Additionally, we can harvest salads and leafy greens that were transplanted earlier in the spring. Successive transplanting of salads ensures a steady supply of fresh greens throughout the season.

Saturday 6th July 2024

Saturday 6th July 2024
The moon continues its orbit around the Earth, passing through the zodiac. Today, it is in the constellation of Gemini, bringing an airy and light quality to the day. This time of year, there is an abundance of flowers. Flowers harvested today will retain their vitality for longer. It's also an opportune time to gather seeds from these flowers for use next year or to sow biennial flowers. In the cultural realm, the Gemini moon creates favorable moments for socializing and communication.

Friday 5th July 2024

Friday 5th July 2024

Today, we are greeted by a new moon. As the moon finds itself between us and the sun, no light from the sun reaches the side of the moon that faces the Earth. If the skies are clear, a new moon presents a beautiful opportunity for stargazing, as the moon's absence allows the stars to shine more brightly. Today, the new moon in the constellation of Gemini also reaches its highest point on the horizon, from which it will now descend. This rhythm brings vital forces to the soil, aiding the growth of plant roots, making it an ideal time for sowing seeds and transplanting.

Thursday 4th July 2024

Thursday 4th July 2024
The moon rises in the constellation of Taurus, permitting an earthy quality to the day this makes it an appropriate time to work on those mundane tasks, such as planning or managing finances. In the garden, you can tend to your root vegetables, weeding around them, and considering when they will be ready for harvest. Consider, allowing some root vegetables mature to seed, so you can collect the seeds for next year. You could organise, your gardening tools, making repairs, how you keep your tools reflects on your practice as a gardener.

Wednesday 3rd July 2024

Wednesday 3rd July 2024
As Venus in Gemini and Saturn in Aquarius align 120 degrees apart, favorable conditions arise for harvesting flowers in the morning. By the afternoon, the influence of their trine of light subsides, yielding to Taurus guided by the moon, which restores stability. After the cosmic drama of the past few days, let's take this opportunity to settle and refocus on what truly matters.

Tuesday 2nd July 2024

Tuesday 2nd July 2024
Mercury moved into the constellation of Cancer yesterday, and today Neptune begins its retrograde movement in Pisces. This creates a trine between the two planets, as they align at a 120-degree proximity within water constellations. This synchronicity overrides the moon's influence in Aries for most of the day, creating favorable conditions for working with leafy plants that benefit from the planets' trine. However, today may be turbulent as we navigate through all four elements due to the moon's transit through the zodiac and the two trines occurring on successive days. This is quite remarkable—the cosmic dance continues to surprise. As a biodynamic practitioner, this is the first time I have seen all four elements encountered in a single day.

Monday 1st July 2024

Monday 1st July 2024
The moon rises in the constellation of Aries, the first house of the zodiac. Aries brings warmth to the Earth, mediated by the moon, creating favorable conditions for tending to fruit plants and harvesting seeds for future planting. Saving your own seeds and sharing them with local gardeners is important, as seeds grown in your area will adapt to the unique conditions over time. A single seed contains immeasurable potential; these unfurled kernels are truly divine.

Sunday 30th June 2024

Sunday 30th June 2024
Today, the moon transitions from the constellation of Pisces to the fiery constellation of Aries. Focus on tending to your fruiting vegetables such as tomatoes, beans, zucchinis, and berries—all considered fruits in biodynamics, corresponding to the fire zodiac signs that enhance the fruiting elements of each plant. It's a good time to check on your berries like raspberries, red currants, and blackcurrants. Ensure they are free from weeds and consider applying compost around their bases to promote growth and ripening.

Saturday 29th June 2024

Saturday 29th June 2024
Today, in the cosmic theatre, Saturn moves into retrograde. From Earth's perspective, this means Saturn appears to immediately change direction as it moves through the constellation of Aquarius. This shift brings a period of introspection, prompting us to reflect on our lives and carefully consider upcoming decisions. In the garden, with the moon in Pisces, it's a favorable time to harvest salads and leafy vegetables.

Friday 28th June 2024

Friday 28th June 2024
The moon has been waxing and today reaches the Last Quarter, illuminated on the left side. This is a time for reflection and future planning. In the garden, as harvested vegetables begin to surpass those being sown, consider planting chicory, kale, parsley, and spring onions. Soil benefits from being consistently covered and penetrated by roots. A good garden plan includes a succession plan for continuous seed sowing. Ideally, after harvesting a bed, transplant a new vegetable or sow a cover crop shortly afterward.

Thursday 27th June 2024

Thursday 27th June 2024
The moon navigates into the constellation of Pisces, opening doors to creativity. In the garden, the benefits of working with leafy vegetables are overshadowed as the moon reaches perigee, its closest approach to Earth. At this time, the moon's influence is so strong that it creates unfavorable conditions. Today, instead of disturbing the soil or the plants, harness your creative energies and bring something new into the world.

Wednesday 26th June 2024

Wednesday 26th June 2024
The moon rises in Aquarius, a time of year when the constellation's light and air make it ideal for stirring and spraying horn silica at sunrise or in the early morning. In biodynamics, we use specific preparations to enhance the vitality of the land and plants. During summer, cow horn silica is applied to aid the ripening process. A pinch of specially prepared silica is placed into a barrel of rainwater and stirred for one hour before being sprayed across the land. This preparation helps the sun's light refract and radiate more profoundly among the plants, enhancing their growth at this crucial time in the season.