Gardening by the phases of the moon is also called lunar gardening; people have been planting by the moon’s phases for centuries, in the belief that something in the changing lunar light, gravity, or water tide can effect the growth cycle of plants.
Every month there are four phases, or quarters, of the moon’s cycle, with each phase lasting approximately seven days. The first two phases, when light increases from the new moon to full moon, are referred to as waxing. The two phases after the full moon, when light gradually diminishes, are called waning. The four moon phases influence the earth’s gravity, which is why the ocean tides change and groundwater rises and falls.
Basic Guide to Moon Planting Rules…
- New Moon To Full Moon: Sow, Transplant, bud and graft.
- Full Moon To New Moon: Plow, Cultivate, weed and reap.
- New Moon To First Quarter: Good for Planting above-ground crops with outside seeds, flowering annuals.
- First Quarter To Full Moon: Good for planting above ground crops with inside seeds.
- Full Moon To Last Quarter: Good for planting root crops, bulbs, biennials, and perennials.
- Last Quarter To New Moon: Do Not Plant
Since incorporating moon phase planting rules in our garden, we’ve had healthier plants, improved seed germination rates, increased yields and overall feel that gardening is yielding better results over all!
Want to incorporate Moon Planting Rules in your Garden?
The Old Farmer’s Almanac is a reference book that contains weather forecasts, tide tables, planting charts, astronomical data, recipes, and articles on a number of topics including gardening, sports, astronomy and farming. The book also features anecdotes and a section that predicts trends in fashion, food, home décor, technology and living for the coming year. The Old Farmer’s Almanac has been published continuously since 1792, making it the oldest continuously published periodical in North America. Most “old fashioned” gardeners (like us) regularly refer to the Farmer’s Almanac for timelines for planting.
MoonGardeningCalendar.com created a perpetual Moon Calendar unlocks the secrets of the lunar cycles with easy-to-follow directions on the right time to plant, when to fertilize, when to cultivate and even when to fish. (it’s a wheel you align with your current moon phase/date).
Raising with the Moon – The Complete Guide to Gardening and Living by the Signs of the Moon by Jack R Pyle & Taylor Reese, Planting “by the signs” is an ancient tradition carried on by millions of people. This book explains the logic of gardening by the signs of the moon and shows how it works, giving clear and complete instructions for calculating the moon’s effect on every aspect of gardening — preparing the soil, cultivating, planting, fertilizing, transplanting, pruning, grafting, controlling weeds and pests, harversting. It also explains how the moon affects many other areas of life and how the moon signs can be employed for best results in these matters. No almanac user should be without this comprehensive one-source reference. Click HERE to buy or for more information.