Gardening by the Moon

By Lucretia Schanfarber

Although the idea of gardening by the moon may illicit images of dancing naked around your blueberry bushes asking goddesses for special favours, in fact it is something quite different. Lunar gardening is actually based upon the moon’s gravitational effect on the flow of moisture in soil and plants.

Early cultivators noticed that seeds planted at certain times of the moon’s cycle sprouted and grew better than at other times. Through ages of trial and error, planting by the stages of the moon became as important as preparing and nurturing the soil. Today, many gardeners are looking to the moon’s phases for scheduling everything related to gardening – from planting seeds to turning the compost pile.

Hard Science vs. Gardening Wisdom
Despite the dedicated research work of Maria Thun and Rudolph Steiner in Germany during the early to mid 1900’s, there is a lack of hard science proving the benefits of planting by the moon. This has not discouraged enthusiastic disciples. The Old Farmer’s Almanac, an internationally esteemed publication and the oldest continually published periodical in North America, bases much of its annual gardening and farming advice on the perceived monthly influences of the different stages of the moon. Published since 1792, the Old Farmer’s Almanac is still many a farmer’s beloved guide to planting and harvesting. Its charts, largely based on the moon’s phases and astronomical positions, support the premise that lunar cycles influence meteorological cycles which in turn influence crops.

Louise Riotte, the author of 12 gardening books including Astrological Gardening and the all-time classic book on companion gardening Carrots Love Tomatoes (Storey Books) promoted and encouraged lunar gardening throughout her long life as a writer and gardener. A regular contributor to the annual Llewellyn’s Moon Sign Book, A Gardening Almanac and Guide to Conscious Living, Ms. Riotte heartily championed gardening not only by the phases of the moon but also by its “signs”, the constellation behind the moon.

Many people claim they achieve larger and tastier harvests when gardening by the moon. I’ve been gardening by the moon for many years. I don’t consider it solely responsible for my garden’s productivity but I believe it has made a positive impact. Combined with my passion for composting, practicing the basics of lunar gardening has helped to make my garden the heavenly place it has become.

Moon Talk
Did you know…?

• The moon is a satellite of earth and shines with the sun’s reflected light.
• The revolution of the moon around the earth makes the moon appear as if it is changing shape in the sky.
• The different angles from which we see the bright part of the moon’s surface are called “phases.”
• The moon passes through four major phases during a cycle that repeats itself every 29.5 days.
• The moon’s phases always follow one another in the same order.
• The moon has a much smaller mass than the sun but it’s 390 times closer to us.

Lunar Planting 101
Most calendars have moon symbols depicting the phases of the moon from a new moon to a full moon. If you want to dig more deeply into the practice of lunar gardening, obtain a lunar calendar or gardening almanac that will show detailed moon information such as the constellations behind the moon.  Or click here for an online moon calendar.

In its simplest form, lunar gardening considers the phase or stage of fullness of the moon to determine the gardening activities best suited to that moon stage. A waxing (increasing) moon includes the first and second quarter phases and is thought to stimulate leaf growth. A waning (decreasing) moon includes the third and fourth quarter phases and is believed to stimulate root growth.

In general, plant annuals that produce their yields above ground during the waxing moon (from new moon to full moon). During the waning moon (from full moon back to new moon) plant bulbs and root crops, along with biennials and perennials.

MOON PLANTING Schedule

• First quarter (waxing) – plant annuals that produce above ground, leafy parts and produce their seeds outside of themselves such as lettuce, spinach and cabbage.
• Second quarter (waxing) – plant above ground annuals that produce their seeds inside including beans, squash, peas, and tomatoes.
• Third quarter (waning) – plant annual bulbs and root crops such as onions, potatoes, beets and carrots. All plant biennials and perennials.
• Fourth quarter (waning) – also called the “dark of the moon” this is not a good time to plant. Cultivate, weed, turn compost, prune, and cut grass.

Sources:

• https://www.gardeningbythemoon.com/moon-phase-gardening/
• Llewellyn’s 2008 Moon Sign Book (Llewellyn Worldwide, 2007)
• Steiner, Rudolf and Courtney, Hugh. What Is Biodynamics? (Steiner Books, 2005)

Lucretia Schanfarber gardens organically on Quadra and Cortes Islands, sometimes according to the phases and signs of the moon.